Glamping Alliance

Built on six hills, ancient Plovdiv (10 minutes’ drive) is crammed with historic loveliness, from its Roman amphitheatre (catch an alfresco performance here in summer) to its numerous churches and mosques. After wandering the atmospheric winding streets of the medieval old town, take refuge in a traditional mehana restaurant to sample rakia fruit brandy and feast on meat skewers and shopska salad flavoured with tomatoes and peppers. For a change of pace, head into the Rhodopes mountains (50 minutes) for hikes to waterfalls or reservoirs with boating facilities. If exploring by car is more your thing, carry on to Bachkovo Monastery (40 minutes) to discover 13th-century frescoes and precious icons. If the kids have behaved well, treat them to the illuminated musical displays at the Singing Fountains, pile onto the mini-trains at Youth Hill (both 15 minutes), and end the day splashing around on the thrill slides at Aquapark Aqualand (20 minutes).