The Bulgarian Black Sea coast actually offers everything you need for a  relaxing and enjoyable vacation: Sunshine, white beaches and clear water with pleasant temperatures  around 26°, water sport and entertainment, modern seaside resorts and historic sights,  good cooking and good wine.... In the tourist centres the Bulgarians everywhere offer very cheap handmade articles such as fine crochet works, knitwear, pottery, wood-carvings, paintings... Actually one can get almost everything and for half the price in a good quality.

Among the sights the mediaeval city of  Nessebar  is a jewel and a must. The 2500 years old city has been on the World Heritage List of the UNESCO since 1983. Located on a   small peninsula of the Black Sea the delightful tourist spot yearly attracts a million visitors. The romantic place has cast a spell on us since we visited it for the first time in 1991 and  we'll certainly return whenever we have a chance. 

Despite  its numerous tourist attractions Bulgaria is a poor country and many, many people live under the poverty line. The villagers mainly live on what they raise and preserve almost everything, even meat. As a tour group we were traditionally welcomed with bread and salt. The hosts had put on their traditional clothes, entertained us with home- baked cake and showed us their plain furnished homes. After that they took us on a ride in their horse and donkey carriages. Our donkey did a good job and even passed some horse carriages - just for fun..... 

In the evenings we sat on the balcony or on the hotel terrace drinking wine and often went for a stroll. The nights are mild and there are numerous beautiful, rustic, open air taverns and restaurants, where one can have a romantic evening under vine trellises, by good 
wine and local dishes or enjoy traditional dances with colourful, elaborate embroidered costumes. 

The Bulgarian cooking is similar to the Greek and Turkish - hearty, but not hot. We had booked "all inclusive" and all day we enjoyed a great variety of local and international dishes, desserts, cake and ice cream as well as  raw vegetables and fruits in abundance and of course the good wine.... We revelled in that all very much and felt as if we were on cloud nine!