The Atlas Obscura Guide To Bulgaria

75 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Bulgaria

Updated April 28, 2026

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Unusual Attractions in Bulgaria

Kazanlak, Bulgaria

Buzludzha Monument

An abandoned saucer-shaped monument in the Bulgarian mountains.

Dyavolski most

Ardino, Bulgaria

Devil's Bridge

An architectural marvel that spans the Arda River, and has stories of a haunted past.

Belogradchik, Bulgaria

Belogradchik Rocks

Bizarrely shaped rock formations in northwest Bulgaria come with equally bizarre legends.

Monument to the Soviet Army

Sofia, Bulgaria

Monument to the Soviet Army

A Bulgarian monument to Russia's role in World War II is constantly being painted in pop culture protest.

A communist overlord menaces the city below.

Shumen, Bulgaria

Bulgarian State Monument

This massive concrete sculpture is said to be the heaviest communist monument on Earth.

Rila Monastery

Rilski manastir, Bulgaria

Rila Monastery

This historic black and white monastery is one of Bulgaria's architectural jewels.

Lenin’s head looks out over all.

Sofia, Bulgaria

Museum of Socialist Art

A collection of art from Bulgaria's time as a communist state.

See All 75 Things To Do in Bulgaria

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Architecture 12

Monuments 12

Ruins 11

Abandoned 11

Communist Architecture 10

History & Culture 9

Communism 9

Soviet History 8

Architectural Oddities 8

Churches 7

Soviet Architecture 7

Sacred Spaces 6

Museums 6

Military 5

Statues 5

Communist Monuments 5

Caves 5

Brutalism 5

Religion 5

Ecosystems 5

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Stories About Bulgaria

Some of the golden artifacts found in the mausoleum of Thracian King Seuthes III.

In Ancient Bulgaria, the Tombs of the Elite Were Filled With Golden Treasures

Maybe you can take it with you.

by Nicky Nielsen, Atlas Obscura

Few folk figures have endured like Baba Yaga, who has been described as witch, mentor, villain, trickster, and now, perhaps, a feminist icon.

Who Is Baba Yaga?

Trickster, mentor, probable goddess—Slavic folklore's most famous villain is so much more than a witch.

by Kris Spisak, Atlas Obscura

September 30, 2024

The Black Sea at Cape Kaliakra, Bulgaria.

The Paratethys Sea Was the Largest Lake in Earth’s History

The Black, Caspian, and Aral Seas are the last surviving fragments of a body of water that stretched from Austria to Turkmenistan.

by Frank Jacobs, Atlas Obscura

The strange and beautiful Buzludzha Monument.

Bulgaria's Abandoned Communist Monument Gets a Lifeline

The Buzludzha Memorial House has a polarizing history and an uncertain future.

by Evan Nicole Brown, Atlas Obscura