Cities

The first settlement forms in our lands were the caves along the lower currents of the rivers Iskar, Yantra and Rusenski Lom. In the 6th century BC the most developed settlement network was the one of Thrace. Later, under the influence of mining, stock-breeding and agriculture the settlement network developed in the Rhodope, the Balkan Mountain, Sofia area, Vratsa area, etc.

In the beginning of the 4th century BC in the present Bulgarian lands there were about 3,000 settlements. In the 3rd century BC the first stone fortresses appeared.

As of the end of the 2nd century BC the settlement development in our land was closely related to Thracians and it reflects their culture. Sofia (Serdika), Plovdiv (Pulpudeva), Yambol (Kabile), Stara Zagora (Vereya), Kyustendil (Pautaliya), Blagoevgrad, etc. were established as Thracian settlements.

In the 8th century BC the first Greek cities appeared – colonies (apoiki) in Aegean Thrace, in 7th century BC most of our Black Sea settlements were also established – Varna (Odesos), Sozopol (Apolonia), Pomorie (Anhialo), Tsarevo (Vasiliko), Nesebar (Mesembria), etc.

In the 2nd century BC in the present Bulgarian lands appeared the first Roman settlements – fortresses along the river valley of the Danube and along the Balkan Mountain passes, as well as at road station in the Danube Lowlands. From Roman times are Vidin (Bononia), Svishtov (Nove), Ruse (Saksiginta Prista), Silistra (Durostorum), Montana (Montanesium), Lovech (Melta), Pleven (Storgozia), Razgrad (Abritus), Stara Zagora (Augusta Trayana), etc. By the establishing of the Bulgarian state, the number of settlements grew fast. In the period of the Second Bulgarian State (681-1018) their number reached 20,000. New settlements appeared in North-east Bulgaria, such as Pliska, Preslav, Shumen, etc. In the period of the Second Bulgarian State (1185-1396) settlements such as Tarnovo, Cherven, Boruy, Krakra, Karvuna, Kran, etc. were established.

In the end of the 17th century Bulgarian settlements were established near inns and farms, and as of the beginning of the 18th century the following mountain settlements developed as crafts centers: Kotel, Koprivshtitsa, Elena, Tryavna, Gabrovo, Sliven, Samokov, etc.

In and around the cities, established during the times of Thracians, Greeks, Romans, the First and the Second Bulgarian State, there are preserved remains of fortresses and settlements. Nowadays the towns and cities in Bulgaria are 256. The largest ones are Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, Ruse, Stara Zagora and Pleven. In the eastern part of the country are the Black Sea towns-resorts: Shabla, Kavarna, Balchik, Varna, Byala, Obzor, Nesebar, Pomorie, Burgas, Sozopol, Primorsko, Sveti Vlas, Chernomorets, Tsarevo, Kiten, Aheloy and Ahtopol.

The towns and cities with developed mountain tourism are: Samokov, Bansko, Dobrinishte, Chepelare, Smolyan, Elena, Troyan, Teteven, etc.

In our country there are also multiple towns with holiday and balneological functions: Bankya, Varshets, Velingrad, Hisarya, Sapareva Banya, Strelcha, Kyustendil, Devin, etc.

Interesting for tourists are also the Danube towns: Vidin, Lom, Kozloduy, Oryahovo, Nikopol, Belene, Svishtov, Ruse, Tutrakan and Silistra.

Many of the Bulgarian towns have preserved their Revival architecture: Kotel, Koprivshtitsa, Kalofer, Sopot, Elena, Tryavna, Bansko, Melnik (the smallest town in Bulgaria), etc.

In some of the towns and cities there are preserved or restored architectural and ethnographic complexes: Plovdiv (the Ancient Plovdiv), Nesebar (The Old Town - UNESCO), Gabrovo (Etara), Sozopol (the Old Town), Dobrich (the Old Dobrich), Zlatograd (Areal Complex), Lovech (Varosha), Smolyan (residential sections Raykovo and Ustovo), Blagoevgrad (Varosha), Sevlievo (Ethnographic Complex), Malko Tarnovo, Veliko Tarnovo (Samodovska Charshiya), Pleven (the Revival Complex), Razgrad (Varosh), etc.

The ancient Bulgarian capitals: Pliska, Veliki Preslav and Veliko Tarnovo are of great interest for tourists.