We have installed our travel AI engine Ingeenee in Bulgaria. The result is a Curious Bulgaria. You can navigate to https://curiosio.com/country/?iso=bg to check it out right away. We encourage you to continue reading to learn about Bulgaria and the making of Curious Bulgaria.
After releasing the Curious Romania it was logical to release the adjacent country of Bulgaria. With plans of multi-country travel planning in the future. Curiosio will eventually allow planning a trip within any perimeter in Europe. USA-Canada borders will also vanish for your road trips. So why Bulgaria, and why now?
Because the Bulgarian government and Bulgarians are helping Ukraine to defeat rashists and rashism. Despite the opposing president, there is significant military aid already provided and being provided by Bulgaria. Bulgaria charges russians over attempted murders of the EMCO arm makers. Weapons maker Emilian Gebrev survived two poisoning attempts and his munitions plants were set ablaze. There is a network of kremlin-controlled assassins in Europe. The attack on the arms dealer in Sofia helped blow their cover.
Bulgarian investigative journalist — Christo Grozev — is the head of investigations with The Insider and Bellingcat. His investigations into the identity of the suspects involved in the 2018 poisoning of Skripals in England earned him and his team the European Press Prize for Investigative Journalism. Here is his investigation of how GRU operates in Czechia and Bulgaria to undermine Ukraine.
Moved Country
Bulgaria changed the country's location throughout history. You can learn here the details of how Bulgaria moved from where to where and why.
The Old Great Bulgaria overlaps with Modern Ukraine. The Old Great Bulgaria split and moved to Volga Bulgaria and the First Bulgarian Empire in the Balkans, and several other smaller pieces in other locations. Probably the first Bulgarians indeed came to the current Ukraine lands from the Volga river region, so they returned home after the fights with Avars and Khazars. Volga Bulgaria existed during 9–13th centuries, it was destroyed by Mongols. Those Mongols then destroyed Kyivan Rus (modern Ukraine).
Bulgaria survived two long yokes — Ottoman and Soviet. Bulgaria survived and kept the country name unchanged for 1000+ years. How many countries do you know that existed for 1000+ years and hold the same names? Kyivan Rus is now called Ukraine. (Don’t mess with Russia which was called Muskovy during and after the Mongol Golden Horde, and decided to rebrand the state in the 18th century taking the Greek spelling of Rus to be allowed into Europe).
Bulgarian Knowledge Graph
We got ~4500 points and 12000+ places in Bulgaria. Among them 800+ parks and 600+ lakes. Thousands of small towns and villages, many of them truly beautiful (e.g. Koprivshtitsa, Kovachevitsa, Leshten). The density of points and places in Bulgaria is on par with Romania. Below is the OSM node density excerpt for Bulgaria for a visual explanation.
To ensure we have [all] points and places in the Knowledge Graph we took several credible guides and travel stories and threw them onto the algorithm. We got interactive travel plans inspired by the original travelogues, that you can bend and change to your liking or needs.
Bulgarian Signature Trips
Enjoy a series of signature road trips in Bulgaria. You can move them to different dates, change the number of travelers, add/drop points, add/drop places, set the desired budget, etc.
Eastern Loop from Balchik
Experience a stunning drive from Balchik along the scenic Black Sea coast, passing through both modern and ancient cities steeped in history. Journey through expansive national parks teeming with greenery and wildlife, leading to monumental landmarks showcasing Bulgaria’s rich heritage.
The Best of Bulgaria
“… but at a cracking pace. If you want to relax along the way, extend it by 3 days, with 2 nights each in Sofia, Plovdiv, and Veliko Tarnovo. If you’re really pushed for time, 4 days, with a night each in Sofia, Kovachevitsa, Plovdiv, and Veliko Tarnovo, works.” — Frommer’s
How to set 2 nights in Sofia, Plovdiv, and Veliko Tarnovo? Open the trip plan and hit the [Modify] red button (it was called [Supertrip] earlier). The form will be auto-filled with the points. Click/tap Sofia → Tune → Duration. Set 2 nights as a minimum and Save. Repeat for Plovdiv and Veliko Tarnovo.
Duration tuning was added in Curiosio version 22, check the Making Story for more information and examples. Set the overall trip duration to 11–12 days, by selecting the dates from the calendar. Hit the [GET TRIP] red button and get several trip plans in 100 seconds or quicker. You can modify any of those new trips again, and again.
Postmark Bulgaria
“A childhood stamp collection propels our author to a far-off land of monasteries and memories.” — National Geographic
One stamp hasn’t been matched on the original journey into Bulgaria. It depicted beachgoers sunning along Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast. This itinerary does include Ahtopol.
Bulgarian Epic Road Trip
“As a road trip destination, Bulgaria, in south-eastern Europe, has much to offer. The scenery is beautiful — mountains, forests, beaches. It has a fascinating history and a multitude of cultural influences. Lastly, the people are hospitable and eager to share their traditions and cuisine.” — Vignette Bulgaria
What’s Next?
Most probably Czechia or Portugal. Maybe, some countries from the current offering will be renewed, e.g. Canada. Stay tuned and always follow your curiosity.
