Bulgaria

Highlights of Bulgaria trips

1. Mountain trekking: Southwestern Bulgaria is dominated by two dramatic mountain ranges, the Pirin and the equally imposing Rila. Try hiking across stunning passes and glacial lakes and even ascend Musala, the highest on the Balkan Peninsula. This is raw and rugged nature at its most epic.

2. Bulgarian Cuisine: Bulgarian cuisine combines the rich influence of the Ottoman Empire with a peasant cooking style that piles in the country's tasty vegetables and herbs. Shopska salad, banitsa, kebabche, kyufte, lyutenitsa... these are just a few of the delicious traditional dishes to sample. Try fish soup on the coast, fruit and veg in the plains, and cheese in the mountains.

3. Villages: Discover Bulgaria’s pretty towns and villages, like Koprivshtitsa, Kovachevitsa, Etar and Bozhentsi, and you learn about Bulgarian customs and traditions. Pick fresh fruit and veg at local markets and enjoy a slower pace of life.

4. Mud bathing: Renowned for its skin and healing properties, the mud near Atanasovsko Lake has formed over millions of years. Aside from applying it to your skin, you can also float in the saline pool next to the baths.

5. Wildlife: Spend a week in the Rodopi Mountains discovering the realm of the brown bear. Record tracks, scats and other signs of bear activity as part of an ongoing conservation project, and visit a specially constructed bear-watching hide to see these beguiling animals in their natural habitat.