Bulgaria travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises spa and resorts

Bulgaria is an ideal place for a summer holiday provides the relaxing atmosphere, healthy climate, golden sands and clean water. Emerald Resort is located in the small tourists’ town of Ravda, less than 15 km from Bourgas Airport and only 5 km from the popular Sunny Beach Resort. Also it’s close to the historic resort of Nessebur – a UNESCO World Heritage site.   Emerald Beach Resort is built in June 2007 and opened as 5 star quality resorts, offers to a high class services. The resort including five type different buildings decorated with the orient in mind. The complex consist 800 apartments on site of 56,000 sq m in a natural park with rare plants. This five star resort is a perfect place to relax and enjoy, provides its guest high class amenities making theirs stay unforgettable. The water area including four independent swimming pools: indoor heated pool, kid’s pool, Blue Lagoon with water attractions and largest outdoor pool in Bulgaria with 2500 sq m total area.
There is one of the biggest SPA centers in Bulgaria. It is the only resort offers the therapies with the world famous trade marks – Taman Sari Royal Heritage SPA. Different types of baths, saunas, solarium, and gym facilities – offering cardio machines, Jacuzzis, aromatic rooms and massages are available in the SPA center “Garden of Youth”. The professional staff consist eight Indonesian SPA specialists and therapists. As a five star resort, the Emerald Beach offers a huge choice of cuisine: International Buffet, Fresh Juice bar, Seafood Restaurant with specialties from the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, Grill – house, Oriental Restaurant and Open Sea Piano Bar with amazing views of Black Sea. Other activities which are accessible: Bowling, Tennis, Mini Theater, Casino, Night Disco Bar, 24 hour medical assistance, and Business center with conference and banquet facilities. From 2008 there is Wi Fi internet connection in all the communal areas.

Govedartsi is a village with moderate climate in the foot of Rila mountains some 30 km from Borovets ski resort and 75 km from Sofia - the capital of Bulgaria. It is a national mountain resort.

There are excellent conditions for ski during the winter.

The village of Govedartsi is surrounded by virgin nature and unique eco system. Near the village is situated Iovchevo Lake. The air is very fresh and surroundings are amazing.

Just 3km outside the village, one can find many holiday houses, recreational centres, private villas, as well as a tourist base with 100 beds in bungalows. Infrastructure of ski resort is well developed; there are regular buses to all surrounding towns and taxi services as well.

Malyovitsa is a small resort 40 kilometers away from Borovets. Malyovitsa is a peak and ski resort in the northwestern part of the Rila Mountains in southwestern Bulgaria. The Rila Monastery is situated at its southern foot, and Malyovitsa Ski Centre — with two downhill tracks and two ski drags — is to the north. The Malyovitsa resort is situated at the foot of the peak.

Malyovitsa offers, mainly, beginner to early-intermediate skiing and boarding up to 1,700m altitude. There are several ski pistes and several sport equipment in the region.The first organized expeditions were made in 1921-22 by tourists from Samokov town.

Malyovitsa is a famous place of the Bulgarian alpinism and mountaineering, trekking and a natural base for alpine sports.The biggest mountain walls are situated here as well as the most difficult climbing route in the whole country. Wonderful mountain scenery can be seen from here. The accommodation facilities are not very well developed.

Srebarna lakeis located in the Srebarna Nature Reserve in northeastern Bulgaria. The reserve covers an area of 8000 decares.18 km west of Silistra and 2 km south of the Danube.
The reserve embraces 6 km. 

The reserve has an Ecological Research and Visitor Station. A exhibition of stuffed birds and a terrace with a reasonable view. It is the breeding ground of almost 100 species of birds, many of which are rare or endangered. Some 80 other bird species migrate and seek refuge there every winter. The most interesting bird species are the Dalmatian pelican, great egret, night heron, purple heron, glossy ibis and white spoonbill.

In the vicinity there is a Nature museum and an Ecological research station.
In 1994 two new canals permitting a flow of water to the Reserve began to restore the condition of the lake
The first step for protecting the lake’s flora and fauna was made as early as 1942.In 1977 Srebarna was included in the “Man and Biosphere” programme pf UNESCO.

Aladzha monastery is the most famous medieval rock monastery on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The archeological finds and dating of the murals survived in the chapel show that the monastery flourished in the period of the Second Bulgarian State, 13th-14th C. The monastery has been attracting many explorers and visitors due to its beautiful woodland location 14 km from Varna.

The monastery rooms were cut out on two levels in the almost 40-meter high limestone rock. The church, cells, dining room, small funeral church, the crypt (tomb) and facility rooms were on the first level. The second level was a natural niche hosting the chapel at its east side. A winding wooden staircase connected the two levels.

After Bulgaria’s fall under the Ottoman rule at the end of the 14th C, Aladzha monastery gradually fell into decay and was finally abandoned, probably in the 17th-18th c. The local Christians inhabitants continued to worship this holy place through the years of the Ottoman suppression as evident by a silver signet ring of the 18th c found in the Crypt.
The real name of the monastery remains unknown. The name “Aladzha”, probably given during the ottoman rule, is as Arabic-Persian origin and means “sundry-colored“.

If you travel from Istanbul to Bulgaria, once you cross the Bulgarian border everything is going to change.The surrounded landscape will become more interesting and in pretty small towns and villages there aren’t concrete blocks, only low, red-brick houses with red roofs and messy gardens.

Then Plovdiv will appeared as a cluster of blocks high-rises trying to reach the red sky. But it would be absurd to judge a city by its suburbs. Over the centuries Plovdiv changed hands between Bulgarians and Byzantines many times until, in the late 14th century, the last, dissolving remnants of the Bulgarian empire were absorbed by the Ottomans.

But, despite this and the best efforts of Communist planners, with their love of concrete and vacuous monumentality, Plovdiv has somehow survived. Walking north along Knyaz Alexandre — Plovdiv’s equivalent to Fifth Avenue –which is much more welcoming square, with busy outdoor cafes and a fountain ringed by bronze swans.

At the end of Knyaz Alexandre is Plovdiv’s Great Mosque, and a huge hole in the ground containing the northern end of a grand Roman stadium. The Great Mosque was a splendid, early Ottoman structure built, as the gravely courteous Turkish, in the reign of Sultan Murat II. Behind the mosque was a small square with yet more cafes and displays of horribly kitschy paintings. A steep, cobbled street led into the heart of the old quarter.

In exploring old Plovdiv, it is hard to go wrong. Just get pleasantly lost, and you are sure to find something enchanting. For example, there is main drag, and soon came upon the Lamartine House, a tall konak painted a dusty pink where the lachrymose French poet had rested for a few nights during the course of his ”Voyage en Orient.” Round a corner and down a steep slope was the Roman theater, its lovely, Ionic stage building hovering above a four-lane highway.

Almost immediately next door was Plovdiv’s Ethnographic Museum. Here, it is the building that houses the collection, rather than the collection itself, that is the chief exhibit, for this is perhaps the most splendid of old Plovdiv’s konaks, which are generally notable for the painted decoration of their exteriors.

At the end of the 15th century, when the glory of the capital city of Turnovgrad was declining, as it seemed forever, a new cultural center was coming to life in its close proximity – the village of Arbanassi. The village is situated almost at the center of a densely populated region, formed between the towns of Veliko Turnovo, Gorna Orryahovitsa and Lyaskovets, at about a three-four-kilometer distance from each of them. It is built on a high plateau, providing a panoramic view towards the mediaeval fortresses of Tsarevets and Trapezitsa, and the ancient capital of Turnovgrad. Another legendary tale narrates about a second, much later migration (15th.c) of cattle traders – Bulgarians and Christian Albanians from Kostur, South Albania and Northern Epirus. In the course of their frequent travels to sell their merchandise as far the banks of the Danube and to its opposite side – the land of the Wallachs, they have finally decided to settle in Arbanassi. The royal decree of Sultan Syuleiman I the Lawmaker from 1538 presents the village as to gift to his son-in-law Rustem Pasha – grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire. Arbanassi becomes a large settlement with prosperous inhabitants from various nationalities: Bulgarians, Greeks, Albanians. Its merchants trade with cattle, meat, leather, diary products, copper, soap, tallow candles, and many other articles. They travel to every part of the Turkish Empire, as well as to Romania, Hungary, Poland, the Moscow Kingdom, and even to such faraway places as Baghdad, India and Persia. The crafts are among the usual occupation on the population, too. At the end of 18th century the village was devastated, robbed and put on fire by various Turkish gangs of bandits, proliferating at the times. There followed catastrophic earthquakes and plague, which forced the Arbanassi population to leave their homes and to seek more comfortable and safer places of living. Since 1810 Arbanassi has been gradually coming to life, being inhabited by immigrants from the Elena and Tryavna regions of the Balkans, but still remains in the shadow of the reviving Turnovo. The Nativity Church
It is the earliest church in Arbanassi. The present wall-painting in the naos (an men’s department) were completed in 1597. The paintings in the women’s section dated from 1638 and those in the chapel of “St. John the Baptist” dated from 1632. The iconostasis is one the earliest examples of woodwork in Bulgaria. The “Uspenie Bogorodichno” Monastery
originates in the vicinity of a church with the same name that has been built at the end of the XVI century. In 1680 the church has been renovated and totally repainted. The monastery itself is established in 1716. It hosts the miraculous icon “Bogoroditsa Troeruchitsa”, which has been bought here from Mount Atos, as well as various other icons from the XVII-XVIII centuries. The monastery is still active.
The Konstantsaliev’s House
was built in 17th century. The basement was built of sons. The main entrance was protected with a solid studded door. The rooms upstairs are grouped as follows: reception premises, bedroom premises and cooking premises. Although they are spacious and roomy, the house emanates coziness warmth. The Sts Archangels Michael and Gabriel’s Church
It consists of an altar, a naos, a narthex (a women’s department), a chapel of St. Paraskeva and a gallery. The naos of the church was built and painted in 17th century. The mural paintings in the narthex were made by two painters- Michael from Thessaloniki and Georgi from Bukuresht. The painting was completed in 1760.

The artistic aim of the programme is the creation of an impressive picture of the fortress hill Tsarevets, which has gradually arisen through the ages into a symbol of the Bulgarian spirit and national pride; the idea is conveyed through the means of music and diverse light effects. Music is the leading component of the programme it has been especially written for the purpose.

The musical theme imparts step by step a unique image of the key points in the Bulgarian history: the founding of Bulgarian Kingdom in 681, the struggles for its consolidation, and also, the peaceful and ingenious labor of the freedom – loving Bulgarian people. The rhythm of the music grows faster and faster, and new themes are entwined in the major one – symbolizing the raids and rules of different aggressors. The light effects unequivocally support the musical evocation.

The show does not imply a full reconstruction of the Bulgarian history: it is rather an interpretation of the past, generating a spiritual bridge to the present, and to the future.

Sound & Light Mega Structure
630 km of cables powering
2500 color projectors
140 flash light
laser rays 6 daunting
mechanical bells

During the last few years, hundreds of millions of dollars were invested into Bansko, which is a little town bordering Pirin National Park, about 100 miles south of Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia. The boutique Villa Roka Hotel in Bansko is one of many hotels in the country’s biggest ski resort town.

Bansko is a spell, isn’t the mountain, which is about as big and challenging as a midsize resort in Vermont. And it’s not the snow, which is lavish, powdery and present from December to April. It’s that in Bansko you can ski all day, eat yourself with steaks, drink more beer than anyone ought to and pass out in a fairly nice hotel room — all for about $60 a day.

The attractions in Bansko are honestly small and gathered in the old quarter, where cobbled lanes spread out from ploshtad Vuzrazhdane, the square marked by the statue of Father Paisii, author of the Slav-Bulgarian History, one of the books that inspired ordinary Bulgarians, and helped launch the National Revival.

On the square is also located the Church of Sveta Troitsa. Whilst strolling among the cobbled streets of the old quarter, you will pass timber doors and stone walls pictured with photographs of people, many of them repeated. The notices in fact are of the recently deceased and advertise dates and times when the family will again be gathering in their memory.

The village of Leshten, situated in the most colorful historical region of the Balkan Peninsular, offers 15 houses restored from the 18th century, built in the style of ancient mountain Bulgarian atmosphere.
It is invisibly equipped with the latest found modern facilities as modern bathrooms of the old style, satellite TV, internet, etc. The special offer of the ,b>local tavern is the absolute natural and delicious Bulgarian dishes wholy supplied by the personal farm of the owners. The choice of exotic leisure activities includes hunting, hiking, swimming, mountain picnic healing treatment at the spa of Ognyanovo nearby.

The Bulgarian Black Sea coast enjoys a mild and pleasant climate, nice beaches covered with crystal clear sands. Because of its natural beauty, Bulgarian Black Sea coast has become famous international resort area. “St. Konstantine and Elena” offers very nice and quiet conditions enabling the resort to function all year round. This is one of the oldest and most preferred resorts on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The resort is an elegant holiday destination which prides on a long tradition of hospitality. Situated in a fine old park with cypresses, lilies and fig trees, quiet bays, sand beaches and curative mineral springs, the resort offers comfortable hotels, villa-settlements and holiday houses, modern restaurants serving national and European cuisine, sports and entertainment for any age, excursions.

The resort is one of the oldest resorts on the Bulgarian black sea coast. It was founded in 1908 as a balneology center. It was first visited by Czech, Poles and Germans. The resort has to the unique combination of mountain crystal clear air, mineral springs and the sea. The resort offers a lot of mineral springs, balneology complexes, outside pools with hot mineral water. The resort is desirable holiday destination comprise of long tradition of hospitality. “St. Constantine and Elena” is situated in Natural Park, small bays facing east, some 7 km away from Varna. Located in the middle of natural park with a broken coastline, small bays and scatteres cliffs – a paradise for anglers and drivers. “St. Konstantine and Elena” resort is a small, but full of attraction and very nice place for holidays and recreation. The beach entertainments are fishing, boating, scuba diving, surfing, water slides, water jets, excursions. Regular town buses run every ten minutes to surrounding resorts and Varna as well.

The name of the resort comes from the nearby situates monastery “St Constantine and Elena”, which was built at the beginning of the18th century. One of the main attractions in the resort is the chapel which used to belong to the monastery. It was built half-way into the ground. According to legend, under the stone plate at the alter blessed water is coming out of the ground. The monastery is open to visitors and worshipers alike. Every Sunday there is a liturgy and a mass service.

The resort “St. Konstantin i Elena” is situated in the far northern part of the Mediterranean sub-tropic climatic belt and the climate is characterized as continental and Mediterranean comparatively mild and pleasant. The average temperature in July is +22,8C. For the same period the temperature of the water ranges from +18C to +26C. The period May to October is quite and the only wind registered is the typical sea breeze. The climate has been described as a huge natural inhalator and has been assessed as extremely suited for balneoclimatic treatment. Characteristic for the resort are enhanced humidity of the air, iodine vapours and decrease in convection cloud-formation. The sea has a very positive impact on the climate of the resort altogether. Autumn comes late in the resort due to the preserved higher temperature of the sea water. Restored and modernized hotels, holiday houses, villas, restaurants and snack bars, balneological and sports centers, swimming pools, yacht ports are located along the seaside and in the forest.

That remarkable country is situated in the south – east part of Europe. Older than most of the countries in Europe, Bulgaria represents culture and traditions in own style.You can miss visiting Bulgaria, but you can’t miss this interesting documentary video.

more interesting place in Bulgaria

Veliko Tarnovo – the capital of the second Bulgarian Kingdom, is situated along the historical hills of Sveta Gora, Tsarevets and Trapezitsa, on the two banks of the Yantra River.It’s the town with the most glorious historical past in Bulgaria – symbol of Bulgarian statehood and a source of national pride for all Bulgarians.Veliko Tarnovo is known for its distinct and picturesque architecture, which creates a feeling of warmth and cosiness.The houses are perched high above Yantra River banks,paved lanes with tiny shops and craftmen workshops winding between them.The Old Gurko Street and the Samovedene Market,a merchant and crafts center,are fine examples of local building traditions.The remains of the past are an integral part of the present day townscape.

After you explore a guided city tour with visit to the most interesting parts of Sofia you will enjoy a magnificent lunch at the unique “Pancharevo” Lake, located in the suburbs of the capitol. The “Swan” restaurant, situated on the bridge of the lake, offers cozy atmosphere and plenty of delicious food – grilled meat, fresh salads and fish.Beautiful nature, elegant atmosphere, excellent cuisine and a high standart service are an ideal combination for each customer to enjoy and feel the pleasure of.The incomparable view to the lake makes the garden a preferable place for relaxation in the summer season.Visit to this beautiful place – away from the noise of the big city will bring you back to nature.

An exciting trip to the most charming small Bulgarian town huddled in the mountain folds 111 km east of Sofia followed by a great visit at traditional local restaurant. The town is a unique combination of a legendary history and fascinating present. A Bulgarian Town-Museum boasting the largest number of houses and monuments – 3888 in all, most of which have been restored to their original appearance. A unique collection of ethnographic treasure, old weapons, national costumes and typical Bulgarian jewellery has also been preserved. Although centuries old, the villages hasn’t lost any of it’s vitality. Everywhere you go, you’re encountered by the diversities of rural life.