Bulgaria

Painted monasteries, roses and the Black Sea.

US travel advisory: Level 1 · checked 2026-11-02
Photo: Raggatt2000 · CC BY-SA 3.0
This is a first draft of the Bulgaria list. The full region guide is being written, and tiers may still change.

The Short List

Must-See

Must-See
Spiritual · UNESCO

Rila Monastery

A striped, painted monastery, in mountains south of Sofia.

Guide Coming Soon
Must-See
Cities · Roman

Plovdiv

A very old city, with a Roman theater and Revival houses.

Guide Coming Soon

Worth a Detour

Worth a Detour
Cities · Cathedrals

Sofia

An inexpensive capital with a gold-domed cathedral.

Guide Coming Soon
Worth a Detour
Cities · Medieval

Veliko Tarnovo

A hillside medieval capital.

Guide Coming Soon
Worth a Detour
Beaches · UNESCO

Nessebar and the Black Sea

An ancient town on a peninsula, near summer resorts.

Guide Coming Soon
Worth a Detour
Mountains · Hiking

Seven Rila Lakes

A chain of glacial lakes, with Rila's Musala, the Balkans' highest peak, nearby.

Guide Coming Soon

If You're Nearby

If You're Nearby
Mountains · UNESCO

Bansko and Pirin

Budget skiing and hiking.

Guide Coming Soon
If You're Nearby
Cities · Beaches

Varna and the Black Sea

Bulgaria's seaside capital, with the world's oldest worked gold.

Guide Coming Soon
If You're Nearby
Nature · Castles

Belogradchik Rocks

Red rock towers, with a fortress among them.

Guide Coming Soon

On the Map

Grey pins: guides still being written.