Bulgaria attractions and optimal itineraries? Walk along the old winding road of Koprivshtitsa town, past the tricking streams and the colorful buildings, and be taken back to a Bulgaria of the past. Set in the heart of the Sredna Gora mountain range, historic Koprivshtitsa town was once a center for the fight against Ottoman rule and still today remains a place of Bulgarian pride. The town is now popular with visitors and is an open air museum; its many mansions and houses are fantastic examples of the Bulgarian National Revival that occurred during the 19th century.
Top Bulgaria Itinerary? A showcase in all things Bulgarian National Revival, Zheravna is a rustic and raw picture of one of the country’s most iconic architectural styles of old. The town itself sits nestled at the base of the mighty Balkan Mountains, between dense thickets of Bosnian pines and white elms, where it seems almost organically formed in its timber-clad, stony appearance. The cottages that pepper the cobbled streets all come beautifully restored, with more than 150 examples of the typical hardwood facades on display. Amidst the buildings, sites like the Yordan Yovkov House and the icon-packed St Nicholas Church draw the biggest crowds, while others will head for the August Dobromiritsa Rural Park nearby, where festivals celebrating Bulgarian folk costumes and music erupt throughout the year.
UNESCO-tagged and rising like a great Balkan bulwark against the borders of Macedonia and Greece, the Pirin National Park is a hinterland like no other in Europe. Up on high, its snow-spotted summits gather caps of mist, while alpine valleys below are dashed with avalanches of forest-green pine and fir trees, and speckled with the occasional bed of edelweiss. Meanwhile, deer and bears stalk the woodlands to this day, and wild goats clamber atop the craggy precipices to find shelter in the rocky crevices and caves. It’s hardly a wonder that this one is hailed as a paradise for hikers and outdoorsy types, with trails soaring to the top of Vihren (the highest peak) and weaving around the whopping 186 mountain lakes! Find even more info at Bulgaria Itinerary.
The otherworldly geological wonders that lurk on the edge of Belogradchik town rarely fail to impress travelers who make their way to this far-flung corner of Bulgaria on the northward slopes of the Balkan Mountains. Known simply as the Belogradchik Rocks, they offer a sprawling display of hoodoos and anthropomorphic monoliths that’s inspired folk legends and local myths aplenty. But Belogradchik’s draws don’t end there. No sir, not with that colossal Belogradchik Fortress complex dating back to Roman times on the menu, the citadel of nearby Baba Vida and the mysterious pre-historic wall art of the Magura Cave to boot!
Often referred to as the Pearl of the Black Sea, the historic town of Nessebar dates back to antiquity when it was founded as a Thracian settlement known as Menebria. Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Bulgarians, Crusaders, and Ottomans all took turns fortifying the ancient town, and the narrow peninsula on which it is located. Today a stroll on its cobblestone streets will bring you to remnants of some 40 brick churches, dating back as far as the 5th century. The beautiful town is such an important site it’s recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. See extra info at https://yourtravelitinerary.com/.