Bitesized guide: Bulgaria
Lapped by the Black Sea, rippling with picturesque mountains and rich in fascinating history and folklore, Bulgaria deserves serious consideration as a summer destination.
Arrive
The national airline is Bulgaria Air (website: www.air.bg), which flies from Sofia to London and other European cities. The country's main airport is Sofia (website: www.sofia-airport.bg).
Why now?
Bulgaria enjoys a balmy climate in summer. The country's festivals are also most frequent during June and July. Two of the most spectacular are the Festival of Roses in Kazanluk (website: www.rose-festival.com) and the Opera Festival, which stages performances in Plovdiv's Roman amphitheatre (website: www.ofd-plovdiv.org).
See
Discover the Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Turkish architectural styles of the capital Sofia, especially the stunning gold-leaf domed Nevski Memorial Church, the sixth-century St Sofia and the Museum of Archaeology nearby. Outside the city, explore more of Bulgaria's UNESCO-listed treasures, including the perfectly preserved fourth-century murals in the Thracian Kazanluk Tomb, the Sveshtari Tomb near Razgrad and the Ivanovo Rock Monasteries near Rousse.
Do
Swim in the Black Sea: The glorious coastline has over 370km (232 miles) of coastline, with sandy beaches and dozens of resorts. Highlights include the busy Sunny Beach and Golden Sands, picturesque Albena, historical Nesebar, cultural and historical city of Varna, and the Mediterranean ambience of port city Bourgas.
Taste
Expect your plate to overflow with fresh salads and modestly priced fruit as well as some hearty cooked fare. Amongst other treats, menus are filled with spicy meat casseroles, stuffed vine leaves, potato dishes, beans, meat rolls, moussaka and white-cheese pastries. National specialities include the cold cucumber, walnut and yoghurt soup tarator, and kavarma (casserole of pork or veal, onions and mushrooms). Bulgaria also boasts many home-grown wines, and such potent liquors as mastika (aniseed spirit, usually diluted) and rakia (local brandy).
Did you know?
Bulgaria claims one the world's earliest known writing systems. Engraved tablets, displaying an ancient form of hieroglyphics estimated to be around 6,000 years old, have emerged over recent years and are currently undergoing further study.
01 June 2007
Fresh ideas are just one click away...
Travel Deals
-
Finland Activity & adventure holidays Finnish Lapland has enormous areas of untouched wilderness and mile upon mile of wild rolling fells. This vast open countryside, sparkling in the winter sunshine, just begs to be explored by
-
Orlando Adrenaline Whether you’re enjoying the hair-raising delights of the world’s only flying rollercoaster called Manta at SeaWorld or racing through the Everglades on an airboat in search of alligators, one thing’s for
-
Cambodia Luxury holidays Today Cambodia is symbolised by awesome Angkor Wat, the largest man-made religious structure in the world. However, Cambodia is also home to some of the finest boutique hotels in the world
-
Laos Inspire Me When the French colonised Indochina they had a saying: "The Vietnamese grow the rice, the Cambodians watch the rice grow, and the Lao people listen to the rice grow." This is
-
Vietnam Cultural breaks Vietnam is a country with a rich and varied history that is now firmly focused on her bright future. This is why it has become one of the hottest destinations for
-
Dominican Republic Family holidays The Dominican Republic has soared in popularity as a tropical hotspot for families seeking sun, sand and an affordable holiday in the Caribbean. The island's main attraction is magnificent golden sand
Quick links
