8 reasons why Bulgaria needs to be your next travel destination!

When I planned my latest trip to Bulgaria, I did it in a whim. There were a bunch of options to choose from out of which, Bulgaria was the only one I didn’t hear a lot about before. I didn’t see the insta travel world writing much about it and hence my curiosity grew a little more. The desire to explore the unexplored and the hope to encounter surprises along the way, was enough for me to book my tickets for this not-so-popular country. 

I spent 10 days road-tripping in this gem of a place, diving deep into it’s incredible landscape, culture and history. And while I am back to my usual life planning my next adventure, the magical experience of this country, hasn’t left my memories yet. So here I am sharing with you the top reasons why you should make Bulgaria as your next travel destination. 

Enjoy all the non-touristy feels! 

The first reason is the main reason why I chose this city. Bulgaria is not a country that you see travellers or tourists generally talking about when they think about Europe. This place is still not on the traveller’s radar and hence is one of the perfect places to visit if you are the kind of person who hates bumping into a crowd every now and then while on a holiday.

Ancient roman ruins

Walking in Bulgaria is like walking in an open museum with incredible history. Sofia and Plovdiv are two of the biggest cities in Bulgaria and the most fascinating fact about these two cities are the remains of the ancient roman civilisation that co-exists with the current modern spaces. Imagine walking into your office or boarding a subway while strolling through the gates of the ancient roman empire! If you are a history nerd, this is just the best kind of place for you to geek out.

Visit the oldest continuously inhabited European city

Plovdiv is Bulgaria’s second largest and also the oldest continuously inhabited city in the whole of Europe. This city has such an incredible history associated with it, that it has been declared as the culture capital of Europe this year! The old part of the city just too pretty with authentic and beautiful Bulgarian houses converted into museums, handicrafts shops, a wall with 5 kind of foundations dating back to 6th century BC and some ancient remains of the Thracian, Roman and Ottoman empires. Nestled in between 7 different hills, Plovdiv city is an amazing sight to look at during the sunset time from one of these hills. And then if this wasn’t enough, this city has got the longest pedestrian street in Europe with the oldest H&M! (The H&M share it’s walls with the ancient roman stadium, which was another reason for me to check it out!)

Incredible historic influences

Bulgaria had 3 wars for their independence in the past, so the locals like to say that their country is born thrice. Freedom from the roman empire, from the ottomans and finally from communist dictators. All these phases in the life of Bulgarians has made this place so rich and varied in terms of its history and the influence all of that has on the modern times. If you are someone who loves listening to stories and immersing into the past, then you will feel right at home while exploring this country. 

Delicious Bulgarian food and wine

Bulgaria is not so much known for its cuisine and wine, but we had one of the best time eating and wine tasting in this country. We tried everything local possible here and loved all the authentic Bulgarian dishes we tried. If you someone who loves butter, cheese, bread, humus, and meat in general, then you my friend… have stepped into the right place.

Pretty European villages

A day trip from Sofia can take you to the old beautiful European village called ‘Koprivshtitsa’. It’s a small village situated amidst the rolling mountains of the country. You will bump into some nice cozy cafes serving authentic Bulgarian food and wine here, so don’t miss a chance to have a meal!

A trip here, can take you down the history lanes of Bulgaria back in the 19th century, when the people residing here were starting their revolt against the Ottoman empire for the country’s freedom. Some of the greatest Bulgarian freedom fighters and intellectuals belonged to this village and their houses are now converted into open museums for travellers to see and experience. These houses gives a sneak-peek into their lives and authentic Bulgarian architecture prevalent in those times. 

A geographical paradise: A beautiful mix of incredible beaches, mountains, lakes, monuments, history and culture!

When I told people about my plans to visit Bulgaria, the most common question I got from everyone was - ‘What’s there in Bulgaria?’. Well… I can safely say now that ‘Almost everything is there in Bulgaria’. You might be a beach person, a mountain person, someone who loves to explore the history and culture of a city, a food traveller or someone who loves to chill, party and relax. Bulgaria has anything and everything you could wish for. 

Perfect for budget travellers

Flight costs from India are slightly expensive than many other European countries since there aren’t as many frequent travellers from India to Bulgaria. We paid 50K for a roundtrip flight, while we booked 2-3 months in advance. But then, the flight costs can be very well compensated with the stay and meal costs. 

You can get the perfect Airbnb options within 1.5 - 3K for the entire apartment! If you are travelling solo and would like to stay with other solo travellers then there are some great hostel options too. 

Food is also reasonably priced in Bulgaria and I personally found food cheaper than similar options in India. A meal for 2 can cost from Rs 400 - Rs 1200 depending on the fanciness of the restaurant. And you can order one of the best wine bottles in one of the best restaurants in Rs 800-1200. 

Note: It’s hard to get Indian food in Bulgaria, so be prepared in case you can’t live without the curries. I would recommend packing something along to ensure you have a backup :)

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The list of cities we visited during our 10 day trip to Bulgaria

1. Sofia - A fun, lively city with an incredible history hidden inside it. 

2. Koprivshtitsa - A quaint little village which represents the authentic Bulgarian architecture from the past and marks the starting of the country’s independence movement against Ottomans.

3. Veliko Tarnovo - A small city stationed on the rolling hills of the country, known for being the seat of Bulgaria’s monarch, a picturesque castle and some great mountain views. 

4. Nessbar, Sozopol - Small old beach towns known for the archaeological findings and monuments from the ancient times. And well… it doesn’t stop there! Nessbar is the tourist and party hub and more known for one the longest beached known as the ‘Sunny beach’. This is a resort town and the only place in Bulgaria where you would have the touristy feels. For a quieter experience, I would recommend Sozopol. Drive around these cities is where you would be able to experience the real beauty of the Black sea as well!

5. Plovdiv - Oldest city in Europe! Known for it’s ancient ruins and city remains, traditional arts and crafts, street art and the longest pedestrian streets in Europe!

Hope this article is enough to get you guys excited about this rather unknown country and it would make it to your travel checklist. I can only end by saying that I had one of the best time travelling the length and breath of this beautiful country and strolling through the old cities frozen in time. It has surpassed all my expectations that I had before stepping onto this Balkan land and I can confidently say that this hidden gem of Europe might not stay hidden for too long!

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