Pirotska Street, Sofia

The first pedestrianized street in Sofia, Pirotska Street has a history rooted in Bulgaria’s early years of independence. It emerged in the late 19th century as Sofia rapidly expanded beyond its old Ottoman-era core. By the early 1900s, it had become a busy commercial street lined with small workshops, family stores, and bakeries—many of which were owned by local craftsmen and merchants from across the region.

Today, you can begin your stroll with a fresh banitsa—a flaky Bulgarian pastry filled with cheese— from a local bakery before heading toward Halite, the Central Market Hall, built in 1911 and still bustling with food stalls below and small shops above. Pirotska remains packed with places to explore—over 100 shops, cafés, restaurants, and market-style stands offering clothing, shoes, cosmetics, artisanal goods, and everyday necessities, often at prices lower than Sofia’s more upscale shopping avenues.

Unlike the big-brand shopping streets, most shops here feature Bulgarian-made goods or imports from nearby countries. You might find a traditional bakery next to a leather shop, a tiny bookstore, or a courtyard café hidden down a side passage. Historically, Pirotska also bordered Sofia’s old Jewish quarter, and traces of that heritage linger in nearby buildings and side streets.