Images of cheap and nasty plonk downed at student house parties, budget ski holidays and umbrella-wielding Cold War assassins were once among the popular stereotypes, but Bulgaria today is a vastly different country from what it was even ten years ago - as more travellers than ever are discovering.

For most visitors, Bulgaria's main lure is its long sandy coastline, with its stunning beaches and bays - but there is so much more to see. Well-maintained hiking and horse-riding trails allow you to discover Bulgaria's lush landscapes, inhabited by wildlife now becoming scarcer elsewhere in Europe.