EXPLORE PIRIN MOUNTAINS IN BULGARIA IN A LUXURIOUS WAY!

Where to find Paradise?
In the Razlog valley surrounded by three of the most beautiful mountains  Rila, Pirin and the Rhodopes
• within 160 km of the capital Sofia and the airport
• within 15 km of European quality ski tracks with total length of 65 km
• within 12 km of hot spa springs in Banya village
• only within 150 km of the beaches of the Aegean



The rich History of Bulgaria
The national historical-archeological reserve “Madara” is located 17 km northeast of Shumen, 2 km from the village of Madara and 75 km from Varna.
First settled during the Neolithic Age (the late Stone Age), it has been occupied ever since. Over the centuries, rock sanctuaries were founded here, as were palaces and other habitations, fortresses, temples, hermits’ retreats and monastic complexes, places for solitude and for communal celebrations. Visitors can observe evidence of the material and spiritual cultural development of many ethnic groups – the earliest inhabitants, Thracians, Romans, Byzantines, Slavs, Bulgars, Turks, and others. Today dozens of monuments and artifacts from all epochs can be seen.
The most notable monument at the Madara reserve is the unique stone relief known as the Madara Horseman. Carved on a massive cliff some 23 meters high, it is representative of early Medieval Bulgarian artistry.
The relief depicts a horseman in a natural pose with a sword in his hand. At the feet of the horse is a lion, and behind the rider is depicted his hunting dog. One legend has it that a Roman emperor was hunting on the plateau when he fell off the cliff and died. His relatives memorialized him by engaging a master to carve his image on the cliff.
The stone relief is the only one of its kind in Europe. In 1979, it was included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and in 2008 it was chosen as the national symbol of Bulgaria.
In the 14th century one of the largest cliff monasteries in Bulgaria was founded at Madara. More than 150 natural caves on the rock face were used as churches, chapels, monastic retreats, and gravesites. One of the largest caves was used as a church, and it continues to function to this day as the cliffside chapel “Saint Panteleymon”.
-The Burgas Archeological Museum is located in a former girls’ school that was built in 1894. It was designed by the Swiss architect Herman Maier, who also designed banks in Sofia, Plovdiv, and Russe.

Cultural Events of the Bulgarian Traditional
Bulgarian customs are rooted in antiquity and are closely tied to the country’s history and particular expression of Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
Dancing on live coals is an ancient Bulgarian ritual still practiced in a few villages in the Balkan Mountains. The ritual in its authentic form is performed on the name day of Saints Konstantin and Helena – 21 May or 3 June according to the old calendar. Fire dancers perform their special dance on live coals holding in both hands an icon of Saint Konstantin and Saint Helena. Amazingly, they never get hurt or burn their feet.
The Mummer games are special customs and rituals conducted most often on New Year’s Eve and at Shrovetide. They are only performed by men, who wear special masks and costumes that have been made for the occasion by each of the participants in order to chase away bad spirits and demons at the beginning of every year.
“Laduvane” is another interesting ritual that is performed on the New Year’s Eve, George’s Day, Midsummer’s Eve and St. Lazar’s Day. At this ritual young women predict their future in marriage and the men they will marry. They address Lada, the goddess of love and family life, to ask her about their future husbands.

“Lazaruvane” is a ritual related to coming of spring. It is conducted on St. Lazar’s Day, eight days before Easter and always on the Saturday before the celebration of Palm Sunday. On this day willow branches are picked and used to decorate the doors and young maidens pick flowers to shape as garlands. On Saturday maidens dress in festive clothes decorated with flowers and sprigs. Then they walk from house to house, offering blessings for good health and rich harvests and given small gifts.
Probably the most important symbol of Bulgaria is the ritual of making and giving martenitsas for health and happiness at the beginning of March.
Especially well-respected in Bulgaria are traditions related to the circle of life – birth, christening, wedding, and funeral.


Traditional Food
Bulgarian cuisine is exceptionally diverse and delicious, consisting of various salads, breadstuffs, stews, and other local dishes. Many of the dishes are prepared according to traditional recipes handed down from generation to generation over the centuries.
The most products for which Bulgaria is internationally known are yogurt and white brine (feta type) cheese. These are almost always present on Bulgarian tables in one form or another.
One of the most famous and most popular breakfast items in the country is banitsa. It is a made of dough with various fillings, such as cheese, spinach, rice and meat. Other popular breakfasts dishes include pancakes, buhtas (fritters), mekitsas (fried dough pieces), and fried bread slices. All of these are particularly delicious when served with jam, marmalade, honey or yogurt.
The most popular Bulgarian salad is the Shopska Salad, but there are also other salads worth trying – Shepherd’s Salad, Harvest Salad, Snezhanka, Monk’s Salad, Dobrudzha Salad, Roasted Peppers Salad.
One of the most popular appetizers is Tarator (cold Cucumber Soup).Some of the most popular Bulgarian dishes are grilled meat balls, kebapches, grilled meat pieces, grilled sausages, etc. Various stews and dishes in clay pots are also a regular part of the Bulgaria cuisine (hotchpotch and casseroles).
One of the trademarks of the Bulgarian cuisine is Cheverme – an entire lamb roasted on a spit. Potatoes are a main ingredient in many Bulgarian recipes. The most popular potato dishes include Ogreten, Patatnik, potato stew and fried potatoes.
Bulgaria is justly famous for its wines. Thanks to the country’s unique climate and soils, a variety of grapes thrive here – Gamza (North Bulgaria), the Wide Melnik Vine (in the region of Melnik and Sandanski), Dimyat (in the regions of Varna, Shumen and Stara Zagora), Mavrud (Plovdiv, Pazardzhik, Asenovgrad), Red Misket (Straldzha and Sungurlare), Ruby (Plovdiv and Septemvri) and Pamid (Pazardzhik, Pamidovo and Plovdiv).


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