The language is Slavic, the alphabet Cyrillic, Bulgaria, in the heart of Eastern Europe, is a country that’s stayed true to its roots. That said, the Greeks, Scythians, Romans, Byzantines and Turks, who, throughout the country’s long history, invaded, conquered and settled, have all left their mark. Having emerged from four decades behind the iron curtain, Bulgaria with its golden sand beaches and mountain resorts has become a holiday hotspot.
Delve deeper and you’ll discover historic towns and picturesque, timber-framed villages where locals still practice traditional trades. Roman ruins, Ottoman mosques, Eastern Orthodox monasteries and churches pepper the landscape of the country that is also home to one of Europe’s oldest wine industries.
In the north of Bulgaria,
the Danube River forms a large part of the border with
Romania. Known as the Danube region it is very much off-Bulgaria’s-beaten-track and a river cruise brings a few surprises. Vidin is home to the majestic Baba Vida Fortress, the best-preserved medieval castle in the country, whilst Svishtov reveals traces of the Roman Empire. The river is dotted with uninhabited islands with pristine forest and beautiful yet wild beaches. Belene - or Persina, Island is home to a diverse bird life and wild animals, though from the 1940’s to the 1960’s, the island was a concentration camp notorious to political prisoners.