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Guides and travel stories from Bulgaria.

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74 articles

Svishtov, Nikopol & Belene: The Forgotten Danube
Cities & TownsCulture & History

Svishtov, Nikopol & Belene: The Forgotten Danube

A guide to three Danube towns in northern Bulgaria: the 1877 crossing at Svishtov, the 1396 Battle of Nicopolis, the Persina wetlands, and the Belene labour camp that Bulgaria spent decades not discussing.

9 August 20265 min read
Dryanovo Monastery & Bacho Kiro Cave
Nature & LandmarksCulture & History

Dryanovo Monastery & Bacho Kiro Cave

A guide to the Dryanovo Monastery and the Bacho Kiro cave in the Andaka gorge: the nine-day siege of 1876, the cave's two lit routes, the 45,000-year-old human remains found inside, and how to walk the gorge trails.

9 August 20266 min read
Etar: Bulgaria's Working Open-Air Museum
Culture & HistoryCities & Towns

Etar: Bulgaria's Working Open-Air Museum

A guide to the Etar Architectural-Ethnographic Complex near Gabrovo: a reconstructed Revival craft street where the workshops still run on water power, what each trade does, how long to allow, and how to combine it with Tryavna and Bozhentsi.

9 August 20267 min read
Top Things to Do in Gabrovo: Bulgaria's Capital of Humour (Travel Guide)
Cities & TownsCulture & History

Top Things to Do in Gabrovo: Bulgaria's Capital of Humour (Travel Guide)

Discover Gabrovo, Bulgaria: Visit the House of Humour and Satire, Sokolski Monastery, Racho the Blacksmith, and Uzana in the geographic centre of Bulgaria.

9 August 20268 min read
North-West Bulgaria Road Trip: 4-Day Itinerary & Driving Guide
Itineraries & Road TripsNature & Landmarks

North-West Bulgaria Road Trip: 4-Day Itinerary & Driving Guide

A complete 4-day road trip itinerary through Bulgaria's least-visited region: Iskar Gorge, Vratsa, God's Bridge, Chiprovtsi, Belogradchik Rocks, Magura Cave, and Vidin.

9 August 20266 min read
Pleven Panorama & Sights: Visiting Bulgaria's Historic Siege Site
Cities & TownsCulture & History

Pleven Panorama & Sights: Visiting Bulgaria's Historic Siege Site

A complete guide to Pleven: Explore the Pleven Panorama, learn about the historic 1877 siege, visit St. George Mausoleum, and relax in Kaylaka Park.

9 August 20266 min read
Shipka Pass Travel Guide: Freedom Monument, Church & Driving Tips
Culture & HistoryMountains & Hiking

Shipka Pass Travel Guide: Freedom Monument, Church & Driving Tips

A complete guide to crossing the Shipka Pass: Climb the 890 steps to the Monument of Freedom, visit the gold-domed Shipka Memorial Church, and explore nearby Buzludzha.

9 August 20267 min read
Tryavna: Bulgaria's Woodcarving Town
Cities & TownsCulture & History

Tryavna: Bulgaria's Woodcarving Town

A travel guide to Tryavna in the Balkan Mountains: the oldest preserved Revival square in Bulgaria, the 1814 clock tower, the Daskalov House sun ceilings, the Tryavna woodcarving school, and how to combine it with Bozhentsi and Dryanovo.

9 August 20268 min read
The Central Balkan Road Trip: Veliko Tarnovo to the Rose Valley
Itineraries & Road TripsCulture & History

The Central Balkan Road Trip: Veliko Tarnovo to the Rose Valley

A complete 4-day driving itinerary across the Balkan Mountains: Veliko Tarnovo, Dryanovo, Tryavna, Bozhentsi, Etar, Gabrovo, Shipka Pass, and Kazanlak.

9 August 20265 min read
Vidin Travel Guide: Baba Vida Castle & Top Things to Do
Cities & TownsCulture & History

Vidin Travel Guide: Baba Vida Castle & Top Things to Do

A complete travel guide to Vidin on the Danube: Explore Baba Vida castle, visit the restored Synagogue (Jules Pascin Centre), and pair it with Belogradchik and Magura Cave.

9 August 20266 min read
Bulgaria with Kids: A Family Travel Guide
Itineraries & Road TripsTravel Tips

Bulgaria with Kids: A Family Travel Guide

How to pick a base by your children's ages, the drive times that make or break a family trip, which caves and beaches actually work with young kids, which ski resort suits which age, and rainy-day fallbacks.

22 July 202610 min read
Bulgarian Food: The Dishes Worth Seeking Out
Culture & HistoryTravel Tips

Bulgarian Food: The Dishes Worth Seeking Out

Shopska salad and rakia to open, banitsa from the bakery, the mixed grill, clay-pot stews and the fasting dishes that make the country quietly vegetarian-friendly.

22 July 20268 min read
Christmas Markets in Bulgaria: Sofia, Plovdiv & Bansko
Events & FestivalsSki & Winter

Christmas Markets in Bulgaria: Sofia, Plovdiv & Bansko

Sofia's German market by the National Theatre, Plovdiv's Kapana bazaar, Bansko's ski-town lights and the coastal markets — when they open and what to expect.

22 July 20265 min read
Bulgaria's Monasteries Beyond Rila: Bachkovo, Troyan & Rozhen
Culture & History

Bulgaria's Monasteries Beyond Rila: Bachkovo, Troyan & Rozhen

A guide to Bulgaria's greatest monasteries after Rila: Bachkovo in the Rhodopes, Troyan in the Balkan Mountains and Rozhen near Melnik — their history, frescoes, miraculous icons and how to visit each.

16 July 20264 min read
Ivanovo Rock-Hewn Churches & the Rusenski Lom Valley (UNESCO)
Culture & HistoryNature & Landmarks

Ivanovo Rock-Hewn Churches & the Rusenski Lom Valley (UNESCO)

A travel guide to the Rusenski Lom valley south of Ruse: the UNESCO Ivanovo Rock-Hewn Churches and their medieval frescoes, the Cherven fortress, the working Basarbovo rock monastery, and how to combine all three in one day.

16 July 20267 min read
Ruse: Bulgaria's 'Little Vienna' on the Danube
Cities & TownsCulture & History

Ruse: Bulgaria's 'Little Vienna' on the Danube

A travel guide to Ruse, Bulgaria's largest Danube port and 'Little Vienna': neo-Baroque architecture, Freedom Square, the Sexaginta Prista Roman fortress, and day trips to the Ivanovo rock churches, Cherven fortress and Basarbovo monastery.

16 July 20268 min read
Best Day Trips from Plovdiv: 8 Trips into Central Bulgaria
Itineraries & Road TripsCities & Towns

Best Day Trips from Plovdiv: 8 Trips into Central Bulgaria

The best day trips from Plovdiv: Bachkovo Monastery, Asen's Fortress, the Rose Valley, Buzludzha, Koprivshtitsa and more — with distances and how to go.

8 July 20265 min read
Best Day Trips from Sofia: 9 Great Escapes
Itineraries & Road TripsCities & Towns

Best Day Trips from Sofia: 9 Great Escapes

The best day trips from Sofia: Rila Monastery, the Seven Rila Lakes, Vitosha, Koprivshtitsa, Plovdiv and more — with distances, travel times and how to go.

8 July 20265 min read
Buzludzha: Bulgaria's Abandoned Communist 'UFO' Monument
Culture & History

Buzludzha: Bulgaria's Abandoned Communist 'UFO' Monument

A guide to the Buzludzha Monument: what it is, how to get there, whether you can go inside, the mosaics, and the best time to visit Bulgaria's UFO landmark.

8 July 20266 min read
Bansko Ski Resort: Pistes, Gondola, Lift Passes & Parking
Ski & Winter

Bansko Ski Resort: Pistes, Gondola, Lift Passes & Parking

A complete guide to Bansko ski resort: 75 km of pistes, the gondola from town, lift pass prices, night skiing, parking, family skiing, and where to stay.

4 July 202612 min read
Belogradchik Rocks & Fortress: NW Bulgaria's Wonder
Nature & LandmarksCulture & History

Belogradchik Rocks & Fortress: NW Bulgaria's Wonder

A guide to the Belogradchik Rocks and Fortress: how to get there, what to see, the Magura Cave, parking, family tips, distances and where to stay.

4 July 20268 min read
Borovets: Ski Slopes, Lifts & Hiking Musala
Ski & WinterMountains & Hiking

Borovets: Ski Slopes, Lifts & Hiking Musala

A complete guide to Borovets: ski sectors Sitnyakovo and Yastrebets, gondola tips, night skiing, lift passes, hiking Peak Musala, and accommodation.

4 July 202610 min read
Borovets vs Bansko vs Pamporovo: Which Ski Resort to Pick
Ski & Winter

Borovets vs Bansko vs Pamporovo: Which Ski Resort to Pick

Borovets, Bansko, or Pamporovo? Bulgaria's top ski resorts compared on pistes, snow, beginners, lift passes, nightlife, and transfer times.

4 July 202610 min read
Bulgaria in Winter: Top Things to Do & Places to Visit Beyond Skiing
Ski & Winter

Bulgaria in Winter: Top Things to Do & Places to Visit Beyond Skiing

Discover the best of Bulgaria in winter beyond the slopes: hot thermal spa towns, quiet snow-covered monasteries, the Kukeri mask festival, and winter hiking.

4 July 20268 min read
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