OBZOR

Obzor is situated 65 km south of Varna and 73km north of Burgas with a long 6 km beach. The town of Obzor is relatively small. It lies in the skirts of the eastern part of the Stara Planina Mountain with the mountain ridge raising to the west of the city and the Dvoynitsa river bounding it to the north. The long beach by the town extends from the St. Atanas cape to the north to the southern Mona Petra cape to the south. The town's beach is followed by a small nestling cove and a beach named Irakli after an ancient village of the same name. The St. Nikola cape is several kilometres further to the south where the Balkan Mountains slope into the Black Sea.

The origins of the town, which the ancient Greeks knew as Heliopolis ("town of the sun"), can be seen in the small park which is lined with columns and statuary fragments from a Roman temple to Jupiter which once graced the spot. The Romans also built a fortress in the vicinity to protect their sea trading routes between Constantinople and the Danube. During the Middle Ages the place was dominated by a fortress named Kozyak, though this was later destroyed completely by the Ottoman invasion. Its present name Obzor was given in 1935. The near-by beach of Irakli and the surrounding area were once inhabited by Greek settlers who later left it and settled to live with the Bulgarians in Obzor.

Interesting places to visit are:

• Emine Cape - 14 km south of the town, Bulgaria’s stormiest cape. There are ruins of a medieval fortress, called Emona and a monastery.
• Emona – a small picturesque village There is a few-day rocker fair in Obzor during the summer gathering hundreds of motorcyclists from all over the country.

BALCHIK

 ZIP code: 9600
Telephone code: +359 (0) 579
Population: 14 000
For additional information: click here

Balchik is situated 31km north of Varna in a beautiful inlet with a small harbor. It is a town with ancient spirit, steep pebbled streets and houses made of stone and adobe. Similarly to Kavarna, the town of Balchik is also a relatively large settlement along the Northern seaside and a harbour used for medium-sized passenger and commercial vessels. It is situated 31km north of Varna in a beautiful inlet.
The history tells us that the place was first inhabited by lonians in the 5th century BC. At that time, the settlement was called Kmuni or Krounoi after the Greek word for springs, due to the abundance of karst springs in the area. Later on it was renamed Dionisopolis after the name of Dionisius, the Greek god of wine and feasts. According to one of the most popular legends, the town received this name after a statute of Dionisius that was dragged there by the sea. The god’s image appeared also on the coins minted there. The town was quite an important centre on the northern Black Sea coast till the beginning of the new era and it was second in significance only to Varna (named Odessos at that time).
Later on the town was included in the territory of Bulgaria. Around the 13th - 14th century AC it was turned to a natural fortification, called Dzhina Bair. Following its rule by the Boyar Balik, it received its present-day name of Balchik. The town flourished and grew into a big corn-trading centre after the Crimean War (1853-1856). Yet after the Balkan War which ended 1913, it was annexed to the territory of Romania. Struck by the natural beauty of the place, The Romanian Queen Maria built a summer palace and a botanical garden there. The royal complex also included a chapel and a villa for Romanian aristocrats. The town turned into a luxurious resort at the time. After 1940 Balchik was again included in Bulgarian territory.

Interesting places to visit:

You can see some more pictures of the town of Balchik in our photos' section.

ROZHEN MONASTERY 

The Rozhen Monastery has existed since the Second Bulgarian Kingdom in the Middle Ages. It is situated about 5km away from the small but ancient town of Melnik in the south-west part of the country, close to the Greek border. It opens a magnificent view towards the peaks of the Pirin and Belasitsa mountains, and the famous ‘mels’ of Melnik.

The Rozhen monastery is the biggest sanctuary in the Pirin region and one of the few Bulgarian monasteries dating back to the Middle Ages, which has survived relatively intact up to present days. According to the chronicles kept in Aton monastery in Greece, the monastery dates back at least to 890 AC – while the Rila monastery, is believed to have started functioning in 917 AC. The oldest artifacts found in the monastery region dates back to 13th century. The church of the monastery, named St Birth of Virgin Mary, later gave its name to the nearby village of Rozhen (Rozhen coming from the root of the Bulgarian word for birth, ‘Rozhdenie’). Its architecture is very impressive. The monastery has an irregular 6-angle form, with residential buildings surrounding a beautiful yard with the church lying in the centre of it. All the monastery’s buildings were constructed in different periods, with the monks’ dining room, the bone-vault and several farm buildings being the oldest ones, dating back to the period before the fire in the 17th century. The church in its yard was built in 1600. It has suffered a terrible fire somewhere after 1662. It was renewed and painted in the 18th century. It contains a wealth of splendid stained glass, openwork wood carvings and old icons.

The feast of the monastery is annually celebrated on September 8th.

KARLOVO

The town of Karlovo is situated 520 m. above the sea level in the valley of the same name, which is part of the famous Rose Valley. The town is located 141 km to the east of Sofia, 58 km. north of Plovdiv, 55 km. west of Kazanlak and 66 km. south of Troyan. Karlovo is the birthplace of – the so called "Apostle of Liberty" Vasil Levski - the true Bulgarian National hero. Karlovo’s remote past is not well explored. No stories or legends have been preserved. Today’s town is a relatively new one. It originated on the banks of Stara reka right after the Ottoman invasion in Bulgaria, as an administrative center of the local Turkish Feudal lords. The village was named Karlovo after the local Turkish feudal lord. The beginning of the 19 th century for Karlovo was a time of rapid economic boom, cultural uplift and revolutionary ardour. Hundreds of clockworks and watermills were working near to the Stara Reka River. Rich merchants bought the production of the skilful master coppersmiths, goldsmiths, tailors and leather – workers and traded with Egypt, Albania, Romania, Vienna. Karlovo became a big and bustling village with a formed center, town clock and pleasant houses. The Russian – Turkish War of Liberation put end to the wealthy life in the town. In 1877 Karlovo was plundered and set on fire. 814 people were slaughtered, and most of the survivors ran away in the Balkan Mountain. The town is a birthplace of the famous Bulgarian alpinist Hristo Prodanov - the first Bulgarian who set foot on Mount Everest.

THE MADARA HORSEMAN 

TROYAN MONASTERY 

The first traces of religious life in the area date back to the end of the 16th century. According to the monastery’s chronicles, kept by an unknown monk, the monastery was founded by a hermit who came to the place and built himself a simple cottage some years after the fall of the second Bulgarian state. The monk quickly won the respect of the local people who started visiting him for prayer and advice. Later on, he built a church consecrated to the Holy Virgin. Ever since its establishment, the monastery has lived through difficult times, when it was often raided and destroyed, while its monks – killed.

The monastery is built in the style of the Bulgarian Renaissance. Though its parts were built by various masters at different times, the monastery is remarkable for its harmony. The monastery’s dwellings are 3 and 4-floors, with long open verandahs looking to the inner courtyard.

Similarly to other Bulgarian monasteries, this one also has its miraculous icon, which arrived at the monastery at the time of its establishment, namely the icon of the Three-handed Holy Virgin.

DRYANOVO MONASTERY

It is believed that the first monastery in this place was founded some 2km to the north of the present-day buildings, in an area called The Little St Archangel. The old Dryanovo Monastery has its origin in the time of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. With the invasion of the Turks it was fully destroyed, after that, during the years it was reconstructed on a neighbouring site, known as the Big St Archangel, destroyed and resurrected anew. The Dryanovo monastery was restored anew at the end of the 17th century, this time in its present-day place. The main church of that time had a single nave and was half-hidden in the ground. The present Dryanovo Monastery dates back to 1845.

Dryanovo monks were very active in the Bulgarians’ uprisings against the Ottoman rule. One of the main quarters of the Bulgarian Central Revolutionary Committee in Turnovo was located exactly in the monastery and famous rebel leaders such as Vasil Levski and Georgi Izmirliev came here very often.

The most recent reconstruction of the complex was carried out shortly after the Liberation. A new residential part and a museum were added to the existing buildings and a bell-tower was erected in 1925.

CHEREPISH MONASTERY

The origins of the Cherepish monastery go back to the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. It was built during the rule of Tsar Ivan Shishman (1371-1393), which is certified by a document, kept in the Sofia church, historical and archeological museum. During the Turks’ rulling, the monastery was burned and ruined several times. At the end of the 16th century, it was rebuilt by St Pimen of Sofia. During the times of the Bulgarian Revival, the monastery became a cultural and educational center. There used to be a monastery school where many books, saints’ biographies and gospels were written and rewritten. Relics such as the Cherepish Gospel, enclosed in golden bindings in 1512 and decorated with scenes from the Bible, as well as the Gospel of Monk Danail and the Book of the Apostles of Jacob, all date to that period.

Many old Christian churches have been discovered in the surrounding area. A large part of the monastery was renovated and restored in recent years. The numerous picturesque monastery buildings, are very impressive for the visitors from all over the world. The Cherepish monastery is a declared monument of culture of national significance.

BACHKOVO MONASTERY

The monastery was founded in 1083 by the Byzantine military commander of Georgian origin, Grigorii Bakuriani and his brother Abazii. But only the two-storey bone-vault, which lies about 300m to the east of the present- day complex, has survived the battle with time. The bone-vault is a must-see building there, for its unique wall-paintings, which rank among the most valuable works of Orthodox art of the 11th –12th century.
During the times of the Second Bulgarian State, the monastery was patronized by Tsar Ivan Alexander, whose portrait can still be seen in the arcs of the bone-vault’s narthex due to his renovation of this building. At the end of the 11th century, the monastery opens a religious school. A curious fact is that after the subjection of Bulgarian lands to the Ottoman empire at the end of the 14th century, the Bulgarian Patriarch, Evtimii, was sent on exile here in the monastery. Nevertheless, the exile did not dishearten the Patriarch and he, together with his scholars, developed active religious and cultural activity behind the walls of the monastery. 

Even if the Bachkovo monastery survived the first coup of the Ottoman invasion, it was not spared later one and similarly to other cloister, was raided and ruined down. It was restored towards the end of the 15th century with the dining hall having been reconstructed in 1601, and the present-day church, Virgin Mary, – in 1604. The wall-paintings of the dining hall, finished in 1603 by an unknown master, are particularly impressive for their artistic value. The church, on the other hand, also boasts with beautiful frescoes, but what draws mostly on visitors is its icon of Virgin Mary, believed to be wonder-working. A long queue of pilgrims wishing to say their prayers to the miraculous image of the God’s Mother, often starts far outside the entrance of the church. Besides the main church, the complex also has two smaller shrines: one called St Archangels (13th - 14th c.) and standing in the northern part of the inner yard (next to the main church) and another one, named after St Nikola (1834-1837). The St Nikola church rises in the southern part of the yard and is worth visiting for the well-kept paintings of the famous artist Zahari Zograf (including a portrait of the very artist himself), finished in 1841. The monastery also has its own museum which holds rare religious items of different times.

GLOZHENE MONASTERY

 SAMOKOV

Population: 26 500

The Samokov municipality is located in South-West Bulgaria in Sofia District. The Municipality consists of town of Samokov and 28 villages. Samokov is the third largest municipality in the Republic of Bulgaria. The territory of the municipality is serviced by automobile transport only. Road II-82 ensures connections to Sofia and South Bulgaria and is of significant importance for servicing the Borovets ski resort. Road II-62 ensures connections to Southwest Bulgaria and corridors No. 4 and No. 8. Samokov is located 38 km from Dupnitsa, 36 km from Ihtiman, 35 km from Kostenets and 55 km from Sofia .With the construction of the Sofia -Samokov highway, south bypass of the city of Sofia, a direct connection will be established between the "Trakia" and "Strouma" highways.
The municipality features quite favorable natural conditions for developing tourism and is among the few municipalities categorized to have potential for winter tourism of international scale. Borovets is among the largest international mountain resort in Bulgaria, located on the northern slopes of Rila Mountain, 10 km from Samokov and 73 km from Sofia. There are also conditions to develop balneology tourism in the municipality. The thermal water of Balchin Spa and Baths are suitable for the treatment of various diseases and for use as potable water. The Shtarkelovo Gnezdo (Stork`s Nest) locality near the Iskar artificial lake is a traditional recreation place with potential to develop camping and fishing tourism and water sports. There are plans to establish a tourist settlement Samokov-Borovets -Beli Iskar, a tourist localization Iskrovete with capacity to accommodate 20 000 people. There is also an idea to establish a recreation zone in Northern Rila.

NESSEBAR

Nessebar is one of the most exciting places along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The town consists of 2 parts – new and old one. The small old town is situated on a beautiful peninsula, connected with the main land through a narrow road.
Nowadays the town lies 37km northeast of Burgas. Its beach is considered to be one of the finest along the Black Sea coast due to a large sandy strip of land between the town and the village of Ravda, covered with clean golden sand. The other important thing is the closeness to the fastest growing Bulgarian seaside resort Sunny Beach, which is only a few minutes away – it starts where Nessebar finishes.
The present-day town is the successor of a Thracian fishermen''s settlement named Menabryia (meaning literally ''the town of Mena''), the foundation of which dates back to the 2nd century BC. Later it remained the only Doric colony along the Black Sea coast, as the rest were typical Ionic settlements. The Greeks named it Messembria (which was later transformed into Nessebar by the Slavs), and it grew into a big and well-fortified town-state. The town benefited from natural protection from both the land and the sea. Remains suggest the existence of aqueducts, a sewerage system, fortified wails, an amphi-theatre and numerous cult edifices (including an impressive temple of Apollo) at that time.

The town became a popular commercial center as a variety of goods from the Aegean and the Mediterranean regions were traded there and it also minted its own coins in the 5th century BC. Two centuries later, it founded its own colony called Navlohos near Obzor. The whole land between Nessebar and Obzor used to be a granary that supplied the two colonies with food as well as goods of exchange. In the 1st century BC the town surrendered to Marcus Lukulus'' legions and was subjected top Roman domination, during which the construction of a second colony of Messembria began and was finished. The second colony, built to the south of Nessebar, was named Anhialo (present-day Pomorie). 

You can see more pictures of Nessebar in our photoes' section.

BELITSA

Belitsa is situated within 180km of Bulgarian capital – the city of Sofia and some 80km from the town of Blagoevgrad. The settlement is located among three majestic mountain ranges - Rila, Pirin and Rhodope which defines its unique and diverse nature, folklore and history.
Many archeological monuments keep the history of the town for the coming generations. The name of the town was first mentioned in the Ottoman registers in 16^th century. During the second half of the 17^th  century a large part of the citizens were converted to Mohammedanism against their will. During the National Revival the main means of living were agriculture, farming, masonry and soap producing. The locals participated actively in the Struggle for National Liberty and the April Uprising of 1876. The National Liberty was won but this didn’t happen to Belitsa and the population of the town started their struggle against the unfair Berlin treaty that left Macedonia in the borders of Turkey. They fought in the Ilinden – Preobrajenie uprising and many of them lost their homes, in the flames. That’s way there are almost no houses in the town, built in the traditional style. According to the records Belitsa lost 475 houses and 120 people in this uprising.

Interesting places to visit are:

• The unique Dancing bears park, situated 12 km away from the town – unique for the Balkans and East Europe – the park is co-initiative of two of the largest international organizations for animal protection – the Vienna “Four paws”, and the French foundation of Bridget Bardo - for rehabilitation of bears, that have been used by their former owners to gather money by dancing on the streets. It covers more than 75 sq.km.
• The town’s historic museum, preserving the history of the town
• The St. George the Martyr Chrurch, built in 1835, burned in 1903 together with almost the whole village but restored after the Liberation
• The Chukata locality, 3km away from the town – with remains of Ancient Necropolis from the Thracian-Roman times
• The Semkovo resort complex – located 15km away from the town, offering wonderful conditions for ski sport and relaxation

 RAZLOG

Razlog is a beautiful town in Blagoevgrad District in southwestern Bulgaria. It lies in the Razlog valley and is surrounded by three mountains – Rila to the north, Pirin to the south and the Rhodopes – to the east. Its distance to the capital city of Sofia is 155km. The town was first mentioned during the reign of Byzantine emperor Basil II. Two Thracian tribes – ‘dii’ and ‘satri’ - first settled in the area of present-day town. In 847, Razlog was included in the territory of Bulgaria during the rule of Khan Pressian.

The town's population actively participated in the Kresna-Razlog and Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising, Razlog itself being liberated from Ottoman rule in 1912. Razlog has developed as a centre of winter tourism in the 1990s and 2000s due to its fantastic location in the vicinity of the Pirin, Rila and Rhodope Mountains. The town of Razlog is mostly famous for its houses of the so-called Razlog-Chepino architectural style ("old urban" buildings) that spread during the Bulgarian Revival period. Nowadays. The number of these houses is 41 and they are in very good condition. Some of them have been transformed into museums of history and ethnography. There are a lot of interesting places to visit in the vicinity of Razlog, you can take hiking tours to natural sights and archeological remains. For example, up in the slopes of Pirin, you can visit the Iztoka and Krushe protected areas with mineral water springs and medieval remains, the Mechata Dupka and Propadnaloto caves. In the slopes of Rila, interesting sights are the Stolovatets. And of course - the famous winter resort of Bansko is only about 10km away. An interesting event in the town is "The Mummors (known as "kukeri" in Bulgaria)Procession" - it takes place every year on January 1st - men, masked in animal skins are marching alongside the streets.

BANSKO

Maps of Bansko: 1, 2 ZIP code: 2770 Telephone code: +359 (0) 7443 Population: 12 000 For additional information: click here

The town of Bansko lies in the northeast skirts of the Pirin mountain (the mountain most frequently compared with the Alps), at the foot of the most beautiful karst part of Pirin and some 160km to the south of the capital city of Sofia. The town is located at 925 m above sea level. It is surrounded by three mountain ranges - Pirin, Rila and Rhodopi, multiple rivers, meadows, and nut trees.  Its name comes from the old Bulgarian word of ban, meaning master. The town saw its apogee in the 18th century, when it served as a regional crafts and trade centre, with the caravans of Bansko traders selling Bulgarian produce of tobacco, poppy seeds, cotton, gold, and textiles in the Aegean region and central Europe. However, the development of the alternative trade route down the Danube waterway deprived Bansko of its leading role in regional trade and gradually led to its decay after the second half of the 19th century. the settlement was very famous for its literature, arts and crafts development during the Revival period. Paisii Hilendarski - the one who wrote the first real study of Bulgarian history in 1762 was born in Bansko. It is considered that this study marks the beginning of hte Bulgarian Revival - inspiring the people and showing them the greatness of their former kingdom. 100 years later, another scholar - Neofit Rilski gathered the first rules of Bulgarian language grammar and built the foundation of hte Bulgarian educational system. Another famous son of the town is the famous Bulgarain poet Nikola Vaptsarov. Archeologists say that the first inhabitants arrived here probably some 3500 years ago. Their nowadays inheritors are strange people with their specific traditions, manner of speaking, creating a unique atmosphere in Bansko, incomparable to any other place in the country.
Previously it was an attraction for tourist from all over the country and outside it, because of its unique architecture and history, as well as the beautiful scenery. Nowadays it has developed into a modern winter resort. The whole transformation happened only in a 5-6 years time. The town organizes European Ski Tournaments and offers probably the best conditions for Nordic disciplines of skiing on the country. Very famous former ski champions like Marc Girardelli and Alberto Tomba have expressed a high  opinion of the resort. Today Bansko is Hot Spot Number One for buying property in Bulgaria alongside Sunny Beach on the Black Sea coast.

BYALA CHERKVA

Byala Cherkva is a relatively small town located in North Bulgaria, Veliko Turnovo district, in the central part of the fertile Danube Plain, on the left bank of the Rositsa River. Its closest towns are the neighboring Pavlikeni and Suhindol. It is also 40 km away from Veliko Turnovo, 40 km away from Sevlievo and 25 km away from the historic Dryanovo Monastery. It is near the geographical center of Bulgaria (which is located in the Uzana region near Gabrovo).

The area of Byala Cherkva was first inhabited by the Thracians who came here attracted by the fertile and beautiful land. Later inhabitants of the region - Romans, Slavs, Proto-Bulgarians and Ottoman Turks - left a heritage of their own – different fortresses, settlements, monasteries, roads, coins, ornaments and tools. The Roman road from Nicopolis ad Istrum (the village of Nikiup) to Melta (Lovech) and Serdika (Sofia) passed through the region. The first recorded Bulgarian settlement - Belinska Byala Cherkva - emerged on the opposite bank of the Rositsa River, in the area now called Selishte. According to the legends its inhabitants took part in the first uprising against the Ottoman rule - the Turnovo Uprising in 1598, after which the Turks burnt down the whole village. The present Byala Cherkva was founded on the site of the small village of Murad Bey, which was founded by the Turk feudalists in the 15th century to bring an economic revival to the landed estate, donated to an Ottoman feudal lord. Christians from the destroyed medieval settlement Belinska Byala Cherkva and the other nearby villages settled here in 16th and 17th centuries. Bulgarians gradually started to prevailin its populaton. The name Byala Cherkva was restored after the National Liberation in 1878.
They built the first church - St James' - in 1832, building in it pillars from the antique town Nicopolis ad Istrum. A second church that still exists, was built in 1866. The first religious school (a primitive semi-religious school) in the village was opened in 1835. A new school building was finished in 1858, and the first secondary school in the region was opened in 1874.

The inhabitants of Byala Cherkva took active part in the struggles for national liberation. A revolutionary committee lead by Bacho Kiro was founded here in 1872 and serious preparation for an uprising started. A hundred rebels under the command of Bacho Kiro participated in the April Uprising in 1876, where a detachment was formed under the command of Priest Hariton and Bacho Kiro. Unfortunately the detachment was defeated after nine days of heroic fighting with the Turks in the Dryanovo Monastery. 75 young men from Byala Cherkva fell dead in the ruins of the monastery. Bacho Kiro escaped, but was caught later and was brought to trial in an Ottoman court. He was hanged on 28 May 1876. Another three inhabitants of Byala Cherkva fought in the detachment of another revolutionary leader - Hristo Botev - in 1876.

The name of the village was Gorni turcheta till 1879 when it was renamed to its current name. After the Liberation ByalaCherkva still continued to play an important role in the Bulgarian cultural and political life. For example here Tsanko Tserkovski founded a Youth Educational Society, which lay the beginning of the organized agrarian political movement in Bulgaria. Byala Cherkva was the birthplace of many famous Bulgarians - Bacho Kiro, Tsanko Tserkovski, Raiko Daskalov, etc. Byala Cherkva was declared a town in 1976 in honour of the 100th anniversary of the April Uprising. The official feast of the town is celebrated every year on May 11th.

 Interesting places to visit are:

• The Monument of Liberty, with the names of the inhabitants of Byala Cherkva who fought in the wars, located in the center of the settlement

• The town historic museum

• The Tsanko Tserkovski house museum

• The Raiko Daskalov house museum

• The Nature and Science museum

• The Ethnographical museum
  

BREZOVO

Brezovo is a town located in South Bulgaria, Plovdiv district. It lies about 40km away from Plovdiv, 30km away from the town of Chirpan and some 50km away from the town of Kazanlak.

The first vestiges of a life in these lands appear to be from about 4000 years BC. The modern history of the town goes back to the time of the Ottoman yoke. The settlement becomes a major factor in the region due to its very good location – it lies on the roads from Plovdiv to Kazanlak and from Chirpan to Karlovo. There was also an old caravan road connecting Sofia and Burgas, and another one, probably with Roman origin, that was going to Konstantinopol (nowadays – Istanbul). According to the legend, the settlement arouses around an old Turkish farm and was first inhabited by Bulgarians, Turks, gypsies and Greeks who lived here in a relative harmony. But later the village is depopulated by a plague. Several years later some Bulgarian families from the region of Liaskovets (near Veliko Turnovo) come and settle here and laid the foundation of the future town. 

The village of Brezovo was declared a town in 1969.

Interesting places to visit are: