The cities in Bulgaria
Cities in Bulgaria overview and introduction to Sofia-capital city of Bulgaria and sea capital Varna. Find out how many cities in Bulgaria now?!
There are 257 cities and towns in Bulgaria. Most of them are considerably small. It is only the capital city of Sofia that has a population of over 1 million people followed by the European capital of culture for 2019 Plovdiv with around 350 thousand. The two Black sea pearls Varna and Burgas are also densely populated especially during the summer season.
Major cities and towns in Bulgaria
Bulgaria is a small but ancient country. In fact, it is the oldest still existing country in Europe. That’s why it is no wonder that Bulgaria has had four capitals over the years – Pliska, Preslav, Veliko Tarnovo and Sofia. Pliska and Preslav have been major fort cities during the Middle Ages. Nowadays they still attract many tourists with their ancient buildings and museums. On the other hand, Veliko Tarnovo also known as The City of the Tsars, is a blooming modern city in the central part of the country, offering great one day trips and city breaks.
Even the smallest town in the country is a tourist destination attracting visitors all year round. The southern town of Melnik has only 385 residents but the numerous hotels and wineries are usually full.
There are also many small towns situated on the Black Sea coast. On the north people are usually attracted by the fascinating Balchik with its botanical garden and castle which were a remaining of the times when European royals loved this place. On the south the town of Nesebar with its symbol – the windmill, is a part of the UNESCO world heritage sites.
Major Bulgaria cities and towns ordered by population amount, provinces, post & telephone codes
City | Population | Province | Postal code | Telephone code |
| Sofia | 1286389 | Sofia | 1000 | 02 |
| Plovdiv | 468983 | Plovdiv | 4000 | 032 |
| Varna | 448058 | Varna | 9000 | 052 |
| Burgas | 256371 | Burgas | 8000 | 056 |
| Ruse | 209798 | Ruse | 7000 | 082 |
| Stara Zagora | 209266 | Stara Zagora | 6000 | 042 |
| Pleven | 201567 | Pleven | 5800 | 064 |
| Dobrich | 106056 | Dobrich | 9300 | 058 |
| Sliven | 105806 | Sliven | 8800 | 044 |
| Shumen | 99777 | Shumen | 9700 | 054 |
| Pernik | 88342 | Pernik | 2300 | 076 |
| Pazardzhik | 86739 | Pazardzhik | 4400 | 034 |
| Yambol | 86599 | Yambol | 8600 | 046 |
| Haskovo | 86587 | Haskovo | 6300 | 038 |
| Blagoevgrad | 85079 | Blagoevgrad | 2700 | 073 |
| Veliko Tarnovo | 81150 | Veliko Tarnovo | 5000 | 062 |
| Vratsa | 70877 | Vratsa | 3000 | 092 |
| Gabrovo | 69611 | Gabrovo | 5300 | 066 |
| Asenovgrad | 62634 | Asenovgrad | 4230 | 0331 |
| Vidin | 60977 | Vidin | 3700 | 094 |
Bulgaria capital - Sofia capital city of Bulgaria
The capital of Bulgaria Sofia is an ancient city. It has history that dates back to the Pre-Christian times when it was a thermal resort used by the Roman Emperors. Even today there are many SPA and thermal facilities that offer relaxation and healing at reasonable price. The city itself can be divided into Central Downton area, also known as the Yellow pavement area due to the specific stones given as a present for Tsar Ferdinand upon his second marriage and laid in the city center in 1908. There are also places suitable for people who prefer quiet close-to-nature style of life.
Maps - Sofia Bulgaria
This can also be seen at the numerous Sofia maps that are available online. One of the most common interactive maps that the locals are using is http://www.bgmaps.com/map/sofia - Maps - Sofia Bulgaria. It has versions with Cyrillic and Latin letters which can be very helpful. Another map that also has all the local transport options is https://www.sofiatraffic.bg/bg/transport/121/marshrutna-mrezha. Other useful website offering live stream video from major location in Sofia and other cities in Bulgaria is http://nova.bg/camera.
Varna city
Varna is another popular Bulgarian city both for tourism and living. The place is especially attractive during the summer months from May to September. It is usually called the Bulgarian sea capital. With its great hotels and restaurants, the Seaside garden - Primorski Park and various resorts within 30-minutes long drive from the city center, there is plenty to do and see. Varna is also popular with some West European and North American for outsourcing which results in a higher living standard.