Mountains

Bulgaria's true magic lies in its mountains. The country covers 111,000 km² of varied terrain, landscapes and climates - with 39 mountain ranges that make up around 30% of its territory. Most travellers come for the beaches, but step inland and a completely different country opens up.

Rila is the highest range on the Balkan Peninsula and home to the Seven Rila Lakes - widely considered some of the most beautiful glacial lakes in the country, linked by small streams, fountains and waterfalls. Stinky Lake, the largest among them, is also the largest glacial lake of its type on the entire peninsula.

Every summer, hundreds of enthusiasts walk the long Kom-Emine traverse along the Stara Planina - 17 to 25 days from one end of the country to the other, often called a pilgrimage. Stara Planina has the country's harshest mountain weather: it acts as a natural barrier between the cold continental climate of the north and the milder Mediterranean-influenced south.