VAGABOND
Bulgaria’s English Magazine

DR. STOYANA NATSEVA: AWAKEN YOUR TRUE HAPPINESS

TOP 12 SITES NOT TO MISS IN 2026

SMALL PICTURES GIVE AWAY BIG PICTURE

DR. STOYANA NATSEVA: AWAKEN YOUR TRUE HAPPINESS

TOP 12 SITES NOT TO MISS IN 2026

SMALL PICTURES GIVE AWAY BIG PICTURE

DR. STOYANA NATSEVA: AWAKEN YOUR TRUE HAPPINESS

Dr. Stoyana Natseva is a university lecturer, PhD in psychology, DBA, founder of Happy Life Academy®, author of 15 bestselling books, holder of three official world records

TOP 12 SITES NOT TO MISS IN 2026

Nature, history, roses and dancing men: ideas for each month of the year

SMALL PICTURES GIVE AWAY BIG PICTURE

Exhibition showcases history of Bulgarian photography in 20th century

THE MAGIC OF GLASS

Beloslav museum offers immersive experience into history, artistry of glass

WENT THE HORSE INTO THE RIVER

Your guide to Bulgarian idioms

BULGARIAN EPIPHANY

Men swimming and dancing in icy waters in East Orthodox rites make news every January

WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?

A huge map of Europe entirely made of small pebbles...

CHASING SUNSETS AT TUTRAKAN

In history, small town punched far above its weight

FOR TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE AND A MEDIEVAL FORTRESS, YOU GO TO...

Think you know Bulgaria and the Bulgarians? Take our test to doublecheck

TALK OF THE TOWN

ANTONIUM: WHEN A RESTAURANT BECOMES AN EXPERIENCE

Engineer Anton Kuzkin on the principles of good public interior design and how the EDEN project transforms them into a memorable environment
MAISON MAGNIFIQUE: BOUTIQUE FOR FRAGRANT EXPERIENCES

Elena Manolova has created an intimate space of exclusive scents for our home and body
SYNERGY DESIGN: THE ART OF INTERIOR DESIGN

An interior is not merely a collection of furniture arranged according to a certain logic within a space of a particular colour palette
HOLOGRAM ZOO SOFIA: YOUR ULTIMATE IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE

From dinosaurs to lions: three-dimensional adventures in fantastic and real worlds for the whole family
INTERPARTNERS GROUP: 33 AMAZING… YEARS

Katya Dimitrova, managing partner: "Let the ones who know us finish the line"
HOME AS PHILOSOPHY

FOHAR and the new formula for living at the foot of Vitosha
MFG: FINTEX EXPANSION OUTSIDE EUROPE

After successfully stepping in Mexico and the US, the group is ready for new challenges. What comes next?
GREORTHO: CLINIC FOR SPECIALISED ORTHODONTIC SOLUTIONS

Professor Greta Yordanova on the philosophy of modern orthodontics
INNOVATION MANAGEMENT: MASTERING IDEATION

Tasia Tassova is versed in ISO 56002 Innovation Management Systems and is a seasoned manager and an entrepreneur
EMILIA DRENKOVA: SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR SMART COMPANIES

Lindström's rental model for workwear is an example of a responsible business
FIVE ELEMENTS HOTEL: EXPERIENCE BEYOND THE LUXURY

Vesela Bogdanova, general manager, on the hotel's mission to help us find inner harmony and the pleasure of life, while helping the environment
CRISES DO NOT DESTROY US - THEY REVEAL US

Property advisor Dilyana Ivanova helps women overcome difficulties stronger and better informed
ARTELIETO: VISION, COURAGE, REALISATION

Rene Emil – the visionary raising the standard in investment and interior design in Bulgaria
THE FUTURE OF FINANCE IS PEER TO PEER

Venelin Todorov, Virr and Cashlend, on the next big thing in investment
QVADRANT A: TRUSTED PARTNER IN COMPLEX PROJECTS

From airport facilities to diplomatic premises to modern offices, architect Miryana Yovcheva has built a studio with an impeccable reputation for quality and professionalism
HUB AHEAD: TANDEM FLIGHTS IN THE STORMY SKIES OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS

2 women – 10 years together in strategy + creative
CHAMKORIA CHALETS: QUIET RETREAT IN BOROVETS

Veska Peychinova on creating a complex where you can enjoy the resort all year round
DENIS TOPOV: BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS WITH CREATIVE DIGITAL TOWER

Marketing through the eyes of a modern visionary
BEAUTIFUL NEW YEAR WITH COEUR DE LION

It is always the right moment to have some iconic jewellery
MIDALIDARE NEW ZEALAND MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC

From Mogilovo to New Zealand

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

NEOCLINIC: WHERE ADVANCED DIAGNOSTICS MEET PERSONALISED CARE

NeoClinic Diagnostic and Consultation Centre has established itself as one of Sofia’s leading providers of modern outpatient medical care
MM DESIGN STUDIO: WE LISTEN. WE CREATE. YOU ENJOY

10 years shared ideas and cosy spaces
SACRED HISTORIES AND FANTASTIC LANDSCAPES

Drawings, paintings, sculpture and icons by Andrey Daniel, Atanas Atanasov and Stanimir Zhelev
LEADERSHIP FORUM AND WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR DAY 2025

The event gathered over 700 leaders, visionaries and entrepreneurs
TAKE A STEP: WHEN SOCKS ARE A GESTURE OF WARMTH AND STYLE

If you’re looking for a thoughtful Christmas gift that feels personal without being complicated, TAKE A STEP is a brand worth noticing
GALISIMA-1: FROM BENELUX WITH LOVE

The exquisite tastes of one of Europe's most distinctive places at your doorstep
LA SCALA – PRECISION IN DETAIL. HARMONY IN PROCESS

For two decades, La Scala has been creating spaces where precision and beauty exist in perfect balance
MOBILITY WITHOUT COMMITMENT: TOP RENT A CAR LAUNCHES MONTHLY CAR SUBSCRIPTIONS

While owning a car is undoubtedly convenient, it also entails a long list of responsibilities, including regular maintenance, insurance, taxes, parking fees, and unexpected repairs
THE RIGHT MARKET VALUE, WITH REVEX

Engineer Varban Marinov, Managing Partner, on the role of professional property valuers

Vibrant Communities

TOP 12 SITES NOT TO MISS IN 2026

THE MAGIC OF GLASS

BULGARIAN EPIPHANY

CHASING SUNSETS AT TUTRAKAN

THE BULGARIAN 56 PEAKS CHALLENGE

WHO WAS KRALI MARKO?

EXPLORE OUR BOOKS

Quote-unquote

I cannot spot a single mistake in any of the important things that we achieved.

Boyko Borisov on the policies of the GERB-led government

FEATURES

BLENDING TRADITIONS

A diplomat family's international Christmas in Bulgaria
IN THE ICY WATERS OF THE SUBANTARCTIC

Elka "Nunio" Vasileva becomes first Bulgarian woman to helm boat in Antarctica
BULGARIA IN ANTARCTICA?

Whereas not too many people in the world know where Bulgaria is and sometimes not even what it is, even fewer would imagine that this country has a more or less permanent presence in... Antarctica
THE VELCHOVA ZAVERA HIKE

Following the footsteps of freedom from Veliko Tarnovo to Velchevo village
LES FRANÇAIS EN BULGARIE

French travellers, diplomats and writers have visited Bulgaria for centuries
BULGARIA'S NEW 'PATRIOTISM'

Sure way to generate media coverage, make some money and win some votes
WHAT WAS THE SEPTEMBER UPRISING?

In 1923, Bulgaria experienced an undeclared, but brutal civil war. Today it is largely forgotten
WHO WAS RENÉ CHARRON?

How a French Jew helped thousands of immigrant Bulgarians in the direst years of the 20th century
REARVIEW MIRROR OF BULGARIA AND AMERICA

State Archives looks at 120 years of diplomatic relations
LAPSE OF TIME

Have Bulgarians found new meanings for their Communist-era monuments?
WHY DOES 'SORRY' SEEM TO BE THE HARDEST WORD?

Official Bulgaria continues to eschew responsibility for Holocaust
BULGARIA'S LAST MONARCH

Was King Boris III a man of the people or just a Balkan quisling?
WHO WAS ALEKO KONSTANTINOV?

Creator of 'stock' Bulgarian inspires exploration of national psyche
RUSSIA BRINGS ON... VANGA

Long-dead Bulgarian clairvoyant gets turned into weapon of Kremlin propaganda
FINDING ANTIP KOEV OBUSHTAROV

Early 20th century photographer unveils poignant picture of a lost Bulgaria
MONUMENTAL WOES

Why Sofia's Red Army monument will likely remain standing for long time to come
PREFAB SOCIETY

Will Bulgaria's Communist-era panelki buildings survive into future?
WHO WERE THE BOGOMILS?

Medieval Bulgarian heresy rebels against earthly powers, creating spiritual movement that almost won over Europe
WHO WAS HRISTO BOTEV?

While he was alive, he was considered a troublemaker. Soon after his death, he became a national hero
DAY OF ST GEORGE BULGARIAN STYLE

Bulgarians celebrate on 6 May because of... ideology

JOKE OF THE MONTH

WENT THE HORSE INTO THE RIVER
Your guide to Bulgarian idioms
BELIEVE IN IT, OR NOT
In words, Bulgarians are very proud of the Orthodox Church which they believe was a guiding light through the centuries of Ottoman (Muslim) domination
BULGARIA MAY FIND ITSELF IN EYE OF NUCLEAR STORM
In response to Former Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev online sabre-rattling against the West, American President Donald Trump ordered two US nuclear submarines to be moved to "appropriate locations."
SEARCHING FOR SHUMEN PANTHER
It all started with a couple of people taking a walk in the Shumen plateau area
WE WANT OUR TSATSA!
The residents of Kranevo have risen up in arms, metaphorically, because they felt their sprat was under threat

WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?

WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?

A huge map of Europe entirely made of small pebbles...
WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?

One of the many differences between Western Christianity and the Eastern Orthodox tradition concerns Epiphany
WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?

You are standing 2,850 meters above sea level, at what is one of the Pirin mountain range highest peaks
WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?

When the young Patrick Leigh Fermor – a man considered one of the 20th century great travel writers – visited this town in 1934, he stumbled upon an oddity
WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?

Situated deep in the Bulgarian heartland, this place feels as though it belongs to southern Germany or the Austro-Hungarian Empire
WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?

At first glance this town might disappoint...
WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?

You are in a small town in the Bulgarian northwest, for years one of the EU's poorest regions. It was not always so
WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?

Sandwiched between the Stara Planina and the Sredna Gora mountain ranges in central Bulgaria a series of interconnected valleys provide about 90 percent of one of this country's most prized exports, attar of roses
WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?

Home to probably the best preserved medieval fortress in Bulgaria this town sits on the right bank of the Danube
WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?
WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?

You are at the bottom of an extinct volcano
WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?

Bulgaria's various regions abound in local Christmas traditions, but nothing compares to this town south of the Balkan mountain range

POLITICS

TOP 10 MISTAKES

First-time visitors to Bulgaria will make – and how to avoid them
WILL 'RIGHT WING' GET IT RIGHT, FINALLY?

"Democratic community" organises "round table" to discuss rapprochement
2 € OR NOT 2 €

President exacerbates 'debate' about joining single currency
ENTER 'GRANDEUR'

Constitutional Court cancels last general election, new political party goes into parliament
US vs EU?

How Bulgarians perceive US President's first moves
CIRCUS BULGARIA

Bulgarian MPs prolong impasse ahead of likely snap election next spring
YET ANOTHER STALEMATE

Key takeaways from the Bulgarian general election
SLIDING INTO UNBRIDLED POPULISM

Bulgaria backtracks on legal reforms, human rights
NEW SNAP ELECTION LOOMS ON HORIZON

Constitutional Court decides whether recent changes to basic law were legal
KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM GENERAL ELECTION 2024.0

Voting becomes act of emotion rather than reason
BETWEEN THE FRYING PAN AND THE FIRE

Will Bulgaria become more pro-Russian after general election?
WHY DO SO MANY BULGARIANS LOVE RUSSIA?

Truth, lies, manipulated history and conspiracy theories confound citizens
UPS & DOWNS OF BULGARIAN ANTISEMITISM

Failure to face recent past, unbridled hate speech feed continued prejudice
WHAT FEEDS BULGARIAN NOSTALGIA FOR COMMUNISM?

Collapse of 'Bulgarian Dream' suits politicians left, right and centre

INTERVIEWS

DR. STOYANA NATSEVA: AWAKEN YOUR TRUE HAPPINESS

Dr. Stoyana Natseva is a university lecturer, PhD in psychology, DBA, founder of Happy Life Academy®, author of 15 bestselling books, holder of three official world records
METODI MITEV'S MISSION TO BRING POSITIVE CHANGE

The visionary entrepreneur on why Bulgaria needs a Lobbying Act and how businesses and society can truly benefit from the green transition
THE BULGARIAN 56 PEAKS CHALLENGE

Tony McMurray had an idea. Then he climbed, and climbed, and climbed until it became a reality
VERZHINIYA IVANOVA: THE BEAUTIFUL FACE OF SUCCESS

From beauty queen to effective financial manager – Verzhiniya Ivanova confidently achieves the goals she sets for herself
MARILYN MONROE'S FINAL HOUR

Dr Vivian Pramataroff-Hamburger and Prof Dr Andreas Hamburger's play searches for woman behind legend
TANYA TSVETKOVA: BRINGING CLARITY AND LIGHT TO PROPERTY DEALS

The founder of Svetlina Imot real estate agency, is focused not just on deals, but on building trust
PETAR DELEV: THE IMPORTANCE OF DREAMING BOLDLY AND ACTING SMARTLY

From sportswear to healthy food to solar energy, the story of entrepreneur Petar Delev is a tale of success and calculated risk
A NEW ERA IN NON-INVASIVE CARDIOLOGY

Assoc. Prof. Krasimira Hristova, MD, PhD, is opening a General Electric center of excellence with the latest technologies for diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease
LORETA FILIPOVA: THE ART OF LAW AND THE LAWS OF ART

A lawyer dedicated to empowering others – through her professional work and acting schools
NELLY PAEVA: HOW NEUROMARKETING CAN TRANSFORM YOUR BUSINESS

The CEO of Healthix, offers an innovative approach that can help companies and leaders thrive even in uncertain times
A MAN AND HIS BICYCLE

Frenchman Olivier Meissel has cycled across Bulgaria in tribute to father
NATALIA PETROVA: INTELLIGENT INVESTMENT SOLUTIONS

The CEO of Concord Asset Management works tirelessly to provide visionary clients with more opportunities to profit
CATHERINE BANNON

Irish ambassador on skiing, walking purposefully and raising children in Sofia
KRASSIMIRA HRISTOVA: THE PLEASURE OF SMART DRIVING

Krassimira Hristova and her company, Tsaki, help us enjoy our cars – and protect the environment
AMITABH VARDHAN AND THE MAGIC OF THE BIG SCREEN

The managing director and CEO of Cine Grand on crafting unforgettable experiences
NATHANIEL COPSEY

British ambassador on cycling, literature and Bulgarian luminosity
METAL COMES TO LIFE IN OUR HANDS!

Nedyalka and Dimitar Mitkovi, founders of MN Design, create objects of strength and beauty
ALEXANDER IGNATOV: MAKING THE MOST OF DIGITAL REVOLUTION

Alexander Ignatov created the digital agency Sky Prime to build strategies for sustainable growth, providing companies with solutions that yield long-term results in the digital space
DR BRANIMIR KIRILOV: COMMITTED TO PATIENTS' WELLBEING

Dr Branimir Kirilov has turned his dental clinic, Medical Dent, into a place you enter with pleasure and leave healthy and happy
MARTIN VASSILEV: CLEAN, CLEANER, KÄRCHER

The Managing Director of Kärcher Bulgaria, on growth and responsibility towards nature and clients

BULGARIA'S MONTHLY QUIZ

BULGARIA SOCIETY

PLAYING IN CHARLENE'S GARDEN

First ever modern playground in what is one of the EU's largest Roma neighbourhoods is chance to learn and socialise in safe environment
OPEN BUZLUDZHA 2024

Contemporary festival brings light to Communist ruin
IS RACISM IN BULGARIA ON THE RISE?

Xenophobic rhetoric intensifies ahead of general, European elections
TRAINING BULGARIA'S YOUTH HOW TO DEBATE

BEST Foundation's tournament takes place in Burgas
BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM AND ITS BULGARIAN CONNECTION

Oscar nomination for domestically unknown actress ignites culture wars
IN THE EYE OF THE STORM

I met Dimitrina on 19 October 2018. A woman with bright fuchsia sneakers the sort teenage girls wear and two blood-red scars on her nose.
ARRIVAL CITY

The neighbourhood is a perpetual building site
EUROPE DAY VS. DAY OF VICTORY

If you think that 14 February is the high point of the Bulgarians' ability to squeeze culturally different feasts into a single day, think again.
THE BIRTH OF BULGARIAN FASCISM

Ethnically motivated violence becomes daily occurrence
WELCOME TO THE NKRSDEWOOJTYDEG

Someone must have been telling lies about Georgi A. He knew he had done nothing wrong, but one morning he woke to find that everything in his world was turned back to front.
HAS BULGARIA CHANGED FOR THE BETTER SINCE 1999?

A backpacker retraces his steps and makes some surprising discoveries
THE GIPSON ARCHIVE

A collection of glass photographic plates from 1912–1913 reveals fragments of unknown Balkan history
SHALOM! SHALOM!

Ironically, most Bulgarians associate the date 9 September with the 1944 Communist coup. But for Bulgaria's Jews it has an entirely different meaning: On that day 100 years ago, in Sofia, King Ferdinand attended the inauguration of Europe's largest Sephardic synagogue

VAGABOND FICTION

TURBOT SEASON

From the collection When You Arrive, Give Me a Call, Obsidian, 2017
MOTHERS, an excerpt from a novel

She watched her descend the staircase, as though in slow motion, with her second-hand white clothes
FROM FROM THE SKY TO THE EARTH

summer with its easy wins
summer with its plans
SELECTED POETRY

it’s light out I tell you
there’s still lots more
STORY WITH CAKE

This story took place on the New Year’s Eve of my last winter in Bulgaria
LITTLE MONSTIE

There’s someone you have not yet met:
He wears three mittens in crimson red
SAINT WOLF, an excerpt from a novel

The train was coming out of the darkness and rushing back into it, and this was happening so quickly that the darkness seemed endless, especially from behind the compartment window
ADVENTURES IN SQUARELAND, an excerpt from a novel

By dusk, Foxie was over the mountain separating the Tranquil Forest from the rest of the world, and was now walking over hills overgrown with bushes and trees
WE ARE ALL PAGES, an excerpt

“A RETIRED PEDIATRICIAN LOOKING TO MEET a modest and respectful woman. Dad, are you sure about this ad?”
HAIR

She remembered the day she went to the hair salon. She hadn’t dyed her hair in four years, and hadn’t gotten a drastic haircut in three
ÁNNE

Sometimes, Lola and I would take out a bunch of covers and blankets out on the porch and spend the night under the stars
ZOYA

‘You’re so sour-tempered, Gergana’ asserted baba Zoya and kept knitting. ‘As if a lemon wedge is stuck to your tongue.’
WHERE I BELONG

The gulp of winter air fills my lungs with chills, then retreats with a sigh
VANISHING POINT

“I hate her.”
WAR DRUMS

There is a pedestrian tunnel beneath Fourteenth Street, connecting the subway trains at Sixth Avenue with those at Seventh
ISLINGTON

So will things be different, do you think, for us now? She asked this from the bathtub. Her voice was surprising because it was so light.
THE ALPHABET OF SUPPOSITION, an excerpt

When my aunt Fani called me in Chicago from Bulgaria to tell me she had found her brother, my father, dead, lying back across his bed with his right hand over the heart, she chose the inferential mood to relay the news
AN EXCERPT FROM A NOVEL IN PROGRESS

Above my writing desk I had a line from Le temps retrouvé
REMEMBERING NOT FORGETTING, an excerpt

“That was really not necessary,” the doctor tells Nadezda as he takes the box of assorted chocolates and places them on the side.
A WINTER WALK IN SOFIA

A young man, with an apron, stained from a just filleted fresh fish, storms out of the back entrance of a small restaurant to a crossing of Stamboliyski boulevard, sits in front and lights a cigarette

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