Bulgaria

Yambol, also spelled Jambol, town, east-central Bulgaria, on the Tundzha (Tundja) River. North of the present town are the ruins of Kabyle (or Cabyle), which originated as a Bronze Age settlement in the 2nd millennium bce and was conquered by the Macedonians under Philip II in 342–341 bce . Taken by Rome in 72 bce , Kabyle became a city in the Roman province of Thrace, governing the middle reaches of the Tundzha (ancient Tonsus) and serving as a rest stop on the road to Adrianople (now Edirne). It was the seat of a bishopric in the 4th century ce and disappeared in the 6th century. Finds from excavations at Kabyle are in the Regional Museum of Yambol.The region became part of Bulgaria during the reign of Khan Tervel in the early 8th century. Between the 11th and the 14th century, the present site was called Diampolis. From the 15th to the 19th century under the Turks, it was referred to as Yamboli. Tourist attractions include a bedesten (covered bazaar) that dates to the Ottoman period and the ruins of the town’s medieval fortress.Yambol’s industries produce textiles, machinery for footwear manufacture, ceramics, furniture, processed foods, wines, and beverages. Pop. (2011) 74,132.

Vratsa (Bulgarian: Враца [ˈvrat͡sɐ]) is the largest city in northwestern Bulgaria and the administrative and economic centre of the municipality of Vratsa and Vratsa district It is located about 112 km north of Sofia, 40 km southeast of Montana Situated at the foot of the Vrachanski Balkan, the town is near numerous caves, waterfalls and rock formations

Vidin, also spelled Widin, port town, extreme northwestern Bulgaria, on the Danube River. An agricultural and trade centre, Vidin has a fertile hinterland renowned for its wines and is the site of an annual fair. A regular ferry service connects it with Calafat, across the Danube in Romania.Vidin occupies the site of an old Celtic settlement, Dunonia, founded in the 3rd century bc and fortified by the Romans as Bononia. A Bulgarian fortress dating from the 13th century and called Babini Vidini Kuli (“Granny Vida’s Towers”) is well-preserved. The churches of St. Panteleimon and St. Petka have fine murals. During the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185–1396), when the town was known as Bdin, a brief revolt occurred there; later, as the empire under Ivan-Aleksandǔr was disintegrating, he gave a third of it to his son, with Bdin as the capital. In 1396 the Vidin kingdom fell to the Turks, who ruled it until 1878 except for a period of Austrian occupation from 1683 to 1690. Pop. (2004 est.) 53,488.

Targovishte (Bulgarian: Търговище, also transliterated Tǎrgovište, pronounced [tɐrˈɡɔviʃtɛ], Turkish: Eski Cuma) is a city in Bulgaria, the administrative and economic capital of Targovishte Province It is situated at the northern foot of the low mountain of Preslav on both banks of the Vrana River The town is 335 kilometres (208 miles) north-east of the capital Sofia and about 125 km (78 mi) west of the city of Varna and the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast

Sofia ( SOH-fee-ə, SOF-; Bulgarian: София, romanized: Sofiya, IPA: \ˈsɔfijɐ:) is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain in the western parts of the country The city is built west of the Iskar river, and has many mineral springs, such as the Sofia Central Mineral Baths

Sliven (Bulgarian: Сливен [ˈslivɛn]) is the eighth-largest city in Bulgaria and the administrative and industrial centre of Sliven Province and municipality in Northern Thrace Sliven is famous for its heroic Haiduts who fought against the Ottoman Turks in the 19th century and is known as the "City of the 100 Voyvodi", a Voyvoda being a leader of Haiduts The famous rocky massif Sinite Kamani (Сините камъни, "The Blue Rocks") and the associated national park, the fresh air and the mineral springs offer diverse opportunities for leisure and tourism