What Bulgaria keeps off the postcards
111 lesser-known monuments, fortresses, ruins and film sets across Bulgaria. Pick a dot on the map and find out why it is worth the detour.
The map of hidden places
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors
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Baba Vida
Vidin · the best-preserved medieval castle in Bulgaria
Balchik Palace
Balchik · Queen Marie's summer palace, minaret and cactus garden
Buzludzha Monument
Stara Planina · the largest monument of Bulgaria's communist era
Abritus
Razgrad · Roman walled city and 835 gold coins
Aladzha Monastery
Varna · medieval cave monastery in a forest cliff
Albotin Monastery
Deleyna · 14th-century rock monastery and Easter dances
Alyosha Monument
Plovdiv · giant Soviet soldier watching over the city
Amphitheatre of Serdica
Sofia · Roman gladiator arena found by chance in 2004
Filmed here
Films and series shot at these places in Bulgaria. Walk where the cameras stood.
Baba Vida
Vidin · the best-preserved medieval castle in Bulgaria
Balchik Palace
Balchik · Queen Marie's summer palace, minaret and cactus garden
Buzludzha Monument
Stara Planina · the largest monument of Bulgaria's communist era
Explore by region
All places
- Abritus
- Aladzha Monastery
- Albotin Monastery
- Alyosha Monument
- Amphitheatre of Serdica
- Anevo Fortress
- Apriltsi Memorial Complex
- Arapovo Monastery
- Asen's Fortress
- Baba Vida
- Bachkovo Monastery
- Balchik Palace
- Baldwin's Tower
- Basarbovo Monastery
- Battenberg Mausoleum
- Beglik Tash
- Belenski most
- Belintash
- Belogradchik Fortress
- Bishop's Basilica of Philippopolis
- Boboshevo Monastery
- Boyana Church
- Bozhenishki Urvich
- Buzludzha Monument
- Cabyle
- Castra Martis
- Cherven
- Church of Christ Pantocrator
- Church of St Demetrius of Thessaloniki, Veliko Tarnovo
- Church of the Holy Trinity in Bansko
- Develtos
- Dragalevtsi Monastery
- Dryanovo Monastery
- Durankulak Archaeological Complex
- Dyavolski Most (Devil's Bridge)
- Dzhumaya Mosque
- Eagles' Bridge
- Euxinograd
- Georgi Dimitrov Mausoleum
- Glozhene Monastery
- Great Basilica, Pliska
- Heraclea Sintica
- Holy Forty Martyrs Church
- Hristo Botev Monument
- Ibrahim Pasha Mosque
- Kadin Most
- Kaliakra Lighthouse
- Klisurski Monastery
- Kordopulov House
- Lions' Bridge
- Lyutitsa
- Magura Cave
- Marcianopolis
- Markeli
- Mesembria
- Mezek Fortress
- Monument of Liberty
- Monument to the Soviet Army
- Monument to the Tsar Liberator
- Monument to the Unknown Soldier
- Museum of Mosaics, Devnya
- Nebet Tepe
- Nicopolis ad Istrum
- Nicopolis ad Nestum
- Novae
- Oescus
- Palace of Omurtag
- Perperikon
- Pistiros
- Pleven Panorama
- Plovdiv Roman Stadium
- Ratiaria
- Roman Thermae in Varna
- Roman Tomb in Silistra
- Round Church, Preslav
- Ruse TV Tower
- Rozhen Monastery
- Ruen Monastery
- Sacred Pit of Garlo
- Saint George Rotunda Church
- Saint Petka of the Saddlemakers Church
- Saint Sophia Church
- Serdica
- Seuthopolis
- Seven Saints Church
- Shabla Lighthouse
- Shipka Memorial
- Shumen Fortress
- Snezhanka Tower
- Sokolski Monastery
- Solnitsata
- The Memorial Temple of the Birth of Christ (Shipka)
- The Valley of the Thracian Rulers
- Thracian Tomb of Aleksandrovo
- Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak
- Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari
- Thracian Tomb Ostrusha
- Tomb of Seuthes III
- Tombul Mosque
- Tower of Kurt Pasha
- Transfiguration Monastery
- Trapezitsa
- Troyan Monastery
- Tsepina Fortress
- Ustra Fortress
- Varna Necropolis
- Villa Armira
- Vishegrad Fortress
- Vrachesh Monastery
- Vrana Palace
- Zemen Monastery