The Beauty of Bulgaria

Making Bulgarian "pancakes"/crepes

Bulgaria…… a land where a nod of the head signifies “no” and a shake of the head exhibits “yes." I heard the legend that when the Ottomans invaded Bulgaria, the citizens reversed the actions to confuse them. Ever since then, they continued to use the opposite gestures. This was something I learned a long time ago, but I had since forgotten about it. It wasn’t until I tried to verify that I was on the correct bus and was momentarily confused as to why the woman was shaking her head but saying “da” [yes] that I remembered this fact.

Gorgeous views.... check!

It was never my intention to stay in this country for seven weeks, but it was certainly time well spent. Bulgaria may be one of the most economically depressed countries in the European Union, but in terms of the landscape, it's also one of the most majestic. Much of the terrain was mountainous, which meant I was rarely short of magnificent views. It also meant that even if two cities looked deceivingly close to each other on a map, I was often told that the journey would be long and arduous because “you’ll need to find a way around the mountain” or “there are only country roads there that aren’t very well kept.” Unfortunately, these warnings were always accurate and well placed. Actually, although there were several major roads that connected the larger cities, Bulgaria officially only has one highway that runs from Sofia to Burgas. Most of the others were single lane and required me to pass through the tiniest villages before I could reach my destination.

Relaxed day at the Rila Monastery

As had been predicted, I enjoyed other cities more than I did Sofia, which, with the exception of Vitosha Mountain, seemed to only offer block buildings left over from the Communist period. I preferred places that I felt possessed more character and charm. Immediately after leaving the capital, I travelled south to Rila to see the most impressive monastery in Bulgaria. It was in a lovely wooded area in the mountains, which was a welcomed change from the grayness of Sofia.

Views of Melnik

Another place that left a positive impression on me was Melnik. It may have been one of the smallest cities in the country, but with its sand dunes and old-style houses, I also thought it was among the most picturesque, too. I almost didn’t have time to do it because of the infrequent buses between Blagoevgrad and Melnik, but the climb up to the old churches and fortress afforded me my favorite views of the city. If it would have been possible, I would have stayed there for hours on end.

National Revival homes

In the cities of Plovdiv and Koprivshtitsa, many of the old homes from the National Revival period were well preserved. I loved walking around both cities and taking pictures of all the colorful buildings. Again, I was lucky with my timing as there was an international folk dancing festival in Koprivshtitsa. I was nothing short of amazed by the skills of some of the performers.

Making pottery in Etar

I also appreciated some of the smaller cities and villages around the country. Near Gabrovo, there was a small traditional village called Etar, which featured how Bulgarians in this region lived in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. When I was there, a woman showed my host and me how she went about making yarn out of goat hair, which was interesting to see. Kotel was a quaint city in the mountains that just so happened to be celebrating their Orange Day when I was there. I believe it’s a festival in the Netherlands that a Dutch man brought to Kotel several years ago, but it’s a day that’s filled with music, dancing….. and of course, people dressed in the color orange.

Scenic Veliko Tarnovo

The old capital, Veliko Tarnovo, was one of the most enchanting cities to visit in Bulgaria. The main attraction of the city was the fortress, which was set on a hill near the downtown area. I celebrated my first Orthodox Easter, which included a midnight candlelit procession from the church near the fortress down to a different church in the city. Unfortunately, I didn’t understand a word of the service, but it was a truly breathtaking view to see.

The road to Nesebar's Old Town

The Black Sea coast was nice to visit, but I was a bit too early to enjoy all that it had to offer. I liked walking around the sea garden in Varna, but the weather wasn’t all that favorable when I was in Burgas so I didn’t see too much of the city itself. However, I did take day trips to Nesebar and Sozopol, both of which were beautiful places.

Similar to much of the Balkans, Bulgaria is an underrated country in terms of tourism. With its exquisite landscape, it truly is a stunning place to visit.