Nature

Strange rocks and human imagination have been deeply linked since the first Homo sapiens squinted at some weirdly-shaped peaks and wondered why they looked the way they did. In the millennia that have passed since then, natural rock phenomena have been turned into shrines to pagan deities, Christian saints and Muslim sages. Legends, often bloody and brutal, have been invented about their origins.

The Stone Mushrooms, near the Rhodope village of Beli Plast, are a case in point.

Тhe Black Sea is a geographical curiosity. Until recently (in geological terms), it was a big lake locked between Europe and Asia, gorging on the waters of scores of rivers. About 6,500 to 7,500 years ago, it filled to the brim, broke through what would become the Dardanelles Straights and connected to the Mediterranean. As its water levels fluctuated up and down, wind blew and rain poured, the cliffs on the new shoreline were relentlessly eaten, beaten and broken. In some places, this neverending process exposed to the elements ancient rocks that had lain buried for aeons.

Once the homes of early humans, caves have always tickled the imagination. Their darkness, echoing caverns, hidden rivers, screeching bats and bizarre rock formations have become the setting of countless legends, stories and discoveries about times past. Bulgaria is no exception. This country's caves might not be the biggest or the most spectacular in the world, but many are very impressive and well worth a visit.

Steep rocky peaks, pristine alpine meadows, hidden lakes and some of the last communities that herd semi-wild, traditional breeds of sheep and horses: the Pirin is a small mountain that is one big wonder of nature. However, the sublime beauty of the mountain, whose highest parts have been a UNESCO-listed national park for over four decades, is not for those who would rather eschew hiking or stick to skiing in Bansko.

The mastodons roamed along the banks of a river, munching on the vegetation under the canopy of a tropical forest, oblivious to the screams of  monkeys and the presence of rhinos, but watching out for lions and sabre-toothed tigers that were never far from the watering hole.

The river attracted all of these animals but, from time to time, a visit here could prove fatal. As the water swept away the remains of the dead bodies, they eventually started to pile up at one of the bends of the river. There the bones accumulated, along with other debris, and over time they fossilised.

If one of your New Year's resolutions is to travel more around Bulgaria in 2026, you have probably already encountered a problem: how to plan your trips so that you get the most out of this country's impressive nature, history and heritage. If you need inspiration, information or advice, the following pages offer a list of ideas for escapes and activities from January to December.

January: Bansko

Some expats arrive in Bulgaria for business and then they find something more – a way to bring some meaningful change into the life of the country. Tony McMurray is one such example. The finance professional has always sought challenges in sports, adventure and charity. In 2021 he got an idea that would unite all of these to help some of the most vulnerable Bulgarian citizens. The idea behind the Bulgarian 56 Peaks Challenge is both simple and alluring.

Huge boulders that rise at precipitous heights. Giant bedrock holes that look like imprints of footsteps. Strange ruins from times immemorial… Bulgaria and the Balkans are dotted with such places – natural phenomena carved by the sun, rain and wind, remains of ancient rock shrines or forgotten fortifications erected by some obscure warlord.

Ever since the first tourists discovered the Vitosha as the fastest way to leave the pollution and chaos of the big city and roam among pristine nature, the moreni, or moraines – massive boulders that cascade amid the firs, a hidden river rumbling beneath them – have been top of the must-see list.

Anyone who is even remotely interested in looking at the world from the window of a car will instantly know that driving through Bulgaria's lesser and off-the-beaten track roads is absolutely the best way to take in the natural and cultural beauties of this country and to experience a first-hand interaction with its people.

These include, but are not limited to, bad or non-existent asphalt, unpredictable and uncared-for potholes, confusing signage, maniacal drivers and traffic cops that contribute to the problems rather than try to solve them. Yet anyone who is even remotely interested in looking at the world from the window of a car will instantly know that driving through Bulgaria's lesser and off-the-beaten track roads is absolutely the best way to take in the natural and cultural beauties of this country and to experience a first-hand interaction with its people.

With established resorts, new resorts and resorts under construction, the southern Bulgarian Black Sea coast sometimes appears to be one big development site. In summertime, when the crowds flock to the bustling compounds of Sunny Beach, blue-collar paradise Primorsko and nouveau riche-attracting Lozenets and St Vlas, it can become overwhelming. Nevertheless, there are some places between Burgas in the north and Rezovo in the south that have miraculously resisted concrete development. What about the strip of coast between Cape Emine and Burgas?

Summer is here, so going to the seaside for some fun, sun, sand and a swim is no longer a whim – it is a necessity! But where should you go? If you do not want to join the thousands of Bulgarians and Romanians heading to the border crossings with Greece, then Bulgaria is the obvious answer. Although the hectic overdevelopment that has plagued the Bulgarian Black Sea coast since the 2000s continues, there are a handful of beaches that still offer a sense of freedom, clean sand and an alluring sea.

When the first European travellers saw Pobiti Kamani near Varna, they could not believe his eyes. The massive stone pillars emerging from the sandy, shrub-covered wilderness made Viktor Teplyakov, a "special missions officer" in the Russian army during the Russo-Turkish War of 1828-1829, to rein his horse. He wanted to explore, but there was no time.

А mass of high peaks, meandering rivers and gentle slopes, the Rhodope mountain range makes one seventh of Bulgaria's territory and is a universe with its own character, history and charm. People have lived in it for millennia, making the most of its rivers, meadows, low mountain fields, thick forests, ores and routes along meandering rivers. The mountain is defined by a rich mixture of impressive natural phenomena, ancient traditions and legends, mesmerising music and stunning examples of human craft and ingenuity, created by Thracians, Romans, Bulgarians, Turks and Pomaks.

With its rolling hills and uninspiring towns, the central part of northern Bulgaria appears unexciting and dull, a place you pass through on your way to somewhere else. However, as so often happens in Bulgaria, appearances are deceiving. Detour from the Sofia-Varna highway when you see the signs to Lovech and in the plateau that starts east from town you will find an unknown world of windswept hills, fertile farmland, sleepy villages and impressive natural phenomena. Welcome to the world of Devetaki Plateau.

Prehistoric goddesses dancing in dark caves. Thick forests climbing up forbidding mountains, moist from the breath of hidden waterfalls. Intriguing museums where ancient gold treasures share space with... a nuclear power plant model. Red rocks frozen in phantasmagorical shapes, with macabre stories to add. Winding rivers passing by abandoned Communist-era monuments and factories, and picturesque monasteries. Towns that have seen better times, but still strive to reinvent themselves. Roman ruins amid drab modern houses.

Owing to its geological history, the Rhodope mountain range – in contrast to the nearby Rila and Pirin – lacks any impressive Alpine-style lakes. However, where nature erred, man stepped in. In this case the Rhodope man-made lakes, or reservoirs, are worthy of attention as some have even become tourist and holiday spots.

In Bulgaria, nature has created a number of little wonders. They might not be spectacular or grandiose, but they constitute a vital part of the local wildlife, create a feeling of uniqueness and are sometimes the sole survivors of bygone geological epochs. Many of these are plants, and some are animals. Here is a list of our favourite little Bulgarian wonders of nature.

Haberlea rhodopensis

Next time you visit Sozopol, pay more attention not to the quaint houses in the Old Town, the beaches around or the quality of food and service in the restaurants. Instead, take a stroll by the sea and take in... the rocks.