VENUESOFIA UNIVERSITY SAINT KLIMENT OHRIDSKIThe University is the first school of higher education in Bulgaria. Its history is an embodimentand a continuation of centuries of cultural and educational traditions in this country.
Link: https://www.uni-sofia.bg/index.php/eng

Rectorate – the central building of the University. It is situated in theheart of the city, next to the buildings of the National Library and theParliament.
Address: 1504 Sofia, 15 Tsar Osvoboditel Blvd. Transport communications include subway,bus (84, 94, 280, 306), tram (20, 22), trolley bus (1, 2, 4, 11).

Centre for Eastern Languages and Cultures
The Japanese Studies Department at Sofia University “St Kliment
Ohridski” has a history of 30 years. It is the only program in Bulgaria
accredited to award bachelor, master and doctor degrees in JapaneseStudies. http://japanology.bg/
Address: 1303 Sofia, 79 Todor Aleksandrov Blvd., floor 3, room 31A. Subway “OpalchenskaSt.”, bus (74), tram (3, 8, 10, 20, 22), trolley bus (1, 5).

Map of the locations of theRectorate and the Centre forEastern Languages andCultures.

TRANSPORT
Public transport
The most convenient transport to the venue is the subway (metro) – Sofia University‘St Kliment Ohridski’ Station. The subway runs from Sofia Airport Terminal 2 (fromTerminal 1 there is a free bus to Terminal 2 subway station), as well as from the railway stationand from the Central bus station – Central Rail/Bus Station of subway.
Оne ticket costs 1.60 BGN. One-day full network coverage 4.00 BGN. 3-day full network
coverage 10.00 BGN. 3-day full network coverage with tourist discounts 20.00 BGN.
See also:

https://www.sofiatraffic.bg/bg/transport/tarifa-i-prevozni-dokumenti/702/tarifaTaxiThe approximate price of a taxi transfer from the airport, from the railway stationand from the bus station to the venues is 15-20 BGN.
Care must be taken for illegal taxi cars!

Recommended taxi companies:

OK SUPERTRANS Tel. & Viber +359 2 973 2121
https://www.oktaxi.net/en

YELLOW TAXI Tel. & Viber +359 2 91119
https://www.yellow333.com/

TAXI FOR ONE EURO Tel. +359 2 80 700
http://1euro.bg/

ACCOMMODATION
Sofia has quite an unlimited number of accommodation options. Everyone can find their place
according to their preferences and opportunities.

Recommendation for hotels near the Rectorate

InterContinental Sofia, 5 stars
Overlooking The Parliament Building and offering stunning viewsof Alexandar Nevski Cathedral, InterContinental Sofia is thecapital’s ultimate luxury hotel.
https://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/gb/en/sofia/sofco/hoteldetail

Arena di Serdica, 5 stars
Arena di Serdica Boutique Hotel is an elegant modern facility, which hosts
one of Sofia’s most precious treasures – the remains of the roman
Amphitheatre of Ancient Serdica, which date back to the III-IV century.
Next to Sofia’s main cultural sights and institutions, the Arena di Serdica
Hotel offers the perfect setting for both business and leisure.
https://www.arenadiserdica.com/

Crystal Palace, 4 stars
Crystal Palace Boutique Hotel is located next to the famous
Doctor’s Garden, Sofia’s National Library, the University ofSofia, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and other main
institutions, cultural sights and places of interest. Close andconvenient. https://www.crystalpalace-sofia.com/

Recommendation for hotels near the Centre for Eastern Languages and Cultures

The luxurious BEST WESTERN PLUS Bristol Hotel is located inthe very heart of capital city Sofia and is prepared to meet thesophisticated taste of every guest.
http://www.bristolhotel.bg/en/

Hotel Central Sofia is located in the central part of Sofia, as
well as to important administrative buildings, culturalmonuments and tourist attractions. To reach the center of thecity it takes about 10 min. on foot, the Rectorate – 20 min. andthe Centre for Eastern Languages and Cultures – 5 min.
Convenient transportation by tram, bus, subway. http://centralhotel.com/en/about/
Other recommended hotels in the center of Sofia

Best Western Premier Collection City Hotel, 3 stars – located nearthe Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the Sofia National Opera andBallet.
https://sofiacityhotel.com/en/

Best Western Art Plaza Hotel offers high quality service andcomfort. The hotel is located in the heart of the city Sofia, just 50
meters from the famous Vitosha Boulevard.
http://www.artplazahotel.bg/en/

Coop, 4 stars – offers all the necessary services that will make yourstay a pleasant experience. It is a new urban hotel opened in 2017,
representing the refined building, built in the style of old Sofia. Itserves as a tourist offer made by some of the most importantBulgarian cooperatives. Highly recommended for bestprice:comfort/convenience ratio. http://www.coophotel.bg/en/

Budget accommodation:

Sofia University offers a limited number of budget accommodations about 30 minutes by public
transport from the venue (within 25 Euro per night, newly renovated). If you wish to use thisservice please send a request to jstudies.su@gmail.com in advance.

LANDMARKSBULGARIA is located in Southeast Europe and is a member ofthe European Union. The internal and external transport
connections are provided by airports in Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna andBourgas and rail and bus stations in most of the settlements in thecountry. The currency of exchange in Bulgaria is BGN (lev). 1EURO ≈1.985 BGNSOFIA is the capital of Bulgaria and is located in the western partof the country. It was originally a Thracian settlement called
Serdica and is the largest Bulgarian city. It accommodates over
two thousand years of active history and culture.
Sofia Tourist Information Centre is located in the underpass of"St. Kliment Ohridski" Sofia University.
http://www.tourism.government.bg/en/content/sofia-tourist-information-centre

Must see in Sofia

National History Museum – located at the foot of Vitosha
mountain, where one can explore permanent and temporary
exhibitions. https://historymuseum.org/en/

National Gallery Kvadrat 500 is the newest and largest building of theNational Gallery. Some 1,700 artworks from the gallery’s rich fund of over
42,000 museum pieces by Bulgarian and foreign artists are exhibited in 28 halls
on four levels. There is also a ukiyo-e collection and Asian art halls.
https://nationalgallery.bg/visiting/kvadrat-500/

The National Museum of Military History (NMMH) is a state
museum, which from its establishment until today is a structure of
the Ministry of Defense. It investigates, preserves, processes
scientifically and popularizes cultural valuables connected with
the national and European military history. In possession of a richand fine art collection.
http://www.militarymuseum.bg/index-en.html

In the very center of the city, near the Maria Luiza street, can beseen the remains of Serdika, old Sofia.

The central part of Vitosha Blvd is a pedestrian zone with many
shops and restaurants.

Boyana Church "St. St. Nicholas and Panteleimon" is a medieval
Bulgarian church in the Boyana district of Sofia, located at the footof Vitosha mountain. It is one of the cultural symbols of Bulgaria
and was included in 1979 as a cultural monument in the UNESCOWorld Heritage List.
http://www.boyanachurch.org/historyen.htm

Sofia has many parks for recreation – South Park (Yujen), WestPark (Zapaden), Borissova gradina (close to the Rectorate), etc.

The largest park in Sofia is the Vitosha mountain, an hour awayfrom the city. To the top of the mountain lead two lifts: seat andcabin.

One day trips from Sofia

Rila Monastery is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox
monastery in Bulgaria. It is situated in the southwestern Rila
Mountains, 117 km south of the capital Sofia. Founded in the 10thcentury, the Rila Monastery is regarded as one of Bulgaria's mostimportant cultural, historical and architectural monuments. Under
the protection of UNESCO. It enchants visitors all year-around.
https://www.rilamonastery.info/

Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria. It is located in thewestern part of the Upper Thracian Plain, on both banks of theMaritsa River. Plovdiv has a history of over 8000 years, whose pastcan be traced back to prehistory. It is one of the oldest living cities
in the world. European Capital of Culture for 2019.
The Ancient Theater (in the picture) is protected by UNESCO.

Koprivshtitsa is a town in central Bulgaria. In 1978 it wasrecognized as a national architectural reserve of international
importance and a settlement for international tourism. It
accommodates some of the finest examples of traditionalarchitecture from the period of the Bulgarian Renaissance.
Surrounded by beautiful nature.