Where to stay in Bulgaria

Two seasons, two countries

• The Black Sea coast is a July and August proposition. Sunny Beach and Golden Sands fill and empty completely; out of season much of the infrastructure closes.
• Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo are winter resorts and are among the cheapest ski destinations in Europe. Their season runs roughly December to April.
• Sofia and Plovdiv work all year and are where the country's actual life is.

Practicalities

• You will be asked for your passport at check-in.
• A city tourist tax applies on top of the rate in most places.
• Plovdiv is the better base than Sofia for a short cultural trip - one of Europe's oldest continuously inhabited cities, and considerably prettier.
• Book Bansko early for the season. It is small and it fills with British and Israeli ski traffic.