Lonely Planet Romania & Bulgaria

by Lonely Planet

  8Getting There & Away

  Bus 6 runs half-hourly on weekdays (and hourly at weekends) between the local bus stop near Kazanlâk bus station and Shipka village (1.80 lv, 25 minutes). Alternatively, the hourly bus between Kazanlâk and Gabrovo stops at the village and Shipka Pass, as do buses to Veliko Târnovo.

  Stara Zagora СТАРА ЗАГОРА

  Pop 137,850

  As a business city and major road and rail connection, Stara Zagora (meaning 'old beyond the mountains') doesn't loom large on tourist itineraries. Nonetheless, this bubbly city is a fine place to stop for a night or two: the dining scene is superb, pedestrianised streets lined with trendy cafes lead right to Roman ruins, and there are numerous parks in which to idle. It's best known for Zagorka, a leading Bulgarian beer that has been brewed here since 1902.

  1Sights

  Eski MosqueMOSQUE

  (Museum of Religions; %042-919 214; ul Pazarska 1; adult/child 3/1 lv; h10am-6pm Tue-Sat)

  One of Bulgaria’s oldest Muslim shrines, the cavernous interior of 15th-century Eski Mosque has splendid rococo and floral designs. Now presented as a 'Museum of Religions', a few Bulgarian-only display cases feature religious miscellany, but the real reason to visit is the mosque's beautiful interior. It lies just east of central October 5 Park.

  Roman TheatreRUINS

  (bul Mitropolit Metodii Kusev)F

  The 3rd-century-AD Forum Augusta Trayana is well preserved and hosts summertime concerts. Just north of the park, it can be freely explored on foot.

  World of ZagorkaBREWERY

  (http://zagorkatours.bg; ul Han Asparuh 41; adult/child 6/4 lv; hnoon-6pm Fri-Sun, by appointment)

  Guzzle down some beer history at this brewery museum. You can peruse barley-processing equipment and a 1902 bottle, and admire photos of the good old days of brewing. Best of all, there's beer tasting at the end. It's 2km north of central Stara Zagora, by the eastern edge of Zagorka Park.

  Neolithic Dwellings MuseumMUSEUM

  (%042-600 299; adult/child 5/2 lv; h9am-12.30pm & 1-5.30pm Tue-Sat)

  This two-room museum displays the remains of an 8000-year-old Stone Age house, once 7m in height, along with interesting details on how Bulgarians from the 6th millennium BC lived. Jewellery, tools and household items are exhibited, some of which – such as enamelled animal-headed vessels – are astonishingly detailed for their age. To find the museum, enter the hospital gates and walk straight through the complex to an outdoor staircase, which leads to the museum.

  4Sleeping

  Hotel La RokaHOTEL$

  (%042-919 427; www.hotel-laroka.com; ul Tsar Ivan Shishman 38; s/d/ste 55/59/69 lv; paW)

  This classy little hotel represents marvellous value thanks to its comfortably furnished rooms, red-and-gold decor and relaxing common-room area with TV and buttery leather sofas. Breakfast costs an additional 5 lv.

  oHotel Merian PalaceHOTEL$$

  (%042-611 100; www.merianpalace.com; bul Ruski 8; s/d/apt incl breakfast 95/115/150 lv; paWs)

  Sparkling bathrooms and well-furnished rooms with flat-screen TVs are the norm at this tastefully modern hotel near the train and bus stations. Most luxurious are the 'VIP apartments' (320 lv) with creamy leather sofas and maroon carpets. There's a wellness centre with a sauna (8 lv), and genteel service is the cherry on the cake.

  Hotel VereyaHOTEL$$

  (%042-919 373; www.hotel-vereya.com; ul Tsar Simeon Veliki 100; d/apt from 70/120 lv; paW)

  Plump mattresses and welcoming cream rooms lift the Vereya above other business hotels in town. 'VIP apartments' (150 lv) are enormous and artily decorated. The hotel is well situated on the town's liveliest square, the so-called ‘Complex’, full of cafes and restaurants.

  Parking is an extra 10 lv per day. Breakfast costs 5 lv.

  5Eating

  Most restaurants and cafes are on the pedestrian sections of bul Metropolit Metodii Kusev and bul Tsar Simeon Veliki, which cross one block west of the October 5 Park. Stara Zagora has a taste for Western European dining, so you can expect to find Italian and French flavours muddled among filling Bulgarian grills.

  Restaurant UniqatoITALIAN$$

  (%042-661 155; www.uniqato.com; ul Sava Silov 36; mains 10-20 lv; h11am-midnight; v)

  Stara Zagora's best dining can be enjoyed at this sophisticated Italian place, with its stone-baked pizzas, prosciutto-draped salads and juicy meatballs spoken of reverently by locals. Vegetarians are well catered for, with dishes such as eggplant lasagna and goat's cheese ratatouille. The range of desserts, from cheesecakes to panna cotta, is refreshingly broad compared to most Bulgarian restaurants – leave room.

  Mehana ChevermetoBULGARIAN, EUROPEAN$$

  (%042-630 331; http://chevermetosz.com; ul Bratya Zhekovi 60; mains 10-15 lv; h8am-midnight; W)

  With its traditional decor and soothing setting by a pond, the restaurant of the Hotel Ezeroto has family ambience and high-quality traditional fare. A vast wine list and range of cured meat platters precede Bulgarian mainstays such as baked claypot dishes, though there's also plenty of Mediterranean influence sprinkled among the grilled fish and mozzarella salads.

  8Information

  The friendly Tourist Information Centre (%042-627 098; www.tour.starazagora.bg; bul Ruski 27; h9am-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-12.30pm & 1.30-4pm Sat) has free maps and local info.

  8Getting There & Away

  From the bus station (%042-605 349; ul Slavyanski) three are services to Sofia (17 lv to 22 lv, four hours, hourly), Burgas (16 lv, three hours, hourly), Sliven (7 lv, 1¼ hours, hourly), Varna (23 lv to 33 lv, five hours, six daily), Veliko Târnovo (13 lv to 23 lv, three hours, six daily), Plovdiv (5 lv to 8 lv, three hours, hourly) Kazanlâk (4 lv, 45 minutes, eight daily) and Ruse (25 lv, five hours, one daily).

  Private companies offer different prices for international destinations such as Athens, Frankfurt and more.

  Stara Zagora’s train station (%042-626 752; ul Papazchev) is a five-minute walk south from the bus station, at the southern edge of Stantsionna Gradina park. The following services are direct.

  Destination Cost (lv) Duration (hr) Frequency

  Burgas 10 2½ –3 2 daily

  Kazanlâk 3-4 1–1½ 2 daily

  Plovdiv 6-7 2 hourly

  Sofia 14 4 5 daily

  Varna 15-19 4½ 4 daily

  Veliko Târnovo 7-8 3 4 daily

  Indirect alternative routes include Sofia via Plovdiv, and Burgas via Karnobat or Zimnica. To reach Ruse (11 lv, six hours), change at Gorna Oryakhovitsa.

  Sliven СЛИВЕН

  Pop 96,400

  Encircled by rocky crags, Sliven is famed for its role in the 19th-century revolution. The hilltop caves and boulders that now form Blue Rocks Nature Park, north of town, once concealed haidouks, the rebels who helped secured Bulgaria's freedom from the Ottomans. Against the backdrop of this proud history, this welcoming town offers glimmers of inspiration in its well-preserved house-museums, and cultural draws along its pretty pedestrianised mall.

  Outside these areas, Sliven is a rather dusty place where post-Soviet gloom hangs heavy. Nonetheless, local desires to plant Sliven more firmly on the tourist map are seeing it improve by the day.

  1Sights

  Blue Rocks Nature ParkNATURE RESERVE

  (Sinite Kamani; chairlift one way/return 3/6 lv; hchairlift 8.30am-5pm Tue-Sun, noon-5pm Mon)

  Despite its enigmatic name, there's little more than a bluish haze hanging over this rubbly nature park. But these hills have revolutionary history: within their folds once hid the haidouks, the freedom fighters who plotted against the Turks during Bulgaria's centuries of Ottoman rule. Most visitors take the chairlift to the top and picnic overlooking views of the valley, or follow trails to the caves in which haidouks planned acts of sabotage against the Ottomans. The best time to visit is between May and September.

  As an alternative to the chairlift, you can walk uphill following a winding trail (1½ hours). From the top of the chairlift, a path leads about 300m to the main road; c
ross it and proceed 500m through the woods. Follow the road downhill to bypass information centres (pick up a map). Ragged, often steep trails to the haidouk caves are sporadically signposted from the main wood into the wilds.

  The park is also home to rock formations with legends as strange as their shapes. Halkata, 'the ring', is thought to weave love spells from its 8m stone bulk; stories say that passing through the circle ensures a couple long life and happiness. Even more eyebrow-raising is the claim that passing through the circle with a willingness to change sex can transform a visitor from male to female, or vice versa. Other rocks are thought to resemble camels and frogs; get more information from the tourist information centre.

  Irregular minibus 25 from central Sliven reaches the main road, a short walk from the lifts, but it's far easier to get a taxi (4 lv). Keep a taxi number for the way back, as they don't reliably ply the lifts.

  Mirkovich HouseMUSEUM

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %044-622 796; ul Mirkovich 10; adult/child 2/1 lv; h10am-6pm Tue-Fri, to 5pm Sat & Sun)

  The temporary art exhibitions are a fine excuse to explore this creaky period house, where the crimson rugs and elaborate carved wooden ceilings give an agreeable flavour of the 1930s and '40s.

  Hadzhi Dimitâr MuseumMUSEUM

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %044-622 496; ul Asenova 2; adult/student 2/1 lv; h9am-noon & 2-5pm daily Apr-Oct, closed Sun Nov-Mar)

  This house-museum dedicated to the rebel-movement leader is set in a lovely wooden building arranged around a cobblestone courtyard. The building features several rooms faithfully preserved in 19th-century style, including a kitchen and the bedroom in which Dimitâr was born.

  4Sleeping & Eating

  Hotel TomaGUESTHOUSE$

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %044-623 333; www.hoteltoma.com; ul Velikoknyazhevska 27; d incl breakfast 50-60 lv; aiW)

  Once an 18th-century residence, the Toma is a small, family-run guesthouse (with a big and sometimes loud adjoining restaurant) up a side street north of the square. The decor ranges from animal horns to ornate woodcarvings, and rooms, which are decked out with tapestries, are just as cheerful.

  Hotel National PalaceBUSINESS HOTEL$$

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %044-662 929; http://nationalpalace.bg; ul Velikoknyazhevska 31; s/d/ste/apt from 69/89/108/138 lv; pW)

  Arranged around a pretty courtyard, the National Palace might be a business hotel, but it's elegant, with cordial, multilingual service and spotless rooms. It's worth springing for a deluxe room (doubles from 97 lv) with headboard lighting and flat-screen TV, but lodgings throughout are crisp and well maintained. Parking is 5 lv per 24 hours.

  oPri HadjiyataBULGARIAN$

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0878553222; ul Yordan Kyuvliev 11; mains 5-12 lv; W)

  This festive local favourite set around a shaded courtyard, with indoor seating for winter, does excellent Bulgarian food prepared and served in the traditional way. Satch (stew baked in a clay pot and served on a hotplate), ribs and river fish deserve special recommendations. Lunch specials are as cheap as 3.50 lv.

  8Information

  Buy pamphlets with historical and hiking information from the Tourist Information Centre ( GOOGLE MAP ; %044-611 148; http://tourism.hostsliven.net; bul Tsar Osvoboditel 1; h9am-4pm Mon-Fri), just south of pl Hadzhi Dimitâr.

  8Getting There & Away

  The small bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ; %044-662 629; bul Hadzhi Dimitâr) is 300m south of the large Billa supermarket. Regular daily buses and minibuses go to Sofia (22 lv, four to five hours, 10 daily), Stara Zagora (8 lv, one hour, 18 daily), Plovdiv (10 lv, three hours, 12 daily) and Burgas (12 lv, two hours, 12 daily). Less frequent bus services reach Veliko Târnovo (13 lv, two hours, four daily) and Kazanlâk (8 lv, 1½ hours, two daily).

  Sliven’s train station ( GOOGLE MAP ; %044-622 614) is 1km south of the bus station. Direct trains serve Sofia (23 lv, 5½ hours, one daily), Varna (11 lv, 3½ hours, one daily) and Burgas (7 lv, 1½ hours, two daily); travel via Karnobat for more services. Daily trains reach Kazanlâk (6 lv, two hours, five daily). For Stara Zagora (6 lv, two to three hours, five daily), change trains at Tulovo. For Plovdiv (12 lv, five hours, 10 daily), travel via Karlovo or Zimnica. To get to Ruse, one or two changes are required.

  Black Sea Coast

  Black Sea Coast Highlights

  Southern Coast

  Burgas

  Sozopol

  Primorsko

  Tsarevo

  Sinemorets

  Central Coast

  Pomorie

  Nesebar

  Northern Coast

  Varna

  Sveti Konstantin

  Balchik

  Black Sea Coast

  Why Go?

  Bulgaria's long Black Sea coastline is the country's summertime playground, attracting not just Bulgarians but tourists from across Europe and beyond. The big, purpose-built resorts here have become serious rivals to those of Spain and Greece, while independent travellers will find plenty to explore away from the parasols and jet skis.

  Sparsely populated sandy beaches to the far south and north, the bird-filled lakes around Burgas, and picturesque ancient towns such as Nesebâr and Sozopol are rewarding destinations. The 'maritime capital' of Varna and its seaside rival, Burgas, are two of Bulgaria's most vibrant cities. Both are famous for summer festivals and nightlife as well as many museums and galleries.

  Those with their own transport will have even greater choice, with the wild Strandzha Nature Park in the south and the picturesque Kaliakra Cape and Dobrudzha region in the north theirs to discover.

  When to Go

  AApr–May Spring on the coast is pleasantly warm and relaxed, with fewer tourists.

  AJun–Aug Reliably hot, dry, sunny days in summer bring the crowds to the beaches.

  ANov–Mar Winters are chilly, resort hotels close for the season, but you'll have the place to yourself.

  Best Places to Eat

  A Ethno

  A Ribarska Sreshta

  A Mehane Neptun

  A Bay

  A Gloria Mar

  Best Places to Sleep

  A Art Hotel

  A Graffit Gallery Hotel

  A Boutique Hotel St Stefan

  A Hotel Regina Maria Spa

  A Yo Ho Hostel

  Black Sea Coast Highlights

  1 Sozopol Exploring the cobblestoned lanes of this lovely old former Greek harbour.

  2 Archaeological Museum Learning of the Black Sea coast's rich Thracian, Greek and Roman origins in Varna.

  3 Summer Palace of Queen Marie Strolling through Romanian Queen Marie's picturesque seaside cottage in Balchik.

  4 Nesebâr Marvelling at how this tiny, cobblestoned peninsula was once home to some 80 medieval churches.

  5 Strandzha Nature Park Hiking and cycling through this remarkably diverse natural landscape.

  6 Sinemorets Soaking up the sun near the Turkish border, where the river meets the sea.

  7 Burgas Enjoying the spoils of one of Bulgaria's most attractive cities, with some great restaurants and a pristine seaside park.

  History

  The towns along the Black Sea coast share a common historical origin. Archaeological and historical museums are filled with artefacts from the Copper and early Bronze Age (about 4000–1500 BC). A superb collection from this era – including possibly the world’s earliest worked gold jewellery – can be admired in the Varna Archaeological Museum.

  From the 7th century BC, Greek merchants founded Black Sea ports such as Apollonia Pontica (modern-day Sozopol), Odessos (Varna), Mesembria (Nesebâr), Krounoi/Dionysopolis (Balchik) and Pirgos (Burgas).

  The Romans were the next great people to dominate the region, appearing on the scene in the 1st century AD. They conquered Mesembria and Odessos, and eventually built the exquisite Thermae complex (Roman baths) in Varna. The Roman presence lasted only a few short centuries before the empire began to fragment.

  The rise and fall of the Bulgarian empires, the first (681–1018) and second (1185–1396), found the coa
stal cities along the Black Sea caught between the Bulgarians to the north and the remnants of the Eastern Roman Empire – Byzantium – to the south. The entire coastal region fell to the Ottoman Empire in the 14th century, though cities such as Varna and Sozopol thrived as important commercial ports.

  In the 19th century, the coastal region joined with the rest of the country to form independent Bulgaria, though fierce fighting with the retreating Ottoman Empire lasted into the 20th century.

  Southern Coast

  Burgas БУРГАС

  Pop 200,000

  For most visitors, the port city of Burgas (sometimes written as ‘Bourgas’) is no more than a transit point for the more obviously appealing resorts and historic towns further up and down the coast. If you do decide to stop over, you'll find a lively, well-kept city with a neat, pedestrianised centre, a long, uncrowded beach, a gorgeous seafront park, and some interesting museums. A clutch of reasonably priced hotels, as well as some of the best restaurants in this part of the country, makes it a practical base for exploring the southern coast, too.