Visiting Bulgaria in Spring & Easter – March, April & May
We had a great trip to Bulgaria in spring and stayed in March, April, and May. This also coincided with the Easter holidays, which was a fun time to visit. Most places were quiet to visit outside of the weekends while we were in Bulgaria.
We also found that accommodation in March, April and May was good value and cheaper than during the peak summer season. A pleasant feature was seeing the flowers appearing after the long winter, including lots of pretty blossom. We visited the Easter markets in Plovdiv and Varna, which added to the visit.
When Is Spring In Bulgaria?
Astronomical spring in Bulgaria is from roughly 20th March until 20th June each year. Meteorological spring is simplified and is the months of March, April and May. The spring weather gets gradually hot but not too hot, in my experience.
Easter Holidays In Bulgaria
We visited two cities over the Easter festivities, Plovdiv and Varna. Both had seasonal markets and some interesting Easter decorations. For the Easter weekend, we were in the coastal city of Varna and noticed the churches were busy, as were the lamb stalls at the farmer’s market.
Places Visited in Bulgaria During Spring
We visited a few places in Bulgaria during springtime and enjoyed each for many reasons.
Visiting Sofia
Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, is a fantastic city to spend time in, and we visited for the first part of spring. The weather was mixed, and we got to explore the city and see all the places of interest during our visit.
Sofia is a fascinating place with history dating back to the Roman era. The churches of Sofia are fantastic to visit, as are the other religious buildings. The markets and restaurants kept us fed during our stay, which was enjoyable. However, we visited too early to enjoy the blossoms in the city’s epic parks.
Baba Marta
Spring in Sofia kicked off with the unique festival, Baba Marta. Baba Marta takes place on the 1st of March each year and signifies the beginning of spring.
People traditionally give each other Martenitsi, which is a wish for health, happiness and luck. Martenitsi are red and white bracelets that symbolise health and fertility. Throughout Sofia, you could purchase these, including from pop-up stalls.
Liberation Day: On 3rd March
On the 3rd of March in Bulgaria, they celebrate Liberation Day. This commemorates the Bulgarian volunteers who freed the country from Ottoman rule during the Russo-Turkish War in 1877 and 1878. This resulted in the re-establishment of the Bulgarian state.
There were many things going on, including a parade and fireworks near the cathedral and the national assembly.
Plovdiv
We spent nearly a month in Plovdiv and loved it. The weather was mixed, but there were plenty of blue sky days. When not so nice, there were plenty of things to do inside. Plovdiv was my favourite city to visit with the dog in the country. There were plenty of dog-friendly options for bars and restaurants.
It is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in Europe and thus has lots of historical sites to visit. We found that these were mostly quiet during our visit, except for some weekends. We really enjoyed the Roman sites, including the amphitheatre and the mosaics of the Roman basilica.
The old town area of Plovdiv is also fascinating, with lots of timber-framed buildings to see, each containing a museum. Overall, Plovdiv was a pleasant place to spend time, and there was so much to see I didn’t get bored.
Easter Market In Plovdiv
A fun event that took place in Plovdiv was the Easter market. This took place in the city centre in the week leading up to the Easter weekend. The market had stalls for gifts, places for food, and some entertainment.
The market was mostly quiet on weekdays; however, it was rather vibrant at the weekends. Some stalls that interested me sold themed gifts.
Egg Painting
A Bulgarian tradition is to paint eggs during the Easter holidays. At the Regional Ethnographic Museum in Plovdiv, they had traditional egg-painting workshops at the museum. There were lots of eggs to join in and paint, and it seemed like a popular activity.
Large Painted Eggs At The Town Hall
Outside of the main town hall, in the centre of Plovdiv, were some big painted eggs. The painted eggs are an Orthodox tradition, and these are rather popular. There were many in the gardens, and lots of people were about having photos taken with them, including Henry, my dog. The gardens had many trees with bright blossoms too, which added to the seasonal vibe.
Varna
Varna is a popular holiday destination and city by the Black Sea. We really enjoyed our visit during May. The weather was mixed, with some grey days and a fair few blue-sky days, too.
Varna has many attractions, including museums, an epic cathedral and the coast. The Sea Garden in Varna is a lovely place to spend time at during the spring. The flowers are blooming, and it’s all rather colourful, except for the rose garden, which blooms later.
The beaches were quiet and ace for walking the dog or having a quick paddle in the sea. Many of the city’s bars and restaurants were vibrant but not overrun like in peak holiday season. There were lots of restaurant options. We enjoyed Bulgarian, Greek and Turkish meals out on our holiday.
Varna is a lovely place to visit during the spring for a break by the seaside. The Easter festivities also added to our visit.
The Red Eggs
In various places in Varna, there were big painted eggs, but unlike in Plovdiv, these were red. Red eggs represent the blood of Christ. The shells signify his tomb, and the traditional cracking of the red eggs signifies his resurrection.
Churches
While we were in Varna, Bulgaria, for the long Easter weekend, we saw the busy churches. Most, including the iconic cathedral, were very busy with people worshipping throughout the day.
Varna Market
During our time in Bulgaria, lamb was tricky to find in the food markets. However, at Easter, the butcher stalls had loads for sale. Many families bought whole or half lambs for the Easter festivities. The queues for the butchers were massive, and the markets had an exciting vibe.
Blossoms in The Sea Garden
The sea garden is the place to be for fun, relaxation and recreation. During springtime, the flower beds come to life and are vibrant. The trees are also full of blossoms, making the park quite busy. During the long weekend, the park was a hive of activity with families having fun.
Veliko Tarnovo
The former capital of Bulgaria, Veliko Tarnovo, is a fantastic destination. The city is steeped in history and has loads of nice attractions to see. This includes two fortresses, including the impressive Tsarevets Fortress. There are loads of other historical sites to visit in the city, surrounded by beautiful countryside.
We enjoyed the cooler spring visit, which meant lots of walking without the dog overheating. There are many bars and restaurants with covered terraces to enjoy the nice weather while dining or drinking outside.
Throughout the town, including in the epic fortresses, there were pretty trees adorned with blossoms. During the May Day weekend, Veliko Tarnovo was a hotbed of activity and rather busy, especially the bars and restaurants. Overall, Veliko Tarnovo is a fascinating place and one of the best places to visit in Bulgaria.