“When God was giving out land to countries, Bulgaria came late. So God gave Bulgaria a piece of heaven.” — Bulgarian legend

For two months, I traveled through Bulgaria. A country with amazing nature, fascinating history, delicious food, good prices, and kind and hospitable people. Their facial expressions can appear somewhat serious or reserved, the “resting Balkan face”. Neutral expressions are normal and respectful and smiling is often reserved for genuine emotion. But once they like you, they open their hearts and their homes to you.

Bulgarian culture and history are fascinating. Over the past 2,500 years, the region has been part of the Thracian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and the Medieval Bulgarian Empire. And from 1946 to 1989, it was under communist rule. These influences are still visible everywhere: the country is filled with historical remnants and hidden treasures, Roman ruins in the middle of a city are completely normal.

My Bulgarian friend Stoycho summed it up perfectly: “You walk around Bulgaria and you see a Thracian village next to Roman ruins, then stone-carved buildings from the First Bulgarian Kingdom and churches from the Second. Across the road, mosques from the Ottoman period sit beside palaces from the Bulgarian monarchy. And then monumental Soviet modernist and brutalist buildings.”

At times, it felt as if I had stepped fifty years back in time. Bulgaria feels real and raw, and largely untouched by mass tourism. A hidden gem. I has so much fun taking photo’s here, capturing the character of the people and the country.