All inclusive holidays in Bulgaria are very popular for all Europeans. During the summer season, the Bulgarian seaside is one of the main choices, especially for families with children. This is largely due to the well-positioned hotels near the beaches, the pools and the quality services provided by each hotel in Bulgaria. Among the great resorts for an all inclusive summer holiday in Bulgaria, on the Black Sea coast are: Sozopol, Nessebar, Golden Sands, Sunny Day, Riviera, Balchik, Sveti Vlas, Albena, Saints Constantine and Helena and many more other.

For the winter holidays in Bulgaria, there are numerous ski resorts in Bulgaria with stunning scenery and quality services, including Borovetz, Bansko, Pamporovo and Vitosha. For SPA holidays, Bulgaria is also in the first position in the choice of tourists with Mankya, Hisarya, Sandanski, Velingrad, Varshets, which attracts visitors throughout the year. All this, coupled with low prices compared to those in Western Europe, has led to a substantial increase in the number of tourists who choose Bulgaria as an all inclusive holiday destination or as a ski or SPA destination.

Geographical location of Bulgaria

Bulgaria is located in South East Europe and borders with Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, and have the Black Sea in the east. It is the 14th largest country in Europe, thanks to its stretch of 110,994 km². Due to its geographical position, Bulgaria is considered a historical crossroads of various civilizations, being the place where the oldest artifacts and proofs of metal working in the world were discovered. A country whose beauty and traces of the past attract every year historians, photographers and hikers coming from the desire to explore the nature, still carefully guarded by the population and Bulgarian authorities. 

History of Bulgaria

The development of prehistoric cultures began in the Neolithic period. The history of the country is marked by the presence of the Thracians, followed by the Greeks, Persians, Celts, Romanians, Goths and Huns. The emergence of the unified Bulgarian people and state dates back to the First Bulgarian Empire, which dominates a large part of the Balkans and functions as a cultural center for the Middle Ages slaves. After the fall of the Second Bulgarian Empire, in 1396, its territory fell under Ottoman domination for almost 500 years. The Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 resulted in the emergence of the third Bulgarian state, which became independent in 1908. The years that followed were marked by conflicts with neighbors, in the context of which Bulgaria allied with Germany in both world wars . In 1946, a Communist state became a single party until 1989, when the Bulgarian Communist Party allowed for free elections. After 1990, Bulgaria became a democracy and a market economy.

Bulgaria relief- amazing for a varied holiday

Bulgaria has a total area of 110,994 km², which makes it 105th country in the world. Its relief is varied, so the holiday possibilities here are also varied. Among the most appreciated and notable forms of relief are the Danube Plain, the Balkan Mountains, the Thrace Plain and the Rhodopes Mountains. While the Danube forms much of the border with Romania, the southern end of the Danube Plain is slightly inclined to the foot of the Balkan hills. The Thrace plain is almost triangular, starting southeast of Sofia and extending to the Black Sea coast. The Balkans form a chain from east to west, passing through the center of the country. Southwestern mountainous areas are two massive - Rila and Pirin, which care for the Rhodopi Mountains in the east, smaller but more extensive mountains. Here is also the highest point on the Balkan Peninsula - the tip called Musala and 2,925 meters. Plains lie on almost a third of the country's surface, the hills and plateaus occupy 41% of it, and sea level is the lowest point of Bulgaria.

Bulgaria climate - the best periods for a holiday in Bulgaria

Bulgaria's climate is dynamic. It is a mixture of the Mediterranean climate and the East European climate. In the north of the country, the average temperature is often 1 ° C lower than the southern regions, and precipitation is about 200 mm higher. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Bulgaria is -38°C, and the highest was 45°C. The precipitation reaches 630 mm per year and fluctuates in the mountains from 500 mm to over 2,500 mm. In winter, the continental air masses bring large amounts of snow, so the ski areas are filled with tourists coming to practice winter sports in Bulgaria.

Sea temperature in Bulgaria: between December and March, the water temperature is somewhere between 6 and 3°C, and between April to October it fluctuates around 10°C. In May and September you can enjoy sunny days, with 16 and 20°C. And in July and August the thermometers reach 23 ° C. Is the period when the beaches are filled with tourists arriving for a all inclusive holiday in Bulgaria.

Snow: The first layer of snow in the mountains of Bulgaria is set in mid-November, and in December you can already have a ski holiday here. Skiers are attracted to the slopes, with artificial snow in this period.  Since January, things are already on their own. Snow that cover in the first month of the year is maintained at 2.5 - 3 m (average) until April. However, the ski season in Bulgaria lasts until the beginning of May. As for the average winter temperature, it is -8°C, but sunny days predominate, being a perfect time to enjoy your winter sports in Bulgaria.

Bulgaria hydrography - different attractions

Bulgaria boasts a dense network of about 540 rivers. Many of them relatively short and with low flows. The longest river found on almost the entire territory of the country is Iskar, which is 368 kilometers long. Among the big rivers of the country are Struma and Mariţa from the south. And if you want a variety in the summer, give up a few days of beach in Bulgaria and savor north of Burgas, where some lakes of amazing natural beauty stretch. Here live many water birds, such as the pelican and the black stork. Do not forget your camera!

Administrative division

Surely you will not be interested in it on vacation, but you should know if you are there. Bulgaria is a unitary state. Since the country has gained autonomy (1880), the shoulder of administrative-territorial units ranged from seven to 26. Between 1987 and 1999, the administrative structure consisted of nine regions (singular area). The new administrative organization was adopted in parallel with the decentralization of the economy. It includes 27 regions, plus a capital metropolitan (Sofia-capital). All these regions take their name from their capital and are further divided into 264 communes (also called communes).

Cities in Bulgaria – what to visit

Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria and the city with more fronts, with less than a million inhabitants. Besides historical monuments and romantic places, with welcoming cafes, Sofia delights with animated boulevards and architectural summits dating from the time of communism. The city was and is a nodal point on European traders' roads, thanks to which it has a steady development.

Varna is the third largest city in Bulgaria, the largest Bulgarian port and also the owner of an international airport. The city attracts young tourists every year, thanks to the possibilities for nightlife. If you dream about this for your next holiday in Bulgaria, here you must go. Is the city where, in each summer season, are organized many summer concerts, opera and ballet shows, festivals and even evening parties on the beach. 

Burgas. A city appreciated for modernity, rich in a generous harbor and parks that you deserve to visit in every stay here. Is a city that has a strong historical foundation, but, nevertheless, it has not lagged behind modernization processes. It is the perfect destination if you want to sunbathe on the beach, swim in the warm water of the sea and spend the evening in a restaurant with varied goods.

Famous resorts in Bulgaria

For a stay in Bulgaria on the Black Sea coast, you can choose one of Balchik-Balchik sea resorts (where you can visit the famous castle of Queen Maria of Romania), Varna, Burgas and Nessebar. Other famous resorts include Albena, Golden Sands, Constantine and Helena, Slancev Briag, Pomorie. All this represents about 70% of Bulgaria's tourist accommodation capacity. If you love history and you like to start exploring the traces of the past, the holiday in Bulgaria at Veliko Tarnovo - the capital of the second Bulgarian empire (1185-1393) - is just for you.

Landmarks in Bulgaria – what to visit first

A stay in Bulgaria can mean relaxing at the beach or exploring dozens of attractions. It depends on what you propose and how you like to spend your holidays. Among the great attractions in Bulgaria is the Bojana Church of Sofia; Equestrian Relief of the Knight of Madara; The cave church in Ivanovo; The Tomb of Kazanlak; Old Nessebar Town; Monastery of the Rila Mountains; National Park of the Pirin Mountains; The Srebarna Nature Reserve and the Thracian tomb at Sveštari / Daosdava. All of these attractions of Bulgaria are all part of UNESCO World Heritage.

Country population 

Bulgaria has 8 million inhabitants, his capital - Sofia - rich almost 1.5 million inhabitants, and Varna's capital city, register 450,000 inhabitants. The official language is Bulgarian, a language that belongs to the Slavic family, but you will hear very often speaking English. In some places, even Romanian. The population is an Orthodox Christian, but there are other beliefs such as Islam, Catholicism, Judaism, etc.

CREDIT CARDS: International credit cards can be used in major hotels, car rental centers, shopping centers and some restaurants. However, it is advisable to go on holiday with cash so you can buy souvenirs and other commodities from the markets, so you can pay for services in some restaurants, bars and smaller shops. Generally, in major hotels, car rental locations, and some restaurants and shopping centers, you can use the main international credit cards to pay for services. In general, accepted credit cards are displayed at entrance of hotels.

CURRENCY: The currency of Bulgaria is LEVA having under its stotinki unit. 1 LEVA = 100 Stotinki. All payments are made in national currency. The banknotes are 1, 2, 10, 20, 50 and 100 leva and the coins of 1, 2, 5, 20 and 50 stotinki. It is recommended that currency exchange be made at currency exchange offices, hotel reception, airport or bank.

PASSPORTS AND VISAS: you do not need a passport to spend your holiday in Bulgaria, just a identity card. However, every citizen is obliged to have the financial means necessary for him to stay and leave the country. Bulgarian customs rules are similar to Romanians rules: you can cross the border with reasonable amounts of food, alcohol, cigarettes, etc ...

How to get to Bulgaria

By car or coach. Inside the country, you can go by car, bus or train, if you choose for a more distant destination. Train tickets are cheap, but travels take quite a while. With regard to long-distance buses, the price of a trip is roughly the same as in Romania. It all depends on the route. There are about 20 road transport companies in Bulgaria with regular connections. In most cases, bus tickets are bought in advance. If, however, you do not want to opt for any of them, wanting to explore areas of Bulgaria where public transport does not arrive, you can always rent a car - the cost is about 30 euro / day. Thus, whether you are the active style or the style that likes to laze at the beach, an all inclusive holiday in Bulgaria is a pamper, hard to find in another European destination.

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A holiday in Bulgaria means relaxation and culinary delight. Bulgarian gastronomy is representative of Eastern European cuisine, where the cooking style varies depending on the area and its geographical features. Bulgarian cuisine is similar with Romanian. The ingredients are based on a variety of vegetables, herbs and fruits. Besides the richness of traditional recipes, kept from ancestors, Bulgarian cuisine shares allot of dishes with Russian, Turkish and Greek cuisine. Every traditional meal take in salads and drinks like local wine and rakia. Here you will find a variety of soups, such as cold soup (yoghurt, cucumber, garlic, nuts, dill, vegetable oil) and dough and pastry products such as Banita (prepared with dough, egg, and stuffed with cheese, then fried in the pan). All this are a delight and you must try it in your next holiday in Bulgaria. 

The main types of Bulgarian food are usually based on vegetables, lamb, goat meat, beef, chicken or pork. Roasting meat is not a habit in Bulgarian cuisine, locals prefer to prepare him on grill, especially the sausages. Pork is usually mixed with beef or lamb and served in various shapes: sausages or meatballs. Besides these, locals love fish and chicken. But beef and lamb are popular. You will find allot of grilled beef served as aperitif (meze) or in some main courses. But also small aperitifs with lamb. As a substantial lamb exporter, have a generous consum of lamb meat, especially in the spring. Consumption of yogurt per person is traditionally higher than in the rest of Europe. So wait for a glass of savory milk in the morning and for a delicious yoghurt at desserts.

Bulgarian pastry

Traditionally, Banita is made with homemade pastries, flour, eggs and water. And the preparation method includes some of techniques of preparing the pizza dough. For these, the Bulgarians use several types of dough, but the traditional ones are filled with crushed white cheese (feta), yoghurt and eggs. During your holiday in Bulgaria you will find Banita with a filling of spinach, potatoes, beet leaves, nettle, leek, onion, parsley or cabbage. All these variants, including cabbage, are called "zelnik", from the green (green) "green" word. The leek variant is called praznik, and the onion version is called "luchnik". In some regions of Bulgaria there are Banita and rice, minced meat, onions and mushrooms. And as sweet fillings, there are apples, sugar pumpkins, nuts and cinnamon. The apple variant is called "shtrudel", and the pumpkin is "tikvenik".

• Bulgarian dishes to try on holiday

• Banitsa - pastry product with eggs, cheese and yoghurt

• Banski statts (banski staretz) - Spicy sausages originating in the Bansko region

• Lukanka - spicy salad of beef and minced pork

• Sujuk - strengthened, dark red sausages, common in the Balkans, the Middle East and North Africa

• Soups and soups

• Gyuvech - spicy vegetable stew, cooked in a pot of clay

• Soup of Kopriva (nettle soup)

• Tarator - cold soup of cucumbers, garlic, yoghurt and dill

• Bob bolt - hot bean soup

• Smilyanski fasul - Smilyan bean soup

• Pacha - a lambskin soup with pickles, bitter fruits or vinegar

• Zelenchukova - a vegetable soup

• Sibena choroba - a fish soup made with thyme

Bulgarian salads

• Ovcharska salad - salad with eggs, mushrooms and sometimes ham.

• Ruska salad - salad with potatoes, carrots, cucumbers and mayonnaise

• Snezhanka - cucumbers cut with yoghurt, nuts, dill, garlic

• Turshiya - pickled vegetables such as celery, beet, cauliflower and cabbage, popular in winter; variations are selska turshiya (country pickles) and tsarska turshiya (large, generous pickles)

• Sauces, sweets and appetizers

• Lyutenica is a traditional Bulgarian sauce made from tomatoes and peppers

• Lyutenitsa (also lyutenitza) - tomato puree, red peppers and carrots, often served on bread and covered with white cheese

•  Kyopulu (also kyopolou) - roasted eggplants (eggplant) and sweet peppers, mashed parsley and garlic and other ingredients

• Podluchen sauce or yoghurt sauce - yoghurt with garlic, oil, pepper, salt and sometimes dill.

• Skara (barbecue)

• Kyufte (minced pork meat, seasoned with traditional spices and shaped in a flattened ball)

• Kebapche (similar to meatballs but seasoned with cumin and cane)

• Parjola (roast pork, chopstick or flank)

• Shishcheta (pieces of chicken or pork and marinated vegetables.)

• Karnache (a kind of sausage with special spices)

• Nadenitsa (a kind of sausage with special spices)

• Tatarsko kyufte (stuffed chicken)

• Cheverme (used for holidays, such as weddings, graduations and birthdays) - an entire animal, traditionally a pig, but also chicken or lamb, at the proft.

Bulgaria delights tourist of entire Europe every year with its attractions. From a beautiful seashore, with generous beaches, to mountainous ski areas to history-filled areas, Bulgaria is a complete holiday destination, regardless of the season chosen. Bulgaria can be considered an intersection of the ancient civilizations of the Thracians, Romans, Slavs and Bulgarians. All contributed to the development of the heritage of literature and folklore. Although it has gone through many foreign invasions, the country has preserved a strong cultural identity, offering today many impressive artifacts. Artifacts found in monasteries and medieval churches throughout the country. Here, not only do you enjoy their beauty, but also myths, legends, songs, dances, customs and old traditions.

A well-defined national character

Fine Fine Arts have been very well developed in Bulgaria, and the excavations have brought to light fine silver, golden ceramics, jewelery, terracotta and amazing paintings. It is the place to come for relaxation, discovery, poetry and calmness. Legend has it that Orpheus, a poet and musician of Greek mythology, lived here, charming locals and animals with his songs. Over the centuries, Bulgaria's cultural patrimony has been carefully protected and enriched. The country felt the liberation and the increase of identity only in the middle of the nineteenth century, when the illumination and education movement against the Ottoman Empire appeared. When the progressive ideas of Western Europe reached Bulgaria. Even if the development continues even today, the Government keeps the best traditions of the national renaissance. Although Bulgarian culture has been influenced by different peoples, it has managed to preserve its national character, which we all enjoy today.

Culture with international recognition

Bulgarian literature has also developed over the centuries. The language of the country is based on the Cyrillic alphabet, invented by two Greek brothers: Cyril and Methoduis, born in Thessaloniki in the 9th century. The first Bulgarian university was founded in 1888. Since then, new cultural institutions such as libraries, museums and theaters have been opened. Today, the Ethnographic Museum and the Archaeological Museum present thousands of exhibits from Bulgaria's old past. The foundations of the Bulgarian National Theater in Sofia (the capital of the country) were established by the first professional theater group in the country. Many European plays have begun here, many of them signed by great Bulgarian playwrights. The State School of Fine Arts, now known as the Academy of Fine Arts, was inaugurated. 

As for the beauty and simplicity of architecture, many Bulgarian architects have put their mark on the look of the new capital and the big cities in Bulgaria. In the 1970s, the country made its decision to popularize its history and culture, exposing ancient icons, Thracian treasures and medieval art outside its borders. This promotion of Bulgarian culture included music, literature and the press. Thus, the whole world could hear the year of the greatest literary figures from the Bulgarian literature, Zakhari Stoyanov. An endless writer, best known for his novel "Pod Igoto". Young poets, such as Peyo Yavorov and Dimcho Debelyanov, have been influenced by the Western cultural trends and have written poems about realism and symbolism. In 1912, Pencho Slaveykov was nominated for the Nobel Prize for Literature. George Atanasov, the inventor of the computer, comes from Bulgaria, a country that until 1989 has produced more than 31,000 researchers, many with international recognition.

Behavior and good manners

In Bulgaria, the gestures that give you the words "yes" and "no" are opposite to those common in many eastern European regions. For yea, they nod in their heads that NOT and vice versa. Left-right head movement means YES, and top-down movement means NOT. So be careful as you talk to an authentic Bulgarian, so you do not get confused. Locals boast their hospitality, just as the Greeks do. As a tourist, you will be greeted at the gate of the house with a handshake, then you will be invited to their house. At the table, the guest is first served with food and drink. Often, you will be served with raki and find it rude to refuse. When visiting, it is customary to bring flowers or sweets.

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