Since the early 1990's, Bulgaria has transformed into one of Europe's most up and coming holiday destinations not only for the beach resorts along its beautiful Black Sea coast but also the skiing that can be found further inland. Bulgaria is renowned for having some of the cheapest food and drink in Europe with a large beer costing as little as 50p and meals costing around £5 each and although prices have increased in recent years, Bulgaria holidays are still among the cheapest avaliable in Europe.
| One of Europe's most up and coming holiday destinations... |
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The stunning beaches that line 200 miles of Black Sea Coast are just one of the things that are attracting an ever increasing amount of visitors to book holidays in Bulgaria. The country's heritage includes fascinating Roman remains that can be found in towns across the country as well as Byzantine churches, beautiful monasteries, ancient castles and vineyards. Bulgaria is not only becoming a hotspot for beach holidays but also for those looking for a culture packed break. Temperatures hit the high 20°s on the Black Sea Coast in the summer months which contrast with the heavy snow and fantastic skiing conditions found further inland at Bulgaria's ski resorts during the winter. Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo make up the three main resorts found in the mountainous regions inland.
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Most visitors come to Bulgaria for its glorious beaches and costal resorts which are mostly situated in the southern half of the Black Sea coast and attract visitors of all ages. The resort of Sunny Beach, one of those furthest north has over 5km of beach and as a result is one of the country's biggest and most well developed resorts. Smaller but equally beautiful resorts sit further south along the coast and include Nessebar with its famous sand dunes. The dunes are situated along the resort's 1km of beach and are perfect for protecting visitors from the strong winds that can hit the area during the spring and autumn months. Visitor's looking for more secluded beaches are best visiting Ravda or Aheloy which can be found just south of Nesebar. Largely void of big hotels and construction, small resorts such as Ravda are perfect for absorbing yourself into the Bulgarian culture and way of life. Other resorts and white sandy beaches stretch south towards the Turkish border and range from the dark sands of Bourgas beach to the 10km of white sand found on Primorsko beach - the longest on the Black Sea coast.
Bulgarian ski resorts don't have the mile after mile of pistes that can be found at Alpine resorts but they more than make up for it with the great value skiing on offer. You can snap up a half-board Bulgaria ski holiday for under £300 if you look carefully enough. The three main resorts are Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo which all have English speaking instructors and are best suited to first time skiers. Bansko has undergone a huge amount of development in recent years with holiday homes and apartments scattered all over the resort. This means that although the resort has become well known amongst skiers, the pistes are still relatively small and become overcrowded during the peak season. Borovets and Pamporovo are similar in that they offer relatively small pistes but have become much more catered towards beginners in recent years and more specifically towards the Brits. In Pamporovo visitors can even stay at the new 5* hotel that has recently opened there allowing you to have a luxury holiday for a bargain price.
Away from the beaches and pistes, Bulgaria has some beautiful scenery and countryside including Pirin National Park, Central Balkan National Park and the Bulgaria's largest - Rila National Park. All of these national parks have stunning mountains, lakes, plants and wildlife which make perfect hiking country with over 35,000km of marked paths available.
Visitors with enough time should also visit the country's capital, Sofia. Here you can find a mixture of Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Turkish sights which include churches and monasteries such as the Nevski Memorial Church which forms one of Sofia's most famous sites. Decorated with a gold domed roof, the church makes for a fascinating visit.
