Attractions in Bulgaria

Bulgaria is an ancient country with a rich history. It is filled with ancient temples, ruins of ancient cities, museums and natural beauty. The names of Bulgaria's sights are collected in the largest guidebooks, but on every corner there are places that are not listed anywhere else. And yet they'll allow you to get to know the region better.

The main attractions in Bulgaria are not only concentrated in Sofia or Varna, they are scattered all over the country. We've compiled a list of the country's highlights so you can choose where to go first.

Popular tourist cities

Varna is a modern metropolitan resort

One of Bulgaria's most stylish cities, Varna is full of attractions. Thousands of tourists come here every year primarily to swim in the sea and sunbathe on the numerous beaches. But the following attractions deserve attention in Varna:

Aquarium is a museum of the Black Sea, full of the most interesting exhibits. Hundreds of guests visit the museum every day. There is even an octopus among the exhibits. The Seaside Park, or Morska Gradina, in which this facility is located, is interesting in its own right.

Varnenskoe Lake - the area of the brackish lake near Varna is not considered a nature reserve, however, this place is worthy of a visit. Beautiful shores, developed tourism infrastructure, clean air - this is what awaits guests on this estuary.

Evksinograd is the summer residence of the Bulgarian royal family, located in Varna on the Black Sea coast, in the resort center of St. Constantine and Helen.

Stone Forest is a natural attraction located near Varna. These are amazing stone pillars, hollow inside, the origin of which is still debated by scientists.

Aladzha Monastery - the territory of a modern natural park 15 km from Varna attracts the attention not only of the guests of the Golden Sands resort complex. The monastery was carved into a steep cliff by Christian hermits more than 1,500 years ago.

Besides the cultural program, people come to Varna for the classic sea relaxation. If the local beaches are not suitable for the level of infrastructure, there is an alternative not far from the city - Sunny Beach Resort. There is not only an ideal, in terms of service, landscaped coastline, but also dozens of restaurants, clubs, discos, bars for lovers of noisy fun.

Nessebar: a medieval town with an aura of mystery

The resort of Nessebar (Nessebir, Nessebyr) is known not only for its access to the sea, but also for a whole area of ancient sights. The old part of the town, located on the peninsula, attracts thousands of tourists every year with its interesting centuries-old history. Nessebar was founded 3000 years ago and is considered one of the oldest settlements in Europe. It was once called Mesemvria.

The following attractions are definitely worth seeing here:

more than forty family churches of princely and royal families. Many of them have now become museums, admission to which costs 2 BGN;

Old Bridge, connecting the old and new parts of the city. Near it is a monument to St. Nicholas, surrounded by flocks of cormorants. It is a mystery, but these birds live exclusively in Nessebar in Bulgaria;

Fortress Wall near the old bridge. Near it, musicians often gather to play the country's national instrument, the gaida, the Bulgarian bagpipe;

archaeological and ethnographic museum. Thanks to exhibits from both the pagan and Orthodox era of Bulgaria, tourists can learn more about the history of the region;

Amphitheater, near which is the Church of St. John;

Turkish Fountain in the Turkish Baths quarter, a reminder of the days of Ottoman rule;

Byzantine Thermae, built by Emperor Constantine.

But the main attractions of ancient Nessebar are the cozy streets, paved with cobblestones and cobblestones, as well as clean, uncrowded beaches.

Burgas - the city at the center of the traffic junction

The resort town of Bourgas is very conveniently located, with a number of both water and land roads passing through it. Bourgas has a large seaport, railway and bus stations, as well as an airport. When coming here, tourists are sure to remember the local beach attraction - dark, almost black sand, rich in magnesium.

Besides this, the city has the following interesting places:

Lake Vaya, the largest lake in Bulgaria. It is forbidden to swim in it, but it is a pleasure to walk along its shores;

The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. During its history, the church has been both a hospital and a museum;

The Church of Cyril and Methodius, as well as the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary;

The Armenian Church of St. Christ is a small church, the oldest in the city;

Museums: archaeological, ethnographic, historical and scientific;

operatic, dramatic and puppet theaters;

Art Gallery is an old museum of fine arts, occupying a former synagogue building. The building was erected between 1905 and 1910;

"navel" of the city. This is the point that points to the center of Burgas;

seaside park, which has an exhibition of interesting photo works by local artists and an exhibition of sand figures.

Tourists are also recommended to go to the village of Bata Bata - located 30 km from Burgas, if you go north. The seaside village is full of small stores with handicrafts, artels and museums, and ordinary villagers live here. It is they who form the old Bulgarian flavor for themselves and for tourists.

Near it is Ropotamovo - a local nature reserve. Dozens of tourist buses come here every day to admire the interesting flora and fauna.

Pomorie is a coastal town with few attractions

Pomorie or Pomorie is a cozy town located on the Black Sea coast. Even in high season it is not crowded, the beaches are clean and the sea is crystal clear. The visiting public behaves decently: the majority of guests are families with children.

The resort has both natural and cultural attractions. The list of must see tourists usually includes the following places:

Prince Boris Street is a shady alley with many interesting old houses;

Monastery of St. George is one of the few male monasteries in the coastal zone. It has a healing spring on its territory;

the modest, cozy Church of the Nativity of Our Lady;

historical museum, covering all eras of the region's development;

The Thracian Tomb, located on the border of the city. It is reached through the most ordinary neighborhoods of Pomerania, as well as through a surprisingly picturesque garden of kiwi trees;

Pomorie Lake, near which more than half a thousand rare birds and animals live. The park around it is actually a nature reserve.

Sofia is the modern capital of the country

To get to Sofia, travelers overcome a mountain road. In the capital itself, a separate attraction is the cobblestones, with which even the floor of the subway is lined. The main attractions are the following sights of the city:

Antique Fortress of Serdika - These ruins of a Thracian fortress are now in decline. It was once a serious structure, visible from afar.

The Cyril and Methodius Library - is located in the center of the city. This building is interesting from the outside, but first of all attracts attention by the richness that you will not see at once. This library has several hundred ancient manuscripts and books in its collection.

Dragalev Monastery is an ancient monastery complex known since the early Middle Ages. It is located on Vitosha Mountain, among other younger complexes.

The Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky. Built in the XIX century, it is still able to meet about 5 thousand parishioners. The monumental building has twice survived destruction during the wars of the last century.

Natural Attractions

Balchik Botanical Garden

Balchik is home to the Botanical Garden, which costs a relatively large amount to enter (12 BGN). On the territory of the garden there is a whole natural reserve, which in addition to several hundred rare species of flora, includes:

tasting room where jams and wine made from local fruits and grapes are served;

the palace of Queen Maria of Romania. A visit to her domain is charged separately and will cost tourists 5 BGN.

Rose Valley

This is a fertile valley in Bulgaria. It stretches from the foothills of Stara Planina to Sredna Gora and is located near the town of Kazanlak. Not only roses grow here, but they are the ones who created this paradise corner of Bulgaria.

St. Anastasia Island

The island is located about one and a half kilometers from Chernomorets, in the Black Sea, in the Burgas Bay. Its territory is only a hectare, this rocky island with a height of about 12 meters is considered the only inhabited island in the Bulgarian part of the Black Sea.

Arbanassi, Veliko Tarnovo

A small town inside the mainland, which in ancient times was the capital of Bulgaria. In fact, the settlement is now a nature park. Here surprisingly beautiful cozy streets are drowned in the lush greenery of exotic plants. The main attractions of Veliko Tarnovo are the Residence of the Kings and the Tsarevets Fortress.

Battered Stones

A favorite place for devotees of mysticism is not far from Varna. In fact, it is a valley lined with stones of different sizes and shapes. Some of them are hollow with holes of the right diameter. Others are solid and are several meters high. To this day, the Battered Stones are legendary. Scientists have not come to a single conclusion about the origin of this valley.

Cultural and architectural monuments

Rila Monastery

This is an ancient complex from the tenth century. Its founder is considered to be St. John of Rila, who settled in one of the caves of the mountainous Rila. His disciples and followers began the construction of the shrine here.

Shipka Pass

This is a historical place famous among tourists. 136 years ago, the defenders of the Balkans repulsed the Turkish invaders, turning the tide of the Russo-Turkish War.

The fortress of Belogradchik

The majestic structure among the rocks and hills in the Vidin region should be seen by everyone who comes to Bulgaria.

Sozopol

Sozopol is Nessebar in miniature. Here you can find the same ancient cozy streets paved with stone, as well as Roman amphitheater. The city is quite small and will take no more than a couple of hours to explore.

Plovdiv's Roman Amphitheater

One of Bulgaria's largest cities, Plovdiv is not only an airport that meets and sees off Balkan travelers. It is home to the Roman Amphitheater, a monumental structure dating back to the second century.

Wine Tasting Museum in Pleven

A Wine Research Institute was opened in Pleven at the beginning of the last century. Near it, a wine museum with several tasting rooms eventually appeared. People come here not only to enjoy the taste of local alcohol, but also to admire the original construction. The museum is as if built in the rock. Next to it is an artificial lake.

Tourist Tips

Besides the cluster of attractions in major cities in Bulgaria, there are many sightseeing routes to individual places of interest. In order to get to them as comfortably and economically as possible, you should follow the following rules:

Self-travel. If the destination is not far from the coast, you can easily reach it on your own. Public transportation, such as buses, or a rented car will do the trick;

Group excursion.If the attraction of interest is in a mainland locality, that is, within the country, it is better not to save money on a group excursion. For example, an independent road to Veliko Tarnovo will take much more time, effort and money than a centralized trip with a guide.

Bulgaria is a great option for both a summer vacation and a cultural trip. Only here there is a neighborhood of noisy discos and medieval temples, cheerful bars and cozy fortresses, hospitable restaurants and natural national parks-reserves. In Bulgaria, every tourist will find what he or she needs without any problems!