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| Bulgaria Holidays - Destinations |
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| Temperature: |
Live Forecast |
Population: |
7.35 million |
| Time Zone: |
GMT/UTC +2 |
Driving side: |
Drivers drive on the right hand side of the road. |
| Languages: |
Bulgarian
Turkish
Romany |
| Religion: |
Bulgarian Orthodox 85%
(Muslim 13% |
| Emergency #: |
Police: 166
Fire: 160
Ambulance: 150
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Sofia – The capital of Bulgaria, this compact city with its mix of architectural styles was largely rebuilt after WWII. Fortunately not all the beautiful old buildings were destroyed and today all who care to visit can appreciate them.The city’s largest cathedral, Sveta Nedelya, was restored after a 1924 bomb attempt killed most of the cabinet. The 14th century church of St Petka Samardjiiska with its lovely frescoes in the nave is a ‘must see’, so too is the National Museum of History. From churches and mausoleums to fashionable avenues and parks this lovely city has something for everyone.
Nesebar - Once an active trading post, today this little town survives on fishing and tourism. Located on a rocky peninsula connected to the mainland, the cobbled streets are lined with stone and timber houses. Due to its quaintness and relaxed atmosphere, the town is filled with tourists during summer.
Rila Mountains – Having the highest mountain in the Balkan Peninsula, Musala Peak, these mountains are a hiker’s dream. Rila Monastery nestled in a narrow valley 74 miles from Sofia, helped to keep Bulgarian culture alive during the Turkish rule of the area from the 15th to the 19th centuries. The magnificent Church attached to the monastery has three great domes, 1200 frescoes depicting biblical figures and gilded iconostasis depicting biblical scenes.
Veliko Tarnovo – Picturesque houses cling to the cliffs of this university city as the Yantra River winds through a gorge in the city centre. Seeped in history and tradition with its churches, museums and cobble streets, it is also a buzzing and exciting town with its huge student population.
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| Kardzhali - by Mihaela Kircheva from Bulgaria - 2006-07-28 | | The natural center of the Eastern Rhodopes mountain. It is situated on the both coasts of Arda river. The town is mentioned for the first time in a Turkish register from 1607. Two centuries later, in 1847, a famous french scientist and traveler wrote about a small settlement, named Kardzhali, with market place and mosque. In 1934 Kardzhali was proclamed to be a town and district center.
Today Kardzhali is the district town and the heart of 7 municipalities in the Eastern Rhodopes region – Momchilgrad, Dzhebel, Krumovgrad, Ardino, Kirkovo and Chernoochene. The town of Kardzhali is a modern economical, commercial and cultural center. It is the center of the largest municipality of the district – the Kardzhali municipality. About 60 % of its population lives in the town of Kardzhali. |
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Bulgaria has a dark and oppressive past and its transition to democracy has been troubled. Although in the throes of social and economic chaos, the people are hospitable and friendly.
Still strongly bonded to Russia, with Russian being the second language most spoken, the Bulgarian people cling to their legends and fables of times gone by and it is only the younger people who are most likely to be able to speak a strange form of English.
Meat, potatoes, beans, salads and cheese are the favoured food of the people and everything is washed down with alcohol.
Bulgarians waggle their heads from left to right to mean yes and nod to mean no. Try to remember this as things can get very confusing when trying to explain yourself.
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| Ohrid - by Travel Macedonia from FYR Of Macedonia - 2007-01-14 | | The town of Ohrid ( known as Lichnidos ) has been in existence for about 2500 years. Since the ancient times, here in the area of the town of Ohrid civilization achievements have been changing, with its ups and downs. The successor of Lichnidos, the town of Ohrid, has survived all this and has been preserved with this name until today. The legend says that the founder of the ancient town in this area was the Phoenician Cadmo, who founded the dynasty together with the ancient Enchelians. If the existence of Lichnidos had become settled in the myth, then undoubtedly one can say that during the whole ancient period, this town had been a strong source of this civilization. The testimony of that time is: The Classical Theatre, which is considered to be built in the 4 th century B.C. and after more than two millenniums has been uncovered, reconstructed and used; The Fortress which was named after Samuel – the very first Macedonian-Slav emperor from the 10 th century proves that the town of Ohrid even in the ancient time was a fortified one. Some Roman historians wrote about this as well. The Prince’s tombs from the 7 th to the 3 rd century B.C. from the Trebenishte region where the burial masks were discovered. They also tell us that a lot of people “ chosen by birth “ considered the town as theirs eternal place. Within this context the last discovery has been the golden mask, the bracelet and the golden ring, discovered by Mr. Pasko Kuzman in 2002 during the excavation done within the old part of the town; finally about a dozen early Christian basilicas, prove the thesis that the town of Ohrid was a spiritual and bishopric center even during the late ancient time. For the first time the Lichnidos bishopric was mentioned in the acts of the church synod in Serdica in 343, where among the other signatures the Dionysius de Macedonia de Lyhnido signature was found. The town was built on the main Roman road Via Egnatia that used to connect the western and the eastern Empire. Two mile-stone signs were found near the town of Ohrid to witness this. During the Roman Republic the old town was a free one whose citizens were “libera gens”. Lichnidos for the last time was mentioned during the Justinianius reign. Than the earthquake struck Lichnidos in 526 and ruined the town completely. Where Lichnidos used to stand the medieval town of Ohrid reached its glory. The first Slav University was founded by Clement and Naum and opened in the area called Plaosnik , where 3500 well chosen pupils were educated. The Ohrid literary school reached all Slav countries including Russia. Clement became the patron saint and protector of Ohrid. In the 10 th century the town of Ohrid became the capital of the very first Macedonian-Slav Empire ruled by Czar Samuel. With the Pope’s permission the church at that time, was given a status of a Patriarchate, so until 1767 the town of Ohrid was the seat of the Ohrid Archbishopric. The spiritual center used to have more than 300 churches where a lot of work was done, leaving many traces within the Byzantine art and the Renaissance in many domains like: the literature, the icon painting, the fresco painting, the architecture, the music etc. The fresco painting dominates in many churches being a priceless treasure. The fresco painting by Michael and Eutyches who used to work in the church of St. Mary Perivleptos ( Sveta Bogorodica Perivlepta ) in 1295 has been exceptionally wonderful. Undoubtedly they had been the leaders in the Renaissance in Macedonia. The testimony from that time is the richest and the most valuable collection of about 30 icons, which are kept in the town of Ohrid. The work, which had been done within the interval of 9 th centuries, followed the painting continuity from the 11 th to the 20 th century. The modern town of Ohrid, is nowadays a spiritual, cultural and tourist center in Macedonia. Reading about this town one feels like going through the whole history of this biblical country of Macedonia. In 1980 the town of Ohrid entered the UNESCO list of heritage due to its priceless riches. |
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| Rodopi Mountains - Home to Bulgaria’s most isolated, ethnically diverse communities, the landscape is spectacular with its gorges, steep rocky slopes, tiered fields and pine forests. The ski resort of Pamporovo is very popular with English and German tourists. |
| Eastern Rhodopes mountain - by Mihaela Kircheva from Bulgaria - 2006-07-28 | | Unique architectural monuments can be found here, the most significant of them being traditional houses which are in harmony with the mountain scenery. The picturesque mountain is a natural habitat of some rare animal and bird species and the mild climate determines the exclusive richness of endemic plant species. Especially numerous in the Eastern Rhodopes mountain are the Birds of prey with 23 species including Imperial eagle, Black Vulture and Griffon Vulture.
You will be excited of the latest discoveries to the sacred town of Perperikon and the Orpheus' sanctuary near the village of Tatul.
The beauty and wildlife of the mountain have been prised in numbers of folk songs. |
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| Varvara - Every summer the beach in this tiny fishing community is transformed when artists and alternative lifestylers move onto the fields above to spend their holidays in stick and leaf shelters. Buying their supplies of fish and vegetables from the locals, the beach is turned into a ‘hippie’ party all summer long. |
| Varvara - by mystery guest228 from Bulgaria - 2007-08-01 | | What they hear about Varvara is not true!!
A huge hotel complex is being built there so all the charm is history! |
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| The bus and train networks are cheap and extensive but totally illogical. Timetables often do not correspond with arrivals and departures, there are mysterious cancellations and the office staff can be rude and unhelpful. In spite of this, as long as you’re not holidaying to deadlines these modes of transport are the best way to get around. Look past the filthy seats, the soft-porn wallpaper and the pop music from yesteryear. You will arrive at your destination, eventually. |
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Christmas – 25th and 26th December - Religious Bulgarians were forbidden to practise during Communist rule, so they invented a secular celebration on the following day. Since the collapse of Communism the original Christmas Day is now celebrated along with the invented one and nobody seems to be complaining.
Trifon Zarezan – 14th February – Ancient festival of winegrowers. Vines are pruned and sprinkled with wine to ensure a bountiful harvest.
Kukeri – A spring festival celebrated in the Rodopi Mountains, participants wear traditional clothes and masks and perform ancient dances to drive away evil spirits and ask the good spirits for a plentiful harvest.
The Festival of Roses – Celebrated at Kazanlak Karlovo with folk songs and dances on the first Sunday in June, is another festival seeped in ancient history.
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