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Things to do
By Camilla Kaas Stock and Nils E. Bjørnæs
Beaches
The Bulgarian Black Sea coast has become increasingly popular with tourists over the last few years. The affordability, the hot summers and the golden sand fringed beaches pull the visitors in regularly. The summer season lasts from late May until the end of September, with average sea temperatures of 25C.
The biggest and most popular sea resorts are Sunnybeach and Golden Sands, with plenty of water sports, restaurants and a buzzing nightlife. Sozopol, originally named Apollonia, is the oldest city on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Surrounded by sea on three sides it is very picturesque, and every autumn it is the site of the Apollonia arts festival.
Nessebar, with its narrow streets and 19th century wooden houses, is also a very popular tourist destination. Situated on a rocky peninsula on the Black Sea, Nessebar dates back over three thousand years and was originally a Thracian settlement. This impressive city's remains, which date mostly from the Hellenistic period, include the acropolis, a temple of Apollo and a wall from the Thracian fortifications.
Other popular seaside resorts are Albena, Duni and St Konstantin.
Water sports
There are a variety of water sports to choose from along the Black Sea Coast, from water-skiing to para-sailing and snorkeling. There are also plenty of supervised children's activities, to give parents a break. If windsurfing and kayaking in fresh-water lakes sound more appealing to you, then head to the beautiful Rila National Park.
Winter sports
Bulgaria is a popular winter sports destination for budget conscious skiers looking for new slopes. There are several ski resorts on offer, with Bansko topping the list, followed by Borovets and Pamporovo. The season lasts from December to May.
Golf
There are currently only three golf courses in Bulgaria, two of them are located near Sofia and one in Sliven, near the Black Sea Coast. However, Bulgaria wants to cash in on the popularity of the sport, with one course currently under construction in Balchick and as many as thirty more being planned.
Natural springs and spas
There are over 600 natural mineral springs to be found throughout the country, and many of the towns and cities boast their own baths and health spas. The water temperatures range from 20-60C and are rich in mineral content. The spa at Bankya is one of the most famous, offering mineral and mud treatments.
Water-rafting
If you are looking for adventure, then Bulgaria has several exhilarating rivers that are suitable for water sports, especially during the early summer and spring seasons. Struma River, which flows into Greece, is the best known - with rapids of category III and V. There are several extreme sports clubs that offer various options to those who want to try their hand at rafting - ranging from a day-trip to several nights away, complete with camping in the woods.
National Parks
If you want to get away from the stresses and strains of everyday life, then the beautiful national parks of Bulgaria may be just the ticket. There are rugged mountains, glacier lakes, dense forests and a wide variety of flora and fauna. You might also catch a glimpse of some of the local wildlife, perhaps a wild cat, a wolf or even a bear. There are guided hiking trips or organized horse riding and fishing trips.
Monasteries
There are around 120 monasteries nestled in the mountains of Bulgaria. They are serene and beautiful places to visit, with plenty of stories of miraculous healings, but also of fire and revolution. We can mention but a few...
Rila Monastery was founded in the 10th century by the Bulgarian monk St Ivan of Rila and later rebuilt in the 13th-14th century.
Aladja Monastery lies 14km from Varna and is one of the few preserved and accessible rock monasteries in Bulgaria. It is believed to date back to the time of the ‘Second Bulgarian Kingdom' in the12th-14th century.
Glojen Monastery, situated above the village of Glozhene, was once a hideout for the famous Bulgarian revolutionist Vasil Levski. It was built in 1224 and has preserved medieval and Renaissance icons, as well as religious books.
Troyan Monastery lies 10km to the southeast of the old town of Troyan. Built at about 400 metres above sea level, it is the biggest monastery in the Balkan Mountains.
Dryanovo Monastery is situated about 4km away from Dryanovo in the picturesque gorge of the Dryanovo River, where limestone rocks rise high on all sides of the building.
Dragalevtsi Monastery is one of the most beautiful monasteries in Bulgaria. It is located about 3km south of the village of Dragalevtsi (now a part of Sofia), up in the lower parts of the Vitosha Mountain.
Castles
Bada Vida is a medieval fortress in the town of Vidin and it is the most famous castle in Bulgaria. It consists of two fundamental walls and four towers and is said to be the only entirely preserved medieval castle in the country.
Tsarevets looms over the town of Veliko Turnevo. This medieval fortress was the home of the Bulgarian tsars during the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185-1393), when the town reigned as the nation's capital. It is now a very popular tourist destination, with extravagant ‘sound and light' shows that illuminates the castle at night.
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Bulgaria 2008