Samuel. [69] The reserves of sub-bituminous coal are 300 million tons, situated mainly near Bobov Dol, Pernik and Burgas. Of them, Lake Burgas is the most extensive with 27,6km2 and Lake Varna has the largest volume with 165,5million m3. controlNav:false, Known simply as the Belogradchik Rocks, they offer a sprawling display of hoodoos and anthropomorphic monoliths thats inspired folk legends and local myths aplenty. 8 breathtaking places in the Pirin Mountains - kashkaval tourist The mountains in Bulgaria: The Balkan Mountain Range The whole region is famous with the unique hospitable attitude of local people towards visitors and tourists in the site. There are several flotation factories which enrich the ores before it is sent to the large lead and zinc refineries in Kardzhali and Plovdiv. And then there are the iconic Orthodox domes and gilded edifices of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, which glisten under the snow-packed tops of Vitosha Mountain in the distance. To make up for an exciting holiday, you must cover most of these beautiful places to visit in Bulgaria that we have listed below: Image Source Sofia, the capital city, is one of the most gorgeous top places to visit in Bulgaria. One among the must-see Bulgaria places; this ski resort town boasts of numerous ski and snowboard areas on Todorka Peak like Tomba Run and offers longest skiing season in Bulgaria. Visitors who head to the spot today can spy out honorific memorial exhibitions dedicated to heroes of the April Uprising of 1876, while other institutions chronicle the life and works of iconic revivalist writers and artists alike. 1. Even the Sarakatsani stockbreeders abandoned the difficult life of the Rhodopes. The mountains are famous for the largest coniferous woods in the Balkans, their mild relief and the lush vegetation in the western parts as well as the abundance of birds of prey in the eastern areas. downscale_only: false, [59] The limans and lagoons along the Black Sea coast include from north to south Lake Durankulak, Lake Shabla, Lake Varna, Lake Beloslav, Lake Pomorie, Lake Atanasovsko, Lake Burgas and Lake Mandrensko. From castles to forts, museums to amusement parks; there are innumerable places to visit in Bulgaria. Pirin Mountains. window.setTimeout(timer_metaslider_50011, 100) : !jQuery.isReady ? The mountain range gives its name to the terrestrial ecoregion Rodope montane mixed forests that belongs in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome and the Palearctic realm. [76], Bulgaria is rich in industrial minerals, with 70 types being mined. orig_width: 300 Veliko Tarnovo. [88] Almost all species of the True owls live in the country, also White stork, Common crane, Demoiselle crane. Just Stara Planina (the Balkan mountain range) is situated in the hearth of the country, dividing it in two almost equal parts Northern Bulgaria and Southern Bulgaria. Guess what, these rock formations are hollow from inside and looks as if they are stuck in the sand. Image Source Bordered by sea and several lakes, Burgas is another name in the group of best places to visit in Bulgaria. Geography of Bulgaria - Wikipedia 3. }); [13], The relief of Bulgaria is varied. The beaches look dazzling and vibrant with loungers, umbrellas, yachts, go-cart track and water park. Rodopi Peak on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named after the Rhodope Mountains. [8], The borders of Bulgaria have a total length of 2,245km; of them 1,181km are land boundary and 686km are formed by rivers. Kotka i Mishka, Khristo Dyukmedzhiyev 14, 4000 Kapana, Plovdiv, Bulgaria; +359 87 831 3995 Klub Marmalad, Bratya Pulevi 3, 4000 Kapana, Plovdiv, Bulgaria; +359 89 865 3753 Related } Image Source If you are wandering along the Black Sea Coast in Bulgaria, you will come across Kaliakra, one of the historical places to visit in Bulgaria. It is a natural barrier protected the southern territories from the cold air currents coming from the north. Golyam Perelik is its highest peak at 2,191 meters (7,188 ft). } The snow cover lasts from 20 to 30 days in the lowlands to 9 months in the highest mountains. 248. Make sure to stop by here. Image Source The discussion on places to visit in Bulgaria is half-hearted if you do not include Sunny Beach in it. Mountain towns/villages - Bulgaria Forum - Tripadvisor The large mountain chain of Stara planina (Balkan Mountains) runs west-east across the entire country, bisecting it and giving the name to the entire Balkan peninsula. Fantastic views of the wonderful quiet picturesque countryside. This page was last updated on February 5, 2021, All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com, 8 of the Friendliest Towns in the Rockies, 7 Most Scenic Road Trips To Take In Nebraska, 8 Adorable Small Towns In The Pacific Northwest, Best Day Trips From Los Angeles To Take This Summer. It is also crossed by a major gas pipeline transporting natural gas from Russia to Bulgaria. The most famous town in the area is the sacred city of Perperikon located 15km northeast of Kardzhali. Ensure you cover most of these places to visit in Bulgaria and have a memorable trip that you will cherish forever. [14] The main characteristic of Bulgaria's topography is four alternating bands of high and low terrain that extend east to west across the country. The town of Batak is also located in this part of the mountains, as well as the popular tourist centres Smolyan, Velingrad, Devin, Chepelare, the winter resort Pamporovo, the Eastern Orthodox Bachkovo Monastery, the ruins of the Asen dynasty's fortress, and the Devil's Throat, Yagodinska, and Uhlovitsa caves. [citation needed]. The piece de resistance has to be the old world historic centre though; a Game of Thrones-esque pallet of stone-clad keeps and winding alleyways, Byzantine arches and hidden squares. Fifteen reserves have been established in the region, some of which are under UNESCO protection. It features the perfect blend of young and old, with a plethora of historical landmarks and ruins that best tell the country's long history. [41] The average temperature in the Danubian Plain is 11.4C, in the Upper Thracian Plain 13.9C, in the lower mountains 8.1C and in the higher mountains2.4C. On the tops of the mountain there was a famous oracle, which they had visited to consult Alexander the Great and later the father of Octavian Augustus. Most of these streams fall swiftly from the mountains and have cut deep, scenic gorges. This region is subdivided into two geomorphological units, the Pre-Balkan and the Balkan Mountains, also known in Bulgarian as "Old Mountain". Image Source Colorful houses, cobblestone streets, buzzing public squares and markets pretty much sum up what you can experience at Koprivshtitsa- one among the popular tourist places in Bulgaria. Melnik Melnik Bulgaria 175 km from Sofia but only 30 km from Greece you will find Melnik town- the tiniest town in Bulgaria but one of the most gorgeous one. [72] It is estimated that the 14,220m2 Khan Asparukh Block in the northern section of the Bulgarian EEZ has natural gas reserves of 100billion m3. $('#metaslider_50011 .msHtmlOverlay').each(function() { All photos and texts in this website are copyrighted and owned by Bononia Ltd. (Bulgaria) according to the Bulgarian Copyright Legislation. D. C. Samsaris, Historical Geography of Western Thrace during the Roman Antiquity (in Greek), Thessaloniki 2005, pp. With reserves of 2,856billion tons Maritsa Iztok, situated in the Upper Thracian Plain, is by far the largest coal basin in the country which powers Maritsa Iztok Complex, the largest energy complex in South-Eastern Europe. 2 Chiprovtsi () a quaint mountain town famous for its carpets, known locally as kilimi, which are hand-woven on vertical loomsyou can watch a weaving demonstration, participate in a weaving class, or enjoy a hike to the nearby Chiprovtsi Waterfall Krushuna Bansko. Before it was built up and fortified by the Thracian tribespeople, its thought that Copper Age priests used the hill for rituals and soothsaying, which legend has it foretold the rise of both Alexander the Great and Imperial Rome under Augustus. [7] They built many temples, cities and fortresses. There are a lot of beautiful winter photos on the Internet, but I don't like winter sports, especially since there is something to do here at other times of the year. Terms of use |Payment terms | Accommodation and travel costs here are quite affordable and ideal to plan a budget trip. It might be too ambitious to cover all of them. Bulgaria's highest mountains are Rila (highest peak Musala, 2925 m; the highest in the Balkans) and Pirin (highest peak Vihren, 2914 m). Among the other popular peaks are Shirokolashki Snezhnik (2,188 meters (7,178ft)), Golyam Persenk (2,091 meters (6,860ft)), Batashki Snezhnik (2,082 meters (6,831ft)), Turla (1,800 meters (5,906ft)). Accommodation and travel costs here are quite affordable and ideal to plan a budget trip. The Rhodope regional unit in the northern part of the country is named after the region. Subscribe to newsletters to receive our hottest offers: Bulgaria is known for its various and scenic relief. The coastline is 378km. Teteven "If I had not come to Teteven, I too would have been a foreigner to mother Bulgaria " writes Ivan Vazov. Perfectly-preserved Koprivshtitsa pops up from between the spruces and pines that cover the valleys of the Sredna Gora Mountains like a beautifully adorned gingerbread carving of a town. animation:'slide', The region is particularly notable for its karst areas with their deep river gorges, large caves and specific sculptured forms, such as the Trigrad Gorge. 7 Days In Spain: Witness The Splendid Sceneries Of The Second Largest European Country! directionNav:true, [14] The oldest rock formations in Bulgaria date from the Precambrian period than 500million years ago. The Bulgarian lands were often submerged by ancient seas and lakes, some land layers rose others sank. Put simply this ones not to be missed! Their average altitude is 370m and 735m, respectively. In northern Bulgaria the highest precipitation is in MayJune, while in southern Bulgaria it is in winter. Is Bulgaria an expensive country? The machine-building industry is developed in Smolyan, Kardzhali, Devin, Bratsigovo, Ivailovgrad and others; there is a pharmaceutical plant in Pestera. The name was derived from the word Turkish word Hissar or Hisar- which means Fort or Castle. The highest point in the mountain is Botev peak 2376 m. North Bulgaria - Travel guide at Wikivoyage There are formidable fortifications too, famed for fighting off both Ottoman Turk and Crusading counts alike, not to mention rows of pretty seaside villas that cascade down neatly to meet the shore, shimmering in whitewash and red-tile as they go. Their highest peak is Delimposka (1,953m) in the mountain of Frakto, near the Greek-Bulgarian border. South of Varna the coastline is densely wooded, especially at the alluvial longose groves of the Kamchia Biosphere Reserve. Province capitals are shown in bold. That means travelers here experience a mixture of natural beauty courtesy of the wild coniferous woods that blanket the landscapes all around and unbridled culture and history, oozing from the Tsarevets capitol and the clutch of gorgeous Byzantine churches. [81] Phytogeographically, Bulgaria straddles the Illyrian and Euxinian provinces of the Circumboreal Region within the Boreal Kingdom. In winter the Danubian Plain falls under the influence of the Eastern European anticyclone, which brings cold Arctic air masses. [21] Its total area is 26,720km2, of them the Pre-Balkan spans 15,730km2 and the Balkan Mountains almost 11,000km2. [18], The Danubian Plain encompasses the Moesian plate and extends from the river Timok in the west to the Black Sea in the east and from the river Danube in the north to the Balkan Mountains in the south, covering 31,520km2, or almost 1/3 of Bulgaria's total area. Bisected by the S-shaped meanders of the Yantra River, the towns setting is nothing short of breathtaking, with terraces of terracotta-coloured roofs looming over the waterways below. It is one of the significant cultural centers of Bulgaria and hosts Apollonia Art and Film Festival every year. [80], The interaction of complex climatic, hydrological, geological and topographical conditions make Bulgaria one of the most biologically diverse countries of Europe. - Tryavna - is preferred place for rural and eco tourism, because of its nice natural sights, fresh mountain air and mild climate. [64][65] The Mountain zone covers the mountainous regions above 700800m altitude and has a zonal soil cover. [58], The Aegean Sea catchment basin drains the Thracian Plain and most of the higher lands to the south and southwest. The heights belong to five distinct cultural regions and eight of them are notable because of their size, historical, cultural and . Must see: Magura Cave, Baba Vida, Kaleto Fortress and Belogradchik rocks, Museum of Nature and Science. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. [4], The country has a dense river network but with the notable exception of the river Danube, rivers are mostly short and with low water flow. "text": "Bulgaria is an affordable destination as compared to other European countries. You can also visit the famous 11th century St. Stephen church, located there, which houses an ornamented altarpiece and many of mural paintings. Must see: Thracian temple, Mineral Spring Momina Banya and Horseback Riding Camp Ezdun. Pirin - Wikipedia They thought that it was a better option than being captured by the Ottomans in the 14th century. [97] Established in 1936 Vitosha Nature Park is the oldest in Bulgaria and in the Balkan Peninsula.[98]. [4], In the Middle Ages, the mountains were known as the Slavey Mountains (Slaveyev Mountains), and under Ottoman rule were known as the Dospatsky Mountains, after the Dospat Municipality and Dospat River. From the top of the village, you can breathe the crisp mountain air and see clear across the valley to the nearby peaks of the Rhodope Mountains. Also a shelter where you can rest the night. Also known as Kaleto, this place is famous for unique sandstone and limestone rock formations, monoliths and hoodoos. animationSpeed:600, Must see: The Stone Forest, Quarry in Beloslav, Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. oblast). This UNESCO World Heritage Site is built in Mamluk, arabesque, Byzantine and Romanesque pattern. Peppered with picturesque villages, snow-capped mountain peaks, ideal ski runs that seem to stretch endlessly, well-kept mountain trails, and mild summer temperatures combine for a hell of a vacation destination at any time of . Bulgaria - Ethnic Groups, Language, Religion | Britannica The ruins of castles, Thracian sites such as Perperikon and Tatul, the villages in National Revival style and the monasteries are also visited by many Bulgarian and foreign tourists. The highest village in Bulgaria, Manastir (over 1,500 meters (4,921ft)), is crouched in the northern foot of Prespa Peak. Around its edges rise the great brutalist monuments to Soviet rule; endless streams of cookie cutting high-rises. To the north the mountain slopes descend steeply towards the Upper Thracian Plain. } The Danubian Plain is characterised by the fertile black earth chernozem, that accounts for 54% of the zone's area, while the Pre-Balkan is dominated by grey forest soils (39%), which have good physical characteristics but are low in organic matter and phosphorus. "name": "Why is Bulgaria so famous? Must see: Church of Saint Cyril, Sea Garden, Lake Burgas, Lake Atanasovsko and St. Anastasia Island. [58] Maritsa's major tributaries are the Tundzha, Arda, Topolnitsa, Vacha, etc. Source: andreyandreevphotography / shutterstock, Source: Dennis van de Water / shutterstock, Source: Marina Karkalicheva / shutterstock. The caves along the Greek border such as Yagodinska, Uhlovitsa, Devil's Throat Cave, Snezhanka (near Peshtera) and others are popular among speleologists with their spectacular forms and underground lakes and rivers. The old houses of the national Revival Period are also interesting tourism attraction in the region. Our travel recommendations are based on our personal experiences and research, written by locals and travel experts with deep familiarity with the destination. Image Source Bansko is the most buzzing skiing destination of Bulgaria and one of the best places to visit in Bulgaria in winter. Jutting out and sparkling like a Medieval Byzantine pearl between the rollers of the Black Sea, Nessebar is certainly one of the most enchanting and unforgettable cities on Bulgarias coast. Solnitsata, an ancient town located nearby is believed by Bulgarian archaeologists to be the oldest in Europe and was the site of a salt production facility approximately six millennia ago. [75] There is gold near Tran, Chelopech and Madzharovo, as well as small quantities of platinum, silver, molybdenum, nickel and tungsten. "The Armenian Presence in and around the Rhodope Mountain in 11th C.: Rethinking over some new archaeological Finds", 7 (20102015), 5997.In: auth.academia.edu/EvangelosPapathanassiou, This page was last edited on 11 June 2023, at 08:40. Throughout most of that period the only land areas were Rila, Pirin and the western Rhodope Mountains. The longest river located entirely in Bulgarian territory, the Iskar, with a length of 368km and a catchment area of 8,640km2, is the only Bulgarian Danubian tributary that does not rise in the Balkan Mountains. reverse:false, The altitude decreases from west to east. [61] The Bulgarian word for spa, , transliterated as banya, appears in some of the names of more than 50 spa towns and resorts. There have been many archaeological finds of ancient tools in some of the caves. Mount Musala is the highest peak in the entire Balkan Peninsula with an elevation of 9,596 feet in Eastern Europe between the Alps and Caucasus region. In the Western Rhodopes, the temperature varies from 5 to 9C (41 to 48F) and in the summer rainfalls prevail. The Rilo-Rhodope massif is sometimes referred to as the Rhodope mountains alone. [81], Concern about biodiversity conservation remains strong within the country. "name": "Is it safe to visit Bulgaria, given the covid situation? There more than 6,500 species of non-vascular plants and fungi.[81]. Most of the frontier (470km) is formed by the river Danube from the mouth of the river Timok in the west to the city of Silistra in the east. [43] The total annual amount of the rainfall is 74billion km3; of them 70% evaporate, 20% flow into the rivers and 10% soak into the soil. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. [15] All three main groups of rocks, magmatic, sedimentary and metamorphic, are found in the country. The legendary City of the Tsars stands aloft on the edge of the rising foothills of Bulgarias northern mountains. Encompassed by endless seas of pine trees that oscillate between verdant green and ice-caked white with the turning of summer and winter, the popular mountain resort town of Pamporovo makes its home amidst the undulating ridges of the southern Rhodope Mountains, just a short jaunt away from the borderlands with Greece. There was once a rug-making factory here, along. [14] and Agupti who are a blend with Turks and Pomaks and stand away from other gypsys.[15]. There are important reserves of rock salt near the town of Provadia (4,4billion tons). The lowest temperature is measured in January and February, respectively. [34] The two most important gulf are the Gulf of Varna in the north and the Gulf of Burgas in the south, which is the largest in the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The brown forest soils are distributed at altitudes of 10002000m, the dark mountain forest soils can be found at 17002200m altitude and the mountain meadow soils above 1700m. These soils are typically shallow and prone to erosion and are usually acid to strongly acid.[64][65]. Is it safe to visit Bulgaria, given the covid situation? In fact, the whole settlement is a protected national monument, supposed to reflect and define the achievements of the Bulgarian National Revival movement in its wealth of painted facades, realist stone sculptures and shuttered homes. 7 ways you can explore the Bulgarian mountains during any season It was built in honour of the soldiers that fell fighting against the Ottomans in the Turkish-Russo war for Bulgaria's independence. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. [93][94] Of them, Pirin National Park, Srebarna Nature Reserve and nine forest reserves within the Central Balkan National Park are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Must see: Karadzica water-mill, Sokolski monastery, Further Read: 13 Frolicsome Beaches In Europe For All The Excited Beach Bums Across The Globe. Rhod-ope (-o) is interpreted as the first name of a river, meaning "rusty/reddish river", where Rhod- has the same Indo-European root as the Bulgarian "" (ore, "ruda"), "" (rust, "rda"), "" (red-haired, "ri"), Latin "rufus" (red), German "rot" (red), English "red", Greek - (rodh). The avian fauna is represented by 434 species of birds, which is the second highest number in Europe. Most of the mountain massifs in the country are situated in the southern part. The medieval capital of Bulgaria - Veliko Tarnovo is the third most affordable tourist destination more Bulgaria was granted the approval of the World Tourism Organisation to create a World Tourism Museum more Home | Bulgaria Guide | Contact | Advertise | About us | Why book with us? [78] Marble is extracted in the mountainous regions Pirin, Rhodopes, Strandzha, the western Balkan Mountains.