For travellers with the opportunity, inclination and resources to venture beyond the most accessible regions, currently the popular tourist resorts of the Black Sea Coast, Bulgaria can offer a wealth of fascinating cultural and historical sights as well as some of Europe's most pristine natural habitats which are guaranteed to surprise and delight those who care to forsake their spot on the beach for some real exploration. The purpose-built summer resorts with their recent large-scale holiday accommodation developments have undoubtedly earned their reputation, and can rival Spain and Greece with their great facilities and entertainment programmes, while some of Bulgaria's more authentic settlements and untouched landscapes are close at hand to make your stay even more enjoyable and memorable.
In this region Varna is the third biggest city in Bulgaria, its seaside capital, with a picturesque as well as important strategic setting which brought about its development over millennia from an ancient Thracian fishing village, to Odessos when founded by Hellenic colonists, and later becoming a Roman regional centre, during which period the construction of many buildings took place whose remains can still be seen today. The port of the city was busy in trade during the 13th and 14th centuries and came under Ottoman rule, along with the rest of the country, for four centuries. Many monuments from all of these periods still can be visited, including the Roman thermae, the 13th century church of St Athanasius and the Planetarium of Nicholas Copernicus, along with some superb museums which will elaborate on the local history of this region. Near Varna, visit the beautiful park of the Euxinograd Palace, the hillside monastery of Aladzha, the Pobitite Kamuni rock formations and the stunning valley of the Kamchiya
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river. For wildlife enthusiasts, the lovely Burgas Lakes, Strandzha Nature Park, Kaliakra Cape and the Dobrudzha region are also worth seeing, while the towns of Sinemorets, Nesebar and Sozopol have ancient historical monuments and are less developed than some of the coastal resorts.
The largest cities in the rest of Bulgaria are Sofia, the capital, and Plovdiv. Inland from the Black Sea, surrounded by Romania to the north, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro to the west, Greece to the south, as well as Turkey to the southeast, Bulgaria was the cradle of the Slavic nations, whose rich history has been influenced over the ages by the succession of cultures which contributed to its development, which could be characterized due to its geographical location as the typical west-meets-east combination. Established as a constitutional monarchy in 1878 following centuries of Ottoman rule, another turbulent period of history followed which culminated in its absorption by the Eastern Bloc, becoming a communist state until the Revolutions of 1989. The greatest changes have taken place within these large cities over the last 10 years, including its alliance to the European Union in 2007. Sofia now exudes confidence and charisma, with an unusual combination of eclectic historic monuments and flashy new shopping facilities alongside smart hotels. It has a combination of pleasant city parks and great museums, all of which deserve greater attention from potential foreign visitors. Plovdiv offers similar cultural attractions within a more easily navigable and quaintly bohemian atmosphere, being a lively university town with a thriving artistic community still resident in the cobbled streets of its old town.
The city lies to the north of the Rodopi Mountains, dotted with utterly authentic villages such as Kovachevitsa and Bachkovo, an area with great hiking and cycling opportunities, and forms a gateway to the Smolyan and Pamporovo ski resorts. The picturesque Pirin mountains to the west are listed by UNESCO for their natural beauty. Bulgaria in the winter offers top-class ski centres in its various mountain ranges including Bansko, Borovets and Vitosha, with runs suiting all levels of experience, and excellent all-round facilities.
For travellers with the opportunity, inclination and resources to venture beyond the most accessible regions, currently the popular tourist resorts of the Black Sea Coast, Bulgaria can offer a wealth of fascinating cultural and historical sights as well as some of Europe's most pristine natural habitats which are guaranteed to surprise and delight those who care to forsake their spot on the beach for some real exploration. The purpose-built summer resorts with their recent large-scale holiday accommodation developments have undoubtedly earned their reputation, and can rival Spain and Greece with their great facilities and entertainment programmes, while some of Bulgaria's more authentic settlements and untouched landscapes are close at hand to make your stay even more enjoyable and memorable.
In this region Varna is the third biggest city in Bulgaria, its seaside capital, with a picturesque as well as important strategic setting which brought about its development over millennia from an ancient Thracian fishing village, to Odessos when founded by Hellenic colonists, and later becoming a Roman regional centre, during which period the construction of many buildings took place whose remains can still be seen today. The port of the city was busy in trade during the 13th and 14th centuries and came under Ottoman rule, along with the rest of the country, for four centuries. Many monuments from all of these periods still can be visited, including the Roman thermae, the 13th century church of St Athanasius and the Planetarium of Nicholas Copernicus, along with some superb museums which will elaborate on the local history of this region. Near Varna, visit the beautiful park of the Euxinograd Palace, the hillside monastery of Aladzha, the Pobitite Kamuni rock formations and the stunning valley of the Kamchiya
|
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river. For wildlife enthusiasts, the lovely Burgas Lakes, Strandzha Nature Park, Kaliakra Cape and the Dobrudzha region are also worth seeing, while the towns of Sinemorets, Nesebar and Sozopol have ancient historical monuments and are less developed than some of the coastal resorts.
The largest cities in the rest of Bulgaria are Sofia, the capital, and Plovdiv. Inland from the Black Sea, surrounded by Romania to the north, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro to the west, Greece to the south, as well as Turkey to the southeast, Bulgaria was the cradle of the Slavic nations, whose rich history has been influenced over the ages by the succession of cultures which contributed to its development, which could be characterized due to its geographical location as the typical west-meets-east combination. Established as a constitutional monarchy in 1878 following centuries of Ottoman rule, another turbulent period of history followed which culminated in its absorption by the Eastern Bloc, becoming a communist state until the Revolutions of 1989. The greatest changes have taken place within these large cities over the last 10 years, including its alliance to the European Union in 2007. Sofia now exudes confidence and charisma, with an unusual combination of eclectic historic monuments and flashy new shopping facilities alongside smart hotels. It has a combination of pleasant city parks and great museums, all of which deserve greater attention from potential foreign visitors. Plovdiv offers similar cultural attractions within a more easily navigable and quaintly bohemian atmosphere, being a lively university town with a thriving artistic community still resident in the cobbled streets of its old town.
The city lies to the north of the Rodopi Mountains, dotted with utterly authentic villages such as Kovachevitsa and Bachkovo, an area with great hiking and cycling opportunities, and forms a gateway to the Smolyan and Pamporovo ski resorts. The picturesque Pirin mountains to the west are listed by UNESCO for their natural beauty. Bulgaria in the winter offers top-class ski centres in its various mountain ranges including Bansko, Borovets and Vitosha, with runs suiting all levels of experience, and excellent all-round facilities.