Bulgaria

Bulgaria layers Thracian tombs, Roman Plovdiv, medieval Tarnovo and Ottoman bazaars across a country that is a third mountain. Rila Monastery is the spiritual centre; Pirin's granite peaks, the Seven Rila Lakes and the Balkan range attract hikers, while the Black Sea coast runs from UNESCO Nesebar to the wild Strandzha beaches. Sofia is a compact capital of onion domes and Vitosha rising straight out of the suburbs.

Capital

Sofia

Population

6.8M

Area

110,879 km²

Currency

Bulgarian lev (BGN)

Language

Bulgarian

Time zone

EET (UTC+2) / EEST (UTC+3)

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  01

  Blagoevgrad Province

  Pirin mountains, Rila monastery

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• 
  02

  Burgas Province

  Black Sea coast, ancient history

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  03

  Dobrich Province

  Coastal resorts, agricultural land

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  04

  Gabrovo Province

  Central Balkans, crafts, humor

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  05

  Haskovo Province

  Thracian heritage, mineral springs

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  06

  Kardzhali Province

  Rhodope mountains, ancient mysteries

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  07

  Kyustendil Province

  Thermal springs, historical towns

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  08

  Lovech Province

  Balkan mountains, medieval architecture

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  09

  Montana Province

  Northwest Bulgaria, ancient history

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  10

  Pazardzhik Province

  Pirin and Rhodope mountains, history

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  11

  Pernik Province

  Industrial heritage, rural beauty

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  12

  Pleven Province

  Danube Plain, historical battles

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  13

  Plovdiv Province

  Ancient city, vibrant culture, Rhodopes

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  14

  Razgrad Province

  Ancient Thracian, rural charm

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  15

  Ruse Province

  Danube port, Belle Époque architecture

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  16

  Shumen Province

  First Bulgarian Empire, historical

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  17

  Silistra Province

  Danube River, ancient Roman legacy

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  18

  Sliven Province

  Balkan mountains, national revival

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  19

  Smolyan Province

  Rhodope mountains, serene landscapes

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  20

  Sofia City Province

  Capital city, ancient, modern, vibrant

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  21

  Sofia Province

  Rila-Balkan mountains, rural tranquility

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  22

  Stara Zagora Province

  Rose Valley, ancient settlements

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  23

  Targovishte Province

  Hidden gems, ancient past

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  24

  Varna Province

  Black Sea coast, maritime history

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  25

  Veliko Tarnovo Province

  Medieval capital, dramatic scenery

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  26

  Vidin Province

  Danube River, ancient fortress

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  27

  Vratsa Province

  Balkan mountains, dramatic nature

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• 28

  Yambol Province

  Tundzha River, ancient past

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  Historic Site

  Blagoevgrad

  Blagoevgrad is а town in Southwestern Bulgaria, the administrative centre of Blagoevgrad Municipality and of Blagoevgrad Province. With a population of almost 70,000 inhabitants, it is the economic and cultural centre of Southwestern Bulgaria.

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  Historic Site

  Chairski Lakes

  The Chairski Lakes are a group of nine glacial lakes in the Pirin mountain, south-western Bulgaria. They are located in a large cirque called Chaira in the valley of the river Sandanska Bistritsa.

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  Church

  Church of St Nicholas, Melnik

  The Church of St Nicholas is a partially preserved medieval Eastern Orthodox church in the town of Melnik in Blagoevgrad Province, southwestern Bulgaria. Dating to the late 12th century, it stands on top of an ancient Thracian sanctuary and a 5th-century basilica.

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  Historic Site

  Hvoynati Vrah

  Hvoynati Vrah is a 2,635 m high peak in the Pirin mountain range, south-western Bulgaria. It is situated on the main mountain ridge between the summits of Vihren (2,914 m) and Muratov Vrah (2,669 m).

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  Historic Site

  Kralev Dvor

  Kralev Dvor is a 2,680 m high peak in the Pirin mountain range, south-western Bulgaria. It is located on the southern part of the main mountain ridge.

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  Historic Site

  Kremenski Lakes

  Kremenski Lakes are a glacial lake group in the Pirin mountain range, southwestern Bulgaria. They are located in the Pirin National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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  Historic Site

  Melnik, Bulgaria

  Melnik is a town in Blagoevgrad Province, Southwestern Bulgaria, in the Southwestern Pirin Mountains, about 440 m above sea level. The town is an architectural reserve and 96 of its buildings are cultural monuments.

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  Historic Site

  Parangalitsa

  Parangalitsa, also spelled Parangalitza, is a nature reserve in Rila National Park, located in the Rila mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria. Parangalitsa is the nation's second oldest protected area, declared in July 1933 to protect undisturbed primary forests, particularly of Norway spruce (Picea abies) and severa

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  National Park

  Pirin National Park

  Pirin National Park, originally named Vihren National Park, covering the larger part of the Pirin Mountains in southwestern Bulgaria, spanning an area of 403.56 square kilometers (155.82 mi2). It is one of the three national parks in the country, the others being Rila National Park and Central Balkan National Park.

• Sofia

  Alexander Nevsky cathedral, Roman Serdica and Vitosha above.

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• Plovdiv

  One of Europe's oldest cities, with a Roman theatre still in use.

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• Veliko Tarnovo

  Medieval capital stacked above the Yantra river bends.

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• Varna

  Sea capital with the world's oldest gold treasure.

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• Burgas

  Southern Black Sea hub near Nesebar and Sozopol.

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• Bansko

  Stone-house ski town at the foot of Pirin.

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• Rila

  Musala, the Balkans' highest peak, and the Seven Rila Lakes.

• Pirin

  UNESCO granite and marble peaks above Bansko.

• Central Balkan

  Old beech forest, Raysko Praskalo waterfall and Botev Peak.

• Strandzha

  Bulgaria's largest protected area, oak forest to the sea.

• Srebarna

  UNESCO Danube lake famous for Dalmatian pelicans.

• Belogradchik Rocks

  Red sandstone towers threaded by a fortress.

• Sozopol

  Old-town coves and the long Harmanite strand.

• Sunny Beach

  Eight kilometres of resort sand next to Nesebar.

• Sinemorets

  Veleka river mouth beach in the Strandzha wilds.

• Golden Sands

  Varna's forest-backed resort beach.

• Bolata

  Small crescent bay under the Kaliakra cliffs.

• Irakli

  Undeveloped dune beach protected as a reserve.

• Musala

  2,925 m — highest point in the Balkan peninsula.

• Vihren

  Pirin's marble summit above the Koncheto ridge.

• Seven Rila Lakes

  Glacial staircase reached by chairlift from Panichishte.

• Rhodope Mountains

  Orpheus country of gorges, caves and Shiroka Laka villages.

• Trigrad Gorge

  Marble cliffs and the Devil's Throat cave.

• Shipka Pass

  1877 battlefield with the Buzludzha monument nearby.

• Shopska salad

  Tomato, cucumber, pepper and a snowfall of sirene cheese.

• Banitsa

  Filo pastry with cheese and eggs, the breakfast of the nation.

• Kavarma

  Slow-cooked pork or chicken stew in a clay pot.

• Tarator

  Cold yoghurt, cucumber and dill soup for hot days.

• Kyufte and kebapche

  Grilled minced meat with lyutenitsa pepper relish.

• Bulgarian yoghurt

  Made with Lactobacillus bulgaricus, first isolated here.

• 01

  Bulgaria uses the lev (BGN), fixed to the euro; euro adoption is being phased in.

• 02

  A nod means no and a head shake means yes — it genuinely causes confusion.

• 03

  Cyrillic is everywhere; learn the alphabet before relying on road signs.

• 04

  Rila Monastery is an easy day trip from Sofia; stay overnight to see it empty.

• 05

  Mountain huts (hizhi) accept walk-ins but bring cash and a sleeping-bag liner.