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. The city has thousands of years of history, with Roman ruins, Ottoman influences, Orthodox churches, and architecture from Bulgaria’s more recent communist period all mixed into the modern capital. In some places, you can walk between completely different periods of Bulgarian history within just a few blocks.
Explore Rila Monastery
Hidden within the Rila Mountains, Rila Monastery is one of the most culturally and historically important places in Bulgaria. The Eastern Orthodox monastery traces its history back more than 1,000 years and remains an important religious site today. Its mountain setting is impressive enough on its own, but inside are colorful frescoes, historic buildings, religious treasures, and centuries of Bulgarian history.
Climb Musala Peak
The Rila Mountains rise across western Bulgaria and contain the highest point in the entire Balkan Peninsula. Musala reaches 9,596 feet (2,925 meters), and climbing it gave me views across a landscape of rugged mountains, alpine lakes, and forests. Depending on the season, the surrounding mountains offer everything from straightforward hiking to snow-covered alpine terrain and more serious mountaineering.
