City

With more than a million inhabitants, Sofia is Bulgaria's largest city and its capital. It may not impress you at first sight like Paris, Vienna or Prague with the number of monuments or the vast historical centre, but with its atmosphere and location in the mountains. In the capital Sofia, visit the Alexander Nevsky Church, the Sofia Synagogue, the Banya Bashi Mosque and the Dragalevskimanastir Monastery. Sofia also serves as a starting point…

Monastery

Bulgaria's most famous Orthodox monastery can be found about 120 km south of Sofia, tucked away in a valley between the peaks of the Rila Mountains. This is where its name comes from. It lies at an altitude of 1,173 metres. [btn "Find accommodations in Rila" https://booking.com/landmark/bg/rila-monastery.en-gb.html?aid=2380460;label=p-bulharsko-klaster-rila] The monastery was founded in the 10th century by St. Ivan of Rila and has been a…

Resort, Sandy beach

Discover the most interesting places and activities in Bulgaria's largest resort. How to get around or where to stay?

Historic building, Tourist town, Resort

One of Bulgaria's most beautiful resorts, Nessebar boasts beaches and a UNESCO-listed historic centre.

City

Bulgaria's fourth largest city and second largest port is the centre of Bulgaria's southern Riviera and is often visited by tourists because of its major international airport.

Tourist town

You may never have heard of Bulgaria's second largest city. It's not by the sea, it's not in the mountains, but it would be a big mistake to skip it on your tour of Bulgaria. You'll find perhaps the largest concentration of ancient, medieval and modern monuments in the Balkans. Some of the oldest monuments include the ancient Thracian fortifications or the Roman amphitheatre, where various theatrical performances are held in the open air. You…

Tourist town

The town at the northern foot of the Stara Planina Mountains is a popular attraction not only for foreign tourists, but also for Bulgarians. Veliko Tarnovo is one of the most important historical areas in Bulgaria and one of the oldest towns in the Balkans. Tangible traces go back to the 3rd millennium BC, and later (around the 12th century AD) the town became famous as the centre of the Second Bulgarian Empire. [btn "10 top hotels in Veliko…

Valley, Cave

The unassuming little village of Trigrad, high in the Rhodope Mountains in a remote area near the Greek border, attracts tourists with its breathtaking natural scenery. The biggest attraction is the narrow Trigrad Canyon, over half a kilometre long and 350 metres high. The wild Bujnov River flows along its bottom and a hiking trail leads along it to the second attraction, the Devil's Throat. This is a cave complex over a kilometre long, into…

Fortification, Mountain

Take a day trip from Sofia to northeastern Bulgaria and you'll encounter a phenomenon straight out of Lord of the Rings. Near the town of Belogradchik, you'll come across ethereal-looking rock formations stretching for several kilometres along the foothills of the Stara Planina Mountains, which are surrounded by fortifications from the Roman Empire. Later they underwent many modifications and their current appearance dates back to the 19th…

Mountain, Monument

The over 1,400-metre-high peak in the central Stara Planina mountain range is known mainly for its monumental and brutalist concrete monument, the shape of which resembles a flying saucer. It was built in the 1970s as a memorial to the Bulgarian Communist Party and until the late 1980s served as a venue for party events, festivals and welcoming foreign delegations. Since 1990, the monument has fallen into disrepair and attracts lovers of…

Mountain, Lake

Even though Bulgaria is mainly visited for its seaside, its western part is filled with high mountains. The most important is undoubtedly the Rila mountain range with the highest mountain in Bulgaria and the Balkans in general, which is Musala at 2,925 metres. Musala can be climbed without climbing equipment on a marked trail from the village of Bistrica, which is about 1 km from the tourist town of Borovets, or you can take a cable car up a…

Coast

The Bulgarian Riviera attracts by far the most foreign visitors to the country. The beaches are nice with fine white sand, the sea is clean, the prices are very reasonable compared to other European resorts and the choice of places to go is really great. The centre of the northern coast is the third largest Bulgarian city of Varna and we can include resorts such as Golden Sands, St. Constantine and Helena, Albena, Obzor, Balchik and others. …

Coast

The Bulgarian Riviera attracts by far the most foreign visitors to the country. The beaches are nice with fine white sand, the sea is clean, the prices are very reasonable compared to other European resorts and the choice of places to go is really great. The centre of the southern coast is the fourth largest Bulgarian city of Burgas and we can include resorts such as Sunny Beach, Nessebar, Primorsko, Pomorie, Sozopol, Kiten and others. See a…

Cape

Although the Bulgarian coast is rather mild, near the resort of Obzor or Sunny Beach we can find the steepest Bulgarian cape Emine as if cut out of the catalogues of classic steep rocky capes. On its peak stands a lighthouse and nearby also the ruins of a medieval fortress with a monastery. About 4 km from the cape you'll find the famous Irakli beach, which is one of the nicest and most peaceful beaches without the lush bars and hotel complexes…