South. Again!

Sozopol & Sinemorets June-July 2011. More here and here

September

Going South!

South of Burgas - Beautiful beaches await those who dare to explore the very southern part of Bulgaria...Flickr Set

Beat the Heat!

Those days, the Balkans area is plagued by one horrendous heat wave.
During this weekend I found some remedies for this situation... :)

Dalboka

I've been trying to visit this place for the last three years... finally, yesterday I managed to get there.
I must admit the food exceeded my expectations and the location is marvelous. Black Sea mussels grown a few hundred yards from the shore and served fresh to your table. Make sure you eat them with huge quantities of chilled white wine (I just wish they had a good Riesling on the menu) Also, don't forget to try their home made rakia! :)
Take a look at the menu here Dalboka Menu

Nisovo - Early Spring

Start of spring season in Nisovo!
Finally it seems the harsh winter is past us. Majestic weather, great scenery and some very good wine! :)
Nisovo March 2010 Flickr Set

Autumn

Autumn is here! You must love the great light and gentle breeze... :)
We had the privilege to taste this year's production of Raynoff Wines... superb!
Nisovo Autumn Flickr Set

Obzor - End of Summer

Beautiful beach of Obzor, start of September - end of summer season Black Sea
For more photos, please see Obzor set Flickr

Rainov Vineyard

The beautiful Rainov Domain in Nisovo.
The perfect set for this vineyard, in the Lom Valley. I must admit I am eager to see those beautiful places in autumn colors... :)
Raynoff Wine

Nisovo Wine Tasting

Nisovo revisited! To our delight, we visited again the beautiful Rainov Winery. As usual, Emil and his girlfriend proved themselves as ideal hosts giving us a very warm welcome.
During our visit we tasted the newly bottled Rainov Chardonnay and Muscat Vintage 2008 which both are amazing white wines. Also, we have been presented with the wonderful limited edition red coupage ,vintage 2008, straight from the barrel. (not yet bottled but promising to be a great red wine!)
For more photos please see Nisovo Wine Tasting Set on Flickr

Melnik

Melnik - officially the smallest town in Bulgaria felt short of our expectations. The town is settled in a beautiful area surrounded by snowy peaks and sand mountains. Unfortunately this small town is a big touristic trap with crappy accommodation, dusty streets and poorly maintained historical buildings...
In Melnik our savior showed up in form of Alexandrova Kashta, a small restaurant with a beautiful garden run by a young enthusiastic couple. There we tasted some wonderful Bulgarian dishes accompanied by red "house wine" - Shiroka Melnishka.Bulgarian Wine
A must see on the road between Melnik and Sofia is Rila Monastery beautifully situated in the Rila Mountains. Also, Rozhen Monastery, 5 km away from Melnik is one great place to visit.
For more photos, please see Melnik set on Flickr

Nisovo

Little charming village named Nisovo
Beautifully situated in the Lom Valley, crisp air and superb natural treasures.
A wonderful discovery was the Raynoff Winery which produces some great white and red wines from grapes that grow on the steep slopes of the valley.
Raynoff and Sons
The Raynoff family was very kind and offered us the possibility to visit their winery under the competent guidance of one of their sons, Emil.
During the wine tasting organized by Emil we had the opportunity to discover a great red wine, vintage 2006, which is a combination between Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Orlova - Dve Mogili BG

Day trip to Dve Mogili area (20 km south of Rousse BG)
Wine: Targovishte Traminer and Muscat.
Beer: Shumensko, Staro Brno, Staropramen.
Rakia: Burgas 63.