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The capital city Sofia together with Plovdiv and Varna are the three most important cities of Bulgaria – real centers of business and cultural life.

 

Sofia, at the foot of Vitosha, has a population of 1,200,000. Here a city walk reveals numerous monuments such as the St. Cyril and St. Methode National Library, named after the founders of the Cyrillic alphabet; the Parliament; the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral  – the largest in the Balkan Penunsula; Ivan Vazov Theater; the Banya Bashi Mosqu …

 

A flea market is open daily between the Nevski Cathedral and the St. Sophia Orthodox Church. Another location appreciated by locals and tourists is Slaveykov Square with its book market.

 

The long boulevards of the capital are lined with fashion shops, restaurants, cafes and hotels ranging from modest inns to palatial multinationals.

 

Plovdiv lies on seven hills at Maritza River in the Thracian plain. This second largest city of Bulgaria, located 150 km east of Sofia, is rich in architectural treasures dating back to antiquity and the Bulgarian Renaissance (18^th and 19^th centuries). It presents Thracian fortifications, Byzanthine walls, palaces of the Bulgarian Renaissance, buildings classified as historic monuments like Lamartine house.

 

 

The old city with its paved streets and the Roman Theater offers a breathtaking view from its seven hills.

 

Varna, named “the pearl of the Black Sea”, is an ancient city replete with history and culture.

In fact, Varna is one of Europe’s oldest cities. Since antiquity it has been a genuine crossroads of commerce and culture. Thanks to its bustling seaport, Varna offers a link between the Orient and the Occident.

 

The city has numerous historic points of interest: Roman baths, remnants of Greek and Thracian culture. The archeological museum presents the country’s most beautiful collection including the Earth’s oldest sheet gold articles found in a necropolis a few kilometers from Varna.

 

Bulgaria’s third largest city is also famous for its cultural events. Places such as the Opera, the City Theater or the Festival Palace offer a rich assortment of entertainment.

 

In summer, the superb Marine Park hosts the Varna Summer Music Festival.

Every two years in July, the International Ballet Competition presents the best hopes of classical ballet. Mikhail Barychnikov, Patrick Dupond and Sylvie Guillem adorn the billings.

 

A pedestrian zone extends for seven km from the Cathedral along the beach. Around the cathedral, old women sell embroideries, rugs, and various souvenirs in traditional Bulgarian style. Fashion boutiques and restaurants line the main street.

 

This veritable summer capital of the country admits many thousands of tourists every year. Between May and September, restaurants and discotheques open up along the beach. Every evening, local “varnentzi” and tourists relax on the beach for tasting icecream and other delights of life till dawn. Varna with its unique yet cosmopolitan atmosphere presents a harmonious blend of tradition and modern life.

 

Kavarna, a town 60 km north of Varna, lies in a still preserved part of the Bulgarian seashore. Readily accessible on a highway from the Varna international airport, this town has several points of interest. Local fishing and oyster culturing provide the basis for numerous fish restaurants. Local cuisine is at its best in the port area.

 

At the exit from the town, the “Mussel Farm” is a beach restaurant offering a sea menu. Here the menu consists entirely of seafood, including the dessert list.

 

Rock music lovers appreciate Kavarna for the numerous concerts held there before a public of 25,000 fans in the municipal stadium. Rock legends such as ACDC, Scorpions and Deep Purple have played there.

 

Golf has achieved a remarkable entry to Bulgaria. Numerous courts are in construction throughout the country, including three at Kavarna. Starting in late 2007, players will have them at their disposal to practice their swing along the cliffs.

Located 12 km east of Kavarna, the cape of Kaliakra juts out 2 km from the shore. It is a long and narrow headland whose steep cliffs reach 70 meters down to the sea.

Probably the most popular legend about the place is the one about 40 Bulgarian girls, who preferred to tie their hair together and jump into the Black Sea in the name of Christianity. An obelisk dedicated to this legend is placed at the entrance to the cape, called The Gate of the 40 Maidens.

It is also famous for the caves - once habitat of theextremly rare Black Sea monk seal. 

 

The Bulgarian countryside will charm you with its picturesque houses and the gentle nature of its people.

Many villages are famous with the traditional architecture of their houses, the first floor built of stone and the rest a wooden construction conserved through the centuries. About a hundred kilometers from Varna, for example, Zheravna Village has 330 beautiful houses in the middle of a green hill.

 

Tryavna   in central Bulgaria is one of those museum villages with its handicrafts, taverns and cobbled streets.

 

In any inn or local home the host will reveal the traditional Bulgarian cuisine to you in a warm atmosphere with a glass of rakia…