Check out the must-see places in Bulgaria for travel, holidays and fun.

Despite being a relatively small country, Bulgaria has a lot to offer anyone interested in experiencing the mysticism and enchantment of Eastern Europe, where ancient culture and contemporary history are continuing to leave their mark on a nation that many find marvelous, fascinating, and bizarre.

Bulgaria offers a wide variety of nature escapes with the mountains, sea, lakes, and postcard-like villages and since the country is home to all four seasons, your trip into any of these gorgeous sceneries will make it worth it. Many places of natural beauties have not been ruined by holiday home developers, plus hiring a professional guide is cost effective here and won't cost you a fortune.

CULTURE: The UNESCO Sites

Bulgaria boasts 7 sites listed on the UNESCO world heritage list with fourteen more waiting for approval. A medieval church in Sofia, the popular Rila Monastery (conveniently located close to the capital), two ancient tombs of the Thracians and the entire old city of Nessebar are a must see part of any Bulgaria tour, in order to see some of the most striking cultural monuments. The Madara Rider, a medieval relief carved in the rocks is on the tails of all local coins.

NIGHT LIFE: Sofia

Oh yes...Bulgarians love to celebrate! Eastern European capitals remain hot spots for travelers seeking 24-hour parties and low-cost vacations. Bulgaria is the country of "no reservations" when it comes to party planning, as locals meet without any formal arrangements in cafés, restaurants and bars every day. By night, Sofia's city center clubs offer non-stop parties during the weekend and just like everywhere, the show slows down a little during the week.

Remember - nodding up and down to say "no'' and shaking one's head back and forth to say "yes,' is the opposite of Western custom. It's a good mistake to make when the bartender keeps asking if you want more.

SKI HOLIDAYS: Bansko

Wonderful ski conditions, low-cost accommodations, party-on pubs and evening pub sessions with the latest music are what make Bansko such a popular destination. A while back, the town of Bansko was considered a golden opportunity for investment for holiday home owners but it survived the mass hotel and apartment buildings construction. The good news is – now there are many new, completely finished hotels of all types to book.

SIGHTSEEING: Bulgarian Monasteries Tour

Bulgaria offers a profound look into the history of Christianity, as Bulgaria was one of the first countries to translate the Bible into its native language and as a result is the home to a vast amount of early Christian monasteries and artifacts, a must in any pilgrim's early Christianity memorials route.

The monasteries survived five centuries of Muslim presence, successfully able to keep Bulgarian nationalism alive as well as preserving astonishing records of Christian martyrdom. The Bulgarian Orthodox tradition has contributed largely to the country's culture, history and overall education for many centuries and has no "dark ages" in its records.

TRADITIONS: The Bulgarian Rose Fest

The rose is the symbol of Bulgaria, as rose oil is made in Bulgaria and has gained an international reputation of high quality organic oil. Similar to Chinese silk, Bulgaria has been recognized with the country's primary exported item for centuries. The rose fest takes place in the central Bulgarian town of Kazanlak since 1903 and the coronation of the "Queen of the Rose" (a part of the fest), is often considered Bulgaria's first beauty contest.

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