Text version Standard version   edoc@tourism.government.bg The beginning of the active tourist season in Northwest Bulgaria was officially opened with a solemn ceremony in Belogradchik Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh visited the town at the invitation of Vidin Regional Governor Ani Harutyunyan and took part in the event organized by Belogradchik Mayor Boyan Minkov The festive program started with a spectacular ballooning over the iconic Belogradchik rocks and continued with a solemn water ceremony The culmination of the event was the unveiling of a memorial plaque with the words of Acad Jerome Blanqui in the center of the town and the tour of the fortress "Kaleto" which was attended by the Minister of Tourism as well as the mayors of Belogradchik and Chupren the Minister of Tourism stressed that the state and the local authorities have a united and clear goal – to work together to make the people here live better and happier It is a great honour for me to be here today and I am committed to promoting sustainable tourism in the region investment and the promotion of natural resources," Minister Miroslav Borshosh told visitors and residents It is important to note that Belogradchik is becoming a year-round tourist destination thanks to the joint work with the Ministry of Tourism including through the participation of the municipality in prestigious tourism exhibitions in Europe the total number of tourist registrations in the North-West region last year was 379 thousand Over 9500 tourist registrations were recorded in accommodation facilities in Belogradchik municipality in 2024 Among the foreign tourists in the municipality there are visitors from Romania At the invitation of Vidin Governor Anni Harutyunyan during his visit to the North-Western region Minister Borshosh visited several other settlements in the region – Chiflitsi Todorova presented to the Minister of Tourism an ambitious concept for the construction of ski slopes near the village of Gorni Lom the Minister visited the Church of St John the Baptist as well as got acquainted with the Turlac’s culinary tradition        Contacts:   Sofia 1000, 1 Saborna St.   phone.: +359 2 904 6809,   edoc@tourism.government.bg 2016 © Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh attended the opening of the active tourist season in Belogradchik on Saturday He visited Vidin Region at the invitation of Regional Governor Ani Harutyunyan "Tourism is a very important part of life in Belogradchik to work for a better life for all citizens ," Borshosh said during the official ceremony at Vazrazhdane Square a stone plaque was unveiled with the words of French traveller Jerome-Adolphe Blanqui written in 1841: “The narrow mountain Ollioules rorges in Provence the wildest mountains of Tirol and Switzerland have nothing to compare with what I saw in Bulgaria at Belogradchik.” the Tourism Minister also visited the neighbouring Municipality of Chuprene Contacts +359 2 9262 210 By accepting cookies you can enjoy a better experience while browsing pages The Belogradchik Rocks natural formation was conferred the special prize The award in the “Spirit of Bulgaria” category went to the open-air ethnographic museum in Gabrovo Etura Minister of Tourism Nikolina Angelkova laid emphasis on the good results in tourism – 31 percent more tourists in the past three years and 38 percent more revenues in the sector She pointed out that these results are only made possible when we stride confidently towards the aim we are pursuing – to make Bulgaria a year-round holiday destination Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev has left for Washington where he will participate in the Munich Leaders Meeting (May 5-7 The forum is organised by the Munich Security Conference The foundation Unity- Kočani has sent an open letter to key Bulgarian institutions expressing gratitude for the support and humanitarian assistance provided by Bulgaria after the tragedy of the fire at a nightclub in Kočani The foreign ministers of Bulgaria and Greece Georg Georgiev and Giorgos Gerapetritis signed a joint declaration on the use of the waters of the river Arda on 2 May the BNR reports citing an announcement published by the Greek Foreign Ministry.. people will be able to withdraw money  from ATMs only in the new currency according to the website of the Bulgarian. helicopters of the Bulgarian Air Force will fly at low altitude over Sofia in preparation for a military parade marking the Day. The Bulgarian student teams that participated in the European Olympiad of Experimental Sciences EOES 2025 in Zagreb have returned with. english@bnr.bg This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The underground rapid transit lines have been under construction for almost two decades due to various project delays The cross pinnacle on the Tower of Jesus Christ will be ready to receive visitors in 2026 on the centennial of Gaudi’s death Now you can get your wine in Talence by paying directly in Bitcoin That’s because the state has to spend money on updating the railway infrastructure rather than subsidizing the cost of the popular pass Steffen Romstöck said that he would respect the residents’ choice and would take over the helm of the municipality which will come into force from 1 January 2025 Rethinking renewable energy sources for the urban landscape But operating them is still illegal under the country’s legislation can inform and inspire communities and entrepreneurs that still feel trepidation at the prospect of energy transition it has a unique modular design that allows it to be shortened and lengthened like a train that’s the promise made by the mayor of Paris the district has long been known as the hangout spot for the artsy crowds Hostal de Pinós is located in the geographical centre of the autonomous region the ranking considers several distinct but essential factors these quiet areas will now be available on all main routes in the country The academic institution shows a deeper understanding of the well-being of its students A leaked email and a Twitter exchange in which the billionaire compared the Belogradchik Rocks to scenes from Elden Ring could draw needed attention to EU’s poorest region Elon Musk has allegedly decided to come to Bulgaria in April 2023 This stems from a leaked email from his team to a restaurant near the town of Belogradchik showing that the richest man in the world asked for reservations the authenticity of the reservation request has not been confirmed This development came after yesterday the Twitter user Aesthetica posted a photo of the Belogradchik Rocks a picturesque formation in the region that houses a dreamy fantasy-like Medieval fortress named Kaleto Musk commented on the photo of the formation shot by Bulgarian photographer Vladislav Terziiski comparing it to scenes from the videogame Elden Ring: This prompted a response from the Municipality of Belogradchik and Bulgaria’s Minister for Tourism Ilin Dimitrov inviting the billionaire to experience the region’s underappreciated yet comprehensive tourism offer the visit could provoke a spur of infrastructure redevelopment in the Northwestern region and the 70,000 tourists Belogradchik attracted since the start of 2022 said for TheMayor.EU that the city will definitely experience some needed attention due to the story he also explained that if the story was happening during the spring the effects would be much more profound.  The main information about Elon Musk’s supposed visit to Belogradchik originated from what is claimed to be a reservation request from Musk's team posted on social media by the restaurant ONÀ the news was repeated by Minister Ilin Dimitrov for the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency in the restaurant’s post on social media they tried to push local authorities in Belogradchik to do more redevelopment in the region The post continues: “We have around five months which is not a short time to pave at least the main street in our broken little village and replace some measly 200 metres of pipes.” During an interview for TheMayor.EU from today explained that the city is currently going through a redevelopment and so is the village of Stakevtsi Mayor Nikolov said that the sewer system in the village has been finished and roadworks are scheduled to start next Monday He also pointed out that sewer redevelopment and roadworks have been a centre point of his administration for the past 10 years both in Belogradchik and the surrounding regions around half of the city has gone through public works and is very different from what it used to be Mayor Nikolov pointed out that all municipal buildings and at least 1,000 apartments have gone through insulation works the whole country is talking about the Elon Musk story today these stories tend to have a short lifespan and after three days The only thing I am sorry about is that this situation did not develop over the spring which is the best time to visit Belogradchik it would have an enormous and immediate boost to local tourism.” a slew of Bulgarian officials tried to draw Elon Musk’s attention to Bulgaria inviting him to try out the many offers in and around Belogradchik The list includes the Minister for Tourism who promoted the oldest processed gold objects in the world – a treasure from the Chalcolithic Necropolis of Varna and an annual cosplay festival held in the city of Belogradchik City authorities apparently created a Twitter handle specifically for the occasion as the profile lacks any activity prior to the exchange under Aesthetica’s post authorities offered the billionaire an experience of the local landscapes as well as a visit to the birthplace of Prof Widen Tabakov - a famous airspace engineer and researcher who participated in NASA’s Apolo programme The 10th European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns (ESCT) sets the stage for stronger cooperation between the EU national and local level to fast track Europe's transition to climate neutrality Urban dwellers across the EU are having a say in making their surroundings friendlier to people and the environment Forests in the EU can help green the European construction industry and bolster a continent-wide push for architectural improvements Apply by 10 November and do your part for the transformation of European public spaces An interview with the Mayor of a Polish city that seeks to reinvent itself An interview with the newly elected ICLEI President and Mayor of Malmö A conversation with the Mayor of Lisbon about the spirit and dimensions of innovation present in the Portuguese capital HOT: » What kind of news would you like to see more of? Billionaire Elon Musk mistakenly recognized the Belogradchik Fortress as part of a popular new computer game on Twitter today The owner of the platform commented on a shared frame from the profile Aesthetica which has recently been posting pictures of castles One of the latter is a shot by the famous Bulgarian photographer Vladislav Terziiski "Pretty sure that was in Elden Ring," Musk wrote to the retweet of the photo the Belogradchik Fortress is in the frame - one of the emblematic cultural and historical sites in Bulgaria The fortress was originally built in Roman times but was completed both in the Bulgarian Middle Ages and in Ottoman times It is unique with the fact that a large part of the fortress walls are completely natural rock formations The actual human-built is only from the northwest and southeast Elden Ring is a new and extremely popular action game from the popular Japanese game studio FromStudio which is behind the famous Dark Souls trilogy The game has an open world and impresses with its beautiful graphics and many impressive landscapes There are many fortresses in the open world some of which are probably based on real-world ones - something that is a common practice in game development whose books inspired the hit series Game of Thrones Musk admits that he is a fan of the game and played it 6 months ago - right after its release Will Musk come to Bulgaria? Read here Follow Novinite.com on Twitter and Facebook Write to us at editors@novinite.com Информирайте се на Български - Novinite.bg We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria Bulgarian businesses are actively recruiting students to fill seasonal positions for the upcoming summer offering earnings ranging from 4,000 to 6,000 leva A Romanian family paid 3,084.60 leva (1,500 euros) for medical treatment at the Burgas University Hospital following a serious road accident A 33-year-old man from the village of Semchinovo has been taken into custody by the police for physically assaulting a 10-year-old child Bulgarian educational institutions have witnessed a growing presence of Russian cultural initiatives raising concerns about potential propaganda targeting young students Grigor Dimitrov advanced to the round of 16 at the Madrid Masters after securing a straight-sets win over Britain’s Jacob Fearnley The Bulgarian mobile operator A1 has confirmed that it is experiencing technical difficulties affecting both calls and text messages across its network Employers in Bulgaria are legally required to implement all necessary measures to prevent and minimize workplace accidents with 45.2% of those aged 16–74 having bought goods or services via the internet in the past year The fourth edition of the LUNAR Festival of Lights in Sofia will illuminate 10,000 square meters of art across some of the city's most iconic buildings and public spaces from May 8 to May 11 The National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology forecasts that May will bring temperatures ranging from 2°C to 33°C across Bulgaria a trend that has persisted for over 30 years Google Street View Cars Return to Bulgaria for Major Mapping Update Housing Prices Soar in Bulgaria’s Major Cities as Demand and Supply Strain Increase who is the leading candidate of the Blue Bulgaria Coalition for the June 9 European Parliament elections visited Vidin and Belogradchik together with MP candidates of the coalition from Vidin Region the local Blue Bulgaria press centre reported Kirilova presented her top priorities: introduction of a European counter-corruption system initiating an assembly of youth achievements and setting up a united Bulgarian diaspora in the EU The candidate explained that the youth achievements assembly will encourage young people to share their ideas and successes for the development of education science and culture and will provide a platform for discussion of important issues regarding the EU future and facilitate the involvement of young people in democratic processes We are disappointed for the umpteenth time" And this information about his coming was not well received invitations and reservations were like inflating a senseless balloon Just as his rocket exploded a few days ago pointed out that hardly anyone believed that the billionaire would come Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced plans to reduce his involvement in the Trump administration following a significant dip in the company’s profits and revenues US President Donald Trump has warned that individuals caught sabotaging Tesla vehicles could face up to 20 years in prison US President Donald Trump expressed his support for Elon Musk by announcing plans to purchase a new Tesla showing his backing for the tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has warned that Ukraine's entire frontline defense would collapse if he were to shut down his Starlink system which has been crucial for maintaining military communications the billionaire entrepreneur and ally of US President Donald Trump suggested that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky should be offered "amnesty" Elon Musk made a striking appearance at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Thursday taking the stage with a chainsaw to emphasize his support for reducing the federal budget and workforce have been placed on the New 7 Wonders of Nature Reserve List where they currently rank second The first temporary reserve place is held by the Devil City in Serbia The rankings of the first 14 reserves are updated monthly The Reserve List contains nominees from the second phase of the Official New7Wonders of Nature that qualified as one of the top 77 nominees from over 440 nominees participating but that did not qualify as one of the 28 Official Finalist Candidates announced on 21 July 2009 These nominees also qualify to be on the Reserve List in virtue of their status as having an Official Supporting Committee and in special recognition of their campaign efforts during the second phase If one of the 28 Official Finalist Candidates is suspended and then eliminated from the Official New7Wonders of Nature campaign for example for non observation of the rules of participation then New7Wonders will select a replacement Official Finalist Candidate from the top seven Reserve List nominees The New 7 Wonders of Nature is the second campaign organized by the Swiss non-profit New7Wonders Foundation Voting will continue throughout 2010 and into 2011 the New7Wonders World Tour will visit each of the finalists to allow them to present themselves to the voters across the globe The final announcement of the New 7 Wonders of Nature is scheduled for 2011 located near the northwest Bulgarian town of Belogradchik are miraculous sandstone and limestone rock formations of up to 200 m in height with various shapes resulting from erosion They form a strip which is 30 km in length and 3 km in width in the northwestern part of the Stara Planina (Balkan) Mountain Every single rock is named after a real object that it resembles The Belogradchik Rocks were declared a natural landmark in 1949 The ancient Belogradchik fortress is also located among the rocks.  A boost to a country’s tourism industry can come in many shapes and forms Panoramic photos of Bulgaria's most beautiful mountain regions have been included in Google's Street View service The number of tourists who visited Bulgaria's town of Belogradchik from the beginning of 2013 until now has increased by 12% The Belogradchik Rocks and the Magura Cave were declared the newest Miracles of Bulgaria Wednesday evening while the Plovdiv area masters of puppets from corn husk and foliage won in the intangible treasures category Over half million of Bulgarians have voted for "The Miracles of Bulgaria," ahead of the grand finale of the campaign The official start of the national vote to select the Miracle of Bulgaria was given Friday in the town of Belogradchik a major British tour operator specializing in holidays to Bulgaria has halted all its operations effective April 24 chairman of the Bulgarian Hotel Association highlighted a major issue in Bulgaria’s tourism sector: a significant decline in the workforce executive director of the Bulgarian Association of Hotel Management Professionals one-third of Bulgarian hoteliers are planning a modest price increase of about 10% Tourism in Bulgaria has made significant strides toward recovery in 2024 though it still hasn't returned to pre-pandemic levels of 2019 Bulgaria continues to lag behind neighboring countries in achieving significant growth in its tourism sector Despite the global escalation of the trade war there have been no significant negative trends in Bulgaria’s tourism sector so far The billionaire Elon Musk has accepted the invitation of the Bulgarian Minister of Tourism Ilin Dimitrov and will visit Bulgaria “After such a massive attack on all fronts and hundreds of messages – our joint efforts were successful,” the acting minister also wrote Dimitrov congratulated the photographer Vladislav Terziiski whose photo of the Belogradchik Fortress piqued Musk's interest “Now all that remains is to prepare for the arrival of the richest influencer in the world And why not organize an annual Cosplay festival there” Yesterday he invited Elon Musk to Bulgaria to see the Belogradchik Rocks, after the billionaire had earlier compared the Belogradchik Fortress to a computer game "Pretty sure that was in Elden Ring," the Tesla owner wrote under a photo of the Bulgarian natural landmark Musk was "attacked" by hundreds of messages from Bulgaria A person claiming to be part of Musk's team sent a SpaceX-branded confirmation letter to a local restaurant - ONA The person requests the restaurant's cooperation for Musk's visit the Minister of Tourism announced that the billionaire is expected to visit Belogradchik on April 23 This becomes known from a reservation made by his representatives in one of the best restaurants in the area Bulgaria commemorates one of its most significant national holidays – the Day of Saint George the Victorious and the official Day of the Bulgarian Army all retailers in Bulgaria will be required to display prices in both leva and euros Wage growth in Bulgaria is projected at 9.3 percent for 2025 a 15.4 percent rise in the minimum wage since January The World Bank has revised down its forecast for Bulgaria’s economic growth in 2025 Belogradchik is a small town huddled in the folds of the Balkan Range in Northwestern Bulgaria and with plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities Take a look at our 7 ideas for a memorable weekend in this picturesque portion of Bulgaria’s Northwest: 1. Visiting the Belogradchik rocks and the old fortress – this is one of the most emblematic places in Bulgaria, nominated for the New7Wonders of the World campaign. Perched on the rocks  is an ancient fortress with fascinating history Its observation platform commands a breathtaking view of the rock formations which resemble all kinds of figures with names like – the Madonna Scientists say the pictures are probably between 5,000 and 12,000 years old The pictures depict primitive hunting scenes plants and scenes from the life of primitive man One of the most fascinating drawings is the annual sun calendar from the Late Neolith Magura is one of the biggest caves in Bulgaria the galleries found so far being almost 2,500 metres long Meet the Torlaks and get to know their way of life in the region of Belogradchik there is an interesting community with a lifestyle and culture all their own The delicious vegetarian dishes are emblematic of the local people In the village of Stakevtsi not far from Belogradcgik visitors can try out Torlak salad Belogradchik is a region famed for its wines Connoisseurs say that in its soil and weather conditions the local brands resemble the wines from the Champagne wine region of France and add that the best sparkling wines in Bulgaria are made right here tourists are able to taste the wines of the region Balloon rides over the Belogradchik rocks This is one of the newest attractions which have grown extremely popular take place early in the morning and are a truly unique experience The balloon rises up into the sky over the locality called Markashitsa named after an ancient fortress which once rose amidst the bizarre-shaped rock silhouettes Riding an electric bike around Rabisha Lake There are electric bikes for hire in the centre of Belogradchik which offer a quick and easy ride to another local landmark – Rabisha Lake  - and it takes no more than an hour to ride around it The lake is located en route to Magura cave Rabisha is an inland lakewhich has not dried up in a million years Some describe it as a “time capsule” which probably contains information coming from ancient times There is one more miracle of nature just 14 kms. from Belogradchik – Venetsa cave – one of the most stunning underground “cathedrals” in Bulgaria It is within walking distance from Oreshets village along a dirt road The LED lighting inside makes the cave come to life in all of its splendor Bulgaria’s Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh and Zurab Pololikashvili Secretary-General of the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) have officially signed the agreement for Bulgaria to host the 9th Global Conference on Wine Tourism,. The Mini Bulgaria Park is an unusual place for a tourist tour spiritual culture and natural landmarks of Bulgaria meet Gorna Oryahovitsa often remains undeservedly hidden from the eyes of tourists even though it is only about 10 km away from Bulgaria's old capital which lies at the foot of the Balkans on the banks of the. Works of artists who recreate pure images from their childhood on the canvas can be seen on display on two floors of the gallery in the Bulgarian town of Belogradchik located in northwestern Bulgaria and famous for its rock formations which attract many tourists The exhibition was created on the idea of ​​two art fans Inspired by Serbian museums of naïve works in Jagodina and Kovačica Daniela Osikovska and architect Georgi Georgiev decided to exhibit such works in the town where they settled a few years ago For this purpose they provided their personal collection of paintings Donations and permanent space were also provided by the town gallery "Valcho Valchev" drawings and sculptures by 75 authors from sixteen countries including Naive art recreates fairy-tale worlds as if viewed through the eyes of a child artists manage to create spaces of carefree mood and spiritual purity “There are artists who work in the naive style spontaneously,” Associate Professor Ruzha Marinska says “In France they even call them ‘Sunday artists’ – they do not have academic schooling and have other professions But there is also another group of artists who have serious academic education and through modern art they are looking for an immediate expression with the help of this type of style.” Without being influenced by the traditions of art these artists draw inspiration from their personal experiences and recreate their memories “Spontaneous naïvists turn to their childhood memories to beautiful and cheerful things and definitely avoid the dramatic aspects of life," Prof “Among the prominent Bulgarian artists in this genre are Radi Nedelchev who began to work in the 1960s and the exhibition includes three of his works Artist Rosen Rashev – Roshpak has been a significant figure in Bulgarian naïve art these days His paintings are also on display in foreign galleries and museums as this type of art is much more developed abroad than in this country Even Bulgaria’s Balkan neighbors have naïvism schools with great names in the genre Naïve art was well established in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by one of its most prominent representatives – Henri Rousseau In church murals in Bulgaria one can see traces of this artistic style interesting naïve elements can be found," Ruzha Marinska says “These elements do not affect the main characters but they are always present in the landscape and in accompanying figures a very sympathetic naïvety can be found in the details Nature is very much present in works by naïve artists – trees and others are usually present in their paintings.” The opening of the Salon for Naïve and Intuitive Art in Belogradchik at the end of May was accompanied by a plein air for artists from Bulgaria and abroad in the nearby village of Stakevtsi The works of the artists will stay in the village as it turned out that the magnificent Belogradchik Rocks inspire many of the artists Belogradchik locals hope the only exhibition of naïve art in this country would attract many tourists Curator in the gallery Elena Dzhuninska says that all visitors would be fascinated by this type of art that resembles a child's soul A pianist and conductor with a world-class career Ivan Yanakov has been performing on several continents for decades He has played as a soloist with prestigious orchestras in famous halls The Night of Musicals takes place tonight at the Vasil Levski Palace of Culture and Sports in Veliko Tarnovo The first major ballet event in the festive jubilee programme celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Stara Zagora Opera is the premiere of "Parisian Nights" Flights with hot-air balloon over the Belogradchik Rocks became very popular this summer and the active tourist season ended with a unique Balloon Fiesta at the end of September More than 10 hot-air balloons from several countries rose together high in the sky and flew on a unique air journey over the rock phenomenon "Belogradchik’s popularity has been rising among tourists and some call it Cappadocia of the Balkans,"  Evtim Stefanov founder of the Adventure Tourism Center in the town He adds that more and more people visit Belogradchik not because of its famous fortress or the nearby Magura Cave but in order to fly in a balloon over the natural phenomenon The flights take place early in the morning or before sunset and last from half an hour to one hour as the route is determined by the wind speed "The pilot can raise the balloon high or low to catch a certain current and direct the flight," Evtim says and adds: We rise from a meadow between the rocks and the wind carries us from there Most of rocks are high; they have interesting shapes and some have curious names and legends associated with them We descend or we rise sharply to watch the shadow of the balloon on the rocks and the sun shining on them.” The bicycle routes in the rock valley are another opportunity to experience the unspoiled beauty of the area “With an electric bike you can see the rocks in a much shorter time pass difficult paths between them to reach places that are extremely beautiful such as the Lepenitsa Cave and other natural phenomenons,” Evtim Stefanov says and adds: "There are routes that lead to the unique area of ‘Sbegovete’ in the westernmost part of the rocks. Some tourists also combine the route with wine tastings in a nearby winery. A similar attraction is offered near the Rabisha Lake close to the Magura Cave This way we have been developing a new tourist product called ‘bikes and wine’ which is available in France on the banks of the Loire River In Belogradchik we have great conditions for cycling in combination with unique wine producers offering high-quality wines," Evtim Stefanov says The dragon boats are one of the newest tourist attractions in the region regularly cross Rabisha Lake and sometimes you will see them in the Danube River The goal is for the rowers to row synchronously and then the boat flies on the water,” Evtim Stefanov says several dragon boat races were organized in the area with the participation of enthusiasts from all over the country A great way to get acquainted with the unspoiled nature of northwestern Bulgaria Fans of opera still have the unique opportunity to enjoy the performances of artists from Sofia Music Opera among the Belogradchik Rocks On 7th of  August in Belogradchik fortress will sound the opera from Giacomo Puccini “Turnadot.” In Sunday August 8th in the unique natural scenery you can enjoy the ballet “Swan Lake” by Pyotr Tchaikovsky Both performances are starting at 20:00 p.m you can enjoy an amazing experience – to visit the Magura cave where would be held an incredible performance “Wagner Magura gods The Belogradchik fortress was built during the Roman Empire and is naturally inscribed in the unique rock formations known as the Belogradchik Rocks Their fantastic colors and shapes are the cause of many legends The imagination of tourists formed a variety of human and animal figures The Belogradchik Rocks are included in the list of the global landmarks since 1949 and are among the so called “Hundred national tourist sites” of Bulgaria which includes the most important attractions of the country the rock formations became known worldwide after being extremely close be declared one of the 7 new wonders of the world Undoubtedly there are a lot of amazing places around the world worth visiting at least once in life Bulgaria is such a place where you will wish to come back again and again In every season and every region of this small country yet beautiful landmarks in Bulgaria but also in the world the cliffs of Belogradchik attract numerous tourists especially in summer when an opera festival is organized there In 2009 they were nominated in the competition for the 7 new natural wonders of the world and ranked among the 77 finalists out of a total of almost 260 natural sites The Belogradchik cliffs were declared a natural landmark in 1949, and are on the 100 national tourist sites list Translated from the Bulgarian by Milena Daynova If you are looking for a destination for a pleasant walk in the heart of the mountain you can choose the Lakatitsa section of the Rila Mountain We suggest you start from the village of Govedartsi near Samokov the village of Dobarsko attracts tourists from all corners of the country year-round A legend has it that some of the first settlers in the area of today's village were the blinded soldiers of Tsar Samuel The 31 st edition of the international mummer festival Surva has asserted its standing as the biggest masquerade festival in Europe There were more than 12,000 participants in the festival this year Subscribe to newsletters to receive our hottest offers: The world famous monster Nessie from the Loch Ness in Scotland is about to get a rather tough competitor – the Water Bull from the Rabisha Lake in Northwestern Bulgaria Even though the Water Bull and Nessie seem to be of very different species the Water Bull of the Rabisha Lake is set to conquer the world going in the footsteps of the Loch Ness Monster Mayor of the town of Belogradchik has told Novinite.com (Sofia News Agency) rather famous and picturesque town in the Bulgarian Northwest it is known for the Belogradchik Rocks – absolutely miraculous rock formations stretching for some 30 km in the western part of the Balkan Moutain (Stara Planina) the Belogradchik Rocks did pretty well in the competition for the New Seven Wonders of the World and even though they failed to make it to the finalists they have found a spot on the prestigious reserve list The other amazing thing near Belogradchik is the Magurata Cave with its enchanting paintings by prehistoric people And the third world-class tourist attraction the Belogradchik Municipality wants to add to its portfolio has to do with the Monster of the Rabisha Lake Mayor Emil Tsankov has submitted an application to the EDEN (European Destinations of Excellence) contest a EU-wide project focusing on sustainable development The topic of the 2010 edition of the contest is “Water as a Force of Life and Prosperity” which made the Rabisha Water Bull a rather logical participant With the funding that the Belogradchik Municipality hopes to get it plans to promote the legend about the Rabisha Lake Monster and to resurrect the local traditions related to the mysterious creature The Rabisha Lake – Bulgaria’s Loch Ness The Rabisha Lake (“Rabishkoto Ezero” in Bulgarian) is located between the villages of Tolovitsa and Rabisha It is the largest lake in Bulgaria’s interior even though with its area of about 1 square km it is much more modest in size than the Loch Ness “The lake has never been explored in detail so it is not unknown exactly what sorts of species from previous periods it is the home of,” Mayor Tsankov told Novinite.com One thing that stands out about the Rabisha Lake is the fact that it is an endorheic lake – no rivers flow out of it This has turned it into the object of many folk tales and legends of medieval Bulgarians who believed that water had to be in circulation all the time the people in the region thought the lake was bottomless and was therefore the home of many scary creatures common to the Slavic mythology There are various legends about the Rabiska Lake Monster but Mayor Tsankov has picked the most “credible” one – which dates back to the 18th century – in order to focus their project on it The legend has it that a fearful monster inhabits the lake Unlike Nessie and many other lake monsters this one is no dinosaur; it is a lot more human-like In order to keep this terrifying beast at ease the local people would offer as a sacrifice to it the most beautiful young girl in the entire region in order to buy their safety They would hold a procession taking the girl to the Rabisha Lake where it would get on a boat together with many wonderful gifts It is exactly this procession with a gorgeous young girl and songs and dances that a major focus of the project to revive the Rabisha Lake legend together with some other traditional folklore customs of the region These customs and ceremonies will be shown to tourists and guests and they will actually be invited to participate in them “The terrible story of the annual sacrifices to the Water Bull actually has a happy ending,” Tsankov explains with a smile “The most gorgeous girl in the world was born one day in the village of Rabisha When she grew up and the time came to offer her as sacrifice she was placed in a boat and taken to the middle of the lake he was so enchanted by her that instead of killing her and with her powers she made the beautiful girl immortal The Water Bull took his young wife to the bottom of the Lake The two of them are still believed to live happily down there.” What might have given rise to such a legend (there are actually a number of local legends about the Water Bull Monster in the Rabisha Lake which have slight variations) Assuming of course the actual Bull doesn’t hang around down there The Rabisha Lake is actually proven to be the home of real water monsters – gigantic wels catfish have been caught there The Belogradchik Mayor says there are also various reports of spotting these fish monsters near the surface of the Rabisha Lake – mostly in the months of April and May – even though the wels catfish usually spend most of their time on the bottom of the lake “This huge fish – a real monster – might have been the cause of the Water Bull legend in the first place,” Tsankov thinks the development of a brand new tourist product has been initiated and the 24 Chasa Daily and the Belogradchik Municipality have already announced a competition for taking a photo of the Rabisha Lake Monster the photos of the enthusiasts rushing there will not capture any dinosaur Nessie-like monster in the lake as this is going to throw into disarray the tidy plans of the municipality about its Water Bull Mayor Tsankov actually is much in favor of advertising the Water Bull as “the Bulgarian Nessie” in order to benefit from the world renown of the Loch Ness Monster Belogradchik Has Seen the Future and It Works It seems that thanks primarily to the enterprising character of Mayor Emil Tsankov and his team the small town of Belogradchik is going to find its way of sustainable local tourism rather then descending into poverty like so many other towns and villages across Bulgaria with big but neglected potential A record number of tourists – 350 000 – visited Belogradchik This is a staggering increase compared to the 90 000 visitors in 2008 and even to the record number of visitors in the mid 1980s – 140 000 The Bulgarian Nessie is supposed to boost these figures even further It will most certainly do so because it seems to be even cooler than the Loch Ness Monster – after all the Water Bull turned out to be the hero of a great love story Minister of Tourism Miroslav Borshosh announced that work has begun on the creation of a tourist police in Bulgaria The tourism sector in Bulgaria is largely ready for the introduction of the euro and the country’s upcoming accession to the eurozone a Ukrainian national seeking asylum in Bulgaria a Briton who has been helping her along the way and who contacted us to tell their story Novinite is publishing brief sketches on Hurghada Soma Bay and El Gouna - three places a group of journalists visited at the invitation of Egypt's Ministry of Tourism in mid-June Three young inventors were received with much applause by the public at the opening ceremony of CEEDS’15 by Webit Above is a selection of fresh political gaffes to which Bulgaria's political elite gave birth in 2014 Nobody has so far disagreed the run-up to the early elections held on October 5 was rather dull At the height of the summer tourist season, the Magura Cave welcomes an average of 1,000 to 1,500 people per day. The natural and archaeological landmark, located not far away from the city of Belogradchik has colossal dimensions and resembles an underground cathedral Tourists visit 5 of the 23 halls of the cave Here one can see the largest cave column in Bulgaria But what makes the cave unique are the ancient drawings on the walls considered to be some of the earliest in Europe Experts define them as unsurpassed examples of prehistoric art These days the Magura Cave is more attractive and tourist-friendly than ever thanks to a European cross-border cooperation project between Bulgaria and neighboring Serbia Holograms and interactive displays have been installed providing 3D images and videos about life in the cave about the cave drawings and the rich cave flora and fauna The hundreds of ancient drawings on the walls tell about the life and beliefs of our distant ancestors the drawings are more than 10,000 years old but others claim that they are much older "The drawings can be found up to 350 meters inside the cave where the human presence was," tour guide Ventsislav Dimitrov says "People went in with torches to paint because the limestone rock there is more specific and is like a board This cave gallery is completely dry and there is no humidity inside of it One of the most important drawings is the so-called Solar Calendar in which a grouping of figures represent the days and months and we can see 366 days and 13 months as well as one of the first domesticated dogs The oldest drawings were painted with ochre while later drawings we created with bat guano and that is how their age can be determined The depictions of the Mother Goddess and of women dancing with their arms raised are fascinating.” women are represented being taller than men because this was the time of matriarchy Numerous remains of bones of ancient animals were also found in the cave "The first hall is 21 meters high and is called the ‘Triumphal Hall’ The dwelling places of the ancient people were there when the men brought the game to be prepared for eating it was a kind of triumph for them and that's why we named the hall that way," Ventsislav Dimitrov says The constant temperature of 12 °C provides ideal conditions for aging wine That's why a wine cellar is located in one of the cave galleries During the 20th century the so-called third gallery of the Magura Cave used to be a sanatorium because the cave is saturated with potassium ions: "This helps in the treatment of lung diseases and asthma,” Dimitrov says gives the feeling that you are entering salt rooms The hospital operated from 1972 to 1976 and was a huge success The patients stayed in it for half an hour a day over a period of two weeks." Magura is one of the largest caves in Bulgaria. Its formation started 15 million years ago and the galleries are more than 2,500 meters long. Nowadays, the cave is protected by UNESCO as a natural landmark and is included at number 14 in the list of "100 National Tourist Sites" of Bulgaria "You must have strong faith and pray - then the saint will help you and carry your prayer to God," says Father Georgi Markov of the Church of St Athanasius the Great in Gorni Lozen near Sofia He adds that he has often witnessed the miracles of St. marks 1160 years since the baptism of our Bulgarian people into the Orthodox faith and 1170 years since the creation of the Bulgarian alphabet and Slavic literature the Varna and Veliki Preslav Bishopric Metropolis. Bulgaria celebrates 149 years since the April Uprising – an event that led to the liberation of Bulgaria after almost five centuries of Ottoman rule we must not forget that every participant in the April. captures viewers with a striking blend of California and European backdrops Here’s an in-depth look at the primary filming locations that made Don’t Move a visual marvel The movie opens with the character Iris residing in a beautiful suburban home near the ocean in Seaside This Californian locale brings a tranquil beginning to the story offering viewers picturesque views before the film transitions to more rugged wilderness settings known for its architectural elegance along the coast appears as Iris embarks on a drive down the coastline which has been featured in shows like Big Little Lies adds a cinematic touch with its breathtaking backdrop of California’s rugged terrain Iris’s fateful journey leads her to the fictional “Massey Bi Sur State Park,” a reference to California’s renowned Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park This part of the story delves into Iris’s emotional memories as it is where her son tragically passed away on a previous family trip known for its “mini Yosemite” landscapes gives a visually intense atmosphere to the story A post shared by Adam Schindler (@adampatrickschindler) Many of the outdoor scenes in Don’t Move shift from California to the striking European landscapes of Bulgaria forms a central part of Iris’s journey across rocky river beds intensifying the feeling of isolation and tension This “stone river” location adds a mystical allure to her harrowing path A pivotal moment in Don’t Move unfolds at Belogradchik Fortress a historical site in Bulgaria that provides a grand view as Iris reaches her destination steeped in history and surrounded by natural beauty serves as the setting for a key confrontation and symbolically represents Iris’s ultimate struggle With much of Don’t Move set in wilderness settings the Bulgarian capital Sofia and its surrounding landscapes brought authenticity to the rugged forested scenes that make up the film’s main backdrop Directors Adam Schindler and Brian Netto highlighted Bulgaria’s sprawling lakes and dense forests which served as a captivating substitute for the California wilderness Naveed Zahir is an entertainment writer covering film festival news highlighting emerging talents and established icons Naveed aims to make the entertainment landscape accessible and engaging for all Designed by Two Words Link Copied!Elon Musk has a separate fanbase that doesn’t care about his controversial side but rather loves his gamer abilities and his methods of connecting to Gen Z This is why he is also one of the most appreciated persons in the world too But what is even more surprising to fans is his ability to think as a gamer despite being the richest person on the planet This was seen recently as well when he somewhat recalled seeing a famous fortress from Bulgaria in Elden Ring An image of Elon Musk is seen on a smartphone placed on printed Twitter logos in this picture illustration taken April 28 REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo This came to notice when recently Architecture and History inspired Twitter account, Aesthetica, shared a photo of the castle. Seeing this Elon Musk replied “Pretty sure that was in Elden Ring.” Reacting to which another user asked him have you completed Elden Ring?” to which a proud gamer Elon replied about 6 months ago.” Thus making it clear that he is well versed with the game and knows his way around the From Software’s magnum opus READ MORE: As Twitter HQ Becomes A New Hangout Point For Elon Musk, Youtuber Who Got Warning From Mother Maye Musk Now Has a New Plan Belogradchik Fortress, Bulgaria pic.twitter.com/A33qwATjao — Aesthetica (@Anc_Aesthetics) November 21, 2022 — Pranay Pathole (@PPathole) November 22, 2022 — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 22, 2022 Notably, Elon Musk has previously also said that Elden Ring is very likely the only game to win a Game of the Year award this year it seems a bit difficult for the game to remain at the top of the list as the nominations for the games also feature God of War Ragnarok in the list What do you think about his take though? Let us know in the comments below. EssentiallySports is a digital-first sports media house that surfaces the best stories on America's favorite sports celebrities with a fan's perspective to 30+ M average monthly readers. Full Spectrum Services LLP © 2025 | All Rights Reserved