Sunny Beach, Bulgaria by kismihok

Sunny Beach resort

Sunny Beach is the biggest sea resort in Bulgaria and it is real alternative to the Spanish resorts with its more than 4 km long beach which somewhere is up to 100 meters wide. The resort attracts more international fans of the sun than any other resort in the country. The beach is one of the best in Bulgaria, offering all sorts of attractions from mini golf to parachuting. There are also many lovely and lively restaurants and bars where you can have fun during the whole day. If you are looking for a safe and comfortable resort where you can improve your tan, this is the right place to go.

Sunny Beach can be seen as a small island, because there are very few tourists who are willing to leave its sun and golden beaches during their vacation. The most common destination for those who still want to visit other interesting places on the Bulgarian coast is the nearby Nessebar. The high quality comes at the right price and Sunny Beach is considered as one of the most expensive places for summer vacation in Bulgaria.

Sveti Vlas resort

Sveti Vlas is one of the newest sea resorts on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria and it is located only 5 km north of Sunny Beach. The village was originally founded by the Thracians, who called the ancient settlement Larissa and was later renamed in honor of St. Vlas. Despite the ancient history of the resort, there are almost no historical monuments. Nowadays, it is a place where you can see many luxury hotels and apartment complexes, awesome bars and restaurants. There is opened the first private marina in Bulgaria with capacity for 300 yachts in 2007. The port also has a luxury hotel and restaurant complex.

The center of St. Vlas is located near the beach. There you can find post office, bank, interesting restaurants, cafes, shops and some Internet clubs. The narrow beaches are one of the best available in Bulgaria, but in comparison with those in Sunny Beach they are much calmer and less crowded with tourists. The water is shallow and provides a good opportunity for water sports like jet skiing, diving, windsurfing and banana boat.
The above resorts are just small part of everything that Bulgaria has to offer. There are also many resorts and towns where you can rent an apartment for really great price. The mild climate and the warm water will definitely make your summer vacation in Bulgaria unforgettable. The entertainment is everywhere, so pack your luggage and head to the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. You will never regret it.

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Sofia, Bulgaria / antonella sinopoli

Sofia, Bulgaria

Sofia is one of the cheapest eastern European cities to visit and stay in, and by extension one of the cheapest on the continent. The city displays much of its history in its architecture, starting with the city walls, much of which remain largely intact since their establishment in its 7th century days as a regional capital in the Holy Roman Empire. The frescoes of the St George Rotunda date from the 12th century, while the edifice’s foundations date back to the Roman settlement of 4th century Serdica, the original site of the city. Since then, the city’s older buildings trace its time from Byzantine, Ottoman and medieval Bulgar fortresses through the neoclassical period and into the prefabricated socialist-era apartment blocks.

The city also boasts a large number of classical theatres, which remains the country’s most popular performing art, followed by the combined National Opera and Ballet company, established in 1891. Free hiking and cycling tours are a great way to see the Sofia’s extensive green and mountainous areas without leaving the city limits. Bulgaria is still a very cheap place to visit, and 4 (and sometimes even 5) star hotels are affordable if you book sufficiently ahead of time.

Guimarães, Portugal

An average-sized city in the slightly cooler northern region of the country, Guimarães is a real hidden gem that is begging for travellers to seek it out. Tucked away in a lush, secluded valley in the district of Braga, the city was founded around the 9th century by a local noble who conquered the region for the then-kingdom of Galicia, and since the 12th century been considered the seat of Portuguese nationality and the home of the Portuguese conquistadores. In 2012, Guimarães was named European Capital of Culture, and not without good reason.

Despite its size (only around 190,000 in the greater urban area), the city is home to a large number of musuems, galleries and theatres, principle among which is the Alberto Sampaio museum. Opened in 1931, it contains a huge collection of pieces from the city’s history during the 14th-16th centuries. On the first weekend of August, there is the Festas Gualterianas, in honour of Saint Gualter, featuring fireworks, street performers and musical performances, and the spectacular Battle of the Flowers.

Dorset, England

Of course, if the cost of physically getting across the seas is too much, you don’t even have to pass through customs to have a great holiday on the cheap. The south-west of England has long had tourist centres in Devon and Cornwall, but Dorset is just as calm, quiet and picturesque without facing the same high prices and tailbacks as its neighbours. Even better, if you get yourself a bus pass, you can see most of the county without straying from the public transport system.

This holiday might be strictly for the hardcore hiker, as getting the most out of your stay will rely on your capacity for long walks and creative use of wireless internet if you want to stay tuned in the goings on beyond the hills and beaches. The best place to pick up some tips on where to stay while on the Jurassic Coast is Countryside and Coastal, with its range of B&Bs and hostels.

So don’t panic if your budget is looking fine this summer: just take a look outside of the usual haunts.

Catherine Halsey is based in Edinburgh and writes for a digital marketing agency. This article links back to Skype.com.

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Strandja mountain / Evgeni Dinev

In every country there are many interesting places to see and usually they are not the resorts. Because the resorts are built for tourists – and all you see there are other tourists and things build especially for them.

So better open a map and pick a random point of any EU country. You are likely to point to a town or village that’s well worth visiting. Don’t want to do a blind pick? OK, I’ll share seven ideas with you – seven places in Bulgaria that are far more interesting than lying on the beach. Here you are:

1. Strandja mountain

Even if you come here for trekking you are more likely to end up in Vitosha, Pirin or Rila. Almost no one goes to trekking in Strandja because it’s not as close to Sofia (the Capital) and it’s not as popular. Strandja is not a typical trekking destination. It’s a low mountain and climbing wouldn’t be a primary reason to go there. You should visit Strandja because of its natural beauty and because of its wildness. There are not many tourists going there, not many huts or paved roads. Its real and wild nature is rarely seen in Europe.

At the same time, reaching Strandja is not hard at all – you can approach the mountain from Malko Tarnovo which is just 76km away of Burgas. And Burgas is one of the largest cities in Bulgaria, just at the black sea. So you can land Burgas directly by an airplane or travel from Sofia by train or bus. Then there are buses going several times per day from Burgas to Malko Tarnovo and the other towns and villages at the foot of the mountain.

2. Lozenska planina

Yes, that’s another low mountain. Mountains are among the most interesting places to see in Bulgaria because they aren’t too high, and area easy to reach. At the same time the nature is well preserved. There are also many small villages around the mountains where life goes with different (slower) pace.

The greatest thing about Lozenska planina is that it’s really close to Sofia. In fact you can reach it with a regular city bus to the villages German or Lozen and it won’t take more than an hour from the city center. One of the best one-day trips you can do there is to drop at Lozen or German and walk through the mountain to the other village. It’s a really light trek, good for everyone – and it’s safe to do it at any time of the year.

3. Svoge and the villages around

Of course you don’t have to be interested in trekking or even seeing natural places. Maybe you prefer cities and towns, that’s why you came to Sofia. But the capital isn’t Bulgaria – life in the country is different. Do you want to see it? Svoge is a small town of nearly 9,000 inhabitants and is just 30 – 60 minutes train ride away of Sofia. Great for one-day trip! At the same time it’s pretty developed – there are several restaurants, two hotels, many stores and places to have a drink.

If you decide to take the train you may also want to see the villages on the way from Sofia to Svoge. Small, rural, very peaceful and so close to the big city – this is what makes them cool for a trip.

4. Pazardjik

And if you prefer bigger towns that are still calm and quiet, Pazardjik is just 1-2 hours away of Sofia. It’s a nice sunny town that will give you idea how people outside of the big cities live. At the same time it’s large enough to have the malls, stores, and services that big cities have. If you get up early in the morning you can see Pazardjik in a day and then go back to the capital (assuming you are staying there). But don’t worry – if you want to sleep in Pazardjik, there are plenty of hotels.

5. Dobruja

Bulgaria is not just mountains. If you want to see the beauty of the plane areas, Dobruja is your place. Here “place” isn’t quite correct thing to say, because Dobruja is a large area covering big part of North-East Bulgaria (and South-East Romania). It’s also the place where the country grows most of its wheat. You are going to see large areas that are just flat with lots of golden wheat growing on it (assuming you come in the summer).

Dobruja landscape / Andrea de Poda

There are several bigger towns in Dobruja – Dobrich, Shumen, Targovishte, Varna, Ruse, etc. From any of them you can easily reach villages to see rural life, and the beauty of Dobruja. Varna is perhaps the easiest to reach by plane from abroad, or by a bus or train from Sofia. From Varna you can travel to Dobrich in less than an hour. And then you’ll be at the heart of Dobruja.

6. Razboishte Monastery

Are you interested in visiting monasteries? Bulgaria is famous for many of them. The most popular is of course Rila Monastery. But if you prefer something less popular and less commercial, I recommend you to visit the Razboishte Monastery. It’s located in the most western part of Bulgaria, and is still easy to reach from Sofia. First get a bus to the town of Godech – it will take about an hour. Then Razboishte village is just 10km away which can be taken by another bus or car. Then walk 1km to the monastery.

7. Hisarya

OK, here’s a little bit more “touristic” place. But still most of visitors to Bulgaria don’t manage to go there. Why should you go then? Because there are more than twenty different mineral springs which were the primary reason for founding the town ages ago. The quality of mineral waters in Hisarya is proven and the resort is famous for them in the whole world. But that’s not all – you can see historical stuff like Roman ruins preserved for centuries.

How to reach it? First go to Plovdiv – A big city a couple of hours away of Sofia. There are planes going to Plovdiv too. And from Plovdiv, buses to Hisarya go every 30 minutes during the day. The trip takes about 1 hour. There are many places where you sleep in Hisarya. If you prefer you can sleep in Plovdiv where you’ll find many hotels and youth hostels.

So how does it sound – eager to visit Bulgaria yet?

Want more ideas and information like this? Visit https://bulgariatravelhacker.com!

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However already in the 5th century there was a Christian church standing on this place. During the Ottoman Empire domination, monastery (with church) was dissolved and overgrown with weeds. Just at the end of the 19th century it was discovered by two Czech archaeologists – Škorpil brothers.

Monks cells were carved into the limestone rocks and connected by corridors which create a three-storey complex. There were also kitchens, dining rooms, prayer rooms, simply everything what monks needed for their life. They lived here in celibacy and create their own world, away from civilization, so they could devote prayer and spiritual development.

The entire monastery was completely self-sufficient. With the surrounding monasteries the monks communicated by ringing the bell. Today you can ring on it during your visit. It is interesting that during the archaeological research of graves in the vicinity of the monastery, were found around 5 kg of gold objects. These historic gems can be seen in the Museum of Natural History in Varna.

In the forest park below the monastery is a small museum, where you can further see the Roman mosaics, Orthodox icons, photos, and models and drawings of the original appearance of the monastery. About 500 metres from the monastery (still in paid section) are other caves named as the catacombs.

Aladzha Monastery can be reached from Golden Sands or St. Constantine, both on foot or by taxi. The Varna is probably best to go either by bus to Golden Sands and the intersection before the golden sands. From there it is on the road about a mile up the hill. Serpentine is an interesting twist around a ravine with a stream.

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There are several legends about this place, the most famous is about 40 girls who in an effort to avoid the Turkish slavery together jumped off cliffs into the sea. This fabulous event is commemorated by an obelisk called the “The Gate of the 40 Maidens” at the entrance to the Cape. You’ll also find a small museum with archaeological finds here. There are remnants of Tirisis fort that was built before the advent of the Romans and served until the Middle Ages. Its location on the Cape was not accidental, the sea and high cliffs represented an ideal natural protection against invaders.

But the main thing that attracts tourists, is the overall scenery of the Cape and the local nature at all. The dramatic view from the top of the rocks of the turquoise sea is really worth it. There are many caves and photogenic corners here. Kaliakra Cape is a protected area since 1941, but since that it has increased its area three times and now reaches 687 ha.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Marcin Chady

Fairly typical is to watch the dolphins while playing in the waves. Even relatively recently it was also a home to rare Mediterranean seal. This animal was in the past, very abundant and very common throughout the Mediterranean and the Black Sea including Bulgaria, but due to the pollution of their environment, hunting and development of the tourism industry they disappeared. The last Bulgarian seals could be seen in the early eighties of the 20th century. Today, Mediterranean seal is officially considered the most endangered mammal of the European Union and its future existence is uncertain.

Other places for nature lovers are 8 kilometres away, in Taukliman protected area and the subsequent reservation called Jajlata.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by alex yosifov

Surroundings of Kaliakra Cape is interesting not only from the land but also from the sea. In August 1791, in the vicinity of the cape, there was a naval battle, during which the Russian fleet under the leadership of the famous admiral Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov completely destroyed the large Turkish fleet. That is one reason why the area attracts divers and wrecks seekers. On the seabed there are a number of objects and remnants of ships from various medieval periods and of the World War II.

Very interesting is also a restaurant situated in one of the caves in the middle of the Cape. It boasts an outdoor garden offering magnificent views of the surrounding area. However you will not find any accommodation right on the spot, most tourists come here on a trip from various places on the Black Sea, for example, from a well-known resort of Albena. If you go on your own, you surely find some bed in the vicinity.

So if you wandered into this region, just visit this place, where sea fights with the mainland and still make for an unusual beauty.

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The village offers some fascinating 17th and 18th century churches, some of which contain ancient mural paintings and wood carvings. The churches in Arbanasi typically have strong, high walls, small windows and very strong oak doors studded with iron nails.

One of the earliest churches in Arbanasi is the ‘Nativity Church’ or the ‘Cathedral of Nativity’. Extensive studies have found that the church was built in three separate stages which presents some interesting structural characteristics. The main body of the church is divided into male and female sections and the whole building is decorated with murals. The Nativity Church is one of the oldest and best preserved churches not just in Arbanasi but across the whole of Bulgaria.

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Thanks to its location the city and its surroundings belong to the warmest areas of the Bulgarian coast. For its beautiful nature the resort was a popular place for the Bulgarian royal family in the past. Today Tsarevo is a popular tourist destination suitable for lovers of comfortable, quiet, romantic, but also of active holiday.

In the center of town you will find the pedestrian zone, shops, markets, cafes, pastry shops, restaurants, discos, bars, parks, cinema or a jungle gym for children. Tsarevo has a football field with artificial turf, which is freely accessible to children. In Tsarevo you can also enjoy some sport activities such as sailing, diving or widsurfing. Close to the resort you can stay in well-known campsites Bulgarka and Nestinarka.

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Srebarna lake is one of the most significant natural heritage in Bulgaria. The entire lake is surrounded by mosses, which reach a length of more than 1.5 km. The water covers an area of 638 hectares.

You will find here also many rare plants. This place is a paradise for nature lovers and ornithologists.

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The first mention of Dupnitsa is from the 15th century. Major attractions include the Art Gallery, Historical Museum of Dupnitsa, the clock tower and the churches in the city. About 7km east of town there is a monastery Resilovo. 14 km northeast, near the town of Sapareva Banya you can find the ruins of the ancient Roman town of Germania. Nearby is also a spa and mountain resort Panichishte, which offers excellent conditions for hiking and relaxing and in winter for skiing.

Dupnitsa is also called The Green and Shady Town because of the huge number of trees in the town. But it is also called The Little Italy of Bulgaria because lots of people left to work to Italy and returns in summer for vacation when the city is full of Bulgarian “Italians”.

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If you decide to visit Sofia, you will have to shortlist attractive historical sites and tourist spots which you can find here and there in this popular city. We chose some of the best known and top sights to see in Sofia.

Nevski cathedral is really marvelous in design. You must visit this tourist spot that has increased the importance of Sofia city. However, you should also go to other exotic tourist spots like Russian church and other religions shrines that are famous for architectural aesthete. This ancient city has a number of ancient Roman, Byzantine and medieval Bulgarian historical buildings, monuments and palaces such as Boyana Church from the 10th century which is a UNESCO world heritage site, or Church of St. George which is the oldest building in Sofia, or St. Sofia Church – early Byzantine church. In the center of the city you should also visit medieval Church of St Petka of the Saddlers

You will get pleasure by watching natural charisma of snow capped mountain range of Vitosha. Here, you will come into contact with the perfect blend of modern city life and natural aesthete. You will find boutiques, small kiosks, shopping centers and a national park at the base of this well known mountain.

The Sts. Cyril and Methodius National Library is the largest national book collection and Bulgaria’s oldest cultural institute, which encourages young generation to learn more about Bulgarian history and culture. You can visit this historical building to watch the gigantic structure of this national library. If you are a knowledge thirsty human, you can check and review historical documents, different types of marvelous relics and collectibles which are available in the inventory of the library. You can also visit the famous Boyona church to learn about the historical background of Bulgarian culture and religion as well. In this church, you will also be able to find stored artifacts, mythological figurines, painted images, books and religions documents in archive of the church.

Finally, when you stay in Sofia, you can also spend some time by visiting Sofia Zoo which gives shelter to more than 1000 wild species. The Zoo has been founded in 1888. You will be able to meet some rare animals in this national zoo.

For your transport in Sofia you can use Metro which has been opened in 1998 and now has just one line and 14 stations.

From natural beauty to sophisticated busy urban lifestyle, Sofia has become the main attraction to foreign tourists. You can enjoy an intoxicated nightlife in this metro city.

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