Bulgaria
Overview
Bulgaria boasts the oldest civilization in Europe with some of the most modern tourist resorts; it’s a country of delightful contradictions. You could find yourself basking on sandy, sun drenched beaches or carving a swathe through the snow at one of the many mountain ski resorts. Whatever your preference, Bulgaria offers its spoils for mind blowingly cheap prices, so taking advantage of one of the many cheap package deals available could see you living the holiday of a lifetime.
Resorts
Book a holiday to Bulgaria and you could become one of the ever-growing numbers of people who have discovered why this unspoilt country is the perfect destination for exclusive, tailor-made holidays and budget holidays alike. Resorts like Golden Sands (Zlatni Pyasutsi) in the north and Sunny Beach in the south offer everything you would expect from a modern holiday with the beautiful beaches at the eastern end of the black sea. Golden Sands in the Varna region is one of the rising stars of Eastern Europe, with a range of holiday budgets catered for from upmarket spas to reasonably priced accommodation. If you want a more full-on holiday experience head to Sunny Beach in the Bourgas region for Bulgaria’s largest seaside resort – it’s the equivalent of the Spanish Costas on the Black Sea, complete with English food if you so desire.
History
Culture-vultures are well catered for; this Slavic country is steeped in history and has a deeply religious culture. You can find artefacts and monuments from various periods in time, such as the Thracian Tombs, Greek ruins and Roman forts. There are also over 160 orthodox monasteries in Bulgaria; all of them situated in idyllic, natural surroundings. Around twenty of these stay open to the public, including the famous Rila monastery, the Trojan monastery and the Preobrazhenski monastery. With over 30,000 historical monuments to choose from, as well as the National Bulgarian Folklore Gathering to visit, family holidays to Bulgaria can be culturally stimulating, as well as action packed.
Activities
But for those of you for who bargain holidays mean more money to spend on adventure, the many sea resorts offer yachting, water skiing, diving, underwater fishing, horseback riding and a whole host of other adrenaline fuelled activities.
Food
Cuisine also features strongly in Bulgaria and features a mix of the best of Southern European influences. At a typical Bulgarian meal, you will see a combination of culinary cultures, from Turkey, Greece, the Middle East and the Mediterranean. A meal is very likely to feature a rich salad, but could be accompanied by foods as diverse as Babek sausages, Sirene cheese, pumpkin pastry or for the more adventurous Lamb’s liver and lung, served with rice. Bulgarian wine is enjoying a renaissance and you could watch the sun set with a glass of Parmid wine or, perhaps, one of the many varieties of Raika.
Whether you are considering a tailor made holiday or are simply looking for last-minute, budget package deals, Bulgaria is sure to delight you with its magic and charm.
