Provadia, city in Provadia municipality, Varna oblast, Bulgaria
Provadia is a city in northeastern Bulgaria situated in a valley surrounded by mountains near the Black Sea coast. It features an old town section with narrow streets, traditional houses, and ancient wall remains, alongside modern amenities including hotels, restaurants, and local shops.
Provadia was founded as a Byzantine fortress and later settled by Bulgarians who named it Ovech due to the sheep farming in the area. The nearby Ovech Fortress was occupied by Thracians, Romans, Byzantines, Bulgarians, and Turks from the 3rd century until the 17th century and witnessed several significant historical events.
The name Provadia comes from the Byzantine term Provat, meaning passage or crossing point. The town reflects layers of different peoples who settled here and left traces of their customs and ways of life.
The city is not served by public transport, so visitors typically travel by car or arrange private tours. There is one hotel, two guesthouses, and several restaurants and cafes in town, along with a Tourist Information Centre to help plan your visit.
Near Provadia lies Solnitsata, one of Europe's oldest settlements over 7,500 years old, showing how people engaged in large-scale salt production in ancient times. The site contains some of Europe's earliest stone walls built to defend the settlement.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
