Bulgaria is one of the Europe's most attractive holiday destinations - perfect weather, high rising mountains, Alpine peaks, ice and snow, fine golden sands and beaches, friendly people, many archaeological, historical and architectural monuments, breathtaking rock formations, mysterious caves, quiet coves, romantic capes, healing mineral waters. Although this country occupies a relatively small area, (2.2 times smaller than the UK) Bulgaria will fascinate you with its fantastic creativity, compacting so much beauty into such a tiny country. Bulgaria has modern resorts, ancient towns and many camping sites.

Bulgaria is a member of NATO and a member of the EU as of January 1, 2007. At the moment prices are far lower than in the other European countries, but they are expected to increase drastically in the next few years. Last year property prices increased more than 20%. Property is the fastest growing asset in Bulgaria. This is particularly apparent in Sofia, and the Black Sea beach resorts, (Sunny Beach and Golden Sands). Equally the ski resorts( Borovets, Bansko) are now attracting a great deal of foreign investment which by return is increasing the prices of property within the whole region growth potential that will certainly boost the prices of the Bulgarian property in the near future. Bulgarian property market is still unexplored and undeveloped to a certain extent, which makes it very attractive and profitable.

Bulgaria has one of the most liberal foreign investment laws in the region, making the investment in Bulgarian property easy. Bulgarian laws are improving and changing in accordance with the laws in the countries of the European Union.

Bulgaria boasts:

 Low cost of living
 Persistently and constantly expanding tourist industry
 The costs of property transactions and property management are lower than in other developed economies

BULGARIA
Capital: Sofia
Population(2006): 7,385,367
Size: 42,823 sq. miles (110,912 sq km)

Bulgaria is located in SE Europe, on the eastern Balkan Peninsula, and is bounded by the Black Sea to the east, Romania to the north, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia to the west, Greece to the south, and by European Turkey to the southeast. The capital, Sofia, is located in west central Bulgaria, on a high plain surrounded by the Balkan Mountains. It is Bulgaria's chief industrial, transportation, and commercial center. Other important cities are Varna and Burgas (the two main ports on the Black Sea), Plovdiv and Ruse. Bulgaria occupies a relatively small area - 110,912 sq. km, but is nevertheless distinguished by generous and varied nature - a sea with a 380 km. long coastal strip and golden beaches, 16 mountains with their own characteristic features, shelters valleys and high plateaus, over 550 curative mineral springs, dozen of unique natural phenomena and 2000 thrilling caves, a healthy climate and diverse flora and fauna.
Situated in the heart of the Balkan Peninsula, Bulgaria boasts an old and rich history. Thracians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Slavs and Bulgarians inhabited this land in their time, leaving behind monuments and enriching the world's treasure-house of culture.



The Bulgarian mountains occupy half of the territory of Bulgaria, with the high-mountain relief i.e. an altitude above 1,600 m, comprising 5 % of its entire area. The Bulgarian mountains are easily accessible and the presence of towns and villages in them that have preserved the authentic Bulgarian spirit and hospitality, gives a chance for receiving and accommodating tourists at village houses.


Sredna Gora mountains

The Sredna Gora or "Central Highlands" stretch from the Pancherevo defile outside Sofia as far as Yambol on the Thracian plain, south of the the Balkan Range and the Valley of the Roses. With its forests of oak and beech and numerous caves and hot springs, the region was inhabited by humans as early as the 5th millennium BC. The Thracians left a hoard of gold treasure at Panagyurishte and the Romans a crop of ruins at Hisar, but for Bulgarians the Sredna Gora is best known as the "land of the April Uprising". For tourists too, these towns are the region's highlights and starting points for mountain hiking.


Rhodope mountains

The Rhodope mountains, the most lyrical Bulgarian mountains, is located in the most southern part of the country. The Rhodope mountains are one of the oldest mountains in Bulgaria - the land where panpipes, Orpheus and the Orphic Cult originated, a region rich in gems and ores, mild oval forms and rounded wooded peaks, picturesque villages and hospitable people. Very interesting are the karst areas with their deep river gorges, large caves and specific sculptured forms. What is typical for the Rhodope mountains is that they are the most populated mountains in Bulgaria which together with the mild climate and the numerous mineral springs, provides essential advantages for the development of tourism. The best conifer woods in Bulgaria can be found here, as well as 15 natural reserves, some of which protected under UNESCO. The highest peak is Golyam Perelik at an altitude of 2191m.


Rila mountains

Rila is the highest mountain in Bulgaria and on the whole Balkan Peninsula. It is a part of the Rila-Rhodope Massif and occupies its north-east end. Rila seems to be a piece of the Alps thrown into the heart of the Balkans with its 130 Alpine peaks above 2000m, glacial valleys and lakes. The snow cover on the parts of average altitude and the Alpine parts often exceeds 2m. Eastern Rila is the highest part of the mountain where one can visit Rila's highest mount-Moussala (2925m) and the 10 top peaks, and the highest lake in Rila-the Glacial lake (2709m). Northwestern Rila is the home to some of the symbols of Bulgarian alpinism and mountaineering-Malyovitsa and Kupenite peaks, and the biggest and significant lake groups, the most famous and scenic of all - the 7 Rila lakes. The most of the chalets and high mountain shelters are in this part of the mountain. Many marked tourist hiking trails and high-mountain rock climbing tours originate from here.


Pirin mountain

Pirin mountain is the second highest in Bulgaria after Rila mountain. It is situated in the southwest part of the country in a rather extended shape to the northwest and southeast between the rivers Struma and Mesta. Pirin mountain, a glorious glacial landscape of peaks and lakes, offers some of the finest walking in Europe. Pirin has acquired an Alpine relief - rocky marble or granite peaks and cliffs, deep cirques, well shaped glacier valleys and numerous lakes. However, because of the well-expressed Mediterranean influence through the valleys of the Struma and Mesta rivers, it is the mountain with the greatest number of sunny days throughout the year and annual average temperature in the area of Vihren chalet (2000m) of -3.7C. Northern Pirin is the home of the highest peak, Vihren (2914m), of 60 others above 2500m, and of all glacial lakes (140-150 in number). It is also the place where one can find most of the region's ski resorts and hiking centers, as well as 12 chalets and 4 huts which are open for mountaineers the year-round. Because of its unique nature, in 1983 UNESCO decided to include the Pirin National Park in the list of the world's cultural and natural heritage.


The Balkan Range

The Balkan Range cuts right across the country - from the border with Serbia to the Black Sea coast, a forbidding mountain known to the Bulgarians as Stara Planina or the "Old Mountains". The 550km-long granite Balkan Range has become emblematic of Bulgaria - a birthplace of the Bulgarian nation-state and a place where Bulgarian traditions and culture have been preserved during the Ottoman occupation. It is also a climatic barrier between north and south Bulgaria with more snowfalls on its northern slopes than on the southern. Average temperature around Mount Botev, the highest peak (2376m), are -8.9C in January, and 7.6 in July. Its 29 peaks above 2000m, some of which definitely Alpine, are of great interest to tourists and climbers. The numerous alpine formations in the western part of the mountain-caves, rocks, gorges, attract extreme climbers and mountaineers. The Central Balkan range is the highest with the most tourist chalets and high-mountain huts. Hundreds of tracks have been marked, most of them leading to important historic and cultural places. A landmark is the National Park "Central Balkan" with 10 biosphere reserves under the protection of UNESCO.

The Black sea is actually the Bulgarian eastern border. The seacoast has a length of 378 km with golden beaches. It is diverse with numerous natural landmarks, such as cliffs, wet zones, lakes and rivers, wide sand beaches and dunes. The Bulgarian black sea coast is extremely beautiful, diverse and has everything needed to provide the most sophisticated taste a pleasant, incredible and unique holiday during the spring, summer and autumn.

The welcoming climate from late May to late September with average sea temperatures of 25C, the beaches with fine golden sands, and the modern resorts not surprisingly attract more and more tourists. The Black Sea coast is also one of the best spa areas in the country where the combination of sea climate, mineral baths, hot springs, and curative mud adds to the possibilities of holiday enjoyment. The vast tourist complexes such as Sunny Beach and Golden Sands, newer resorts like Albena, and holiday villages such as Elenite and Dyuni compare favorably with villa settlements in the Mediterranean.


Golden Sands

The Golden Sands resort is the largest one on the northern Black Sea coast. It is situated 18 km northeast of Varna at the foot of hills, covered with virgin forests descending into the prime attraction of the resort - its 4 km long soft, pale golden beach. Summer sea temperatures are only a few degrees below the 27C air temperature which together with the ever growing number of modern hotels and restaurants, make Golden Sands one of the most desirable destinations on the Black Sea. The resort also offers a wide range of bars, discos, a casino, outdoor pools, some of which mineral, and plenty of sports facilities and activities such as scuba diving, waterskiing and para-skiing.

Albena seaside resort

Albena is located 35 km north of the city of Varna on a pretty bay on Black Sea's north coast. It has 5 km long and 150 m wide beach, lying in a picturesque bay surrounded by splendid green forests and the climate that invites to enjoy all outdoor sports. Albena has more than 100 catering establishments, ranging from top class restaurants to fast food outlets, small cosy spots right on the shore, bars and discos, taverns and folk-style places, Chinese and Indian cuisine, to suit any taste and pocket.




St Konstantin & Elena

The picturesque resort of St. Konstantin is one of the oldest on the Black Sea coast. Situated in a fine old park with cypresses, lilies and fig trees, quiet bays, sand beaches and curative mineral springs, the resort offers comfortable hotels, villa-settlements and holiday houses, modern restaurants serving national and European cuisine, sports and entertainment for any age, excursions. The resort, named after the local monastery, is a paradise for those who are fond of fishing and scuba diving. The climate is Mediterranean with high concentration of light negative ions.


Sunny Beach

Sunny Beach is perched at 36 km North of Bourgas city and about 90 km to the South of Varna and is the largest holiday resort on the Black Sea coast. The resort is naturally set in a large bay, protected by the slopes of the Balkan Mountain to the North and its beach reaches as far as Nessebur to the South. The wide semi-circular bay, facing east forms the beach strip, which is over 8 km long and 30-60 m wide and covered with fine golden sand and natural dunes.


The mild transitional Mediterranean climate of the resort provides for the average daily air temperatures of 27-30°C and sea water temperatures of 25-28°C in the summer. The estimated sun hours per day are 11 and 1700 for the period May to September.
There are over 150 – 3, 4 and 5-stars hotels in Sunny Beach, erected among long and wide alleys, surrounded by green and shady parks. More than 200 restaurants and numerous live music bars, folk-style spots, pubs, nightclubs, discos and cafes ensure the excellent - lively holiday atmosphere until late at night.

The innumerable sports facilities like: surfing, water skis and parachutes, hang-gliding and banana, sailing, yachts, paddle boats, cutters, scooters, rowboats, tennis courts, beach volleyball, playing grounds, mini-golf, skittle alley, bowling, riding ground, fitness halls and sports tournaments for amateurs, as well as a variety of excursions tempt the active traveller. The numerous attractions and the aquaparks offer a lot of entertainment for the children as well.
Sunny Beach is only 3km away from Nessebar, one of the most ancient towns in Europe. The closest airport is Burgas Airport.


Nessebar

Situated on a rocky peninsula on the Black Sea, the more than 3,000-year-old site of Nessebar was originally a Thracian settlement (Mesembria). At the beginning of the 6th century B.C., the city became a Greek colony. The city's remains, which date mostly from the Hellenistic period, include the acropolis, a temple of Apollo, an agora and a wall from the Thracian fortifications. Among other monuments, the Stara Mitropolia Basilica and the fortress date from the Middle Ages, when this was one of the most important Byzantine towns on the west coast of the Black Sea. Wooden houses built in the 19th century are typical of the Black Sea architecture of the period

St Vlas

The resort village of St Vlas is located at the foot of the southern Balkans slopes, in the immediate vicinity of the Black sea coast. It is 10 кm away from the historical town of Nessebar. St Vlas occupies the northern part of the bay near which is the international resort complex Sunny Beach and the area zone for summer houses Elenite, and airport Burgas is 30 кm southward. The unique location between the mountains and the waters of the Black sea determine the specific climate in the village resort of St Vlas which is favourable for the cure of a number of deceases. Away from the noise and the dust of the big city, bordering the sea and the mountain at the same time, it is a wonderful place for holiday throughout the year. Its peculiar location determines a favourable climate with a maximum number of sunny days (240-260 yearly) with comparatively mild winter. The combination of sea and mountains and the prevailing Mediterranean climate make St Vlas a preferred tourist site. The territory of the beach amounts to 16 000 sq.m. with length of the coastline 1 000 m and average width 16,4 m. In the east end of the beach is situated the water base of the local fishermen, and next to it a modern yacht port is being built at the moment. The microclimate enhances the development of the main industry-tourism and forms part of the Bulgarian Black Sea "Riviera"-Nessebar-Sunny Beach - St. Vlas-Еlenite.


Sozopol

The city of Sozopol, originally named Apollonia is the oldest city on the Bulgarian cost of Black Sea. It was found from Miletus in 610 BC. Surrounded by sea on three sides and resembling pile of stones on a small piece of land, Sozopol brings together natural beauty and romantic antiquities. The architecture in Sozopol is extremely picturesque and intimate. Oriels jut out so much that the streets resemble tunnels where hospitality is offered in shop and taverns. It is the street architecture that gives Sozopol its unique charm. In the very beggining of every autumn, Sozopol is the site of the Apollonia arts festival. The rich local archeological museuim keeps some of Apollonia's magnificent heritage, which is also in the possession of the Louvre and the Pergamon Museum in Berlin.


Balchik

Balchik is a 2600 years old town, a formerly Greek-Byzantine fortress Dionysopolis. It is a small but very romantic Bulgarian seaside town located on Black Sea coast. The town is attractive to tourists with its ancient atmosphere that has been preserved for centuries now. It is interesting to walk along and observe the Tatar Quarter with the pebbled streets and the houses made of stone and adobe. The old palace - built in 1924-1931 by the request of the Romanian queen Maria. The authors of the construction design are Italian architects.
Bulgaria has some 500 deposits of mineral waters with over 1,600 water sources. These are localised chiefly at the mountain foothills. The spa resorts of national significance are Bankya, Velingrad, Sandanski, the mineral baths of Stara Zagora, Narechen, Sliven and Haskovo, as well as Kyustendil, Varshets, Pavel Banya, Hissarya, Merichleri, Momin Prohod, and Kostenets. Climatic sea-side resorts offering various recreation services are Albena, Balchik, Bourgas, Varna (Zlatni Pyassatzi – Golden Sands), Kiten, Pomorie, Primorsko, Nessebur (Slantchev Bryag – Sunny Beach) and Sozopol. Picturesque lakes hide in the folds of the Rila and Pirin mountain ranges. Reservoirs of recreational potential are to be found in the Rhodope Mountains – namely Batak, Vatcha, Studen Kladenets, at the foot of the Balkan Range – Ticha, as well as in some other places. There are good prerequisites for the development of adventure tourism: wild waters– rafting and canoe, diving, delta and para glidting in the river valleys of Vatcha, Iskar, Chepelarska, Struma, and Mesta rivers.

The resort of Bansko is situated on the south-west of Bulgaria, at the foot of Pirin Mountains, 160 km from Sofia, 160 km from Plovdiv and 80 km from Greece. The nature itself has created perfect conditions for the ski sports here. The resort has excellent mountains Alps-style, good climate, plentiful snowfalls and 2 meters of snow cover. Bansko enjoys the longest skiing season in Bulgaria, which lasts from December till May. Trails and slopes are planned for skiers of all categories. The heights of slopes range from 990 to 2600 meters, with total length of the trails 65 km. All slopes feature lights and snow cannons. The skiing school offers training of the highest class on any level of difficulty. The lessons are given to the children starting from 6 years of age.

Apart from this, Bansko is also an ancient charming city with its own history, traditions and culture, which has a balance of ecology and flora. Historical center of Bansko is a living museum of Bulgarian Renaissance.                  
Today, Bansko is on the level with the world most known Alps resorts. Combination of National park’s beauty and variety of picturesque places with luxurious new hotels and good service, have turned Bansko into a prestige European resort. The city is also attractive during the summer season. While the hot weather comes to the most of the Europe, in Pirin Mountains you can always find a cool shade and enjoy a picnic on the shores of ice-cold mountain rivers. You can also find here tracks for riding and walking. The peak of summer season starts in August – at the time of international Jazz Festival and “Gala Concert”.

Flora

Bulgaria has many regions which have preserved in their natural state unique natural nooks, preserving a remarkable bio-diversity. Contemporary natural vegetation demonstrates considerable ecological diversity. 12,360 species have been found in its composition, of which 3,700 are higher plants. The Bulgarian endemic plants, which are to be found nowhere else in the world, number more than 250: Rila primrose, Balkan violet, Bulgarian blackberry, Rhodopean tulip etc. Forests abound with wild fruits, briars, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, mushrooms – all of them of proven flavour and of qualities that strengthen the body. There is also a great diversity of herbs and healing plants.

Bulgaria’s fauna numbers some 13,000 species, which is 14% of the total number of registered animal species in Europe. Rare mammal species are to be found in this country. Pelicans, stags, deer, does, wild goats, quails, pheasants etc. inhabit reserves A network of 3 national parks – Rila, Pirin, and the Central Balkan - has been set up (with a total area of 221,252.2 hectares), 9 natural parks (over 180,000 hectares), reserves, as well as 2,234 protected territories and natural landmarks. Two of them (Pirin National Park and Sreburna biosphere reserve have been included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Together with 16 further biosphere reserves they offer wonderful conditions for photo-hunting, scientific-and-cognitive tourism and hobby tourism and hunting grounds.