Fodor's Expert Review Mount Vitosha

Rising to more than 7,500 feet, yet just 4 miles south of central Sofia, Vitosha is visible from pretty much anywhere in the city—although the summit is covered in cloud for more than half the year. In winter the mountain becomes a popular ski resort, making this the only European capital where you can reach the pistes on local public transport. In summer hiking is the most popular pastime, and there is a network of trails where locals come to picnic and to gather wild berries. There is a cable car that will take you from the suburb of Dragalevski (reachable on bus 64) up to the Aleko Ski Center at 6,000 feet. When that isn't running you can also get there by road. A taxi is quite reasonable even from downtown.