Oh, the Bulgarian rose! From promotional videos to bars of soap sold in tourist traps across the country, the image and scent of the emblematic flower has become synonymous with Bulgaria itself. A traditional crop, vital to the international cosmetics industry, Rosa damascena embodies the beauty, uniqueness and value of Bulgaria – the perfect symbol for a country trying to establish itself on the global travel market.
From Lord Byron to Hungary's Sándor Petőfi to Cuba's José Martí: poetry has a fair share of authors who deserved to be labelled revolutionary not only because of their groundbreaking stanzas and language, but also for their political stance and activities. Bulgaria has Hristo Botev.
From Roswell to Project Blue Book in the United States and Project Condign in the UK, the military have always been interested in finding possible extraterrestrials on planet Earth. The Bulgarian Army is no exception. But its efforts to make contact with possible aliens have nothing to do with the image of gloomy researchers sifting through grainy photographs of UFOs and interviewing frightened locals who claim to have been abducted by little green men.
If there is one river that defines Europe in terms of landscape, history and economy, it is the Danube, a 2,850 kilometre ribbon of water that flows from the Black Forest in Germany to the Black Sea in Romania. Some 470 km of its course make up a significant part of Bulgaria's northern border – and of its history, economy and life.
In the days of overtourism, selfies and Airbnbs there are still hardcore travellers who want to leave the comforts of home and explore new places, people and cultures, even if it often means sleeping in a tent in a remote mountain village. This is what Olivier Meissel has done. He cycled across Bulgaria three times to make a documentary inspired by his father. The senior Meissel, a retired history and geography teacher, had become a tour guide. In 2001 he was asked to organise tours in Bulgaria. He did this for ten years, developing a deep passion for the country.
The image of two men, one young and sporting a dark beard and the other older and white-bearded, with books and parchments in their hands, are to be found all over Bulgaria. There are countless statues and posters, church murals and icons. Their images multiply on 24 May, when long processions of students crowd the central streets of every city carrying posters, usually decorated with flowers.
Оddity, just like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. Dozens of monuments, large and small, have been erected throughout Bulgaria, both during and after Communism, in the sincere belief that they are appropriate, interesting, beautiful and/or profound, even groundbreaking. The public, however, disagrees – and gleefully has mocked some of the most outrageous, expensive and propaganda-laden projects. Other monuments, which now seem odd, have been forgotten because of their small size or remote location.
The colourful houses lining the cobblestone streets of Old Plovdiv are arguably the city's most recognisable sight. The only thing that can distract from marvelling at their painted façades, projecting bay windows and verdant gardens is the pavement. Polished by the feet of generations of passers-by, it is slippery even when dry, as traveller and historian Konstantin Jireček noted as far back as the late 19th century.
With its pleasant turn-of-the-century houses, Ruse on the Danube is one of the best places to visit in Bulgaria. But if you brave the heavy traffic on the busy and narrow road to Ruse, do not terminate in the city.
Ruse's surroundings are an excellent opportunity for a day trip, especially in spring when everything is green, blooming and buzzing under the balmy sun. Most of these sights are scattered around the winding course of the Rusenski Lom river and its confluents, Cherni Lom and Beli Lom.
What comes to mind when you think of energy vortexes? Stonehenge, Machu Picchu and the Great Pyramid in Giza, probably. But you do not have to travel that far to visit a place brimming with strange powers, where odd creatures and supposedly UFOs get spotted on a regular basis and where sick-and-lame folks flock, seeking supernatural cures. All you have to do is visit one, or all, of the places on our list of energy vortexes in Bulgaria. As a bonus, most of them are located at stunning natural locations.