Bulgarian H ighlights Sofia has been likened to Paris because of its broad boulevards, open-air cafes, large parks, upscale shopping and grand buildings. Sveti Georgi Church, which dates back 1,600 years, and the crypt in the Alexander Nevski Cathedral, are important sites. Plovdiv is 1,000 years older than Sofia and the second-largest city. Thracian wall paintings, the Roman amphitheater, Byzantine and medieval fortifications and 15th-century Ottoman mosques. Built on two steep hills above the Yantra river, a fortress gate provides the only access to the summit.
Frescoes adorn the massive walls and towers.
Neseb r , one of the oldest settlements in the Balkans, is situated on a rocky Black Sea peninsula. It has handsome villas and some 40 churches. Black Sea resorts run along 130 miles of coastline and include Albena, Golden Sands, Drouzhba and Sunny Beach.