Tiananmen Square is where Mao Zedong announced the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. The square is dominated by the red Tiananmen Gate and Mao’s enormous portrait, which you’ll see everywhere. Every morning at sunrise, there’s a flag-raising ceremony, and on the first day of the month, it’s done with a military band. The square is also home to the Monument to the People’s Heroes, a 38-metre granite obelisk in the centre, and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, where people still queue to pay respects.

It was built on a site of a Jesus college. It was a foundation, set up by clerics from Madrid's Royal Monastery (Monasterio de la Visitación), under the patronage of the princes Carlos María Isidro de Borbón and his wife, María de Asís de Braganza y Borbón. The monastery was built in neoclassical style, between 1826 and 1832. On the outside, the facade is made from black and red marble, featuring the shields of Spain and Portugal, Saint Charles Borromeo, Saint Jane of Chantal and Saint Francis of Assisi. Inside the church, built in the shape of a Latin cross, there is an interesting collection of religious paintings by the Court painter, Vicente López and his school (Valencia)

Riverway is a modern development project that offers a combination of residential, commercial, cultural, sports and leisure activities. It has two huge swimming lagoons, Pinnacles Gallery art space, the Riverwalk walking tracks, public art, a restaurant and lush green parkland. Come here with the whole family, swim in the lagoons, make yourself comfortable in the shaded spots and fire up a barbecue.

This is the most popular tourist attraction in Sofia. The beautiful orthodox cathedral was built in 1912 and took 30 years to complete. The cathedral was created in honour of the Russians soldiers that died in the Russo-Turkish war and holds up to 10,000 people.