In recent years Bulgaria has made a name for itself as a budget ski and summer sun destination, being the cheapest holiday destination for Britons – almost twice as cheap as Brighton – according to the cost index from Post Office Travel Money.

However, beyond the slopes and the sand lie many treasures, both real and figurative, waiting to be discovered.

Situated at the geographical crossroads between east and west, Bulgaria’s rich and colourful history has been shaped by ancient and diverse civilisations, religions, traditions and culture. The Thracians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Slavs have all left their mark and this legacy can be found in ornate tombs, temples, fortresses, churches and archaeological sites throughout the country.

Despite its small size – 205 miles north to south and 323 miles east to west – Bulgaria is big on historic attractions, with around 40,000 monuments and heritage sites, 150 monasteries and more than 300 museums.

Shortly after arriving in the capital Sofia, set against the scenic backdrop of the Vitosha mountain and national park of the same name, we experienced the wow factor of the world’s oldest golden treasures.

A vast communist era government building now houses the National Historical Museum and exhibits include glittering artefacts from the Varna treasure, dating back to 5,000BC, discovered during building work on the Black Sea coast in 1972. With an entry fee of £4, and English information panels, it was an inexpensive and informative introduction to Bulgarian history.

Treasures are regularly unearthed in Bulgaria and wherever you travel you won’t have far to go to see them.

Policy decrees that whilst selected finds go on show in Sofia, the rest are displayed in local museums close to where they are found.

Our next stop was St Sofia Church, the second oldest in Sofia and built on the site of several earlier churches. Archaeologists have discovered more than 50 tombs beneath the church and a unique underground museum showing tombs and a timeline of the various churches opens this September.

For all its antiquities, Bulgaria certainly isn’t buried in the past. In Sofia, dynamic glass-sided buildings rub shoulders with old utilitarian apartment blocks, the underground is being extended and the ‘student town’ in the south east of the city near the universities is a trendy area with bars and nightlife.

In complete contrast to the day’s earlier attractions we visited the Museum Gallery of Modern Art in Oborishte Street with its striking and changing collection of works by Picasso, Andy Warhol, Peter Blake and Damien Hirst, to name just a few.

That night we stayed at the Crystal Palace, a grande dame property with an excellent restaurant. The cultural monument is part of the Doctors’ Garden district, a park dedicated to the medics who died during the 19th Century Russo-Turkish War.

Whilst it would have been easy to spend more time in Sofia, which has all the trappings of an up and coming city break destination, the next morning we were on the road to Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s second largest city after Sofia.

Divided by a river and, like Rome, built on seven hills, the star attraction is the theatre that’s the country’s most complete Roman building. From here we wandered around the maze of streets in the old town, lined with churches, attractive old buildings and small cafes.

The week took us on to Pamporovo in the Rhodope Mountains, famous as a ski resort and also for being the sunniest place in Bulgaria. When the snow has melted, visitors can find plenty to do with walking trails, outdoor pursuits, spas and pretty villages such as Shiroka Luka. If you’ve got a head for heights take in the views from the top of the television tower on Snezhanka peak.

Back down to earth, we spent the evening at Charshiata, a taverna in the town of Smolian. Lamb is big in Bulgaria and here it’s cooked authentically on a spit. Aided by some music and a glass of wine, we had a memorable meal in the cosy dining room.

Grape growing and wine production have a long history in Bulgaria. As the world’s oldest documented wine producing country, the fruits of the vine are interwoven with history and customs, a most enjoyable way to get a real taste of the country’s culture.

The Thracians used wine as an important part of religious rituals and to communicate with the god of wine, Zagreus. There are several indigenous grape varieties, such as the delicious Mavrud, which produces a full-bodied red.

A place where you can truly immerse yourself in all its pleasures is the Todoroff Hotel, a four-star boutique property in the quiet village of Brestovitsa, 90 miles from Sofia. With 15 individually decorated rooms, a winery producing around 500,000 bottles a year, an excellent restaurant and the country’s first spa to introduce wine-based therapies, there’s plenty to recommend it.

The spa is excellent value compared to the UK and I couldn’t resist trying the intriguingly-named Wine Mascarpone, a 75-minute treatment costing £27. As the therapist carried out a brisk body exfoliation using grape seeds followed by relaxing moisturising treatment, a huge bathtub was filled to the brim. A carafe of wine was poured into the water and I was left to soak with a glass of wine to sip on the side. It was a slightly surreal experience but certainly a talking point over dinner.

Bulgaria may be easy on the purse, but it’s bursting with treasures; although when it comes to grapes I’ve decided I prefer to have mine poured into a glass than over my body.

* Easyjet flies from Gatwick to Sofia with return fares starting from £97.98 (www.easyjet.com)

* Double rooms at Hotel Crystal Palace start from £72 a night with breakfast (www.crystalpalace-sofia.com)

* Double rooms at the Todoroff Wine & Spa Hotel start from £40 a night with breakfast (www.todoroff-hotel.com)

* For destination information visit www.bulgariatravel.org