If you feel Bulgaria could be your holiday destination, read on. Winters are long and cold, but because of the mountains, there are excellent skiing opportunities on offer. Summers in Bulgaria are long and hot while autumn is usually pleasantly warm and is a popular time for people who want to tour historic sites and visit museums. Their famous salad, Shopska Salata, is like Greek Salad but grated sirene cheese is used instead of cubes of feta cheese. Their version of Greek moussaka is made with potatoes and pork mince rather than eggplant and lamb mince. Influences have also been taken from Greece which is to the south of the country but the Bulgarians have put their twist on them. Being next to Turkey, a lot of their food is made with herbs and spices and has a distinct Middle Eastern taste. The variety of food found in Bulgaria stands out. The national drink is Rakia, a clear spirit but be careful as the ABV can be anything between 40 and 95%! The country is one of the world’s largest winemakers, producing about 145 million litres a year. There are museums galore, over 100 monasteries, thousands of churches, historic castles and ancient ruins.

History buffs will be in their element in Bulgaria. You can still find quiet beaches but some have become more popular, not only for swimming and sunbathing but also for watersports.

The Bulgarian Black Sea coastline is 378 km (235 miles) long, and beaches cover around a third of this, 11 of them having a Blue Flag. Another advantage of visiting this country is that it is reasonably priced, much more so than the resorts along the Mediterranean. With golden beaches next to the Black Sea, a mountainous landscape and many historic sites, it’s not difficult to see why people are travelling to Bulgaria. Bulgaria has been a hidden gem but is now becoming a popular holiday destination.

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