Sofia doesn't have a great deal on offer for young ones: the one amusement park closed down a few years ago, there are no museums aimed at children and Bulgarians seem to spend a lot of time in so-called 'children's centres', indoor play clubs with toys, ball parks, etc and a cafe for the parents to sit and drink coffee.

Some of the playgrounds in the central parks have been redone, though, and now have safe wooden play equipment and squashy floor surfaces so children can't hurt themselves.

In the winter months there are more indoor activities on offer. The Grand Hotel Sofia hosts a puppet theatre each Sunday morning at 11:30. A children's architectural workshop takes place on Saturdays and from time to time there are fun performances of classical music aimed at children in Bulgaria Hall. Pillow concerts are also a great way to introduce small children to classical music - children and their parents sit on the floor on cushions and are free to wander around, talk and dance throughout the performance.