Sofia is not Bulgaria, it is often said, and there is little question that interest in spending some time in villages is growing both among foreign tourists, and people resident in the country, keen to sample something of the quiet, the atmosphere, and the cuisine that gives a pointer to Bulgarian village life of old.
With summer coming, not all may want to opt for a getaway too far from the sea. For such tastes, there is Chiflika. About 22km from the Black Sea resort of Albena, on a hill above the picturesque valley of the Batova River, the place is centred on the ethnographic complex Chiflika Chukurovo.
Savoured for its quiet, the village is also noted for its architectural style, and for its exhibition of everyday objects that reflect the everyday life of the villagers of the 19th century, while Chiflika also boasts mineral water swimming pools.
Trigrad, a village in the western Rhodope mountains, is reported to have experienced a boom in the recent number of visitors, with reports crediting this to the initiative of Kostadin Hadjiiski, a former guide in the region's caves. Having started out by renting rooms in his own house, he went on to give over the whole house for rental, before expanding to a second one. Local residents are employed as guides for the caves. Horse riding is also available in the village. Trigrad is regarded as one of the star attractions in the south-western part of the Rhodopes, and the Trigrad Gorge is one of the most spectacular vistas in Bulgaria Apart from the turbulent river in the gorge, which runs into the famous Devil's Throat cave, other options in the area are to follow hiking trails to the village of Mugla and the Yagodinska cave, famous for its unique formations.
Visiting Trigrad in September 2004, Marlene Smits wrote in The Sofia Echo that the group with whom she visited were "speechless from the experience" of visiting the Devil's Throat cave, and overall described the area as one that one "must see and experience".
Linked by road to Trigrad is the small town of Devin, perhaps most widely known for its mineral water, which has numerous fishing spots, and has a swimming complex with open-air mineral water swimming pool and volleyball playground.
Nearby Kovatchevitsa (see page 8) is the village of Leshten, northeast of Gotse Delchev, in the very western highlands of the Rhodope mountains. The village is an architectural and ethnographic reserve with 30 traditional homes. All houses are built in old Bulgarian style, and 15 are available for rent. Most of the other houses are used as taverns by local residents. All houses are connected to the main street covered with oval stones, so called "kaldarum". This charming village offers rich variety of choices for a memorable holiday and opportunities for hunting, fishing, riding and trekking.
Manastir, which bills itself as the village at the highest altitude in the Balkan area, is at 1500m in the Rhodope mountains.
Nearby the village, which has three villas offering accommodation, is the pilgrimage drawcard of Kratsova Gora, held in local belief as a place of great spiritual power and healing. A gravel road, along the course of which there are many fountains and springs, leads after a journey of about one and a half to two hours to Haydushki Polyani, noted for its dam, and in season, meadows of flowers. It is an excellent place for mountain biking and hiking.
Bistrilitsa, in north-western Bulgaria, about 100km from Sofia, has the "Old Bistrilitza Complex" of three self-catering village houses.
"The three houses are in a common, fenced yard where you can play ball games, go for a swim in the pool or simply let your hair down sitting in the sun with a good book," according to the website bistriltza.com.