We are visiting Bulgaria, one of the oldest countries in Europe, located in the Balkan Peninsula. There are around 7 million people living here, and the capital is Sofia, a city where you can see ancient Roman ruins right next to modern subway stations. The official language is Bulgarian, and they use the Cyrillic alphabet, which was actually invented here before it spread to Russia!

Bulgaria covers about 110,994 square kilometers, or 42,855 square miles. To imagine its size, the country is roughly the same size as the state of Virginia in the U.S., or about the same size as the country of Iceland. It has a beautiful mix of high, snowy mountains and sunny golden beaches along the Black Sea.

The most popular sport is Football, but Bulgaria is also a world powerhouse in Rhythmic Gymnastics and Wrestling. Their national animal is the Lion, which is a symbol of the country’s bravery and appears on their coat of arms.

The flag consists of three horizontal stripes of white, green, and red, where the white represents peace, the green represents the fertility of the land, and the red represents the bravery of the people.

The food is fresh and full of flavor. You must try Banitsa, a flaky pastry filled with whisked eggs and white cheese. They are also very famous for their Yogurt, which many people say is the best in the world because of a special tiny bacteria that only grows in the Bulgarian air.

Bulgaria is the world’s leading producer of rose oil, which is used to make the most expensive perfumes on Earth; every year, they have a giant festival to celebrate the blooming of millions of roses in the “Rose Valley.” In the city of Plovdiv, you can walk through one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world—it is even older than Rome or Athens! The country is also home to the Seven Rila Lakes, a series of glacial lakes high in the mountains that sit one above the other like giant steps. An interesting tradition happens every March 1st, when Bulgarians give each other Martenitsa—small red and white dolls or bracelets made of yarn—to welcome the spring; they wear them until they see the first stork or budding tree!

From the ancient mountain monasteries to the sunny seaside resorts, Bulgaria is a land of deep history and natural beauty. Blagodarya! That means “Thank you!”