We were hoping for a white Christmas at a skiing resort in south-western Bulgaria, but the European winter of 2022 has been unseasonably warm. So, there was a last minute change of plan. We spent a few days in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, including Christmas Day.

Sofia is another lovely city, although the Christmas festivities weren't very overt. The city seemed to go about its business as usual, with a couple of pop-up markets and lots of lights around the main streets.

There is a lot to see in Sofia, and quite a contrast with the Islamic areas we had just come from. Here there is a real blend of Orthodox, Catholic, Muslim, Protestant and Jewish faiths, producing a variety of architectural influences. We hope you enjoy the story of our visit here.