Over the past millennia Bulgaria has been inhabited by various tribes that have left behind them a rich and varied culture. Bulgaria is situated in Southeast Europe and occupies an area of 111 000 sq. km in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. The average altitude is 470 m.

The rose, queen of flowers is one of the symbols of Bulgaria. For centuries Bulgarians have planted roses, picked their flowers and extracted their heavenly essence – attar of roses. The rose, this marvellous gift of the land, is admired and used in perfumery, pharmacy and food industry. The Valley of Roses near the town of Kazanlak is one of the biggest producers of rose oil in the world. The soil and the climate in this region are quite suitable for the roses. The conditions there proved to be more favourable for the cultivation of the rose than those in its own country of origin - Tunisia. This is specifically valid for the rainfalls. The air humidity, cloudiness and precipitation in May and June contributed to obtain roses yielding high percentage of oil.

The earliest monuments are the drawings found in the Magura cave (Second Millennium BC), the remains from Palaeolithic cultures in several caves in Stara planina (Balkan Mountains) and the Rhodope Mountains. Traces of some seaside Neolithic and Palaeolithic cultures have been found in the areas of Cape Kaliakra and the southern seaside town Ahtopol.

Remains from Thracian, ancient Greek and Roman culture have also been uncovered. The Kazanluk tomb and the Sveshtare tomb are wonderful examples of Thracian art. The Kazanluk tomb dates from the end of the 4th to the beginning of the 3rd century BC. The murals on the walls of the tomb reflect battle scenes and the symbolic farewell with the Thracian ruler accompanied by three racing chariots. The Sveshtare tomb was built in the first half of the 3rd century BC. The chamber was decorated as a facade of a temple, depicting a horseman who takes a golden garland from the hands of a goddess with a religious procession following her.

Whole ancient cities have been restored. Some of them are Augusta Trajana, Apolonia, Trimoncium, Nicopolis ad Istrum etc. Thousands of square meters of ruins from the ancient city of Serdica have been found under the capital city Sofia. In the Middle Ages, massive fortifications, monumental castles, temples and basilicas were built in the Old Bulgarian capitals of Pliska and Veliki Preslav.

After the 14th century, religious architecture flourished in Bulgaria and the most impressive example is the Rila Monastery

Sofia is the capital city of Bulgaria. The city is located in the southern part of the Sofia valley and at the foot of the Vitosha and Lyulin mountains. The town was founded in the 8th - 7th century B.C. around the mineral spring which is now in the centre of the city. The Romans conquered the town and called it Serfica. In the 9th century is was given the name Sredets. It has been called Sofia since 14th century – in honour of the church St Sofia. Since 1878 Sofia has been the capital city of Bulgaria.

A great number of monuments of architecture have been preserved, such as the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the Public Theatre Ivan Vazov, the Palace of Justice, the chuches of St George and St Sophia etc. Sofia is the major economic, scientific and cultural centre of Bulgaria and houses the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the Public Library, theatres and museums.

The city has several beautiful parks, and the slopes of the Vitosha mountain rise above it – making it a popular destination for residents and visitors alike.

The mountain resort is situated in the immediate vicinity of Sofia on the eastern slopes of Cherni Vrah (2290 meters) which is the highest Vitosha peak. This is Bulgaria's highest ski resort, while being only 22 km distant from the centre of Sofia

The whole of the Vitosha Mountain, which starts where the Sofia suburbs end, has been designated a National Park. Vitosha is very rich in springs and rivers. The longest river is the Strouma and the other rivers are tributaries of the Strouma and the Iskur rivers. The larger ones are the Vladaiska, the Boyanska, the Dragalevska, the Bistritsa, the Zhelezhnishka, and the Palakaria rivers. There are no natural lakes in Vitosha but two man-made ones exist – Boyana Reservoir (1906) and the Stoudena Dam. There are also many springs in the mountain, which are mainly utilized as water catchments. The thermal waters of the springs are popularly known for their curative powers such as the one at Knyazheno (22-31.5 C) as well as at Rondantsy, at Boyana, and at Simeonovo. One of the most beautiful natural sights within Vitosha is the Boyana Waterfall. At an altitude of 1200 m on the Boyanska River, the waterfall drops 15 m and is the most impressive on Vitosha.

Aleko, at an altitude of 1800 m, is one of the most popular holiday making spots. It provides ski runs, lift facilities, three hotels, and restaurants which have turned this spot into an international winter sports centre. Snow cover here lasts at least 150 days and the average annual temperature is 3.3 C. Aleko received its name in honour of the well-known novelist Aleko Constantinnov. In the summer of 1895, on the initiative of Aleko Constantinnov, about 300 nature lovers and enthusiasts climbed Cherni Vruh inaugurating the beginning of organized mountain walking societies in Bulgaria.