Family holidays to Bulgaria

The Bulgarian capital’s a long way from making it on to the list of great urban holidays. But if you’re taking advantage of the country’s good value skiing, there’s sport to be had less than 10km from the city centre on Mount Vitosha. So, Sofia’s a good base for a winter break and, when you’re past the traces of Communist era dreariness, it can also be surprisingly charming.

• Sofia’s city centre is now a lively and bustling hub thanks to a decade of regeneration: fun for shopping, eating and hanging out with older kids and teens.
• Don’t miss: the National Gallery of Fine Arts; Eagles Bridge; Sofia Mineral Baths; Borisova Gradina; National Palace of Culture; Vrana Palace.

Bulgaria’s famous Black Sea resort has 3.5km of beach that’s up to 100m wide at some points and drenched in sunshine from May to September. Average summer temperatures of 25˚ are another crowd pleaser and you’ll find the country’s highest concentration of water sports, waterparks, outdoor activities and big, beachy hotels here too.

• Golden Sands is busy in high-season and doesn’t tick any Bulgarian heritage boxes, if that’s what you’re after. But everything’s geared towards good value holidays and pretty much non-stop entertainment – on and off the beach.
• Just 20 minutes away, the lovely Baroque city of Varna is where to find history, 19th century seaside charm, pretty promenades, cool shopping and one of the world’s most fascinating archaeological museums.

Fly into Burgas from the UK, and the southern Black Sea resort of Nesebar does beach holidays with Bulgarian character. At 3200 year’s old, it’s one of Europe’s most ancient towns and wears the past with pride. Which doesn’t stop it coming good on cove-like shores and lively spirit: history just adds a lot more interest and it’s difficult not to be won over by the authentic atmosphere.

• Legendary Sunny Beach is right next to Nesebar for kilometres of blonde sand, aquaparks, restaurants, resort hotels, beach clubs, water sports and sun loungers as far as the eye can see.
• Don’t miss: the Byzantine churches and monuments in Nesebar Old Town; the ancient city walls and fortifications; 17th century frescos in the Temple of Sveti Spas; a multi lingual guided tour of Ancient Nesebar Museum.

With its remarkable wooden architecture, charming seafront, winding old town streets, ocean views and intriguing coastline, 7th century Sozopol is Bulgaria at its loveliest on the Black Sea. The beaches here are quite small, and busy in summer, but bigger and emptier sands lie just to the north and south of the town centre. A backdrop of lush, green countryside adds an element of outdoor adventure into the holiday mix for older kids and teenagers.

• Sozopol is less than 30 minutes south of Burgas Airport
• There are several four star resort hotels, pretty holiday villages and excellent family campsites overlooking the long golden beach just north of Sozopol.
• Don’t miss: Ravadinovo Castle; Sozopol’s historic quarter; the Southern Tower Complex; Sozopol waterfront restaurants and cafés.

The Pirin Mountain resort of Bansko is a couple of hour’s drive from Sofia and the top place to ski in Bulgaria. A combination of large modern hotels and cosy, traditional inns keep the charm level high. But 14 lifts and gondolas, 70km of runs, snow-sure slopes from December to March and some of the best prices in Europe are what UK families find most attractive about ski holidays in Bansko.

• Investment in Bansko since 2013 has been considerable and skiing here’s inexpensive but not a compromise anymore.
• Good for families with snow parks, multi-lingual schools, over 50% intermediate runs and a fully upgraded fast lift network, including gondolas.
• Kids tuition in Bansko is roughly half the price it is in the French Alps.
• Surrounding scenery’s stunning and the historic town of Bansko is still very pretty and quaintly Bulgarian.

Beautiful Borovets is just 70km from Sofia and Bulgarians have been skiing here in some style since the late 19th century. The resort’s surrounded by the densely forested Rila Mountains and it’s held on to a traditional elegance while still making room for luxury hotels, chic chalets and a wide choice of shops, restaurants and activities. Weekend skiers from the city love it here, so it can get busy. But that’s not much of downside when you have a 58km ski area, snow-sure slopes from November to April, fast lifts and reliably competitive holiday costs.

• Borovets has 24 runs: 58km downhill and four kilometre night skiing.
• Over 50% of runs are red or black and 33% are intermediate.
• Several award winning ski schools offer multi-lingual instruction and rates of up to 50% less than France.
• There are direct flights from the UK to Sofia during the winter ski season and Borovets is just over an hour’s drive from the city airport.