This document provides information about attractions to visit in Bulgaria, including its natural beauty and cultural sites. It highlights Bulgaria's magnificent nature areas like the Rose Valley, Seven Rila Lakes, and Belogradchik rocks. It also describes Bulgaria's impressive historical and cultural heritage, including the Thracian tomb of Kazanlak, Rila Monastery, cities of Plovdiv and Koprivshtitsa, and the ancient city of Nessebar. Finally, it promotes Bulgaria's delicious local cuisine such as banitsa, yogurt, tarator, shopska salad, and kebapche.

1. GREEN EDUCATION IN GREEN
ENVIRONMENT
OUR COUNTRY - BULGARIA
PRIVATE ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL BANKERCHE
OUR COUNTRY - BULGARIA
2020-1-ES01-KA229-082342_4
SOFIA, BULGARIA
MARCH 2021
This project has been funded with support from the European
Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the
Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be
made of the information contained therein.

2. SOME GOOD REASONS WHY YOU
SHOULD VISIT BULGARIA and ITS…

3. …Magnificent Nature
• The Rose Valley
• The Seven Rila Lakes
• Mountains and National
parks
parks
• Belogradchik

4. The Rose Valley
The Valley is surrounded by
mountains which protect it
from unfavorable winds,
there is a river or a spring
flowing through each little
village, providing enough
water not only for the growth
of Rosa Damascena but for a
variety of other flowers used
To make just 1 milligram of
variety of other flowers used
in cosmetics and medicine
as well.
To make just 1 milligram of
pure rose essential oil you
need 50.000 individual
petals (around 1500 rose
flowers) which is the
equivalent of around 3.5
kilograms (7-8 pounds) of
rose petals. That is why it is
so precious and is called
‘liquid gold’.

5. RILA NATIONAL PARK
Rila” is a mountain range in
southwestern Bulgaria, about 100km
south of Sofia and it is the highest
mountain range of Bulgaria and the
Balkans, with its highest pike being
“Musala” at 2,925m. More than one-
third of the mountain is occupied by
third of the mountain is occupied by
the “Rila National Park”, the rest lies
within the “Rila Monastery Nature
Park”. The name “Rila” means “well-
watered mountain”. Culturally, Rila
is famous for the Rila Monastery,
Bulgaria’s largest and most
important monastery, founded in the
10th century by Saint John of Rila.
Alongside the cultural landmarks the
mountain is also famous for the
“Seven Rila Lakes”.

6. The Seven Rila Lakes
The Seven Rila Lakes is a group of lakes with glacial origin, located
in the Rila Mountains. This is the most visited lake group by
tourists in Bulgaria and is one of the hundred national tourist
sites.
The first three lakes - the Tear, the Eye and the Kidney - each
drain into the Gemini, from which the water passes successively
through the Shamrock, the Fish and the Lower Lake. A more
powerful stream passes through the last two lakes, which, flowing
powerful stream passes through the last two lakes, which, flowing
from the lowest lake, gives rise to the German River (left tributary
of the Struma).

7. Pirin National Park
Since 1983 , the national
park is under the
protection of UNESCO. Part
of the national park
“Pirin”is one of the oldest
reserves in Bulgaria
The Pirin Mountain is located in
southwestern Bulgaria. It is one
of the oldest mountains in
Europe. The last powerful
elevation happened in the Ice Age
period. In the most beautiful,
magnificent and visited by
tourists part of Pirin is situated
National Park "Pirin".

8. The rocks of
Belogradchik
The rocks of Belogradchik are
exceptionally beautiful and exquisite
nature phenomenon, unique to the
Balkans and an important feature in
Europe. The rock figures are
Europe. The rock figures are
remarkably varied and picturesque
with extraordinary aesthetic,
educational, scientific, ecologic and
social value. The rocks of
Belogradchik are astonishing, not
only with their age of over 230
million years, but also with the
dozens of legends for the bizarre
natural forms named after many of
the rock formations.
Examples include: the
Madonna, the monks, the
horseman; the school girl,
the dervish, the bear, Adam
and Eva, the fortress, the
cuckoo, the Leo, the camel,
Orpheus and the petrified
wedding procession, as well
as many others.

9. The rock formations create a natural
fortress with a high defensive potential
that has been used by humans for ages.
Together with the natural assets, the
property contains historical treasures.
Between the first and third centuries
Romans built their first fortress here.

10. … Impressively Rich Historical and
Cultural Heritage
• The Thracian tomb of Kazanlak
• Perperikon
• Rila Monastery
• Plovdiv
• Plovdiv
• Koprivshtitsa
• Nessebar

11. The Thracian tomb of Kazanlak
The Thracian belives in the
afterlife. We judge about their life
from the frescoes and the
contents of the tombs. Thracian
rulers are buried in the tombs.
There are many objects there
that they will need in the
There are many objects there
that they will need in the
afterlife. There are murals that
show the life of the Thracians.
The Thracian tomb of Kazanlak is
a unique aesthetic and artistic
work, a masterpiece of the
Thracian creative spirit. The
Thracian tomb of Kazanlak has
been on the UNESCO protected
World Heritage Site list since
1979.

12. Perperikon - the largest megalithic
complex in the Balkans
The ancient city found at Perperikon
(most likely a medieval name) is
thought to have been a ‘sacred city’ for
the Ancient Thracians. It is located in
Eastern Rhodopi (modern Bulgaria)
and is built (or carved) entirely on a
rocky hill, at a height of about 470
meters. It is considered one of the
meters. It is considered one of the
largest Megalithic complexes in Europe
and definetly the largest in the
Balkans. Human activity in the area
dates back to 5000 B.C. The first
traces of civilization on the hill date,
according to the archeologists, from the
Bronze Age, while the ceramics found
on the place date from the Early Iron
Age, as well as the impressive round
altar, almost 2m in diameter, hewn out
of the rocks.

14. Rila Monastery
Rila Monastery,
located about 120 km
away from Sofia, is
definitely the most
famous and largest
monastery in Bulgaria.
Founded in the 10th
Founded in the 10th
century by the hermit
St. Ivan of Rila, Rila
Monastery is one of
the most important
cultural monuments
of Bulgaria, included
in the UNESCO World
Heritage List since
1983.

15. Plovdiv
Plovdiv, Bulgaria, is one of the
oldest cities in Europe with its
history dating back to around
6,000 B.C. This ancient city
boasts Roman ruins and a
stunning Old Town of timber-
framed houses and cobbled
framed houses and cobbled
streets.
The Ancient Roman
Amphitheatre in Plovdiv is
located in the city centre and
one of the best-preserved
theatres in the world.

16. Koprivshtitsa
Koprivshtitsa is one of the
most characteristic Bulgarian
towns, huddled in the
mountain-folds just 111 km
east of Sofia. The town is a
cultural and historic reserve
encapsulating the atmosphere
of the Bulgarian National
of the Bulgarian National
Revival period of the 19th
century. Apart from an
enormous collection of
ethnographic treasures,
architectural monuments,
national costumes, typical
Bulgarian jewelry, traditional
household weaves, enchanting
embroidery and many works
of art.
The town is most famous for
being one of the cradles of
the April Uprising against
the Ottoman domination,
with the first shots fired in
Koprivshtitsa in 1876.

18. Ancient City of Nessebar, Bulgaria
Nessebar was a Thracian
settlement, it became a Greek
colony at the beginning of the
colony at the beginning of the
6th century BC. But the
peninsular town possesses
more than the remains of an
assortment of iconic and
historic eras. This hub on the
Black Sea changed the world
because the very concept of
money was invented here.

19. The idea of money is taken
for granted these days. but it
wasn’t until around the 6th
century BC that coins even
existed. Prior to that time,
goods were generally
exchanged for other goods.
As an important trading city,
Nessebar was one of the first
places in the world to start
making coins. Bronze and
silver coins were minted here
in the 5th century BC and
in the 5th century BC and
gold coins in the 3rd century
BC. Coins are still in use in
most currencies around the
world.

20. …Taste the Delicious Local Cuisine
BANITSA
You can’t go to Bulgaria and not have a piece of banitza! It’s a
Bulgarian national food staple. Banitza is a tasty baked pie
made of filo pastry, eggs, yogurt and brined cheese.

21. BULGARIAN YOGURT
Bulgarian yogurt is the most popular variety of yogurt in the
world and is one of the things that make Bulgarians proud
to call themselves Bulgarians. Bulgarian yogurt - the best
yogurt in the world.
A mildly sour-tasting yogurt, kiselo mlyako is undoubtedly
the best and the healthiest of all dairy products that are
available to consumers nowadays. The western world calls it
Bulgarian yogurt but in its homeland, Bulgaria, it’s called
Bulgarian yogurt but in its homeland, Bulgaria, it’s called
sour milk. Whatever the name, this wonderful probiotic food
has impeccable ancestry – it is believed to have been known
for at least 4000 years.

22. TARATOR
This is a lovely and very
refreshing traditional
Bulgarian dish. Tarator is
perfect to have in summer
when the temperatures hit
an impossible high. It is
an impossible high. It is
made of yogurt, thinned with
water, and grated or cubed
cucumber. It is seasoned
with dill, (optional) garlic,
salt, vinegar and a glug of oil.
Right before you serve it,
sprinkle a generous portion
of crushed walnuts on top.

23. SHOPSKA SALATA
Shopska Salad is Bulgarian
summer in a bowl. Fresh
crunchy cucumbers are peeled
off and sliced thinly. Big red
juicy tomatoes are then added
to the mix cut in bite-size
to the mix cut in bite-size
pieces. If you are feeling
particularly healthy or
generous, throw in a handful of
julienned peppers. Season with
salt, vinegar and oil and then
crumble on top a large helping
of brined cheese. Grab a salad
spoon and mix it all, not too
vigorously though so as not to
crush the tomatoes.

24. KEBAPCHE
A meatball made of minced
meat and spices and shaped
like a sausage. Same as the
kyufte, but does not contain
onions. It has to be grilled
otherwise you will get
otherwise you will get
something different which
probably will not be called
kebapche (for comparison
kyufte can also be fried). Eat
it with Shopska salad and
French fries with Bulgarian
cheese.

25. WELCOME TO OUR
COUNTRY
BULGARIA!