World Tourism Day: A journey through Bulgaria

Since 1980, 27 September has been celebrated globally as World Tourism Day, marking the anniversary of the adoption of the UN World Tourism Organization’s charter in 1970. Across Bulgaria, towns and villages host special events, although the local celebration of Tourism Day traditionally takes place on 27 August — the date in 1895 when the writer Aleko Konstantinov organised the first ascent of Cherni Vrah, the highest peak of Vitosha Mountain, and founded the Club of Bulgarian Tourists.

Bulgaria’s first tourist hut, Skakavitsa in the Rila Mountains, was built in the 1920s. The country has been a member of the International Tourist Union since 1957 and the World Tourism Organization since 1975. Every Bulgarian takes pride in their nation's ten UNESCO World Heritage Sites, seven cultural monuments, and three natural wonders.

Whether to celebrate World Tourism Day or simply to delight the eyes and soul, 27 September is the perfect time to explore Bulgaria’s hidden corners. Autumn landscapes and a variety of local events await travellers, and here are some inspiring destinations to consider: