Bulgaria is one of the most interesting countries I visited in Eastern Europe. Its location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia has left the country with layers of Thracian, Greek, Roman, Slavic, Byzantine, Ottoman, and more recent Soviet-era influence. Ancient cities, Orthodox monasteries, Black Sea resorts, and some of the highest mountains in the Balkans are all packed into a relatively small country.
I had actually tried to visit Bulgaria years earlier while traveling through Turkey. I made it all the way to the border, where I was told that I was welcome to continue into Bulgaria but my rental car wasn’t. That ended that attempt pretty quickly.
When I finally made it to Bulgaria on a later trip, I stayed mostly in the western part of the country. I explored the capital of Sofia, visited the historic Rila Monastery, and climbed Musala, the highest mountain in Bulgaria and the entire Balkan Peninsula. I still haven’t made it to the Black Sea coast or Plovdiv, one of Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited cities, so there is plenty left for another trip.
Explore Sofia
Sofia is Bulgaria’s largest city and capital, sitting at the foot of Vitosha Mountain. Thousands of years of history remain visible throughout the city, where ancient Serdica, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Ottoman-era landmarks, and architecture from Bulgaria’s more recent communist period coexist within the modern capital. May 24 brings some of the country’s largest celebrations of Bulgarian education, culture, and the Cyrillic alphabet into Sofia’s streets.
Explore Rila Monastery
Hidden within the Rila Mountains, Rila Monastery is one of Bulgaria’s most important cultural and religious landmarks. The Eastern Orthodox monastery traces its history back more than 1,000 years and remains an active religious site today. Its distinctive arcaded buildings surround a central church covered with elaborate frescoes, while the complex preserves centuries of Bulgarian religious art, architecture, and history.
Climb Musala Peak
The Rila Mountains rise across southwestern Bulgaria and contain the highest point in the entire Balkan Peninsula. Musala reaches 9,596 feet (2,925 meters), with a route through evergreen forests, mountain huts, alpine lakes, and increasingly rugged terrain toward the summit. Depending on the season, the mountain can range from a straightforward summer hike to a snow-covered alpine climb.
