A beginner’s guide to Bulgaria

With its buzzing cities, stunning beaches, beautiful landscapes and thousands of years of history, Bulgaria should definitely be on your list of places to visit. It’s a country with an East-meets-West culture, where ancient history fuses with modern charm, where music, art and culture blend with a traditional way of life. Even in one week, its manageable size means you can drive from the capital, Sofia, to the coast in under a day, stopping off on the way to admire some stunning mountains and scenery. The fact that it’s often overlooked in favour of Europe’s more popular destinations is another reason to visit now, before everyone else discovers the secret. So, join us in this Bulgaria travel guide as we run through tops places to see, things to do, and travel advice to get you started.

Bulgaria travel guide: vibrant historical cities

The capital city of Sofia has a vibrant up-and-coming feel, beautifully balanced with a rich historical heritage. Walking through its streets, you’ll encounter remnants of Roman ruins and Byzantine churches, juxtaposed with vibrant urban spaces and modern architecture. Start a leisurely walking tour from the St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral with its stunning Neo-Byzantine architecture, and stroll towards the elaborate Ivan Vazov National Theatre, before finishing at Vitosha Boulevard – the main pedestrian street where you can enjoy the lively atmosphere, restaurants, shops, and cafes.

The city offers affordable classical music and opera, film and theatre, bars, clubs, and a wealth of excellent restaurants, all a far cry from its Soviet-era past. Find out about 1980s Communist Bulgaria by visiting The Red Flat and see an average family home, or join a Communist tour and discover what it was like on the eastern side of the Iron Curtain.

Under two hours from Sofia, Plovdiv is Bulgaria’s second-largest city and, some would argue, more appealing, with its cobblestone streets, ancient ruins, artisan antique shops and artistic vibe – all in the historic heart of the old town. The pedestrianised Kapana district is a particular artisanal hub turned modern, artsy quarter, alive with galleries, shops, cafes and restaurants.

In the old town, Plovdiv’s labyrinthine streets all seem to lead to the ancient theatre of Philippopolis, an impressive Roman amphitheatre still in use today for concerts and cultural events. On the way you’ll pass some beautiful well-preserved houses from the National Revival period, including one housing the Ethnographic Museum, worth a peek inside for its wonderful wood-carved ceilings. In the new town, look skywards to spot the minarets from two 14th- and 15th-century mosques. Take a break from sightseeing and head for Tsar Simeon Park, a lush and shady green space in the city centre, and a refreshing natural escape on a hot summer day. At sunset, head to Nebet Tepe, one of Plovdiv‘s six ancient hills, for some spectacular views of the city and surrounding landscape.

Once known as the City of Tsars, Veliko Tarnovo was the historical capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire. Today it’s a picturesque town of narrow winding streets and a centre for Bulgarian woodcarving and icon painting, which you can see at Samovodska Charshia, a traditional market street showcasing local crafts and goods. Take in panoramic views of the city from the Tsarevets Fortress, medieval stronghold or from Asen’s Fortress, offering stunning views over the Yantra River.

A food lover’s paradise

As one of the cheapest places in Europe, Bulgaria is great for tourists as everything is extremely affordable, including the country’s delicious food and wine. The cuisine here is a blend of Mediterranean, Slavic and Ottoman influences, and not dissimilar to Greek and Turkish food. Breakfast on banitsa, a savoury pastry filled with a feta-like cheese, or palachinki – pancakes with famous Bulgarian yoghurt. Stop mid-sightseeing for a lunch of grilled meat and traditional shopska salad, a refreshing mix of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and onions, or tarator, a cold soup made from cucumber.

Bulgaria has a long tradition of winemaking, going back centuries to the Romans and Thracians before them. Today, wine lovers can try some indigenous grape varieties such as Mavrud, Melnik, Rubin and Red Misket, alongside more recognisable wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. Young winemakers are combining local grape varieties and modern techniques in the cellars to produce some fabulous wines, and local wine tourism is on the up – embark on an immersive wine tour to find out more.

A great country for a road trip

Bulgaria is the perfect size for a road trip and an excellent country to drive through, with quiet roads and wonderful scenery. With a car, you’ll easily be able to visit some of the main cities, get off the beaten track, and still have time to hit the beach. You can take in some of Bulgaria’s villages and small towns, like Koprivshtitsa – a virtually undiscovered spot that’s full of traditional, colourful houses, where you’ll feel like time has come to a standstill. Take a detour to a local vineyard or one of the country’s quirky Communist and Soviet-era statues.

Around two hours’ drive south of Sofia is the Rila National Park – home to a spectacular mountain range, ancient alpine forest and 120 glacial lakes, the most famous being the Seven Rila Lakes. You can hike all seven, choose a shorter route, or simply take the ski lift and enjoy a tranquil 15-minute ascent over the forest to the Rila Lakes Chalet at 2,150m, where you can enjoy the views over some of the oldest pine forests in Europe. Deep in the heart of the Rila National Park is the awe-inspiring, UNESCO-listed Rila Monastery, one of the most-visited sights in Bulgaria. The stunning complex dates back to the 10th century, and holds the record of being the largest Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria.

Smell the roses in Kazanlak, which hosts the annual Festival of Roses attracting thousands of visitors. Bulgaria is one of the world’s top producers of rose oil, and the festival celebrates this with rose-picking rituals, a parade, events and concerts; it might be one of the few places where you can even sample rose-flavoured ice cream. Also visit the city of Shumen in northeastern Bulgaria, a hidden gem waiting to be discovered and worth a detour for the Founders of the Bulgarian State Monument alone. Hunt out the Stob Pyramids, rock formations known as hoodoos, some of which are up to 12m high and 40m thick at the base.

Wonderful beaches on Bulgaria’s coastline

Bulgaria has some stunning golden beaches and clear water along its Black Sea coast. The most well-known places such as Sunny Beach at Nessebar and Golden Sands near Varna are popular places that get crowded in high season; with dozens of other spots to choose from, it’s easy to find somewhere a little quieter.

Just 30 minutes by car from Burgas is the small and charming historic old town of Sozopol, where you’ll find Harmani Beach as well as a smaller town beach. Drive out to the long sandy Kavatsite Beach just south of the town, or along the coast to one of the many beautiful, quaint beaches towards the village of Sinemorets. Near the town of Kavarna lies tiny and secluded Bolata Beach, a semicircular bay surrounded by rocks and caves and popular with local families.

The best time to visit Bulgaria

If you want hot weather and lots of beach time on the Black Sea coast, summer (June to August) is the best time to visit when temperatures average 29-32 degrees Celsius and the water is ideal for swimming. In summer, it can be almost too hot for sightseeing, so time a cultural visit in spring or autumn, when the weather is cooler. Temperatures vary significantly in the spring, and the weather can sometimes be quite foggy and cloudy, with little sunshine – but on the plus side, there are fewer crowds and lower prices.

Winter can be very chilly, and temperatures drop as low as -5 degrees Celsius – but this is when many people come to hit the ski slopes around Borovets and Bansko. Bulgaria is known for its affordable skiing (compared with the Alps) and is a great place for both beginners and intermediate skiers to enjoy slicing through snow.

Bulgaria travel guide: top tips and advice

The language is Bulgarian, but English is widely spoken (especially in tourist areas), making navigation and communication straightforward. The currency is the Bulgarian Lev, and it’s a good idea to carry some cash with you, as many artisan and antique shops don’t take card payments.

All travellers are entitled to free emergency medical and dental treatment but must pay for medicines. Bulgaria is a very safe country to visit and violent crime against visitors is very rare. Take care in the cities, as you would anywhere, to avoid petty crime like pickpocketing. When taking taxis, always make sure the meter is on: a common scam is for taxi drivers to tell you that their meter is broken. Insist that you want a taxi with a working meter, or negotiate the cost upfront!

Local customs to know before you go

No Bulgaria travel guide would be complete without a run-through of local dos and don’ts. First, practice making eye contact with a firm handshake, which is how most Bulgarians will greet you. Somewhat confusingly, when a Bulgarian nods their head, they mean to indicate ‘no’ – while shaking their head means ‘yes’. So, if someone invites you to participate in the ancient Bulgarian custom of ritual fire dancing on live coals, you’d best get it right. If you’re in Bulgarian company, it’s polite to wait for the host to say ‘nazdrave‘ (cheers) before drinking, and in restaurants it’s customary to tip around 10% for services.

Make it happen

Has our Bulgaria travel guide  inspired you to plan a tailor-made trip? Simply get in touch with our local experts, who will help put together a dream itinerary that caters for your every need and desire.