This fairy-tale castle would make Dracula (who is said to have been imprisoned there) jealous.

A dragon-shaped fountain that is said to dispense healing water—unless you're evil.

At this 16th-century monastery in rural Bulgaria, visitors can also spend the night.

The Grand Mall in Varna hosts one of the biggest collections of Soviet-era paraphernalia in Bulgaria.

Rock carving created 1,300 years ago 75 feet off the ground.

These cascading falls resonate throughout the Bulgarian forest.

A gigantic statue of a Russian soldier watches over the ancient city of Plovdiv, a prominent reminder of the Soviet period in Bulgaria.

The remarkably well-preserved final resting place of a powerful ancient Thracian king.

A magnificent, glittering building tucked into a tiny Bulgarian mountain town.

A mountain pass in Bulgaria's Balkan Mountains was the site of four historic battles.

A vast Communist-era exhibition space in the Bulgarian capital.

Mysterious standing stone formations looks like a petrified forest.

"Holy Wisdom" overlooks the city that became its namesake.

In a long-dry lake bed, these groups of massive stone pillars bear a striking resemblance to clumps of everyone's favorite fungi.

Eastern Bloc nostalgia, anybody?

This ancient theater, restored in the 20th century, lives on as a venue for dramatic and musical performances.

UNESCO-protected ancient burial ground.

The site of many battles and tragedies, including the 40 maidens who leapt into the sea.

An ancient Thracian city where fire rituals were practiced on the largest cult altar in Southeast Europe.

A spectacular Bulgarian cave resembling a devil's head with a waterfall rushing down its throat.

A striking symbol of the Bulgarian capital.

A collection of art from Bulgaria's time as a communist state.

A flamboyant five-story building in Bulgaria resembles a crawling snail.

This tiny Bulgarian town offers a stunning location in the mountains and a storied history.