Blue Gate Camping Farm

Dragoman (15 minutes’ drive) is a handy place for shops but it’s also a bit of a hub for outdoor pursuits: the Dragoman Marsh, just outside the town, is the biggest natural karst wetland in Bulgaria, and a haven for birdwatchers. There are plenty of places to get out for a hike from the town too, past pretty villages and rivers and up into the hills. A popular route takes you up to Petrovski Cross (25 minutes from the site), the area’s highest point, for some stunning 360-degree views over the landscape. Back down towards sea level, Aldomirovtsi Marsh (half an hour) is another top place for wildlife spotting: all sorts of birds spend time here, including grebes, storks and egrets. Although this area is very rural in character, it’s not far from city life – in fact, Sofia city centre is a little under an hour away by car, making it easy to get up there for a day of museums, sightseeing and restaurant dining.