Tourism in Bulgaria

Statistics

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bar:January from:start till:740 text: bar:February from:start till:700 text: bar:March from:start till:760 text: bar:April from:start till:790 text: bar:May from:start till:990 text: bar:June from:start till:1470 text: bar:July from:start till:1900 text: bar:August from:start till:2140 text: bar:September from:start till:1260 text: bar:October from:start till:950 text: bar:November from:start till:710 text: bar:December from:start till:830 text:

TextData= pos:(50,37) textcolor:gray fontsize:M text:Tourist arrivals in 2024 (k) TextData= pos:(50,20) textcolor:gray fontsize:M text:Source: Trading Economics / National TextData= pos:(50,3) textcolor:gray fontsize:M text:Statistical Institute of Bulgaria

Arrivals by country

Most visitors arriving in Bulgaria on short-term basis came from the following countries of nationality:

Tourist attractions

UNESCO World Heritage Sites and Intangible Cultural Heritage List

Main article: List of World Heritage sites in Bulgaria

There are ten UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Bulgaria. The first four properties were inscribed in the World Heritage List in 1979, and the last in 2017. Bulgaria currently has sixteen additional properties on the Tentative List. Nestinarstvo, a ritual fire-dance of Thracian origin, is included in the list of UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

| File:Rila Monastery, August 2013.jpg|Rila Monastery | File:Kazanluk 1.jpg|Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak | File:Desislava.jpg|Boyana Church | File:Caballero_de_Madara,_reserva_hist%C3%B3rico-arqueol%C3%B3gica_Nacional_de_Madara,Bulgaria,2016-05-27,DD_39.jpg|Madara Rider | File:Tomb sveshtari2-1-.jpg|Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari | File:Ivanovski_skalni_tsarkvi_20110714-42.JPG|Rock-hewn Churches | File:Bulgaria-Nesebar-04.JPG|Ancient City of Nessebar | File:Pirin-edno_or_Gergiyskite_ezera-IMG_2935.jpg|Pirin National Park | File:%D0%9A%D0%B0%D0%B4%D1%8A%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%A1%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B1%D1%8A%D1%80%D0%BD%D0%B0-_3.jpg|Srebarna Nature Reserve | File:Букова гора край х. Рай.jpg|Primeval Beech Forests of the Central Balkans

| File:Nestinar.bulgari.jpg|Nestinarstvo | File:Chiprovtsi-carpets.jpg|Chiprovtsi carpet | File:Kukeri-Surva-festival-Pernik-2010--15.jpg|Surva, Masquerade games | File:Град Копривщица 2016 - 3.jpg|Koprivshtitsa folklore fair | File:Martenitsa Gustav Flickr.jpg|Martenitsa

Ethnic, cultural and historical tourism

The Bulgarian cultural heritage has many faces and manifestations - archaeological reserves and monuments, museums, galleries, rich cultural calendar, preserved folklore and magnificent architectural monuments.

Historical monuments and sites

| File:Tsarevets zvuk i svetlina.jpg|Tsarevets and Veliko Tarnovo | File:Alexander_Nevsky_Cathedral_15.jpg|Alexander Nevsky Cathedral | File:%D0%A1%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B0_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%9D%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%BD%D0%BE_%D1%81%D1%8A%D0%B1%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B5.jpg|Bulgaria National Assembly | File:Shipka pass (Шипка) - central Monument 2.JPG|Shipka Memorial

Museums

| File:Bulgarian National History Museum.jpg|National Historical Museum | File:National_Archaeological_Museum1.jpg|National Archaeological Museum | File:Gallery for Foreign Art TodorBozhinov 041009.jpg|National Gallery for Foreign Art | File:Aero L-29 (NMMH).jpg|National Museum of Military History

Thracian treasures

Thracians made beautifully ornate golden and silver objects such as various kinds of vessels, rhytons, facial masks, pectorals, jewelry, weapons, etc. They used to bury rich hoards of precious objects both to hide them in times of enemy invasions and unrest as well as for ritual purposes. To date, more than 80 Thracian treasures have been excavated in Bulgaria which was the cradle of the Thracian civilization. | File:Sofia - Panagyurishte Thracian Gold Treasure.jpg|Panagyurishte Treasure | File:Rogozen.jpg|Rogozen Treasure | File:Valchitran-treasure.jpg|Valchitran Treasure | File:National Archaeological Museum Sofia - Golden Funeral Mask from the Svetitsata Tumulus (King Teres?).jpg|Golden mask of Teres I

Rural tourism

The Bulgarian town house is an embodiment of the owner's social status, craft and traditions. Many old buildings that demonstrate this type of architecture—e.g. in the villages of Arbanasi, Leshten, Kovachevitsa, Melnik—have been preserved to the present day. | File:Kableshkov House-1.JPG|Koprivshtitsa | File:Troyan Monastery E4.jpg|Troyan | File:Etura Gabrovo 8.JPG|Etar | File:Dryanovo church kf.jpg|Dryanovo

City tourism

| File:Tzar Liberator Monument Sofia 1a.jpg|Sofia | File:Roman Theatre Plovdiv.jpg|Plovdiv | File:Asparuhov most.jpg|Varna | File:Bay of Burgas.jpg|Burgas

Monasteries

During the 13th and especially during the 14th centuries the construction of monasteries thrived. Due to the troubled times many monasteries resembled fortresses. They usually had rectangular shape, the buildings surrounded a yard in which the main church was located. From the outside they had high stone walls reinforced with counterforts, and from the inside there were galleries with several stores which led towards the dwellings of the monks.

| File:Rila Monastery, August 2013.jpg|Rila Monastery | File:Bulgarien-Roschen-2-1996.jpg|Rozhen Monastery | File:Bachkovo Monastery TB 3.jpg|Bachkovo Monastery | File:Troyan-monastery-imagesfrombulgaria.JPG|Troyan Monastery

Churches

| File:Desislava.jpg|Boyana Church | File:Ivanovski_skalni_tsarkvi_20110714-42.JPG|Rock-hewn Churches | File:Несебыр_Церковь_Св_Стефана_Интерьер.jpg|Churches of Nessebar | File:Bulgaria_Bulgaria-1045_-Every_Inch_a_Painting(7469450786).jpg|Church of the Nativity of Christ in Arbanasi

Festivals and events

| File:Bulgarischer Dudelsack Gajda 20100625.JPG|Rozhen National Folklore Fair | File:Bgnr.jpg|Epiphany's horo in Kalofer | File:Bulgarian Rose.JPG|Festival of the rose, Kazanlak | File:Сцената на The Prodigy по време на фестивала "Spirit of Burgas".jpg|Spirit of Burgas

Resorts and nature tourism

Seaside resorts

The Bulgarian Black Sea Coast is picturesque and diverse. White and golden sandy beaches occupy approximately 130 km of the 378 km long coast. The temperatures during the summer months are very suitable for marine tourism and the water temperature allows sea bathing from May to October. Prior to 1989 the Bulgarian Black Sea coast was internationally known as the Red Riviera. Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, however, its nickname has been changed to the Bulgarian Riviera. | File:Evgenidinev rusalka.jpg|Rusalka | File:Town of Primorsko aerial Boby Dimitrov.jpg|Primorsko | File:Kavarna Bulgaria aerial photo from the Black Sea.jpg|Kavarna | File:Albena resort Boby Dimitrov.jpg|Albena

Hiking and skiing

The country has several ski areas which offer excellent conditions for skiing, snowboarding, ski running and other winter sports. | File:Statiunea Bansko - una din partii.jpg|Bansko | File:Borovets_2015.jpg|Borovets | File:Bulgarien um 1970 wahrscheinlich Pamporovo 1.jpg|Pamporovo | File:Ruen IMG 4742.jpg|Osogovo

National Parks

Bulgaria has 3 national parks, 11 nature parks and 55 nature reserves. The first nature park in Bulgaria and the Balkan Peninsula is Vitosha Nature Park, established in 1934. | File:Bansko ski 2025 28.jpg|Pirin National Park | File:CentrlRilaReservation.jpg|Rila National Park | File:Centralbalkan.jpg|Central Balkan National Park | File:Belasitsa Flower.jpg|Belasitsa Nature Park

Caves and waterfalls

As of 2002, there are around 4,500 discovered underground formations in Bulgaria. The earliest written records about the caves in Bulgaria are found in the manuscripts of the 17th century Bulgarian National Revival figure and historian Petar Bogdan. The first Bulgarian speleological society was established in 1929. The caves in the country are inhabited by more than 700 invertebrate species and 32 of the 37 species of bats found in Europe. | File:DevilsThroathCave.jpg|Devil's Throat Cave | File:Bacho Kiro Cave.jpg|Bacho Kiro cave | File:Devetàshka peshterà (Devetàshka cave).JPG|Devetashka cave | File:LedenikaCave.jpg|Ledenika

Nature landforms and formations

| File:%D0%91%D1%8A%D0%B1%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D0%A0%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%B0.jpg|Seven Rila Lakes | File:Bulgaria-The Stone Mushrooms-03.jpg|The Stone Mushrooms | File:Белоградчишките скали.JPG|Belogradchik Rocks | File:Bulgaria-Pobiti Kamani-03.jpg|The Stone Desert

References

References

1. "Worldbank Tourism in Bulgaria".
2. "Arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria by months and by country of origin - National statistical institute".
3. "Страницата не е намерена".
4. "Statistical references 2013 - National Statistical Institute".
5. (August 17, 2024). "Bulgaria: International tourist trips".
6. "Global and regional tourism performance".
7. "Tourism figures : Purpose of visit".
8. "TUR 1.3 For en".
9. "TUR 1.4 For en".
10. "Arrivals of visitors from abroad to Bulgaria by months and by country of origin".
11. "Резултат от справка".
12. "UNESCO World Heritage Centre - Tentative List: Bulgaria". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
13. MacDermott, Mercia. (1998). "Bulgarian Folk Customs". Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
14. Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. "UNESCO World Heritage Centre - New Inscribed Properties (2017)".
15. "Register of protected areas in Bulgaria". Executive Environment Agency.
16. (2002). "География на България. Физическа и социално-икономическа география". „ФорКом“.