For Easter 2019, Jonny and I wanted a cheap and cheerful holiday. Somewhere we could go, and have a luxurious holiday at a discount price. I am particularly fond of Eastern Europe, so Jonny and I headed to Bulgaria.
On the 8th of April, 2019, we arrived in Varna, Bulgaria late in the day, and got to our hotel. Despite it being a dark night, our window seemed to be illuminated. I drew back the curtain, and was met by the most beautiful Cathedral, lit up in the dark. Eastern Europe is such a story of contrast. It’s filled with grey, plain and quite horrible Communist style blocks of flats, but then nestled between them are ornate Orthodox churches and cathedrals that have stood the test of time.
We spent the next few days exploring Varna. It is a beach town along the Black Sea. During peak season, it is filled with lots of European tourists, looking for a summer holiday without the cost of Spain or Greece. Unfortunately, the summer season begins with a strict date of May 1st, so Jonny and I were met with endless closed signs and phone numbers that went straight to voicemail when trying to book tours.
In a lot of ways, Varna is very different from most Eastern European cities I have been to. It has beautiful parks, and beachfront bars. It has some Western-style restaurants and lots of tourist-dedicated attractions. It still feels communist behind the parks and attractions.
We spent afternoons in empty beachside bars with cats wandering around our feet, and then the evenings in beautiful restaurants that would cost five times as much in London. Jonny and I decided, after a few days of rest, that even though we couldn’t book any tours, we’d try to hire a car and do it ourselves.
Best choice. Hiring a car for 3 days cost us $45! That’s it! We drove to Nessebar, a city built between the remains of 5th-century Byzantine-era fort and baths. It was absolutely beautiful. The rich colour of the intricate arched brickwork was beautiful to look at. It was quiet in early April, and the ruined city was nearly empty. We then travelled through back roads and glitchy Google Maps to get to visit a few other locations before heading home.
The next day, we visited the Petrified Forest. Although it is unclear to scientists as to exactly how the trees were formed, the prevailing hypothesis is that the trees are 50 million years old. They were absolutely incredible and the forest seemed endless. We wandered through the petrified trees for hours; taking photos and just enjoying the beautiful weather we had that day. The Petrified Forest was one of the most incredible places I have ever visited.
Our last stop with the car was to an old monastery on the other side of the city called the Aladzha Monastery. Hermit monks inhabited it during the XIII-XIV centuries. It is carved into 40m of limestone rock face. What a fascinating place to visit, and that rounded out our historical culture in Bulgaria.
Unfortunately, we experienced a different part of Bulgarian culture while we were travelling through the countryside: it’s affinity to prostitution. While driving the 7 kilometers from Varna to the Petrified Forest, we had to stop counting the number of prostitutes we saw standing on the side of the road when we surpassed 50 women. Every 100 meters of our drive, there would be one, two or three women standing along the side of the road. Some stops there were cars pulled off the road, where a new customer had arrived. Jonny and I felt uneasy and uncertain. It was a very strange thing to witness, and we ended up having a lot of conversations about the legalization of prostitution. Something I won’t get into here, but would be happy to discuss over a cup of tea at a later date.
After our jaunts through the Bulgarian countryside, Jonny and I were ready for some R&R. We moved hotels, to much fancier hotel that we had booked. It was spectacular. Our room was HUGE, with a bathtub you could take a swim in. A beautiful restaurant was nestled downstairs behind the hotel bar, and the food was absolutely incredible, and included in the cost of the hotel. A rooftop spa completed the hotel, and Jonny and I took the last couple days of our holiday to really enjoy time relaxing, reading and just being with each other.Â
We took our relaxation to a new level with a day trip to a fancy spa outside of Varna. We booked massages (my first ever), and spent the day in the pools and in the saunas. It was absolutely perfect, just what we needed for our luxurious holiday in Bulgaria.
Bulgaria was such a different holiday for me. Prior to this trip, every holiday I had taken was busy and full of adventure. It was a bit difficult for me to adjust to taking things a little bit slower and not filling my day with different activities. By the end of the holiday, I loved it. I returned to London feeling relaxed and rested, and ready to take on the next term of school.
Love from,
Taylor