What is the best time of year to visit Sofia in Bulgaria

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Asks marmalade

A. Summer is the best time of year weather wise as the climate is mild and temperate. You should, however, try to tie in your visit with a festival if you can as this provides an excellent opportunity to see the traditional side of Sofia.

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Some of their best holidays include Trifon Zarezan (14 February) this is an old festival that celebrates wine growers and their coming harvest, Liberation Day - dates back to 1878 (3 March), Cyrillic Alphabet Day (24 May), Festival of the Roses (June) and Christmas which is now celebrated over two days as it was banned during Communism.

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Q. What can Sofia offer the tourist

A. During Communism it almost dropped off the tourist map, which is a shame as many people have missed out on visiting this ancient city - it dates back to the 4th Century BC. It is architecturally and culturally rich - with many old buildings (of Greek, Roman, Turkish, Byzantine and Bulgarian origin) and lots of theatres, museums, opera houses and art galleries.

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Some of the sights you should try and see during your trip include the following:

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Sofia is very big on churches, some of the best include the Alexander Nevsky Memorial Church - this huge building dominates the city and can be seen from far and wide as it has an impressive gold-leaf dome. It was built to celebrate Bulgaria's liberation from the Turks in the Russo-Turkish war at the end of the 19th century (1877-78) - and houses a memorial to the 200,000 Russian soldiers who died in the fight for Bulgaria's independence. Other churches of note include St George (5th Century), St Sophia (6th Century) and St Petka Samardshijska (14th Century). Sveta Nedelya Cathedral has been largely restored since it was bombed in 1924 during an assassination attempt on Tsar Boris III - and is well worth a look.

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There are other places of worship in Sofia worth visiting; these include the Bouyouk Mosque and the Banya Bashi Mosque. Located on Bulevard Tsar Osvoboditel, you'll find the Russian Church - well in fact you can’t miss it as it is decorated in bright yellow tiles, with five domes and an emerald spire!

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Ploshtad Alexander Battenberg: is home to the Georgi Dimitrov Mausoleum - which housed the embalmed body of Dimitrov, the first leader of the People's Republic of Bulgaria from 1946-49, until he was finally cremated in 1995. It was once a popular place for rallies and demos during Communist rule.

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Party House is the former home of the Communist government, whose reign ended in 1992. It was set on fire in 1990 and still bears the smoke damaged scars today.

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The National History Museum can be found in the former Palace of Justice and is full of ancient Bulgarian artefacts including many iconic paintings and frescoes, and Thracian gold and silver.

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The Natural Science Museum is an unexpected find in Sofia as it pays homage to all forms of nature found natively in Bulgaria - far too many snakes though!

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The National Art Gallery is housed in the former Royal Palace.

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The Ethnographic Museum is well worth a visit as it details the history of Bulgaria through costume, craft and folklore.

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Bul Tsar Osvoboditel is the home of Sofia University - and its many colleges and parkland. It is the most prestigious seat of learning in the country and some believe in the entire Balkans.

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Mt Vitosha is a popular ski resort - which also does business during the summer months by ferrying tourists up and down the mountain on a chair lift. It offers amazing views of the city and surrounding countryside - and as it is only located 8km from the city centre it is easy to do even if you're only in Sofia for a couple of days. Local residents frequent it most often on Sundays when the lawns are littered with family parties enjoying picnics.

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Borisova Gradina is the oldest and biggest park in the city and named after Tsar Boris III.

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Yuzhen Park is a lot younger than Borisova Gradina, and as popular as it is home to the National Palace of Culture - a modern concert and congress centre.

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Q. Do I need a visa to visit Sofia

A. You don’t need a visa with a UK passport if you plan to stay for 30 days or less.

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Q. What is the currency

A. Bulgarian leva

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Q. Do many people visit Bulgaria - I don’t know any one that has ever been there

A. Yes, it boasts 8 million visitors annually.

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By Karen Anderson