Find places in Bulgaria

Must-Haves

• Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (Alexander Nevsky Square)
  Sofia's gold domed landmark, with a fine icon museum in its crypt.
• Boyana Church (Boyana)
  A tiny UNESCO listed chapel with thirteenth century frescoes far ahead of their time.
• Serdica Archaeological Complex (Serdica metro station)
  Roman streets and buildings uncovered beneath the city's central crossroads.
• National Archaeological Museum (Atanas Burov Square)
  Thracian gold, Roman sculpture and medieval treasures in a former mosque.

Fun for Everyone

• Museum of Socialist Art (Mladost)
  A garden of Soviet era statues, including the red star from the old party house.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Central Mineral Baths drinking fountains (Banya Bashi)
  Locals fill bottles with warm mineral water from public taps beside the old bathhouse.

Fun for Everyone

• Free Sofia Tour (Palace of Justice)
  A friendly volunteer led walking tour that is the best introduction to the centre.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Zhenski Pazar (Stefan Stambolov Boulevard)
  Sofia's oldest and liveliest market for fruit, spices, cheese and everyday bargains.

Off the Beaten Path

• Antique market at Alexander Nevsky (Alexander Nevsky Square)
  Stalls of icons, old cameras, medals and Soviet curios beside the cathedral.

Must-Haves

• Vitosha Boulevard (City centre)
  The pedestrian main street of shops and terraces with Vitosha mountain at its end.

Must-Haves

• Vitosha Nature Park (Aleko)
  Hike to Cherni Vrah or wander to the Golden Bridges stone river within an hour of the city.
• Seven Rila Lakes (Panichishte, Rila)
  A classic summer hike past a chain of glacial lakes high in the Rila mountains.

Fun for Everyone

• Borisova Gradina (Borisova Garden)
  The city's largest park, with lakes, playgrounds and summer open air swimming.

Off the Beaten Path

• Boyana Waterfall (Boyana)
  A forest hike above Boyana to one of the highest waterfalls on Vitosha.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Hadjidraganovite Kashti (Kozloduy Street)
  A folk style tavern with hearty Bulgarian dishes and live music on many nights.

Must-Haves

• Shtastliveca (Vitosha Boulevard)
  A long running favourite for modern takes on Bulgarian classics.

Great for Date Night

• Made in Home (Angel Kanchev Street)
  A cosy, homely restaurant with seasonal, creative cooking.

Off the Beaten Path

• Moma Bulgarian Food and Wine (Solunska Street)
  Traditional regional recipes and Bulgarian wines in a rustic, welcoming room.

Must-Haves

• Fabrika Daga (Veslets Street)
  A specialty coffee roaster and brunch spot in an old courtyard workshop.

Great for Date Night

• Dabov Specialty Coffee (Graf Ignatiev Street)
  Sofia's best known specialty coffee bar, small and serious about beans.

Off the Beaten Path

• Hambara (6 Septemvri Street)
  A candlelit bar in an old barn with no electric light, hidden behind a doorway.

Must-Haves

• Raketa Rakia Bar (Yanko Sakazov Boulevard)
  Dozens of rakias and retro socialist decor in a fun, busy bar.

Must-Haves

• Sofia Film Fest (City centre)
  The city's international film festival, usually held in March.

Must-Haves

• Sense Hotel Sofia (Tsar Osvoboditel Boulevard)
  A design hotel with a rooftop bar facing Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Hostel Mostel (Makedonia Boulevard)
  A sociable, long established hostel that suits budget travellers.

Great for Date Night

• Grand Hotel Sofia (City Garden)
  A classic central hotel beside the City Garden and the National Theatre.

Must-Haves

• Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis (Old Town)
  A Roman theatre that still stages summer opera with views to the Rhodopes.
• Plovdiv Old Town (Old Town)
  Cobbled lanes of painted revival houses, several open as museums.
• Great Basilica of Philippopolis (Knyaz Aleksandar I Street)
  Vast early Christian floor mosaics restored under a modern cover building.

Fun for Everyone

• Roman Stadium (Dzhumaya Square)
  Part of a huge Roman stadium visible right below the main pedestrian street.

Off the Beaten Path

• Balabanov House (Old Town)
  A restored merchant mansion with painted ceilings and art exhibitions.

Fun for Everyone

• Free Plovdiv Tour (Central Square)
  A volunteer led walking tour through the Roman city and the Old Town.

Must-Haves

• Kapana Creative District (Kapana)
  Small streets of galleries, craft beer, wine bars and murals.

Great for Date Night

• Nebet Tepe (Old Town)
  The oldest of Plovdiv's hills, with ruins and the city's best sunset view.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Bunardzhik Hill (Alyosha monument)
  A quiet park hill with a Soviet monument and wide views over the city.

Fun for Everyone

• Rowing Canal (Trakia)
  A long rowing canal and park popular for cycling, running and family walks.

Off the Beaten Path

• Asen's Fortress (Asenovgrad)
  A medieval church perched on a crag above a deep river gorge.

Must-Haves

• Pavaj (Kapana)
  Modern Bulgarian cooking in a small, lively restaurant in Kapana.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Dzhumaya Mosque coffee house (Dzhumaya Square)
  Turkish coffee and sweets in the shadow of the old mosque.

Fun for Everyone

• Kotka i Mishka (Kapana)
  Busy street side bar with craft beers and a friendly crowd.

Must-Haves

• Opera Open (Ancient Theatre)
  Summer opera and ballet performances under the stars in the Roman theatre.

Fun for Everyone

• Night of Museums and Galleries (Old Town)
  A September night when museums and galleries open late, often free.

Great for Date Night

• Hotel Residence Hebros (Old Town)
  A boutique hotel in a restored revival house in the Old Town.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Hostel Old Plovdiv (Old Town)
  A characterful hostel in a nineteenth century house full of antiques.

Must-Haves

• Tsarevets Fortress (Tsarevets Hill)
  The fortress of the medieval tsars, with walls, palace ruins and a cathedral on the summit.
• Monument to the Asen Dynasty (Asenovtsi)
  A huge equestrian monument on a river bend with the best view back to the town.
• Church of the Nativity, Arbanasi (Arbanasi)
  A plain building outside, but covered inside with thousands of painted figures.

Off the Beaten Path

• Church of the Forty Martyrs (Asenova)
  A medieval royal church with inscribed columns from the age of the khans.
• Church of Saints Peter and Paul (Asenova)
  Well preserved medieval frescoes in a quiet church below Tsarevets.

Fun for Everyone

• Sound and Light Show (Tsarevets Hill)
  Coloured lights, music and bells play across the fortress walls on selected evenings.

Must-Haves

• Samovodska Charshiya (Old town)
  The old craft street where potters, coppersmiths and woodcarvers work and sell.

Must-Haves

• Gurko Street (Old town)
  The prettiest lane in town, its houses perched above the river gorge.

Fun for Everyone

• Etar Architectural Ethnographic Complex (Near Gabrovo)
  An open air museum of working crafts driven by water wheels.

Off the Beaten Path

• Tryavna old town (Tryavna)
  A quiet revival town famous for its woodcarving school and museum.

Off the Beaten Path

• Emen Canyon (Emen)
  A short eco trail along a limestone canyon to a waterfall.

Great for Date Night

• Shtastliveca Veliko Tarnovo (Stefan Stambolov Street)
  Creative Bulgarian dishes on a terrace overlooking the gorge.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Hadji Nikoli Inn (Samovodska Charshiya)
  A restaurant in a restored nineteenth century inn on the craft street.

Great for Date Night

• Hotel Bolyarski (Stefan Stambolov Street)
  Central hotel with balconies over the Yantra gorge.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Hostel Mostel Veliko Tarnovo (Old town)
  A friendly hostel in a historic house in the old town.

Must-Haves

• Varna Archaeological Museum (Maria Luiza Boulevard)
  Home to the gold of the Varna Necropolis, among the oldest worked gold in the world.
• Roman Baths of Odessos (Old town)
  The largest Roman baths in Bulgaria, with walls still standing to great height.
• Dormition of the Mother of God Cathedral (City centre)
  Varna's grand cathedral with richly painted interiors.

Off the Beaten Path

• Aladzha Monastery (Golden Sands Nature Park)
  A medieval cave monastery carved into a cliff in forest.

Fun for Everyone

• Balchik Palace and Botanical Garden (Balchik)
  A Romanian queen's seaside palace with terraced gardens.

Must-Haves

• Sea Garden (Seafront)
  A long seaside park of shady paths above the beaches.
• Cape Kaliakra (Kavarna)
  A red cliffed headland with fortress ruins and dolphins often offshore.

Off the Beaten Path

• Pobiti Kamani (Near Varna)
  A strange natural forest of stone columns in the sand.

Fun for Everyone

• Varna Aquarium (Sea Garden)
  A small aquarium of Black Sea fish, good for children.

Off the Beaten Path

• Kamen Bryag and Yailata (Kamen Bryag)
  A wild rocky coast with cave dwellings and sea views.

Must-Haves

• Beach bars of the Sea Garden (Seafront)
  Summer bars along the beach below the Sea Garden.

Must-Haves

• Staria Chinar (Preslav Street)
  A long standing Varna favourite for seafood and Bulgarian dishes.

Must-Haves

• Graffit Gallery Hotel (Knyaz Boris I Boulevard)
  A design hotel with modern art throughout.

Must-Haves

• Varna Summer International Festival (City centre)
  A long running summer festival of classical music, opera and theatre.

Must-Haves

• Sozopol Old Town (Old Town)
  Wooden houses, cobbled lanes and sea views on a rocky peninsula.
• Old Nessebar (Nessebar)
  A UNESCO listed peninsula town of medieval churches and timber houses.

Fun for Everyone

• Central Beach Sozopol (Old Town)
  A sandy beach right below the old town, handy for families.
• Burgas Sea Garden and Sand Festival (Burgas)
  A seaside park with a summer sand sculpture festival.

Great for Date Night

• Southern Fortress Wall and Tower (Old Town)
  A restored section of the ancient walls with a museum and views.

Must-Haves

• Apollonia Arts Festival (Old Town)
  Concerts, theatre and art across the town at the end of summer.

Off the Beaten Path

• Ropotamo Nature Reserve (South of Sozopol)
  Boat trips along a jungle like river to the sea.
• Sinemorets (Strandzha)
  Quiet beaches where a river meets the sea near the Turkish border.
• Strandzha Nature Park (Strandzha)
  Oak forests, fire dancing villages and quiet trails in Bulgaria's far south.
• Poda Protected Area (Burgas)
  Birdwatching for pelicans and flamingos beside the Burgas lakes.

Fun for Everyone

• Arkutino Beach (Near Primorsko)
  A wide sandy beach backed by dunes and a lily lake.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Fish taverns at the harbour (Sozopol harbour)
  Fresh grilled fish and fried sprats beside the fishing boats.

Must-Haves

• Bansko Gondola and Ski Area (Bansko)
  Bulgaria's biggest ski area, reached by a long gondola from town.
• Melnik (Melnik)
  Bulgaria's smallest town, ringed by sand pyramids and known for red wine.

Off the Beaten Path

• Rhodope Narrow Gauge Railway (Septemvri to Dobrinishte)
  A slow, scenic train through the mountains.

Must-Haves

• Church of the Holy Trinity (Old town)
  A large nineteenth century church with a tall stone bell tower.

Off the Beaten Path

• Velyanov House (Old town)
  A fortified house with painted interiors by a Debar master.
• Dobarsko Saints Theodore Tyron and Theodore Stratilates Church (Dobarsko)
  A tiny village church with unusual frescoes.
• Rozhen Monastery (Rozhen)
  A peaceful monastery a short hike from Melnik.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Neofit Rilski House Museum (Old town)
  The home of a key figure in Bulgarian education, now a museum.

Must-Haves

• Pirin National Park (Pirin)
  Alpine peaks, glacial lakes and old pine forest under UNESCO protection.
• Popovo Lake (Bezbog)
  One of the largest glacial lakes in the Pirin, reached via the Bezbog chairlift.

Off the Beaten Path

• Baikusheva Mura (Pirin)
  A Bosnian pine more than thirteen hundred years old.

Must-Haves

• Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena (Gondola area)
  A large hotel right beside the gondola station.

Fun for Everyone

• Bansko Jazz Festival (Old town)
  A free open air jazz festival in August.