From the splendid images in the Bishop's Basilica in Plovdiv to the black-and-white portraits in Villa Armira, Bulgaria is proud of its ancient mosaics, which are mostly Roman. However, while a growing number of tourists discover these centuries-old gems, a universe of newer mosaics is slowly crumbling and going to seed before our eyes.
Steep rocky peaks, pristine alpine meadows, hidden lakes and some of the last communities that herd semi-wild, traditional breeds of sheep and horses: the Pirin is a small mountain that is one big wonder of nature. However, the sublime beauty of the mountain, whose highest parts have been a UNESCO-listed national park for over four decades, is not for those who would rather eschew hiking or stick to skiing in Bansko.
One doesn't expect to find waterfalls in the middle of the hilly Danube valley, and yet there they are – hidden amid karst crevices and familiar only to a handful of people, they turn up as a surprise.
The waterfall in the village of Hotnitsa is one of these serendipitous sights. In fact, it is one of the two reasons for the relative fame of this village in the Veliko Tarnovo region. The other is the colony of expats, mostly from the UK. According to most recent data, they own about a hundred of the 500 houses in the village.
The mastodons roamed along the banks of a river, munching on the vegetation under the canopy of a tropical forest, oblivious to the screams of monkeys and the presence of rhinos, but watching out for lions and sabre-toothed tigers that were never far from the watering hole.
The river attracted all of these animals but, from time to time, a visit here could prove fatal. As the water swept away the remains of the dead bodies, they eventually started to pile up at one of the bends of the river. There the bones accumulated, along with other debris, and over time they fossilised.
If one of your New Year's resolutions is to travel more around Bulgaria in 2026, you have probably already encountered a problem: how to plan your trips so that you get the most out of this country's impressive nature, history and heritage. If you need inspiration, information or advice, the following pages offer a list of ideas for escapes and activities from January to December.
January: Bansko
Glass, one of the most amazing materials that humanity has discovered and mastered, starts with some inconspicuous sand. When heated to the right temperature and with the proper additives, it turns into a mesmerising molten lava that can take any type of shape – from window panes to vases to decorations.
Epiphany, or Yordanovden, is one of Bulgaria's best known Orthodox high days. Its popularity can be explained with the spectacular way Bulgarians mark it, usually creating a bit of international news every year.
While in Western Christianity Epiphany, on 6 January, is the day when the young Christ was presented to the three magi, the Eastern Orthodox tradition is different. According to it, Epiphany is the day when St John baptised Christ in the River Jordan, and God's three entities (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit) appeared together.
Small and amphitheatrical, Tutrakan usually remains outside the tourist beaten track, though some visitors swear by the uniqueness of its sunsets when the sun disappears in the River Danube. Indeed, the modest and much-restored remains of the Roman castle Transmariska, which protected the imperial border between the 1st and 4th centuries, are not especially attractive. Today the majority of the buildings in Tutrakan are soulless housing projects of the Communist era.
Some expats arrive in Bulgaria for business and then they find something more – a way to bring some meaningful change into the life of the country. Tony McMurray is one such example. The finance professional has always sought challenges in sports, adventure and charity. In 2021 he got an idea that would unite all of these to help some of the most vulnerable Bulgarian citizens. The idea behind the Bulgarian 56 Peaks Challenge is both simple and alluring.
Huge boulders that rise at precipitous heights. Giant bedrock holes that look like imprints of footsteps. Strange ruins from times immemorial… Bulgaria and the Balkans are dotted with such places – natural phenomena carved by the sun, rain and wind, remains of ancient rock shrines or forgotten fortifications erected by some obscure warlord.