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LOCATIONS:
 Alexandr Nevski Cathedrall as been an area of human habitation since at least 7000 BCE and is Europe's second-oldest city, having been founded 7000 years ago, hence the motto of the city is "grows, but does not age". The city's earliest official mention was in the 7th century BCE. |  Veliko Tarnovo was the historic capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire between the 12th and 14th centuries, Veliko Tarnovo is located in central Bulgaria and is a popular tourist attraction. The reconstructed Tsarevets fortress bears no resemblance to the medieval palaces of the Bulgarian tsars who ruled from the hilltop until their defeat by the Ottomans in 1393. |  One of the oldest towns on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coastline, Sozopol is a popular fishermen’s village and seaside resort. Located 35 kilometers south of Burgas, Sozopol was known in the 6th century BC as Apollonia, complete with a temple dedicated to Apollo. |
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 One of Bulgaria’s main tourist attractions is a group of glacial lakes located high in the Rila Mountains. The appropriate time to visit the lakes is in the summer months, as even in June the lakes can be frozen, with the terrain alternating between deep snow drifts and patches of brilliant wildflowers. The lakes are located one above the other in a mountain valley, interconnected by streams and waterfalls. |  Rila Monastery. Known as the Jerusalem of Bulgaria, this picturesque Eastern Orthodox monastery in the forested mountains less than two hours south of Sofia is definitely worth a pilgrimage visit. Named for St. Ivan of Rilski, a tenth century hermit who lived in a nearby cave, the monastery has been built, burnt, and rebuilt over the centuries, with the latest construction dating to the 1800s. |  Plovdiv, the second largest city in Bulgaria, has something that Sofia does not – an old town on a hill. The city was founded some 6,000 years ago and developed on seven hills, but one of them was destroyed at the beginning of the 20th century. The Old Town towers over the city centre with structures from different eras, including a remarkably well-preserved Roman amphitheater. |
 Veliko Tarnovo |  Nessebar 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. |  Melnik is known for two reasons. It is the smallest city in Bulgaria and it is home to some of the best wineries in the country. It will take you minutes to walk up the town’s one main street, but you’ll sit for hours at a local tavern, your head spinning under the intoxicating spell of the rich red wines. |
 Koprivshtitsa. Walking the narrow alleyways of the village of Koprivshtitsa, some two hours east of Sofia, you’ll feel that you’re being transported back to the momentous months of 1876, when the Bulgarians valiantly fought against their oppressive Ottoman rulers. Inside the colorful houses, representatives of Bulgarian National Revival architecture of the 19th century, local patriots plotted their rebellion leading up to the first shot being fired in the ultimately unsuccessful April Uprising. |  Belogradchik Fortress is a manmade construction set against a stunning outcrop of rocks. The combination is so unique and picturesque, that it seems to have been lifted straight out of a Disney fairytale. What’s even more unique than the fortress is the surrounding countryside. The Belogradchik Rocks, named in 2009 as Bulgaria’s candidate to be selected as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature, are a stunning arrangement of strange-shaped sandstone and conglomerate rock formations. |
FOOD, DRINKS AND RESTAURANTS:
 Lukanka. There are several regions in Bulgaria well known for lukanka production. Most of these are located in central Bulgaria, at the foot of the Balkan mountain range, notably the Smyadovo, Panagyurishte, and Karlovo regions. |  Karnacheta. |  Sliced tongue in butter. |
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 Bahur. |  Lyutenitza. In Bulgaria, lyutenitsa comes in a jar and is often used as a spread on toast and breads. It is also popularly eaten with many meats, meatballs and kebapcheta. Most households will have this in their house all year and it is a cherished favorite of many. |  Elenski but is a dry-cured ham from the town of Elena in northern Bulgaria and a popular delicacy throughout the country. The meat has a specific taste and can be preserved in the course of several years, owing much to the special process of making and the climatic conditions of the part of Stara Planina where Elena is located. |
 Tarator is a soup, appetizer, or sauce found in the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire. It generally includes ground walnuts, garlic, and yogurt or tahini, and often cucumber, herbs, and vinegar or lemon juice. |  Bob chorba. The name translates to "bean soup". It is a soup made from dry beans, onions, tomatoes, chubritza or dzhodzhen (spearmint) and carrots. Local variations may also exclude the carrots or include paprika, potatoes or even some kind of meat. |  Urda is a sort of whey cheese common in the Balkans |
 Shkembe chorba. According to folklore, it is said to be a hangover remedy. |  Katino meze. |  Cheverme. |
 Shishcheta. |  |  Trahana. |
 Halva refers to many types of dense, sweet confections, served across South Asia, Central Asia, West Asia, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Balkans, Central Europe, Eastern Europe, Malta and the Jewish world. |  Garash Cake is a type of chocolate cake in Bulgarian cuisine. It is commonly found in Bulgarian patisseries and restaurants. |  Mavrud is a red wine grape that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines, indigenous to the region of Thrace in Bulgaria. |
 Wine museum |  Bulgarian wine |  Bulgaria cuisine |
 Bulgarian wine |  Shopska salata. Though the salad's name comes from the region called Shopluk, in fact, it was invented in the 1960s as part of a tourist promotion.It is a product of early socialism in Bulgaria, the only survivor of five or six recipes. |  Kapama |
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