Permanently closed and protected by grilles, this 1836 church has in its narthex an extraordinary fresco cycle executed by Zahari Zograf between 1839 and 1841 depicting the Last Judgement, in which the illustrious painter included some of the Plovdiv..

Unfortunately, this refectory with its superb marble table is often closed. It has magnificent frescoes painted in 1643: the Tree of Jesse (on the vaulting), Greek philosophers wearing crowns, the Last Judgement, the Council of Nicaea. A veritable ga..

Contemporary with the monastery, this Byzantine-style building with a single nave and apse stands on a rocky outcrop around 300m from the monastic complex: for a thousand years, the bones of Backovo’s monks have been laid to rest here. In the narthex..

Lost among the undergrowth in a forgotten high-altitude location, this sacred city of the Thracians has been revealed, evoking the mythical king Orpheus and Alexander the Great. It is worth getting accurate bearings at the outset: a great stairway ..

This huge maritime park is without doubt Bulgaria’s finest. Separated from the bay of Varna by long beaches of fine white sand, it was laid out in the English style in 1908. Among catalpas, yews, jasmine, conifers and broad-leaved trees, its avenues ..

Beyond Rila Monastery, a narrow yet absolutely charming minor road wends its way deep into the Rila nature park. At first, the road follows the stream lined with a few inns, then it rises in hairpin bends through the forest of the same name, protecte..

St-Alexander-Nevski Cathedral is, with its golden domes, the very emblem of Sofia. Built between 1904 and 1912, it boasts a vast (space for 6 000 members of the community) and sumptuous interior: polychrome Italian marbles, onyx from Brazil, alabaste..

St-George's Rotunda was built at the beginning of the 4C, during the reign of Constantine the Great. This religious building (probably a baptistery), was erected according to a fairly complex plan: a vast, circular central chamber, surmounted by a do..

The vast prayer hall of the mosque houses the remarkable collections of the Archaeological Museum, which include: stelae, epitaphs, low-relief carvings and an exceptional set of Thracian votive stones (2C-3C). Mural paintings, originally in the Bulga..

Covering the karstic mountain of Vracanski Balkan, this nature park dominates the town and offers spectacular views over an area of 280km². There are hundreds of caves to be seen, as well as valleys, mountain streams and vast forests. The place is a ..

Vracata Gorge is a spectacular mass of rocks looking like ruins, through which flows the River Leva. The sheer rock faces of the gorge, over 300m high, are popular with rock-climbers. During the fine season, the site also attracts many visitors who a..

Magura Cave (30 000 sq m) is one of the largest natural caves in Bulgaria. The 700m long main gallery leads to a succession of vast chambers where stalactites and stalagmites sometimes meet to form impressive pillars (up to 20m high and 4m in diamete..

Built in 1835, the imposing church of the Holy Trinity is one of the emblems of the town. Standing inside an enclosure and a flower garden, it is surrounded by a pleasant arcaded gallery, painted in white and blue. The interior of the three-naved san..

The old town of Bansko has retained fine fortress-like houses concealed within their enclosures. Many of them have been turned into inns serving the famous herb flavoured sausages, one of the city's claims to fame! Along Veljan-Ognev Street stands th..

Built at the beginning of the 17C, this half-buried church has arrow-slit openings. It has retained a fine iconostasis and, especially, a remarkable set of frescoes, painted in 1614 by anonymous artists. Note in particular the portraits of the benefa..

The small, charming church of St-Nicholas stands within an enclosure full of flowers, in the very heart of the ancient Thracian village of Sapareva Banja. The early-13C brick-built edifice is a splendid and rare example of Bulgarian medieval religiou..

The Zemen Monastery comprises several white-washed buildings, featuring galleries, surrounding a fine meadow. In the centre stands the church of St-John-the-Theologian (11C), which has retained splendid frescoes. Note St Ann, St Contantine and St Hel..

The Melnik Pyramids form a strange landscape of sandy cliffs carved by erosion. There are "fairy chimneys", sharp angles and sheer, strangely indented rock faces. Here, geology and bad weather have combined their power to create an ever-cha..

Rožen Monastery lies in splendid surroundings, dominated by the pyramids. The place is unassuming, with its small flower garden and its courtyard shaded by a climbing vine and wooden galleries. One can get a glimpse of the refectory (traces of fresco..

The tumultuous "Cepelare River" runs through the Cepelarska Valley. Footbridges span the river in many places, enabling visitors to explore the paths and anglers to watch out for their catch. The mountain stream occasionally runs into lakes..