Sofia, Bulgaria
Elev: 500m Long: 023°19'E Lat: 42°42'N

	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
	2	3	4	5	7	9	10	10	7	5	3	1
	9	10	10	12	13	12	10	9	7	11	10	12
	2	4	10	16	21	24	27	26	22	17	9	4
	-4	-3	1	5	10	14	16	15	11	8	3	-2

	Avg Daily Sunlight Hours		Avg Days of Rain
	Maximum Temperature		Minimum Temperature

Bulgaria has a continental climate , with long, hot, dry summers and - in the interior at least - bitterly cold winters. July and August can be oppressively hot in the big cities, and a little crowded on the Black Sea coast

Once you've settled in and begun to explore, you'll find Sofia surprisingly laid back for a capital city. Hardly a great European metropolis brimming with fine sights, the place comes into its own on fine spring and summer days, when the downtown streets and their pavement cafés begin to buzz with life.

• See the Travel Front for more Sofia articles and information
• Real life Bulgarian living from the Bloggers Guide