A family of four – 2 parents and their 2 children aged 9 and 11 years old respectively – had a summer holiday in Bulgaria. The idea was to spend most of their journey by the sea. They also wanted to get around – including in the hinterland – to discover this beautiful country.
The call
Anastasia contacted us at the agreed time − we had reserved a time slot on the website – and asked us several relevant questions about our needs and interests. In about 30 minutes, we created our bespoke trip to Bulgaria together.
We explained that we wanted to spend about 2 weeks in Bulgaria, mainly to relax and sunbathe on the beach. Still, we were interested in seeing famous sights in the region. We wanted to get to know Bulgarian culture better. We thought visiting a couple of authentic villages was a great idea. Crucially, we needed to rent a car to get around.
Anastasia took note of all our preferences. She suggested that we stay a significant part of our journey in the southern part of the Black Sea coast. We would also go to northern Bulgaria to visit the medieval capital of the country and some charming small villages.
The reservation
Anastasia emailed us a detailed description of our tailor-made itinerary and a quotation a few days after the call. It included all the elements we discussed and agreed upon during our call. She also sent us useful advice to purchase our flight tickets.
As a result, we approved and signed the quotation electronically and paid a deposit. As soon as we booked our air tickets, we forwarded the flight details to Anastasia so that she could arrange a rental car pick-up at the airport. We were looking forward to our holidays in Bulgaria!
The preparations
Two weeks before departure, we received a comprehensive personalised roadbook setting out the complete itinerary. It also included many other things, such as insider tips, travel advice and recommendations of restaurants and Bulgarian cuisine.
Thanks to a specific reference number sent by Velstana, the roadbook was also available online and on a handy free app − that can even be used in offline mode − available for iOS and Android devices.
Trip details
Day
1
Arrival in Bulgaria
Upon arrival at Varna airport, we went straight to the rental desk to pick up the car that was reserved for us. After a short drive, we arrived at our stylish and luxurious hotel in the city centre of Varna. The hotel even boasted a panoramic pool! Guess where the whole family spent the rest of the afternoon.
Day
2
Exploring the Northern part of the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast
After the delicious breakfast, we started exploring beautiful Varna, Bulgaria's third-largest city and “Sea Capital”.
In our personalised roadbook, we found plenty of advice on places to visit in Varna and the surrounding area.
In the afternoon, we drove to Balchik, a charming seaside resort situated not far away from the border with Romania. We visited an amazing castle and a botanical garden. We ate delicious local cuisine in one of the numerous restaurants.
Day
3
Departure for Veliko Tarnovo
In the morning, we unwound a little on the sandy beach before departing for Veliko Tarnovo, the Medieval capital of Bulgaria. On our way, we made a couple of interesting stops, all based on the recommendations we found in the roadbook.
We stayed in a comfortable hotel located in a charming traditional house with a pleasant garden and a swimming pool in a village on the outskirts of Veliko Tarnovo. For dinner, we chose a restaurant with traditional Bulgarian food and an amazing panoramic view over the city. Read moreHide
Day
4
Getting to know the Bulgarian Medieval capital
We started that day with a nice walk departing from the village we stayed in. Then we visited the village itself, which was marvellous!
After a hearty lunch, we continued exploring Veliko Tarnovo. At the end of the day, we enjoyed a magic sound and light show in the main fortress of the city.
Day
5
Charming small village
The next stop of our exciting tour was the little authentic village of Bozhentsi.
We took a little detour on our way to visit a magnificent cave and a monastery located nearby. Our children were over-excited about the cave visit and felt like little Indiana Jones!
The night spent in Bozhentsi was a unique experience! So calm and peaceful! That was the moment when we genuinely fell in love with Bulgaria!Read moreHide
Day
6
Keep exploring Bulgarian villages
We left Bozhentsi behind for another charming village called Zheravna. We liked this one even better! We spent most of the day walking around, visiting house-museums and doing some nice walks in the surrounding mountains.
We stayed at a cosy traditional guesthouse. For dinner, we picked one of the restaurants suggested by Velstana.Read moreHide
Day
7
Return to the coast
We drove back towards the Black Sea coast, to its southern part. Vestana chose for us Sozopol.
Perched on a rocky peninsula, this beautiful coastal town had everything for a perfect family holiday: large sandy beaches, the curious architecture of the Old Town, a large choice of restaurants and bars and plenty of things to see and do within just a short drive.
We stayed at an amazing aparthotel on the outskirts of Sozopol. The view from our terrasse was stunning! Read moreHide
Day
8
Boat Excursion and mysterious Thracian site
As usual, we found plenty of amazing spots to see, things to do and other advice in our roadbook. First of all, we went on a boat trip to a beautiful nature reserve. What an amazing experience! We watched a lot of animals and birds, some of which we never saw before. Not far away from the park, there was a mysterious site dating back to Thracian times. The place was a prehistoric rock sanctuary that still kept a lot of secrets unsolved. There are also many nice trails in the area.Read moreHide
Day
9
Leisure day
We spent the following days at leisure by enjoying the beach, the sun and delicious Bulgarian food and wine.
Day
10
Leisure day
Day
11
Leisure day
Day
12
Depart for Nessebar
We spent the last morning on our favourite large sandy beach located just a 10-minute walk away from our hotel.
Then we drove to the pearl of the Black Sea coast, namely Nessebar. During the day there were quite a lot of tourists. Anastasia warned us about that. That is why it was important for us to stay in town overnight - even two nights in our case - to enjoy it properly in the evenings and early mornings when there is no crowd.
The location of our hotel could not be better!Read moreHide
Day
13
Catamaran cruise
After breakfast, we had a 4-hour catamaran excursion. During this tour, we not only enjoyed Nessebar from a completely different perspective but also had a break for swimming and snorkelling and tasted a delicious lunch on board. In the afternoon, we kept exploring the old town of Nessebar.
Day
14
Returning to Varna
We said our goodbyes to Nessebar and drove back to Varna. On our way, we stopped at a gorgeous beach, that (of course!) we found in our roadbook. We spent the last afternoon visiting Varna and the places that we missed at the beginning of our journey. We stayed at the same hotel as the first two nights.Read moreHide
Day
15
Catching our flight back home
Unfortunately, that was already the end of our journey. Time flies when you have fun!
We returned to Varna airport to drop off our rental car and flew back home. The whole family was thrilled about the holidays in Bulgaria. We could not wait to explore a new destination with Velstana.
Pricing and services included in this family holiday: 1,000 € per person
Included:
14 nights at guesthouse or 4- or 5-star hotel accommodations
Breakfast included
Dinner included on days 12 and 13
Catamaran group excursion (lunch included)
Car rental for 14 days with third-party liability insurance and standard coverage in case of damages and theft (CDW and TP)
eSim valid for 2 weeks
Personalised roadbook setting out a one-of-a-kind itinerary
Excluded:
Flight tickets
Car fuel and security deposit for the car rental
Additional car coverage (on request)
Meals, other than those listed as included in your itinerary
Entrance charges and costs, when you are exploring at a leisure
Personal expenses
Travel insurance
The abovementioned sample prices are for guidance only and are not binding. The total cost of your holiday will depend on a number of factors, including time of year of travel and choice of accommodation and transport. The actual cost of your holiday is as set out in the Booking Confirmation.