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Bulgaria - Places to see and things to do.

Being part of the Balkan Peninsula, Bulgaria is a beautiful country situated in Eastern Europe on the Black Sea's western coast. The country borders Romania, Serbia and Macedonia, as well as Greece and Turkey. The official language in the country is Bulgarian, which is a Slavic language close to Russian, Serbo-Croatian and Polish. Most young people in Bulgaria do speak English. A good tip for travellers to remember would be that Bulgarians shake their head for Yes, and nod for No. This is contrary to almost all other nations and should be remembered to avoid misunderstandings. The currency used in the country is the Lev, which is connected to the Euro at 1.95583 Lev to one Euro. Credit cards are now accepted at most of the hotels, and some restaurants and shops. Checks are usually not accepted. There are many places to exchange money, but the safest way is at the bank offices. Bankomats or ATMs are also widely available.

The main cities in Bulgaria are the capital, Sofia, the second largest city, Plovdiv, the seaside capital of Varna, the picturesque port city of Bourgas, the city of Rousse which has the reputation of being the Small Vienna, the old capital Veliko Tarnovo with the Tsarevets Fortress, the small tourist sites Melnik, Sozopol and Nessebar, the ski resorts of Bansko, Pamporovo and Borovets, and many more. Bulgaria is easily reachable by plane, and has four international airports situated in Sofia, Varna, Borgas and Plovdiv, which accept many regular, low-cost and charter flights.

The train system in Bulgaria can lead travellers to all parts of the country; however, most of the trains are old and slow, even if inexpensive. The most pleasant way to travel is by car, though drivers should know that most of the signs are still only in Cyrillic. In Bulgaria, there's a road tax which is paid at the border, but there are no tolls on the roads except a card which has to be purchased. The bus service is very well-organized, and buses leave to and from Sofia from all major towns in the country, as well as all of the major cities in Europe.

There are also many shuttle buses that run along the coastline, between Varna and Bourgas, passing through all resorts. Travelling by taxi is pleasant and easy, and it's also inexpensive. However, most of the drivers don't speak English, which can be a problem. The country can be explored on bicycle as well. Bulgaria is often called the Switzerland of the Balkans, and is characterized by a lot of greenery and beautiful nature. It has a beautiful capital with many places of interest, lovely summer resorts with fine sands and glorious winter resorts with excellent skiing conditions. There are many spa destinations, trekking and hiking zones, as well.

The capital of Bulgaria, Sofia, is the biggest city in the country. Dynamic, cosmopolitan and lively, Sofia is close to a ski resort in the Vitosha Mountains. Sofia is also one of the oldest cities in Europe, the ruins of which can be found in the city centre. Sofia has seven independent mineral water springs, as well. The city is also famous for its Catholic Church, a mosque and an Orthodox Church in the centre of the city. Other places of interest in Sofia include the beautiful St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral, the marvellous Russian Church, some national museums such as the Archaeological Museum, the Museum of History, the Earth and Man National Museum, and more. The capital also has many theatres, the most famous of them being the National Theatre Ivan Vazov. A place that arouses much tourist interest is the 14th Century Boyana Church, which is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The second city when it comes to size and population in Bulgaria is Plovdiv, which is among the oldest cities in Europe.

Plovdiv is set on a large plain close to the Rhodope Mountains and is cut through by the Maritsa River. An ancient city, Plovdiv has been controlled by the Romans and Philip of Macedonia in the past, and was a stop on the path of the Crusades. Today, Plovdiv is famous for the world fairs that are organized annually and thus it has many hotels and large halls for presentations. The Roman Amphitheatre and the Old Town, which is characterized with cobbled stone streets and well-preserved buildings, date back to the Bulgarian Revival Period. South of Plovdiv, on the way to the Pamporovo ski resort, is the Bachkovo Monastery, which is also visiting. The other city we will present here is the seaside capital of Bulgaria,

Varna is another very beautiful city with a lovely garden and plenty of places to be seen. Varna's architecture is from the Neo-Renaissance, Neo-Baroque, Art Nouveau and Art Deco eras. These include the Varna Archaeological Museum, which exhibits the oldest treasure in the world named the Gold of Varna, the well-preserved Roman Baths and the Naval Museum. Among the most pleasant places in Varna, the Sea Garden is the biggest and loveliest park in the city, and it's there that the Varna Aquarium and Dolphinarium is located. In the evening, the most pleasant place for walks is the seafront promenade, where many restaurants, nightclubs and cafes are set. Bourgas is another large city on the Black Sea coast that appeals with a huge park along the sea and lovely promenade with many cafes, busy pubs and trendy restaurants, as well as a synagogue. Bourgas Bay is suitable for surfing in the summer. Diving is also among the available activities.

The old capital of Bulgaria, Veliko Tarnovo, is included in all tourist guidebooks. It has a a marvellous Old Town with many small souvenir shops and a plethora of traditional restaurants, cosy cafes and trendy nightclubs full of young people. Veliko Tarnovo is an old town with a university, many places of interest, the well-preserved Tsarevets Fortress which is sometimes lit up for a special sound-and-light program. In the region of Velko Tarnovo, the village of Arbanassi and the Preobrajenski Monastery should also be seen.