Bulgaria from A to Z

A – Alphabet (азбука) Bulgarian alphabet is Cyrillic I – Icons (икони) Bulgarians are Orthodox Christians and have а large collection of icons Q – Queen Mary of Romania had her summer residence on the Bulgarian seaside near Balchik
B – Black Sea (Черно море) Bulgaria has 354 km of coastline of which 200 km of sandy beaches J – Joined the EU (Европейски съюз) Bulgaria joined the EU in 2007 R – Rose (роза) Bulgaria is one of the largest producers and exporters of rose oil used in cosmetics
C – Caves (пещери) Bulgaria has many caves open to visitors K – Kukeri (кукери) elaborately costumed Bulgarian men and women S – Sofia (София) the capital of Bulgaria with a population of 1.3 million
D – “Dobre doshli” (Добре дошли) Welcome to Bulgarian
Danube (Дунав) is the longest river in the Balkan peninsula and the natural border between Bulgaria and Romania
L – Local customs and traditions (обичаи). Every year on the 6th of January Bulgarian men jump in the cold waters of rivers and lakes to recover a wooden cross T – Tsarevets Fortress (Царевец) in Veliko Tarnovo, the medieval capital of Bulgaria
E – Edelweiss (Еделвайс) – rare flower native to Pirin Mountain M – Mountains (планини) Musala in Rila Mountain is the highest peak in the Balkan peninsula U – “United we are strong” (Съединението прави силата) the slogan at the front of the Parliament building in Sofia
F – Food, fruits, and vegetables (плодове и зеленчуци) in Bulgaria have a lovely taste due to the sunny and warm climate and fertile soil N – Nestinari (нестинари) Traditional dance with bare feet over red-hot charcoal V – Vladimir Dimitrov (Владимир Димитров – Майстора) one of the most talented Bulgarian painters
G – Goliama Kosmatka” (Голяма Косматка) Thracian Tomb believed to be of King Seuthes III O – Orpheus (Орфей) mythic figure associated with the Rodopi Mountains in Bulgaria W – Wine (вино) local grape varieties include Mavrut, Pamid, and Rubin
H – Hot springs (минерални извори) Bulgaria is the SPA capital of the Balkan peninsula P – Plovdiv (Пловдив) Philippopolis is one of the oldest settlements in Europe X, Y – Yogurt (кисело мляко) has been renowned for its health benefits and is especially popular in Japan
    Z – Zima (зима) Winter in Bulgaria is snowy and white. Temperatures often fall below 0 C.