Hotels near Ivan Vazov National Theatre

The Ivan Vazov National Theatre is the oldest and most prestigious theatre in Bulgaria, and its ornate neo-classical facade with a six-column ionic portico and allegorical statues of Apollo and the Muses on the pediment is one of the most photographed spots in the country. Designed by Viennese architects Ferdinand Fellner and Hermann Helmer (specialists in central European opera houses) and completed in 1907, it is named after Bulgaria's national writer Ivan Vazov and holds an 850-seat main hall plus a 120-seat chamber studio.

The theatre sits directly on the small triangular City Garden, itself the oldest public park in Sofia (from 1872) with old plane trees and open-air chess tables that fill with locals every afternoon. Most performances are in Bulgarian and rarely subtitled, so foreign visitors are usually better off with a ballet or classical concert. Tickets run 15-50 lev and sell out for premieres. Even without a ticket, the courtyard and garden make for a good 20-minute break between other central sights.

Pro Tip: Book a Saturday evening ballet if a company is in residence - the classical repertoire (Swan Lake, Nutcracker) needs no translation, ticket prices are a fraction of Vienna or Prague, and the interior with its baroque revival stucco is worth the visit alone.