Bulgaria Vacation Packages

The churches and monasteries of Bulgaria speak to the religious and spiritual past and present of the country where folklore and traditions are prized. Over many years, freedom and struggle have come to define a people with distinct cultural origins – there are lots of ways to explore these religious sites, some of which have changed hands from one religion to another, over the years.

Bulgaria is tucked away in the southeast corner of Europe on the Balkan Peninsula and is divided north to south by the Balkan Mountains. It shares borders with Romania in the north, the Black Sea in the east, and Greece and Turkey in the south. The country straddles cultures with a Slavic language, Mediterranean food, and Roman and Turkish architecture. In fact, the word ‘bulgar’, is a Turkish word meaning ‘to mix’.

The capital, Sofia, the largest city in the western part of the country on the lower slopes of Mount Vitosha, is named for the Saint Sofia Basilica founded in the 6th century during the reign of Emperor Justinian I. That basilica is named for the Haggia Sofia in Constantinople, in modern day Istanbul. 

Sofia is a modern city with tree-lined boulevards, parks, churches and cathedrals. Lion Bridge (Lvov Most) is an elegant bridge with four bronze lions that adorn its corners. And the nearby Eagle Bridge is decorated with two large eagle statues perched on pillars on either end. This bridge connects the city centre to Borisova Gradina Park.

Across the country there are clear architectural influences from the Roman, medieval and Soviet eras. At the centre of Sofia is a Russian monument to Vasil Levski, a Bulgarian revolutionary hero who gave his life in the struggle to free Bulgaria from the Ottomans in the 19th century. The monument is surrounded by important government buildings, cultural areas, and cultural institutions.