Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Iron Curtain, no more…mesmerizing Bulgaria.awaits you…

“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller” - Ibn Battuta

 

There simply is no way to tour Europe and not be awestruck by its scenic beauty, epic history & dazzling artistic & culinary diversity. Eastern Europe is a region that encompasses many different amazing cultures, ethnicities, languages, histories, architecture as well as mind-blowing scenery. From Soul-stirring soaring mountains to golden sands while cities hum with nightlife & art, the Balkans reveal a tapestry of quaint & contemporary cultures - always with enough rough edges to keep you intrigued.

 

You have to go because over 1000 years of history give you over 1000 reasons to come. Because every brick of old Castle & Monastery walls has a fascinating story to tell. Because of the well-preserved nature & picturesque landscapes. Because of the tasty food & friendly people. Because a visit to the Balkans will give you a more profound understanding of the history of Eastern Europe. Not to forget the UNESCO World Heritage Sites & historical remnants.

 

Bulgaria is at the crossroads between Europe & Asia, with its rugged stone Churches, dazzling Monasteries & Castles dotting a pristine landscape of rocky mountains & rolling hills amidst a highly productive cutting-edge peasant culture thriving in much of the country.  Come, journey with us to this beguiling blend of nature & history & unforgettable adventures are guaranteed

 

Europe’s almost unmanageable wealth of attractions is its biggest single draw: the birthplace of democracy in Athens, the Renaissance art of Florence, the graceful canals of Venice, the Napoleonic splendour of Paris, and the multilayered historical &  cultural canvas of London. Less obvious, but no less impressive attractions include Moorish palaces in Andalucía, the remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the World in Turkey, the majesty of meticulously restored Imperial palaces in Russia's former capital St Petersburg & the ongoing project of Gaudí's La Sagrada Família in Barcelona.

 

Once you have ticked off the great museums, panoramic vistas & energetic nightlife, what's left? A chance to indulge in a culinary adventure to beat all others, that's what! Who wouldn't want to snack on pizza in Naples, souvlaki in Santorini or even haggis in Scotland? But did you also know that Britain has some of the best Indian restaurants in the world; that Turkey's doner kebab is a key part of contemporary German food culture; and that in the Netherlands you can gorge on an Indonesian rijsttafel (rice table)? Once again Europe's diversity & global reach is its trump card.

 

There is breathtaking natural scenery: rugged Scottish Highlands with glens & lochs; Norway's fabulous fjords, seemingly chipped to jagged perfection by giants; the vine-raked valleys of the Loire; & Cappadocia's fairy-tale landscape. If you are looking for beaches, a circuit of the Mediterranean's northern coast reveals one gem after another. Or strike out to lesser known, yet beautiful coastal regions such as the Baltic & Black Seas. Mountain lovers should head to the Alps: they march across central Europe taking in France, Switzerland, Austria, northern Italy & tiny Liechtenstein.

 

Europe has some of the best nightlife in the world. Globally famous DJs keep the party going in London, Berlin & Paris, all of which also offer top-class entertainment, especially theatre and live music. Other key locations for high-energy nightlife include Moscow, Belgrade, Budapest & Madrid, while those hankering for something more cosy, can add Dublin's pubs or Vienna's cafes to their itinerary. Continue to party on the continent's streets at a multiplicity of festivals & celebrations, from city parades attended by hundreds of thousands to intimate concerts in an ancient amphitheatre.

 

Though change is coming quickly to the Balkans, timeless traditions retain their currency - in some parts, even blood feuds aren't as ancient as they ought to be. It is a region where you can barely keep up with the nightlife, but still get stuck behind a horse & cart. Urban landscapes are a pop-up book of European architectural history on a grand scale. Winding Ottoman streets are punctuated with Byzantine churches, Austro-Hungarian villas & angular communist-era blocks. Throw in some Roman ruins & Venetian palazzos, then wrap it all in a medieval wall & plonk it by the sea.

 

Eastern Europe is a region that encompasses many different cultures, ethnicities, languages & histories.

 

Destinations here have one thing in common: they were all behind the Iron Curtain before its fall & this political boundary of the last century helps us define a region whose development, especially until the 1990s, has been very different from that of Western Europe.

 

But the truth is that surreal, exciting & constantly surprising Eastern Europe is an amazing warehouse of culturally, geographically & historically fascinating places as well as mind-blowing scenery & Bulgaria is a part of that mystique.  

 

Now, let us talk about mesmerizing Bulgaria where soul-stirring mountains rival golden beaches, while cities hum with nightlife & art. Within Bulgaria’s beguiling blend of nature & history, unforgettable adventures are guaranteed.

 

Bulgaria is a mysterious, multilayered country, with ski fields as fantastic as its beaches. A Balkan nation with diverse terrain encompassing Black Sea coastline, a mountainous interior & rivers, including the Danube, it is a cultural melting pot with Greek, Slavic, Ottoman & Persian influences and has a rich heritage of traditional dance, music, costumes & crafts.

 

Black Sea Beaches | Churches & Religious Art | Ancient History

Long, sandy beaches & fine weather reel holidaymakers into Bulgaria’s Black Sea resorts each summer. Bulgarian ‘inlanders’ are helplessly drawn to the freshening sea breeze & miles of turquoise water. Even the coast's two big cities, Varna & Burgas, have attractive beaches within minutes of their urban hearts. And while the sunny beach, Sozopol & other favourites are thoroughly developed, there are still plenty of undiscovered coves north & south of the major hubs.

 

Whispers of history emanate from Bulgaria’s fortresses & ruins. Caves secreted in river-sculpted wilds hold traces of Neolithic settlements. The mysterious Thracians left behind dazzling hauls of gold & silver and tombs that can be explored to this day. The Romans built cities of breathtaking scale, the bathhouses, walls & amphitheatres of which sit nonchalantly in the midst of modern cities such as Varna & Plovdiv. Successions of tsars strutted along the ramparts of Tsarevets Fortress at former capital Veliko Tarnovo. And these histories are no less relevant today, with Thracian art & Bulgaria’s victory over the Ottomans continuing to inspire.

 

Bulgaria’s untamed landscapes quicken the pulse of hikers, mountain bikers & skiers. Seven mountain ranges ripple across the country; glacial lakes sparkle between these snow-dusted peaks & tangles of forest conceal wolves, bears & lynx, a glimpse of Europe’s primeval past.

 

Networks of trails & hizhas (hiking huts) allow access to such raw beauty as mist-cloaked panoramas in the Stara Planina range & sunrise from Bulgaria’s second-highest peak, Mt Vihren (2915m). Between trekking among Rodopi villages, thundering across ski fields in Bansko or birdwatching in Pirin National Park, Bulgaria has much to delight (& exhaust) lovers of the great outdoors.

 

No visitor to Bulgaria can fail to be impressed by its religious art, from vast gold-domed churches to miniature icon paintings. Sofia’s Aleksander Nevski Church & the 10^th century Rila Monastery draw visitors & pilgrims galore, while Tryavna’s wood carvings and Bachkovo’s apocalyptic murals are gathering fame.

 

But Orthodox churches in even the tiniest villages have much to admire: emotive paintings of saints, often set in carved wooden screens (iconostases), appear magical when bathed in flickering candlelight. Almost as spectacular are the settings of many sacred buildings: granite cliffs, thrashing streams & lonely mountain passes.

 

What could be more alluring than heavy metal concerts in a Roman stadium, light shows over a medieval fortress, or crumbling mansions reborn as bars? Archaeological discoveries are made all the time, so there is something new & compelling each time one visits, the perfect excuse to keep coming back.

 

Within Bulgaria’s beguiling blend of nature & history, a mash-up of ancient & cutting-edge culture, unforgettable adventures are guaranteed ……. Take the plunge now & yep…the Bulgars are waiting. A warm welcome, historical secrets & an artistic paradise awaits you & The Journeys is ready to take you on well, a journey (or journeys) of discovery.

 

 Come…be inspired & discover the World with us

 

We are in the process of updating our Offerings of experiential journeys to Bulgaria. Please contact us in the interim if you want to explore options & we will be happy to offer suggestions based on your personal preferences……