Bulgaria is a country of rich cultural heritage with numerous architectural monuments, objects, jewels and treasuries dating back to Paleolithic times. Paleolithic remnants of special interest have been recently discovered near Nova Zagora (the famous hill of Karanovo, also referred to as the Noah's Ark of the European civilization) and also near the Magura Cave.

Some of the prime examples of ancient Thracian heritage are: The Golden Treasure of Panagurishte, The Silver Trasure of Rogozen, etc. In recent years, unique remnants from Thracian times have been found in the Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak and the Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari.

Bulgaria is a land not only of Thracian heritage, but also of examples of the ancient Greek and Roman cultures. Whole parts of ancient towns have been preserved, such as Augusta Trajana, Pautalia, Mesemvria, Apolonia, and many more. Under the modern capital of Sofia lie 150 000 square metres of the ancient town of Serdica, and Plovdiv's Ancient theatre and the thermal baths in Plovdiv, Sofia and Varna are of exceptional historic significance.

Bulgaria's conversion to Orthodox Christianity in the 9th century marked the beginning of a new age in the country's history. Monuments found in Bulgaria's first capital - Pliska, the most famous of them being the Madara Rider; remains of churches and buildings from the First Bulgarian kingdom were excavated in Veliki Preslav.

Christian monasteries of this time are of both cultural and archaeological interest. The most magnificent of them is the worldwide-known Rila Monastery, which dates back to the 10th century. After Bulgaria's liberation from Byzantine rule, a lot of fortresses were built - in Vidin, Cherven, Beroe, Sredets, Assenovgrad, Belogradchik, etc. - that have been preserved to the present day.

Amazing frescoes characterize the churches of this period. For example, the frescoes in Boyana Church - one of the most complete monuments of east European medieval art - have been compared to Renaissance art, although they precede Renaissance a century and a half. The Batchkovo Monastery, Aladja Monastery and Ivanovo Monastery are the home of real masterpieces of architecture, icon painting and woodcarving.

Archaelogical complex Tsarevets in Bulgaria's old capital Veliko Turnovo is magnificent. Its amphitheatrical location, the churches, the fortress walls and towers all evidence the erudition and mastership of Bulgarian rulers of that time.

Architecture during Bulgarian Renaissance stands out with interesting characteristic features that can be seen in ethnographic open town museums, such as Koprivshtitsa, Veliko Turnovo, Plovdiv, Shiroka laka, Triavna, Gabrovo, Ellena, Kotel, Bozhentsi, Arbanasi, Melnik, Staro Stefanovo.



MONASTERY TOURISM

Christianity has been Bulgaria's official religion since 865AD when the country was one of the first to accept Christianity. There are over 160 monasteries and thousands of churches and chapels all over Bulgaria, that still keep the spirit of their time and where one can enjoy the creative genius of Bulgarian masters.

Behind the rigid stone walls of Bulgarian monasteries you can find more humanity, warmth and life than divinity. Monasteries impress with magnificent architecture, subtle paintings, frescoes, icons and woodcarvings. In hard times monasteries were centres of patriotic activities, which greatly helped keep Bulgarian hope and patriotism.

The most popular monasteries are the Rila, Batchkovo, Trojan, Rozhen, Driyanovo, Preobrazhenski, Kilifarevski and Aladja Monasteries. Twenty of the monasteries offer accommodation for tourists.



WINE TASTING

Bulgaria has been involved in wine production since as early as Thracian times. Thracian people made the first wine in Europe and ancient Greeks learned the secret from them. Evidence of wine rituals was found in the temple of Dionysus in Perpericon. Dionysus was worshipped by Thracians as the god of wine. Amphorae and rhytons for wine rituals were found in the Thracian tombs of Kazanlak.

The contemporary fame of Bulgarian wines can be traced back to the end of the 19th century when exports of Melnik wine increased and even Sir Winston Churchill ordered 500 litres of it every year.

Bulgaria now ranks among the top 15 wine producers in the world. Until 1990 the country was the world's second exporter of bottled wine.

Connoisseurs are well familiar with the typically Bulgarian grape varieties such as Gamza, Mavrud, Melnik, Dimiyat, Pamid, Red Misket. Bulgaria prides itself on its five winemaking regions, each one of which specializes in the production of a specific type of wine. The warmer Southern Bulgaria produces more red wines, while the Northern part makes mainly white wine varieties.

Regionally, Shoumen, Varna and Targovishte in the eastern part are famous for their white wines. Preslav is known for its Traminer, Liaskovets for Alligote, Straldja for Misket, Targovishte for Sauvignon Blan, Pomorie and Varna for Muskat, Rousse, Slavyantsi, Novi Pazar and Preslav for Chardonnay, etc.

Suhindol, Pavlikeni, Pleven and Novo Selo in the Northern Region are best known for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and the local thick and strong Gamza. Svishtov, Sliven, Yambol and Oryahovitsa produce Cabernet Sauvignon, Assenovgrad and Perushtitsa - Mavrud, Stambolovo and Sakar - Merlot, Damyanitsa - the famous Melnik wine.