Must See

The Black Sea

This inland sea between southeastern Europe and Anatolia has a number of attractive resorts on its Riviera.

Albena, 30 km from Varna, is situated on the edge of a lovely forest, and is a showcase to contemporary Bulgarian design. The resort is remarkable for its 5-km long, 150 m wide beach with fine and clean sand; the sea water is usually crystal clear, calm and warm. Sea depth does not exceed 1.6 metres at a distance up to 100-150 metres from the beach.

Sunny Beach, located approximately 35 km north of Burgas, is the largest and most popular holiday resort of the country, and is home to over 200 hotels, 130 restaurants and numerous live music bars, pubs, nightclubs and cafes. It also has some beautiful and safe beaches.

Saints Constantine and Helena Resort is Bulgaria's oldest Black Sea spa, located within a landscaped park 10 km north of downtown Varna. Constantine and Helena also comprises the Grand Hotel Varna and Sunny Day luxury resorts, which boast fine sandy beaches, hot mineral springs, modern hotels, sports facilities, and a wide range of spa, beauty and health treatments. Nearby Varna was founded in the sixth century BC and contains many Roman and Byzantine remains.

Just 7 km away from Saints Constantine and Helena is Golden Sands - the largest resort on the Northern Black Sea coast with probably the best nightlife on the Black Sea Riviera.

Koprivshtitsa

One of the country's best-preserved towns is Koprivshtitsa, known for its authentic Bulgarian architecture and its folk music festivals. The town is huddled in the mountain folds 111 km east of Sofia, and boasts over 380 architectural monuments from the he Bulgarian National Revival period of the 19th century; most of which have been restored to their original appearance. Its best known for the National Festival of Bulgarian Folklore, held every five years, when thousands of singers, musicians, dancers gather in the meadows near the town.

Melnik

The smallest town in Bulgaria, Melnik is located in the southwestern Pirin Mountains. The town has also been famous for its strong wine since as far as 1346, which was said to have been a favourite of Winston Churchill.

Melnik has been designated an architectural reserve, with nearly 100 of its buildings classified as cultural monuments. Highlights include the Byzantine House (built in the 12th or 13th century as a Bulgarian fortress); the Pashov House (1815), which houses the Historical Museum of Melnik; the Kordopulov House, which has one of the largest wine cellars in Melnik; and the Pasha's House, built by Ibrahim Bey during Ottoman rule.

Just 6 km southeast of the town is the Rozhen Monastery, one of the few medieval Bulgarian monasteries that remains well preserved today. It houses some beautiful stained-glass windows, murals, icons and carved altar.

Plovdiv

Located on the banks of the Maritsa river in the central part of Upper Thrace, Plodiv is the country's second largest city, after Sofia. It is one of the oldest cities in Europe, contemporary to Mycenae and Troy, and older than Athens, Rome, Constantinople or Carthage. The Archaeological Museum has collections of gold Thracian artefacts, including cooking utensils.

The Old Town is a historic preservation site known for its unique Bulgarian Renaissance architectural style, with almost every house characteristically impressive in its exterior and interior decoration. Visitors can wander along the narrow cobbled streets and see 17th-century buildings with their upper sections hanging out into the street and almost touching those opposite, picturesque medieval houses and Roman ruins (including an amphitheatre).

Just outside Plovdiv is the 11th century Batchkovo Monastery, which houses some rare frescoes, manuscripts, coins and icons.

Rila Monastery

The Monastery of Saint John of Rila, situated in the northwestern Rila Mountains, 117 km south of the capital Sofia, is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. Founded in the 10th century, the complex occupies an area of 8,800 sq m, centred around the inner yard where the 19th century main church and the 14th-century Khrelio's Tower are situated. The church houses a gold-plated iconostasis, which took four craftsmen five years to create. The church also has some beautiful frescoes, finished in 1846, which the work of many masters from Bansko, Samokov and Razlog.

The Rose Valley

The Rose Valley is situated south of the Balkan Mountains and north of the eastern part of the lower Sredna Gora chain. The valley is famous for its centuries-old rose growing industry, which produces 70% of the world's rose oil, the extracts of which are used by perfumeries all over the world. The Rose Valley is magically transformed with breathtaking blooms in May and early June each year when the Festival of Roses is celebrated in many towns of the region. The centre of the rose oil industry is Kazanlak, where visitors can see the Museum of Rose Production. The valley of Kazanluk itself has countless historic and archaeological treasures from the times of the Greeks, Romans, Thracians and Ottomans.

Sofia

The ancient capital dates back to the fourth century BC and is host to a wide range of architectural styles, including Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Bulgarian, and Turkish. Attractions include art galleries (such as the National Art Gallery housed in the former Royal Palace), theatres, museums (including the archaeological museum housed in the nine cupolas of the Bouyouk Mosque), opera houses, open-air markets and churches. The 20th century Alexander Nevsky Memorial Church built to celebrate the liberation from Turks in the Russo-Turkish war is extraordinary, and dominates the city with its gold-leaf dome.

The Alexander Batenberg Square contains the Government Buildings and some Roman remains nearby. Other attractions include the markets at Kristal Square (flea market and antique shops) and Hali (covered market).

Sozopol

Located on the Black Sea, the two sandy beaches, pretty offshore island and the historic centre on the peninsula make it the number one coastal town. Swimming is safe here, even further out, and any dangerous currents are clearly marked. The Black Sea has half the salt content of the Mediterranean.

Veliko Turnovo

This ancient capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1187-1393) is situated on three hills circled by the River Yantra. The city has many fine examples of houses built in the national revival style (18th to 19th century), many of which seem to grow out of the steep slopes flanking the river. In 1965, the city, then officially known as Tarnovo, was renamed to Veliko Tarnovo (Great Tarnovo) to commemorate its rich history and importance.

The Tsarevets Fortress lies just outside the city, a medieval stronghold that served as the Second Bulgarian Empire's primary fortress from 1185 to 1393, housing the royal and the patriarchal palaces. The whole stronghold is surrounded by thick walls (up to 3.6 m) and was served by three gates. During the Middle Ages, residential buildings, craftsman's workshops, churches and monasteries were situated on the slopes of the Tsarevets hill. Archaeologists have discovered 400 residential buildings, differentiated in quarters, over 22 churches and 4 monasteries.

The picturesque village of Arbanassi, located 4 km (2.5 miles) from Veliko Turnova, is known for its rich history and large number of historical monuments, such as 17th and 18th century churches and examples of Bulgarian National Revival architecture. Highlights include the beautiful murals of the St Elija Chapel, its unique stone-built houses, and its two monasteries: St Nikola and Holy Virgin.

Vitosha

Just outside the capital sits the Vitosha mountain range. Chairlifts and cable cars can take you to its 1,800-metre summit. Ski-runs operate between December and April: two of the runs are suitable for international events. The National Park (the oldest in the Balkans) is home to butterflies, wolves, bears and wild cats. The medieval church of Boyana, a World Heritage Site dating from 1200, with beautiful frescoes, may also be found here.

Activities

Caving

There are many companies that offer organised caving trips to the country's numerous caves and spectacular subterranean rock formations (many of which have ancient cave paintings).

Hiking

There is 35,000 km of hiking to be found along Bulgaria's waymarked paths. Trips through the wild mountains can be arranged, lasting 1-2 weeks. Accommodation is usually in mountain chalets, camps or guest houses and guides are provided.

Mountaineering and Climbing

Mountaineering and climbing trips can be arranged in the areas of Veliko Tarnovo, Vratsa, Trojan, Roussenski Lom and Maliovitza. Expert climbers will enjoy the steep rocks of the Pirin, Rhodope, Stara Planina and Rila.

National Parks

Bulgaria has a number of national parks where rare flora and fauna can be discovered. These include:

• Central Balkan National Park: noted for its 50 protected plant species, many of them native to these mountains, and the Raiskoto Praskalo waterfall (the highest in Bulgaria).
• Pirin National Park: the area's landscape varies from crystalline lakes and limestone rocks to the ancient Baikusheva pine forests.
• Rila National Park: well known for its 10th-century monastery and its 7 lakes.
• Sinite Kamani National Park: this small park is home to the long-legged buzzard, royal eagle and the peregrine falcon, and boasts some spectacular rock formations.
• Strandzha National Park: Bulgaria's largest park.
• Vitosha National Park: home to wolves, bears, wild cats and many species of butterflies.
• Vratchansky Balkan National Park: has ancient caves, spectacular waterfalls and rock formations.

Skiing

Borovets, 72 km (45 miles) from Sofia, is situated in the Rila Mountains at 1,350 m (4,300 ft). This World Cup venue (and the oldest and largest mountain resort in Bulgaria) is in operation from November until April, and offers friendly and well-run hotels, along with a a village of timber-framed houses nearby. Advanced skiers may want to try the 2,400 m (8,000 ft) Yastrebets (Hawk's Nest), a steep, twisting red trail.

Other resorts include:

• Bansko, a small town in southwest Bulgaria at the foothills of the Pirin Mountain. The country's newest resort, it boasts a giant slalom run and a 5 km (3-mile) cross-country track.
• Pamporovo, in the Rhodopi Mountains, is just 85 km (53 miles) from Plovdiv. The major ski runs start from the top of the 1,926 m (6,318 ft) Snejanka Peak.
• Vitosha, home of the National Ski School, overlooks Sofia at an elevation of 1,800 m (6,000 ft).

Spas

The curative properties of the Bulgarian mineral waters have been known and used for centuries, and the country is home to numerous mineral water spas. Ancient mineral complexes were built near the mineral springs.