In recent years, Bulgaria is becoming more and more of a popular holiday destination - which is no wonder, because the relatively small country has it all (writes Inka Piegsa-Quischotte). Snow-covered mountains which invite skiing in winter and hiking in summer are amongst its attractions, as well as wide, sandy beaches on the Black Sea coast, green meadows, wineries, miles of fields where roses grow (Bulgaria is one of the world’s most important exporters of the sweet smelling flowers), and fascinating historical sites.

The best way to see the country is by hiring a car. Buses and long distance coaches run and there is also train service, but many particularly beautiful sights are tucked away and hence best explored by meandering around in your own car. Be aware, the roads aren’t that good and the street lighting at night leaves a lot to be desired.  Bulgarian drivers tend to be somewhat creative as far as traffic laws are concerned, so just be alert and careful. Road signs are written in Bulgarian which means Cyrillic letters and there isn’t always a translation to the Latin alphabet. If your car doesn’t have GPS have a road map handy so you know where you are going.



Nesebar

Nesebar on the coast is often referred to as the Pearl of the Bulgarian Black Sea  and rightly deserves that name. Located in Burgas province with Burgas the nearest major city, Nesebar is a city museum which bears witness to 3,000 years of history and civilisation. An abundance of temples, churches and other remains have been unearthed within the confines of the old town, which perches on a peninsula jutting out into  the Black  Sea. The peninsula was originally an island, and is now connected to the mainland by a small man-made causeway over which you make your way into Old Nesebar, coming from the modern part of town which is also an important seaport.

Park the car right beyond the causeway and proceed to explore Nesebar on foot. The first impression is one of romantic tranquility. Cobble stoned streets and alleys spread out in several directions. Lined with the typical Bulgarian white and black houses, made of stone and timber, many  of them leaning into the street at precarious angles.  Shops selling anything from antiques to souvenirs to clothing occupy the ground floors, as do inviting restaurants which offer a variety of the freshest fish and sea food, as well as Bulgarian specialties. Bulgarians drink coffee so you can expect filter coffee, Turkish coffee, latte, cappuccino and anything in between. If you must, you can have tea too, but don’t expect anything not made from tea bags.

Originally a Thracian settlement, Nesebar became a Greek colony in the 6th century BC. Remains of the Hellenistic period which can be admired today include an acropolis, a temple of Apollo and the agora (a public open space used for assemblies and markets). After a brief period of Roman rule, Nesebar became one of the most important strongholds of the Byzantine period in the 5th century AD ,followed by the conquest by the crusaders in 1366 and the Ottomans in 1453.  Nesebar was subsequently a Greek fishing town. Each and every one of the occupiers left their monuments behind, prominently the churches which have been built from the Byzantines onward and the wooden houses which date back to the Ottomans.

Whilst walking the streets of Nesebar, you find church after church, with St. Sophia and the Church of the Virgin being just two examples of the close to 100 which have been discovered on the small island. Given the abundance of historical monuments, it doesn’t come as a surprise that Nesebar has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983.

Sunny Beach

After all that history, you might want to enjoy a bit of R&R in Sunny Beach, which is located just north of Nesebar. It is a major Bulgarian sea side resort and has been so even in communist times. The resort boasts a white beach which is several miles long and over 800 hotels in all categories, so there will be no shortage of accommodation. Nightclubs, casinos, restaurants and two aqua parks complete the picture of a resort which attracts thousands of visitors in the summer because of the Mediterranean climate at affordable prices, and turns into a somewhat sleepy little town in winter.

On the way back to Burgas you will see and might want to stop at one of several wineries for a tasting of the famous (and rather strong) Bulgarian red wine. English is widely spoken in Bulgaria, so communication is not a problem.

Inka Piegsa-Quischotte was born in Germany and has lived and worked in the UK, Spain, Swizterland, the USA and Southafrica. After a lifetime as an international attorney, she switched careers at the drop of a hat some three years ago and has been a freelance travel writer, photographer and novelist ever since.

www.glamourgrannytravels.com