Where to go and what to do on holiday in Bulgaria

There are plenty of places in Europe where you can have a great holiday. For instance, in sunny and hospitable Bulgaria. Many of us associate this country with sweet peppers and Pomorin toothpaste.

It’s time to break the stereotypes! Discover a totally different Bulgaria with our travel review. Especially for you we have chosen 10 popular holiday destinations that all Bulgarians are proud of.

Nessebar

It is an old town that has become an open-air museum. Its unique buildings were built thousands of years ago. They are wonderfully preserved till nowadays.

Nessebar is the religious centre of Bulgaria. In Nessebar you can find the Pantocrator and Hagia Sophia churches. They are visited by believers from all over the world.

Aladzha

This is the name of the ancient monastery which was built inside a huge rock. Aladzha is considered an orthodox shrine. The monastery was founded by clergymen in the 12th century.

This unique place has remained almost unchanged since then. Now Aladzha is a museum. Every day crowds of tourists come here to touch its ancient walls.

The Valley of Roses

You should visit it at the end of spring, when unique flowers bloom – Kazanlak roses. To get to the valley, you have to take a train in Burgas. In a few hours you are there.

There you can smell the roses and buy souvenirs. You are bound to fall in love with Bulgarian soaps, aroma candles, herbal teas and natural cosmetics. These products are based on rose oil and flower petals.

Plovdiv

An ancient city which has become a real mecca for tourists. The ancient streets of Plovdiv remember the most important events in Bulgarian history.

The main entrance to Plovdiv is the Museum of Bulgarian Culture. In Plovdiv you can find unique artifacts which you must see.

Balchik

The city has one of the largest botanical gardens in the world. Its verdant alleys will enchant you at first sight.

Here grow giant palms, huge cacti and other exotic plants. You can come to the botanical garden as a family. Bulgarians proudly call it a paradise on earth. They assure that you will not find such an abundance of trees and flowers anywhere else.

Kaliakra

Kaliakra is a cape located on the Black Sea coast. On Kaliakra, there is an old fortress that survived until nowadays. It is not very difficult to get here. You can get to it by public transport, which is a regular service between Kaliakra, Golden Sands and Albena.

The Madara Horseman

It is a bas-relief, hand-crafted by an unknown master from the 8th century. It is a giant figure of a rider on a horse. A little lower is a dog on horseback to accompany him.

The bas-relief received its name from the village of Madara, near where it was discovered.

Veliko Tarnovo

The name of the town is familiar to every tourist. Veliko Tarnovo is situated on a rocky hill. Its ancient buildings cling to one another like gossipers sharing the latest news.

The city has some stunningly beautiful temples and churches. It is the sacred duty of every traveller to visit these places of worship.

Beglik-Tash

When heading to Bulgaria, be sure to visit a unique natural monument located near the town of Primorsko. It is called Beglik-Tash. Here you will see huge boulders. Archeologists are sure that the ancient artifacts appeared several thousand years ago.

Wine Museum

It is said that Bulgaria produces the most delicious wine in the world. Don’t believe it? Then you are going straight to the wine museum, which is located in Pleven.

There you will be allowed to taste this alcoholic drink and buy a couple of bottles as a souvenir.