One of the most charming Balkan countries is Bulgaria. You’ll discover a fantastic place to holiday at any time of year, with picturesque villages, snow-capped mountain peaks, perfect ski slopes that seem timeless, well-maintained mountain trails and mild summer temperatures.
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Do you know which are these cities?
To make planning your vacation easier, we’ve compiled a list of the top 5 oldest cities in Bulgaria.
Sofia
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This is the capital of Bulgaria. Sofia has been the best place where people had lived since at least 7000 BC when it was known as Serdica in antiquity and Sredets in the Middle Ages. It is a beautiful metropolis with a small city center, cozy cafes, traditional restaurants at reasonable prices, a lot of places to get away from the usual tourist crowd (as well as exciting tourist stops), and you can walk almost anywhere in the city. Even though the city is affordable by European backpacking standards, there is a certain level of sophistication, particularly in the city’s center, that will make you feel as though it could be expensive.;
Plovdiv
Souirce: thewingedfork.com
Bulgaria’s second-largest city, is on either side of the Maritsa River and is just two hours’ drive from Sofia, the country’s capital. You won’t be able to breathe in Plovdiv. You will want to return because it is so stunning and captivating. Plovdiv is known as “The City of the Hills” because it is perched on seven hills. It has been around for more than 8,000 years: eternal and ancient. The city was already inhabited in the 11th century B.C., and it still is to this day. It was Europe’s first city and one of the world’s five oldest. Have we piqued your interest? Numerous civilizations have occupied Plovdiv; Visconti, Thracians, and Romans were conquered by the Roman Empire in the first century and developed into a significant center. Preserved structures include Roman aqueducts, ancient amphitheaters, fortresses, and public buildings;
Veliko Tarnovo
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According to archaeological excavations, this is one of the country’s oldest towns because its history dates back more than 5,000 years. From ancient times to the present, all of the preserved monuments in Veliko Tarnovo have preserved the spirit of Bulgarian history. Tsarevgard Tarnov was the jewel in the Bulgarian tsars’ crown throughout the Middle Ages. Tarnovo became the capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom in 1185 when Bulgarians declared their independence from Byzantine rule. Today the city is a modern European city that serves as both a cultural and tourist destination as well as an administrative hub;
Sozopol
Source: whereandwhen.com
One of the country’s most well-known seaside resorts and one of the oldest along the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. The city’s cultural heritage dates back 7,000 years, according to archaeological research. Approximately 6,000 years ago, during the Neolithic era, Sozopol bay hosted the initial settlement. In 610 BCE, the people of Milet, a city in Asia Minor, established a city-state on the Sozopol peninsula and gave it the name Apollonia;
Varna
Source: aviontourism.com
Transportation, education, tourism, entertainment, healthcare, and business are all important hubs in Varna. The city, which is known as Bulgaria’s maritime capital, is where the headquarters of the Bulgarian Navy and merchant marine are located. It is believed that this is where the first European civilization emerged in the fifth millennium BC. Thracians, Greeks (6th century BC), Romans (1st-3rd century AD), and the early Byzantine Empire inhabited the Varna region before the establishment of the First Bulgarian Kingdom, the spread of Christianity, and the introduction of the Cyrillic alphabet.
It’s hard to imagine a better place to spend a few weeks than Bulgaria with its many caves, history dating back to the Romans and Turks, alpine lakes, ancient monasteries, centuries-old historical architecture and generous hospitality from the friendly Bulgarian locals who are ready to help you in almost any situation.
