The cradle formed by the wide arc of the Danube Basin, fertile valleys, and rugged limestone peaks laid the foundation for the Bulgarian State. From the ancient capitals of Preslav and Tarnovo, the Bulgarian Kings and Emperors conquered lands as far south as the Aegean, even besieging Constantinople. Today, this legacy is primarily visible as the ruins of their cities and castles, but there are quite a few, and some are truly spectacular. This is a region full of medieval mysteries and dramatic landscapes.
Emerging from the ruins of late antiquity, the Bulgarians established a medieval Empire on the northern slopes of the Balkan Mountains. Though the centers of Bulgarian life moved south to the Iskar and Thracian Valleys in later centuries, Northern Bulgaria retains its legacy as the heartland of Imperial Bulgaria. If you are interested in the history and culture of Bulgaria, this is the region you want to explore. The north has castles, monasteries, and ruined cities from the early epochs of Bulgarian civilization.
Carved out by glaciers and water flow over millennia, the sandstone slopes of the Balkan Mountains in the Danube Basin are full of caves, cliffs, and strategic outcrops. This made the region perfect for reclusive monks, who carved hundreds of monasteries out of remote mountain tops, and for impenetrable castles built to control the most accessible routes through the rugged landscape.
In addition to the region’s historical heritage, Northern Bulgaria has one of the most dynamic natural landscapes, encompassing everything from high alpine peaks to large underground caverns.
