Bizarrely, a green cat has recently been spotted roaming the streets of Bulgaria’s Black Sea port city of Varna! It seems the cat has not been the victim of a rogue graffiti writer’s cruelty, but it had been sleeping on top of some neon green paint in an abandoned garage instead.
What’s next in Bulgaria’s fauna, pink elephants? Or unicorns?
Bulgaria has recently become one of Europe’s hottest (not literally!) winter sports destinations, and there are many reasons for this success. The country boasts the highest mountains between the Alps and the Caucasus, ensuring a reliable snow cover throughout most of the season. And with a variety of quality ski resorts to choose from, the stiff competition ensures the best value for money on the continent!
From the internationally-famous host of Alpine Ski World Cup races to the ski resort you can easily reach by public transport from the capital, kashkaval tourist presents 9 exciting Bulgarian ski resorts for your winter holiday!
Brought to you thanks to the invaluable insider tips of hardcore winter sports enthusiasts Ani Manova, Max Pirsky and Martin Bonov.
Everything under the winter sun: Bansko. Photo credit: Freddie Phillips, Flickr.
Perhaps Bulgaria’s best-known ski resort, Bansko (Банско) was a quiet Bulgarian town until it developed rapidly as winter destination in the 2000s. These days, the resort regularly hosts rounds of the Alpine Ski World Cup, and deservedly so. With a total of 18 slopes of varying difficulty and length, 10 lifts and 5 tows, Bansko has something for everyone.
And while Bansko’s prices may be some of the highest in Bulgaria, the top price of a quality ski holiday in Bansko remains the best among Europe’s famous resorts. To avoid the tourist traps though, it’s a good idea to make friends with the smiling locals. In terms of accommodation, the options are practically limitless and the specific regional cuisine is absolutely fantastic! Though beware of the days around New Year’s, when there are massive queues for the main cabin lift.
A super convenient way to get to Bansko is booking a private transfer with Around Bulgaria, whose English-speaking drivers and online payment options are a real convenience.
Low-cost freeriding paradise: Kartala. Photo credit: Ani Manova.
Update: As of 2018, the Kartala lift isn’t functional.
In recent years, Kartala (Картала) near Blagoevgrad has established itself as a favourite low-cost resort for Bulgarian freeriders. Kartala has a cabin lift and a single but rather long and difficult run, but the best part are the breath-taking freeriding possibilities along the piste. As long as you watch out for avalanche hazard (definitely check with the experienced mountain rescue professionals), you can enjoy some memorable rides down from the vast white meadows above the slope.
What’s more, in Kartala you can lodge or have a meal in the very same building as the lift station – which also hosts an inexpensive hotel and pub. In the morning, just make your way to the upper floor and board one of the cabins!
As a very mountainous country, Bulgaria cannot complain from a lack of interesting caves. Formed by nature and usually shaped by thousands of years of human and animal habitation, Bulgaria’s caves will take you on a journey into a fantastic underworld that is quite unlike life on the surface.
From a cave that looks just like a female vulva to an underground wine tasting chamber, kashkaval tourist presents 7 mysterious caves in Bulgaria!
Minecraft in the real world: Devetashka Cave. Photo credit: Martin Bonov.
With its massive halls and unreal gaps in the ceiling, the Devetashka Cave (Деветашка пещера) looks like a landscape straight out of a sandbox video game like Minecraft! The cave was discovered in 1921 near the village of Devetaki not far from Lovech in north central Bulgaria.
Due to its enormous size, it had been used by the Bulgarian state for storing foods and petrol before becoming a secretive military site. And in 2011, the Devetashka Cave was the setting for a few scenes from the star-studded Hollywood blockbuster The Expendables 2, making it famous worldwide.
Shaped like a vulva: Utroba Cave. Photo credit: Ivo Filipov, Wikipedia.
Yes, you read that right, the Womb Cave (Утроба, Utroba) in the Rhodope Mountains bears an uncanny resemblance to the female genitalia! This is not exactly a coincidence though… there’s evidence that the cave’s opening was shaped by the ancient Thracians around 1000 BC. The cave hosted a Thracian sanctuary to female fertility at the time.
Incredibly, the Womb Cave is designed in such a way that a ray of sunlight enters the cave at such an angle that it goes into the rock womb and hits the middle of the altar directly, symbolically inseminating it. Feel like exploring this vulva-shaped cave? Then head for southeastern Bulgaria or specifically the isolated village of Nenkovo near Kardzhali.
Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s fascinating second-largest city, offers you more than enough reasons to visit and then keep going back for more. In fact, what better reason than that ‘love’ is almost part of the city’s name, pLOVEdiv?
In a lively city of some 340,000 comfortably situated in the lowlands of Thrace, just north of the first foothills of the Rhodope Mountains, Plovdiv’s ancient history flirts with modern artistic trends. Indeed, beating the stiff competition of Sofia, Varna and Veliko Tarnovo, Plovdiv was recently elected the European Capital of Culture for 2019. What’s more, Lonely Planet included Plovdiv in its list of top 10 cities in the world to visit in 2015!
Before the crowds have arrived and changed it forever, kashkaval tourist gives you 7 reasons to love Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s artistic second city.
Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in the world
Founded according to various estimates between 8000 and 6000 years ago, Plovdiv ranks right there among not only the oldest cities in Europe, but in the entire world. And this millennial history isn’t only on paper either – traces of Plovdiv’s ancient existence are to be found all over the place, from Ancient Roman theatres to Ottoman mosques.
Established by the local Thracians, Plovdiv was conquered by Alexander the Great’s father, who selfishly named it Philippopolis after himself. For the Romans who came after, Plovdiv was among their most important Balkan possessions. In the Middle Ages, the Bulgarian and Byzantine empires fought over it for centuries… only for the Ottomans to arrive and rule it for more than 500 years until Bulgaria’s independence.
Plovdiv’s Museum Night is an absolute blast of inspiration
Though it may have started in Berlin and it may also be taking place in Bulgaria’s capital Sofia, Plovdiv’s Night of Museums and Galleries – these days called just The Night – definitely eclipses Sofia’s rival event in the country’s cultural calendar.
Each year in September, Plovdiv’s historic streets come to life as crowds of young and old explore the city’s ancient heritage and hippest new cultural locations. All museums and galleries are free and stay open well into The Night, offering locals and visitors a unique glimpse into Plovdiv’s beating heart of inspiration.
With its influences from East and West and local interpretations of global musical trends, Bulgarian music offers a great insight into Bulgarian culture and even daily life. Indeed, it may be possible to illustrate much of Bulgaria’s recent history through individual songs, which is a feat even classic Bulgarian films may struggle with!
From a Bulgarian song that’s travelling in outer space right now to the embarrassingly nonsensical Balkan madness of chalga, kashkaval tourist and Ivan Tabakov present 8 iconic songs that defined Bulgarian music!
An actor, singer and comedian, Todor Kolev was a leading figure in Bulgarian entertainment for decades. His personal attitude and quirky vocal interjections contributed to him building a trademark style that nobody has been able to replicate after his death. Truth be told, few artists have managed to enchant the masses the same way he used to do.
One of Shumen-born Todor Kolev’s classic hits
A folk song from the mystical Rhodope region, Delyu the Outlaw has Gone Out does a great job of revealing the often incredible vocal properties of traditional Bulgarian singing. Dedicated to a semi-legendary freedom fighter against the Ottomans, this folk song sung to the accompaniment of bagpipes rose to international prominence in 1977.
At the time, a version performed by folk singer Valya Balkanska
With the descent of the Iron Curtain after World War II, all of Southeastern Europe bar Greece and Turkey fell into the hands of communist regimes – some like Bulgaria and Romania were Soviet satellites, secluded Albania’s closest ally was, curiously, China, and the vast Yugoslavia followed its own direction as a non-aligned state.
One thing that united these countries in their (ultimately unsuccessful) pursuit of a communist society was the construction of awe-inspiring monumental buildings. The new communist architecture in the Balkans followed a radically different trend than that of the past and left behind some truly imposing buildings.
From the world’s largest civilian building to an abandoned concrete flying saucer on a mountain top, kashkaval tourist will guide you through 8 striking communist buildings in the Balkans.
99 domes and some fishing net: National Library of Kosovo, Pristina. Photo credit: A. Dombrowski, Flickr.
Kosovo may still have some bad rep over the war in the late 1990s, but the Kosovar capital Pristina may stun you with one of Southeastern Europe’s most unique buildings. The current National Library of Kosovo was opened in 1982 and designed by a Croatian architect, since at the time Kosovo was part of Yugoslavia.
The one-of-a-kind appearance of the building owes a lot to the 99 white domes topping it… and the thick metal net which covers it entirely. Curiously, ethnic Albanians and Serbs still argue about the cultural influences in the building’s design – some find elements of Islamic art in its design, while others argue that the shapes were inspired by Byzantine traditions.
Administrative behemoth: Palace of the Parliament, Bucharest
Well, Bucharest isn’t strictly in the Balkans, but being so close, it would be a shame not to include the world’s largest administrative building in this list. Enter the Palace of the Parliament, the child of infamous Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu’s megalomania. Located bang in the middle of the capital of Romania, the construction of the Palace of the Parliament required that an entire historic neighborhood be torn down in the 1980s… as well as the underlying hill!
With its well over 1000 rooms, 12 overground and 8 underground floors and nearly square shape measuring 270 by 240 metres, the Palace of the Parliament was meant to host the entire administration of Romania’s communist government. And while those plans never came to fruition, the gargantuan edifice remains one of Bucharest’s most famous attractions.
With a millennial history and a wealth of cultural influences from East and West, it is to be expected that Bulgaria has its unique set of authentic traditions and customs. Just like the majority of Europe, Bulgaria celebrates Christmas and Easter as two of its primary holidays, and many of the associated customs like the Christmas tree and Easter eggs are also present.
However, a whole lot of Bulgarian customs and traditions are completely weird and even bizarre. From the entirely confusing way Bulgarians move their head to say “yes” and “no” to the ritual of dancing barefoot on burning embers, kashkaval tourist presents 7 unusual Bulgarian customs and traditions.
On 6 January each year, Christian Bulgarians mark Epiphany and the Baptism of Jesus, locally known as Jordan’s Day (Йордановден, Yordanovden), with some rather manly traditions that make use of the icy winter waters. According to one custom, a priest throws a cross into a river or lake and all willing men jump after the cross in a competition to reach and retrieve it. The saying goes that whoever catches the cross will be happy and healthy throughout the year.
Another Jordan’s Day tradition is the icy round dance. Rather than chasing a cross, this involves men dancing in a freezing river to traditional Bulgarian tunes. This custom is best associated with the town of Kalofer, though it has been practiced in other places as well.
Carnival against the evil spirits: Kukeri
While carnivals are widespread around the world before Lent, Bulgaria’s Kukeri (кукери) stand out with their scary costumes which look like they have come from an elaborate horror production. An ancient ritual to drive away the evil spirits, the procession of the Kukeri is celebrated either around New Year’s Eve or on Cheesefare Sunday, just before Lent.
The Bulgarian Kukeri are unmistakable thanks to their incredibly creepy masks, the huge bells on their belt and the costumes made of thick animal pelts. A great place to see the variety of costumes is the city of Pernik on the days of the Surva masquerade festival in late January or early February each year.
Summer may be rapidly nearing its end and the weather in Bulgaria may not be warm enough to hit the beaches or ascend into the unpredictable mountains anymore. However, autumn still promises some pleasant and sunny days and there’s every reason to get excited about a romantic weekend getaway or a diverse day trip to one of the country’s numerous holiday destinations.
From Bulgaria’s only fully preserved medieval castle to the town of roses and Thracian kings, kashkaval tourist sets the mood with 7 authentic Bulgarian towns ideal for an autumn day trip!
A hero’s home town: Karlovo
Spectacularly positioned at the foot of the mighty Balkan Mountains, Karlovo (Карлово) is a small but lively town in south central Bulgaria. Its extensive and fascinating old quarter with its brightly painted Ottoman-style buildings will send you back two centuries. And the Vasil Levski National Museum will provide a historical insight into the events of the era by highlighting the biography of perhaps Bulgaria’s greatest and most tragic national hero, Karlovo-born Vasil Levski, the most eminent fighter for an independent Bulgarian state.
Fancy a short hike and a snippet of what’s there to see in the Central Balkan National Park towering above Karlovo? Then follow Vodopad Street – literally Waterfall Street – and at the end of the trail you’ll discover the surging 15-metre Suchurum Waterfall, one of many breathtaking waterfalls in Bulgaria.
Bulgaria in a nutshell: Kyustendil
With its remnants of Roman baths, a medieval fortress, an ancient church, an Ottoman mosque, a mysterious tower and a picturesque National Revival quarter, Kyustendil (Кюстендил) is like a microcosm of Bulgaria in itself. Situated in the mountainous southwestern corner of the country close to where the borders of Bulgaria, Serbia and Macedonia meet, Kyustendil is a perfect day trip destination.
In the town centre, check out the impressive Pirgova Tower from the 15th-16th century and enter the vibrant art gallery which features the largest collection of works by one of Bulgaria’s leading artists, Vladimir Dimitrov, titled The Master. A brief walk up to the Hisarlaka hill will reveal a huge medieval fortress – and unforgettable views of the town below.
One of European football’s most unforgettable games took place in Sofia on Wednesday. The seemingly uninteresting second leg match between Romanian powerhouse Steaua Bucharest and Bulgarian champions Ludogorets Razgrad was to decide which of the two teams would enter the group stage of the Champions League, the world’s most lucrative club competition.
With the Romanians leading 1-0 from the first game in Bucharest, it was expected that Ludogorets would have a hard time making it through. Indeed, the game was nearing its goalless end when, in the 89th minute, a sensational volley by Ludogorets player Wanderson made the score 1-0 and sent the tie into extra time.
Ludogorets Arena in Razgrad, the club’s home stadium. Photo credit: Tsonpen, Wikipedia.
It seemed that extra time wouldn’t decide the winner either, as by the 118th minute there were no additional goals. Then, a clever pass opened space for a Steaua forward to face Bulgarian keeper Stoyanov one on one. Stoyanov fouled the Steaua player outside the box and was sent off. With no substitutions remaining, this meant that an outfield player had to be in goal for Ludogorets till the end of extra time and for the penalty shootout.
One of Sofia’s unique traits has to be the city’s wealth of hot springs and mineral water sources. You would have thought, then, that Sofia’s historic public baths with their medicinal properties and splendid architecture would be among the city’s chief attractions? After all, in not-so-distant Budapest the baths of Széchenyi and Gellért are luring thousands of tourists!
Instead, Sofia’s thermal baths in the districts of Bankya, Gorna Banya and Ovcha Kupel are currently abandoned and in an ever-worsening condition. And the conversion of the curious Vienna Secession-style Central Mineral Baths into a Museum of Sofia has been dragging on forever too.
To reveal the endangered beauty of Sofia’s historic baths, photographers (and urban explorers, dare I say!) Zdravko Yonchev and Martin Radnev entered the abandoned buildings and took some memorable snapshots of their captivating but neglected interiors. The resulting exhibition Sofia’s Old Mineral Baths can be viewed in front of the Ivan Vazov National Theatre from 28 August to 10 September.
