People tell us about the amazing nightlife Bulgaria offers. While we do believe them and we did care about it back in the days, as we grow older our focus has shifted. Right now, we enjoy visiting natural phenomena and admiring the incredible artistic talent of nature.
For those of you who, like us, are fans of the explorer’s lifestyle, we’ve gathered a list of some of the most incredible natural phenomena you should see in Bulgaria.
1. The 7 Rila Lakes | 2h from Sofia
Accessible via car only
Although you may not enjoy the crowds of people visiting (especially if you go during the weekend) you’ll most certainly fall in love with the spectacular nature around the Sever Rila Lakes. “The eyes of the mountain” as we call them are without a doubt one of the most beautiful places in Bulgaria.
2. Belogradchik Rocks | 2 h from Sofia
Accessible via car & public transport
Absolutely mind-blowing rock formation, which has probably been photographed more than Naomi Campbell in the peak of her carrier. The Belogradchik rocks are one of the absolute must-sees in Bulgaria: the view which opens from the top of the Kaleto fortress (situated on the rocks) will amaze you. Not to mention the quite incredible Indian and monkey faces you can see formed in the rocks.
More about the Belogradchik rocks
3. Tsareva Church | 1.5 h from Sofia
Accessible by car
An ancient Thracian sanctuary, the Tsareva (King’s) church is one of the lesser known natural phenomena in Bulgaria. Nonetheless, the bird head shaped entrance makes it really interesting and the view you’ll see from the cave is simply spectacular!
4. The Eyes of God (Prohodna) cave | 1.5 h from Sofia
Accessible via car only
If you have ever wondered what it would be like to look God in the eyes, you don’t need to go to church. Pack your bags instead and come to Bulgaria to visit Prohodna cave.
More about the Eyes of God cave
5. Stob Pyramids | 1h from Sofia
Accessible via car
The Stob pyramids are in fact the result of erosion and are not real pyramids. Nonetheless, this is one of the most beautiful (and easy) walks one can take nearby Sofia. If you are lucky to visit on a beautiful day with blue skies and fluffy white clouds you’ll end up capturing some incredible images!
6. Karadjov Stone | 2.5 – 3h from Sofia
Accessible via car
One of the most incredible and somewhat bizarre things we’ve seen in Bulgaria, the Karadjov stone is quite the view! If you’re brave enough to pass under it (which I assure you is not scary at all) and go up on the plateau, you will be stunned when presented with a view over nearly the entire Rhodope mountain.
7. The Wonderful Bridges | 3 -3.5h from Sofia
Accessible via car
The place where a dragon was once hiding (or so they say), the Wonderful bridges are yet another mind-blowingly beautiful natural phenomena in Bulgaria. The nearby restaurant (opened during summer) only makes visiting it more charming.
More about the Wonderful Bridges
8. Tyulenovo Arch | 9h from Sofia
Accessible via car
This isn’t one of those places that you can visit for a day trip from Bulgaria’s capital, but if you’re going to the seaside, it’s an absolute must-see! The arch in Tyulenovo is a formation on the rocky coast of the northern Black Sea and a favorite location to photographers. Could you, perhaps, give them a run for their title by capturing a great shot there?
9. The Blue Rocks nearby Sliven | 3h from Sofia
Accessible via car & public transport + hiking
Guarding the city of Sliven from the northern winds, Stara Planina (the Old Mountain) has created something quite unique. Although the rocks are not literally blue, you can certainly notice several shades of the color in the late afternoon. Reflection or a play of light, we don’t know, but we strongly recommend visiting Sliven and enjoying what the Blue Rocks and Karandila have to offer!
More about the Blue Rocks near Sliven
Need a car to see those places?
If you’re looking for a rent-a-car to see those increduble natural phenomena in Bulgaria, get in touch with our friends from Val & Kar! We strongly recommend their services 🙂
6 replies on “9 MUST-SEE natural phenomena in Bulgaria”
These are some awesome suggestions! I’m hoping to visit Sofia this summer and I love nature so much, so I’m definitely saving this post for future reference. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Thank you, Ella! We’ll try to keep adding great places and share more info about Sofia 🙂 Hope you enjoy your stay!
Impressive natural attractions, my favorite would have to be Tyulenovo Arch. The Black Sea looks stunning from there.
May I ask you where are the Melnik pyramids? They’re also natural wonder like many, many parts in Bulgaria. Their number doesn’t stop to 10 we know 🙂
I never said it was THE list, did I 😉 Surely, there’s a lot more worth adding to this list and I plan on updating it over time 🙂
Melnik is in the west south part of the country ,right on the boarder with Greece. The nearest big city is Blagoevgrad.