When the summer has almost come to an end and it’s starting to become a bit chilly in the north then get yourself on a plane and head to South Eastern Europe and one of its jewels – Bulgaria.

A trip here will be filled with beautiful churches and monasteries, spectacular landscapes, cobble-stoned alleys, colourful frescoes (both old and new) and wonderfully tasty food and wine.

Sofia

Start your trip in the capital city – Sofia. More than 2000 years old, this city has had almost every group of peoples, armies and travelers passing through it at one time or another.

This means that you’ll often find bits of history at every corner of the city – our hotel (The Serdica Arena) for example was modern and spacious, but going down to the basement and you’ll find yourself in an original Roman amphi-theatre.

The rest of the city is full of similar surprises and the best way to track them down are through one of the free tours that starts at 10am (and 11 and 2pm) at the Palace of Justice. You’ll get two hours filled with interesting sights and stories, such as: the namesake of the city is not actually Saint Sofia

but rather the Church of Saint Sofia…but don’t get this church confused with with its start tourist attraction St. Alexander Nevski Temple Church.

You’ll pass through communist zones, marching guards and local water springs where all the locals go to stock up on this purest of waters.

If you arrive on Unification Day (6th September) then you will also get to see the local changing of the guard for some pomp and circumstance.

As you wander around the city, keep an eye out for the intriguing shops that operate at knee height – created after the fall of communism where locals started setting up their own shops in the basements of their buildings.

What to eat

A great introduction to the wonderfully tasty food of Bulgaria can be had in plenty of Sofia’s restaurants. One of Bulgaria’s best dishes – Shopska Salad – very fresh cucumber and tomatoes, topped with mounds of sheep’s cheese…so good that we ate it almost everywhere and we still make it at home today.

For lunch, try Lubimoto, where you’ll discover how Bulgarians are masters of bbq, so ensure you make time for this wherever you go;

if you are adventurous then try the ‘Dragon’s Breath‘ – shkembe chorba, which is tripe soup…not really Matt’s cup of soup, but Lyssa loves it. Enjoy all this great food with excellent Bulgarian wine – super cheap but still very good nonetheless.

Veliko Tarnovo

Head east from Sofia for just under 3 hours and you will find yourself in the City of the Tsars. Spread across valleys and hills it is a beautiful place for a couple of nights stay.

Checking into the Meridian Hotel Bolyarski you will be up on the hill, overlooking the valley below and with great views of the prominent Asen Dynasty Monument (the emperors of ancient Bulgaria).

With all its ups and downs and twists and turns the best way to see the city is with one of the Free Walking Tours . We opted for the early evening tour, billed as alternative, where it followed the usual route, but rather took in all the street art that brings colour to VT along with some interesting stories.

Such as the fact that Bulgaria has over 60,000 policemen (in a population of 7 million)…

A particular favourite of the street artists are electricity boxes…

And you’ll get some great views of the city (and creatures) from the viewpoint up top…

Most of the best restaurants in the area are also close to the hotel, try Shtasliveca for the Shopska and mixed grills. The Hadji Nikoli Inn is a particularly nice spot for a romantic dinner in their courtyard,complete with pianist and the full moon shining down.

Monastic Expeditions

Bulgaria is replete with churches and monasteries, with domes of gold and colours everywhere, they are fascinating to visit and come in all shapes and sizes.

On the road from Sofia to Veliko Tarnovo you’ll come across Bulgaria’s third largest monastery – Troyan.

Set in brooding mountains and home of the icon of the Three Handed Virgin, it makes for a peaceful stop off where you’ll get almost full access to the whole place to wander and take in the atmosphere and colourful frescoes.

Moving on from Veliko Turnovo and further north into the mountains you will come to the intriguing Rock Monastery of Barsabovo.

Rock cavities that slowly became the refuge of monks from the 12th Century and has grown into a warren of ecclesiastical caves connected by stairs and balconies cut into the rocks.

If you want more caves and monasteries then continue on to the UNESCO site of the Ivanovo Rock Churches where, as the name suggests you’ll find churches and monasteries carved into the rocks at dizzying heights along the cliffs and with the Bulgarian penchant for beautifully-coloured frescoes.

Heading South

After a nice few days in the mountains it will be time to head south. A last hike perhaps in Emen Gorge where you can follow on top of the high cliffs of the canyon and if you are particularly daring then try your luck on the rickety walkways and bridges (we passed!).

Travelling through the Shipka Pass, you’ll be treated to some stunning views, a bit of history (as it was the site of a historic battle between Bulgarians and the Ottomans) and best of all a fantastic roadside restaurant whose balconies perch over the valley bellow and you can try the very tasty Kavyrma – a very filling hotpot.

Coming down from the mountain and into the village of Shipka itself where you’ll find its stunning church, that warrants a long stop for pictures of it’s onion domed tops.

Plovdiv

The southern city of Plovdiv has traded many names and many rulers over the centuries and they have all left their marks on this pretty little place. As with most cities in Europe, you’ll first be met by the modern outskirts but soon you’ll be in the historic centre.

Make sure you bring good footwear to Plovdiv as the city is loves its cobblestones and climbing up and down the streets needs some strong ankles! If its sunny, then take a trip to the Roman Amphitheatre and once you’ve performed on stage, then have a drink at the outdoor disco bar that is just above the theatre.

Take your time to wander the pretty streets, the Bulgarian renaissance buildings and maybe even have a go at wearing the local costume.

Plovdiv also has the Bulgarian penchant for great street art that you will see all over…

For sunset, head up the hill from where you can have a beautiful view of the city from the ruined fort.

Melnik

If you are thinking about heading to Macedonia (FYROM) or into Greece then aim for the south western corner of the country and stop off at the little piece of Bulgarian paradise, Melnik.

To get here from Plovdiv is a long 4 hr drive, but you can break things up with a bit more religious tourism and a visit to the Bulgaria’s no. 1 monastery – Rila.

At the top of a winding mountainous road you’ll find a blaze of colour with the frescoes of the Church of the Nativity.

Rolling into Melnik by late afternoon in September and you’ll be greeted with the golden colours of summer and the locals relaxing in the outdoor bars enjoying the excellent local wine.

The village itself is set amongst sandstone cliffs and has the feel of a Greek / Alpine village (if such a thing is possible)…a really nice, sleepy village.

Make sure you spend at least a day here to wander around the village and to head into the sandstone canyons for a visit to Kordopulov House

built for wine production but now resembling an Ottoman palace with secret rooms and winding cellars beneath the house where you can do some wine tasting and barrel clambering.

Also try to make a stop at the Mitko Manolev winery that has been carved into the rocks and overlooks the valley below. The wine may not be the best, but the location is just perfect.

So with this perfect finish to a wonderful Bulgarian holiday we shall leave you for our crossing into FYROM; Enjoy!