Bulgarian North West Properties

There are few people in this world who have touched anything like the beauty and nature that surrounds the mountain town of Vratsa and few outsiders realize that this town is by far one of the most picturesque towns in Bulgaria. Home to 62,909 inhabitants and located in northwestern Bulgaria at the foot of the Balkan Range traversed by the Leva River, Vratsa is a town full of spirit, art and culture, with many protected natural wonders and historic monuments. It has a rich crafts industry as well as being a commercial hub and main railway junction. The area’s extreme natural beauty has provided much in the way of recreation and the town’s motto is “Town as the Mountain - Ancient and Young!”

Getting There 

Vratsa is located 116 km from Sofia, which is also the nearest international airport, 40 km from the town of Montana and 14 km to the northwest of Mezdra. It is well connected to the Bulgarian State Railway network and there are regular trains to Sofia, Lom, Vidin, and Mezdra. The public bus service operates frequent routes to local villages as well as to Sofia, Pleven, Vidin, Montana, Kozloduy, Oryahovo, Mezdra. During the summer there are bus connections to the resorts on the coast as well as international connections with Spain and Portugal although these are not as frequent and need to be booked in advance.

Founded by the Thracians and predominantly the Thracian Triballi tribe, Vratsa rapidly became famed for its metalwork and clay production and this legacy has remained over centuries with the people of this area. The Tribali was feared across Thrace and waged war with just about every tribe in the area. In 339 B.C. they waged war against Phillip of Macedonia and the king was badly wounded during this battle. In 335 B.C. they took on Alexander the Great and eventually became one of his best allies. By the 3rd century B.C. the Triballi fortunes waned and they were defeated by the Celts and in 168 B.C they were beaten by the Germanic tribe known as the Bastar, who left them to live in poverty. In Roman times the city was known as Valve, which literally means "the door of a fortress" because the main gate into the city, which led into the fortress, was so narrow a passageway. This gate is now the symbol of the city and is depicted on the Vratsa coat of arms. When ancient Rome fell, the city became part of the Byzantine Empire and by the end of the 6th century it was inhabited by South Slavic tribes.