Sofia

Sofia is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Bulgaria, with a population of 1,246,791 (making it the 15th largest city in the European Union), and some 1,401,406 in the metropolitan area, the Capital Municipality. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of the mountain massif Vitosha, and is the administrative, cultural, and economic centre of the country. One of the oldest capital cities in Europe, the history of Sofia dates back to the 8th century BC, when Thracians established a settlement there. Sofia has had several names in the different periods of its existence, and remnants of the city's millenary history can still be seen today alongside modern landmarks.

Plovdiv

Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia, with a population of 341,873. It is the administrative centre of Plovdiv Province in southern Bulgaria, as well as the largest and most important city of the historical region of Upper (ot Northern) Thrace, famous for its ancient and diverse culture and millennial history. Plovdiv is the centre of the important Thracian agricultural region, and food processing is among the most important industries. The city also produces machinery, textiles, and chemicals. After the fall of Communism in 1989 and the collapse of Bulgaria's planned economy, a number of industrial complexes were closed. Industry has been expanding again since the late 1990s, with numerous modern manufacturing plants built in the city or in its outskirts. The Plovdiv International Fair, held annually since 1892, is the largest and oldest fair in the country and all of southeastern Europe, gathering companies from all over the world in an exhibition area of 95,000 square meters. Two key highways run into or near Plovdiv, the Sofia-Edirne-Istanbul and the Sofia-Stara Zagora-Burgas routes. A major tourist center, Plovdiv lies at the foot of the Rhodope Mountains, and most people wishing to explore the mountains choose it as their trip's starting point. There are three train stations and three bus terminals.

Varna

Varna is the largest city on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, and 79th-largest in the European Union, with a population of 357,752. Commonly referred to as the marine capital (or the summer capital) of Bulgaria, Varna is a major tourist destination, seaport, and headquarters of the Bulgarian Navy and merchant marine, as well as the centre of Varna Province and Bulgaria's North-Eastern planning region , comprising the provinces of Dobrich, Shumen, Silistra, and Varna.

Burgas

Burgas (also transliterated as Bourgas) is the second-largest city on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast with population 205,821. It is also the fourth-largest by population in the country, after Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna. It is the capital of Burgas Province and an industrial and tourist centre. Surrounded by the coastal Burgas Lakes and located at the westernmost point of the Black Sea, the large Burgas Bay, Burgas has the largest and most important Bulgarian port. Today, it is a key economic, cultural and tourist centre of southeastern Bulgaria, with the Burgas Airport serving the resorts of the southern Bulgarian coast.

Rousse

Rousse (also transliterated as Ruse or Russe) is the fifth-largest city in Bulgaria, with a population of 176,115 (or 157,540 according to other sources). Rousse is situated in the northeastern part of the country, on the right bank of the Danube, opposite the Romanian city of Giurgiu, 320 km from the capital Sofia and 200 km from the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. It is the most significant Bulgarian river port, serving an important part of the international trade of the country. Rousse is known for its 19th- and 20th-century Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo architecture, which attracts many tourists. The Rousse-Giurgiu Friendship Bridge, the only one in the shared Bulgarian-Romanian section of the Danube, crosses the river nearby.




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