Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak

A 4th-century-BCE beehive tomb on a hilltop above Kazanlak, part of a UNESCO-listed Thracian necropolis. The painted dome inside shows a Thracian prince at a funeral banquet with his wife beside him, his chariot drawn up behind him, and friezes of garlands and battling figures around the entrance.

The original tomb is closed to protect the frescoes, but a meticulous full-scale replica next to it lets you see the paintings in proper light — better, in some ways, than the dark cramped original. The site is a 15-minute walk from central Kazanlak and the entry price is small. Combined with the Rose Museum you can do both in a single morning.

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The tomb was discovered by accident in 1944 by Bulgarian soldiers digging a shelter on the edge of town. The frescoes inside — a funeral feast, a chariot race, garlands of flowers — are among the finest surviving examples of Hellenistic Thracian painting. The original is now sealed off to preserve the colours; visitors enter a full-size replica built next to it, which is honestly almost as good.