Tag Archives: adventures

Autumn in Bulgaria – the second day

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Morning in Plovdiv

As I mentioned in my previous blog post about our 2024 trip to Bulgaria, we returned to our hotel around midnight after a relaxing walk through Plovdiv centre and went to sleep. We had booked a room without breakfast, so in the morning, first thing after waking and dressing up, we headed straight into the city. Before continuing our journey to the Black Sea, we wanted to experience the city’s historical and cultural heritage in daylight.

Sightseeing

Plovdiv is like a living museum. As we walked through the pedestrian-friendly centre, we were immediately captivated by the city’s relaxed atmosphere. One of the sights we were determined to visit was the ancient Roman amphitheatre, one of the best-preserved in Europe. Built in the 2nd century AD during Emperor Trajan’s reign, the amphitheatre could seat up to 6,000 spectators.

view from plovdiv old town
View from Plovdiv old town

Although finding the amphitheatre wasn’t easy due to the narrow maze of small streets, the effort was well worth it—the view from the top was impressive, offering a panoramic view of Plovdiv and the surrounding mountains.

Wine Tasting

The first part of our day in the city passed quickly, and by noon, we had to head further along our journey. On our way to the Black Sea coast, we had booked a wine tasting at the Zagreus Winery, located a bit outside the city. Bulgaria has a long history of winemaking, and Zagreus Winery is a testament to that tradition. The winery is situated in a picturesque location and offers excellent high-quality Bulgarian wines.

zagreaus winery in bulgaria
Zagreus winery in Bulgaria

Upon arrival, we were greeted by a guide who shared insights into Bulgaria’s wine history and the local grape varieties grown in their vineyards. An interesting fact was that our guide’s name, when translated from Bulgarian, means “grape.”

Bulgarian wines

The most popular variety they grow is Mavrud. We were given a tour of the wine production and storage facilities, during which we learned more about the winemaking process at this estate.

Of course, the highlight of our visit was the wine tasting, where we sampled four different wines. The tasting was accompanied by local delicacies, creating a very pleasant, relaxed, and informal atmosphere. Before leaving, we bought a few bottles to take with us.

Journey Towards the East of Bulgaria

After the wine tasting, we continued our drive eastward toward the Black Sea coast. After a brief detour through local roads, we joined the A1 motorway, where the dynamics of the drive were completely different.

Not far from the Black Sea lies the port city of Burgas, though we didn’t enter the city centre, as we turned southward. The Burgas region is known for its fertile agricultural land and proximity to the Black Sea, but even before reaching the city, we passed many vineyards and other agricultural plots.

A little after Burgas, we stopped at a Lukoil gas station to refuel and take a short break after the long drive. We also grabbed some snacks and relaxed before the next, significantly shorter leg of our journey.

The Mountains of Bulgaria

As I mentioned earlier, we were driving on the A1 motorway, which runs from Sofia to Burgas. Throughout the journey, it felt as if we were winding through a valley surrounded by mountains from at least three sides. The mountain ranges are one of Bulgaria’s most striking features, so here’s a brief overview of them.

Bulgaria is often called the Balkan country, but in addition to the Balkans, the country also has other mountain ranges that contribute to its impressive landscapes. Bulgaria boasts four major mountain ranges: the Balkan Mountains, the Rila Mountains, the Pirin Mountains, and the Rhodope Mountains.

Balkan mountains

The Balkan Mountains, also known as Stara Planina (the Old Mountain), stretch across the country from the Serbian border in the west to the Black Sea in the east. This mountain range divides the country into northern and southern parts. The highest peak in the Balkan range is Mount Botev, which reaches an altitude of 7,795 feet (2,376 metres), although it’s not the tallest peak in Bulgaria.

Rila mountains

South of the Balkan Mountains lies the Rila mountain range, home to Bulgaria’s highest peak, Musala, which rises to 9,596 feet (2,925 metres). Rila is renowned for its dramatic landscapes, including high-altitude lakes, the most famous being the Seven Rila Lakes, which are a popular hiking destination. The Rila Mountains also host the famous Rila Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Bulgaria’s most significant cultural landmarks (I’ll write a separate post about our trip to the Rila Monastery).

Pirin mountains

The Pirin Mountains are located in the southwestern part of Bulgaria and are known for their rugged terrain and striking granite peaks. The highest peak is Vihren, which stands at 9,560 feet (2,914 metres). The Pirin Mountains are also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to their exceptional biodiversity and unique landscapes. Popular activities in Pirin include skiing and mountaineering.

Rhodope mountains

The Rhodope Mountains are situated in southern Bulgaria near the Greek border. The highest peak here is Golyam Perelik, which reaches 7,188 feet (2,191 metres). Hiking and rural tourism are the most common activities in the Rhodopes.

First Evening in Primorsko Resort

We arrived in Primorsko in the evening, just before sunset, right in time for dinner. We had booked rooms at the Park Hotel & SPA Les Magnolias in Primorsko seaside resort, located on the Black Sea coast, just a few minutes’ walk from the beach. The peaceful atmosphere of the hotel, surrounded by trees and greenery, was the perfect place to relax, especially after a long drive.

hotel decorations in bulgaria
Hotel decorations in Bulgaria

After settling into our rooms, we headed to dinner, which was very generous. Although we don’t usually opt for all-inclusive holidays, this time we chose this option for the convenience so we wouldn’t have to waste time and energy searching for food. During our whole stay at the resort, the food was consistently excellent and quite varied. There were seafood dishes and, of course, various types of meat, which are definitely the most popular products in Bulgaria. Perhaps there could have been more variety of fruits and vegetables, which we had hoped for.

End of the day

The day had been filled with so many impressions that we lingered in the hotel’s restaurant for quite a while as we had many emotions to share. The following day, nothing was planned except for a lazy rest by the hotel pool.

Plovdiv had impressed us with its historical charm, kindness, and daily calm, while the Zagreus Winery had captivated us with its high-quality wines. Everywhere we went, we felt welcomed and experienced positive attitudes. Even though it was mid-September, the evening was warm and peaceful.

A video of this journey is also available on my YouTube channel.

Autumn in Bulgaria – 2024

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Autumn Adventure in Bulgaria

This was our second adventure to Bulgaria, a destination that had piqued our interest since our first visit in 2007. Back then, we drove through the country in early spring, admiring the stunning Belogradchik cliffs, the serene Bachkovo Monastery, and exploring the picturesque Black Sea coast. The memories remained, but we were eager to return for a deeper exploration in the fall of 2024.

There is also a video about this trip on my YouTube channel.

A different way to explore Bulgaria

Unlike our previous journey, this time we flew from London to Sofia, ready for a weeklong adventure. No more long drives from Riga to Bulgaria, we were here to savour every moment. After landing in Sofia, we rented a car from CarRent Bulgaria, a local company we booked through DiscoverCars. Having used DiscoverCars for car rentals in Riga and Greece, we knew we’d get a great deal. Their service was reliable, and the pricing was better than other platforms like Booking.com.

view around plovdiv
View around Plovdiv

It should be noted that we do not receive any money or other benefits from any of the companies mentioned here for referring to their websites. The references we give, good or not so good (we usually try to avoid publishing bad reviews), is based on our own experiences.

Car rental

Local car rental companies may have some drawbacks – their offices are often located outside the airport area. This was the case on this occasion too, but we had our own person in Sofia who took me to the car rental office in just a few minutes, so there was no inconvenience at all. The walk would have taken about forty minutes (about two and a half kilometres to walk from the airport).

We had made the right choice, the car was practically new, the car rental company employee took care of everything quickly both when we picked it up and when we returned the car. When we returned the car, we had washed it thoroughly (it was in the terms of the contract), so we even earned praise for it.

A look at Bulgaria’s past and present

Bulgaria has long been a favourite vacation spot, especially during the Soviet era, attracting vacationers to the Black Sea coast with its affordable prices and sandy beach resorts. However, in recent decades, other destinations, such as Turkey and Spain, have overshadowed the Bulgarian tourism industry. Despite these changes, Bulgaria remains a very good choice for those looking for an authentic experience and hospitality.

Bulgaria borders Greece, Turkey, Serbia, North Macedonia and Romania. It ranks 103rd in the world and 16th in Europe by area, with a land area of 108,489 square kilometres. Bulgaria is about half the size of its neighbour Romania, Cuba, the largest island in the Caribbean, is a similar size.

Bulgaria has a population of almost six and a half million, similar to neighbouring Serbia, although Serbia is about a quarter smaller. The population density in Bulgaria is about the same as the world average (61 inhabitants per square kilometre, the European average is 72).

The country’s capital is Sofia, with a population of almost 1.2 million. Other major cities are Plovdiv (321,000 inhabitants), Varna (311,000) and Burgas (188,000), these data are from 2021. It should be noted that the population of Bulgaria continues to decline quite rapidly. It peaked in 1985, when the country had over 8.9 million people. Since then, the population has been declining, falling to less than almost two and a half million between 1985 and 2021, although this is a fairly well-known and not too surprising story for Eastern Europe.

Bulgaria today

After 17 years, we were eager to see how Bulgaria had changed. Our goals for the trip were simple: explore more of Plovdiv and enjoy some downtime at a Black Sea resort.

Let me start by saying that the overall impression of the country was positive from the very first moment. We were greeted by a warm and welcoming atmosphere, the food was excellent – high-quality, tasty and reasonably priced. Regardless of whether we dined in roadside taverns or elegant restaurants, each meal was special and it seemed that each next one surpassed the previous one. Although the prices of the restaurants were higher, the quality of the food and the size of the portions were definitely adequate for the price. I can’t say anything about the offer and prices of the grocery shops, because we didn’t cook anything ourselves during this trip.

If you want to visit local wine producers, in Bulgaria you can taste and buy high-quality wine for a very good price. Wine tastings are organized at a fairly high level and snacks are also offered. What was especially surprising was the fact that a lot of local Bulgarian grape varieties are grown widely and producers who specialize in them were able to offer excellent products. If you’re a wine enthusiast, Bulgaria is still an undiscovered treasure.

Plovdiv – the heart of Bulgaria

After arriving in Sofia, we took a private car and headed towards Plovdiv, but on the way we had planned to visit the Chateau Copsa winery. It is located near the road that leads from west to east along one of the northern Bulgarian mountain ranges.

Wine tasting in the afternoon

Since Chateau Copsa is literally in the middle of a field, there is no point in mentioning the address. You can see the location on the map or simply Google Chateau Copsa Bulgaria. They offer both wine tastings and accommodations, hotel is located in a stylish old fortress-like building, which was actually built recently, but looks quite impressive.

The wine tasting took place in a charming cellar beneath the fortress, where we enjoyed a selection of high-quality local wines. The Bulgarian guide who led the tasting added to the experience with fascinating stories and a warm, welcoming atmosphere. If you plan to visit, we highly recommend booking in advance, as Chateau Copsa can get quite busy.

Evening walk in the city

In the evening we arrived in Plovdiv, where we quickly checked into the hotel and went to explore the city. We had booked the Hotel Ego, which is located a few minutes walk from the central city pedestrian street, so in a very good location.

The hotel itself was also very good for the price (about 45 euros) we paid, so I can definitely recommend it to other travellers. The hotel address is 2 Eliezer Kalev Str., Plovdiv Center, 4000 Plovdiv, their website is here. Although the number of places is limited, the hotel also offers free parking. We were lucky with parking too, because we got the last free space. We had booked a more expensive and larger option, the Deluxe Studio, just in case we wanted to use the kitchen, which was in one corner of the room. Since we wanted to have dinner in the city, we didn’t use the kitchen to cook though.

Food in Plovdiv

The charm of the city is undeniable, with cobblestone streets, lots of squares, fountains and ancient buildings. The most important thing was to have dinner, so we went to a restaurant with good reviews we had spotted while preparing for trip (Restaurant Diana-1, address Plovdiv Center, ul. Knyaz Al. Dondukov-Korsakov 2, 4000 Plovdiv Bulgaria), which is located within walking distance of the city centre.

bulgarian salad
Bulgarian salad

As you can see from the photo, the portions in the restaurant are large and the variety of dishes is fantastic.

After a hearty dinner, we went to explore the city centre. Surprisingly, even though the tourist season was already over, there were quite a few people on the streets. Mostly they were local young people who were walking around the city, chatting, enjoying life and the nice evening. And all this was done in a very polite manner. This is one thing that surprised us in Bulgaria – people are in a good mood and know how to relax, having fun and not disturbing others. This was the case not only in Plovdiv, but also in other places we visited.

Only around midnight, tired but having enjoyed the night-time Plovdiv, we returned to the hotel. I will write about the next day in the next blog about this Bulgarian trip. Click on the link to read about our second day in Bulgaria.

Sahara desert

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The Authentic Morocco tour

A couple of days after our arrival in Marrakesh, we went on ‘The Authentic Morocco’ tour to see the highest and most spectacular sand dunes in Morocco and to experience a camel ride in the desert.

We booked the tour with a local travel company well in advance. The duration of the Morocco tour was three days with two overnight stays as all included for a total price of EUR 120 per person (we paid in advance a deposit of EUR 70 per person). This was before pandemic, so prices, most probably, may have gone up since then.

To sum it up, this Morocco tour was very good value for money and we were completely satisfied with this trip. Below, are more details about this trip.

Day one – crossing High Atlas mountains

We met our driver-guide near the hotel at 8 AM and boarded Toyota Land-cruiser where other people were waiting for us to join the trip; there was a driver and six passengers in total, including us – just enough space for such a long trip.

The destination of our first day was Dades Gorge, a small village in the middle of nowhere. We travelled over the impressive Tizi n’Tichka Pass (2260 m), observed the Berber Villages on our way, stopped for lunch and sightseeing at the World Heritage site of Ait Benhaddou, which is famous for being used for filming more than twenty widely watched films. I even do not know how much time we spent there, however, that was enough to have lunch, walk around enjoying stunning scenery and visit the famous village.

Before arriving at the hotel, we went through Ouarzazate, continued towards the Valley of Roses, the Dades Valley, Skoura oasis, the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs and reached the Dades Gorge. The hotel was very quiet, the hosts provided good food and we were able to relax before continuing our trip on the next day.

Day two – camel trip and dinner with nomads

After breakfast at the hotel, we continued our trip and stopped at the Todra Gorge, which is one of the most impressive rocky creations of nature I have seen – a massive fault, rising to 300 m in a narrow valley. After lunch, we continued our trip to the final destination – the great sand dunes of Erg Chebbi; the town is located in the East of Morocco, only about 20 kilometres away from the Algerian border.

After arrival, we had a short break and left our baggage at the hotel. Before sunset we got our camels to continue the trip to Nomadic Berber tents where dinner, campfire, drum party and overnight stay were organised for us. The camel ride took about two hours with a break halfway. It was exciting, although that long ride on camel was a bit exhausting.

The evening party in the desert was amazing. We got a chance to play drums ourselves, although those only looked easy to play. In fact, you should practice a lot to be a proper drummer. Among many other things, dinner was outstanding.

Day three – back from Merzouga to Marrakesh

Early in the morning, we went back to our camels and returned to the hotel in Merzouga. After a short stay there, we started our way back to Marrakesh, stopping for lunch in Ouarzazate.

I believe that was the only occasion during the Morocco tour when we paid for our food, everything else was included in the price. We continued by driving over the High Atlas Mountains and arrived in Marrakesh in the evening.

On our way back, we asked the driver to stop at a local cooperative shop to purchase some Argan oil and other local produce for taking those back home. Our request was kindly accepted. I have to mention that the organisers’ promise to avoid souvenir shops was kept and we did not have to face annoying salesmen during our whole trip.

This adventure happened during our first ever trip to Morocco, you can read many more on this blog as we visited this beautiful country quite a few times afterwards.