Location
Bulgaria is situated in Southeast Europe and occupies the eastern part
of the Balkan Peninsula.
To the north it borders on Romania, to the west on the Republic of Macedonia
and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, to the east on the Black Sea,
to the south on Greece and to the southeast on Turkey's European part.
Area: 111.000 sq km.
Nature
It will fascinate you with its fantastic creativity, squeezing so much
beauty onto such a tiny land - curious rock formations and mysterious
caves; sunny seashores with golden sands, quiet coves and romantic capes;
majestic mountains with fiery peaks, mirror lakes and shady woods full
of scent.
Bulgaria occupies a relatively small area - 111 000 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.
As a whole Bulgaria's vegetation can be ranked among the Central European
forest region, but the influence of the South Russian and Asia Minor regions
is also felt. The higher part of Bulgarian mountains are covered by sub
-Arctic vegetation, among which juniper forests predominate. In fact,
Bulgaria boasts 3000 higher plant varieties - almost twice as many as
in England.
More then one quarter of the country's territory is covered with forests.
The edelweiss which grows in places difficult of access in the Pirin Mountains
and the Balkan Range, is one of the rare plants growing in the country.
Bulgaria is famous for its oleaginous rose which bloom in the Valley of
Roses. The Bulgarian tobacco brands are world - famous. The Bulgarian
fauna is no less interesting, with almost 13 000 animal species and subspecies,
or about 14 percent of all European species. Fishing is possible in lakes,
dams, mountain brooks and sea, hunting - in special hunting grounds.
BLACK
SEA /Pontus euxinos/ - hospitable sea.
This is how the ancient Greeks called the Black Sea, a sea that is indeed
tempting and hospitable - clean and calm, without any tides or dangerous
animals. The sandy sea bottom slopes gently, making bathing and swimming
safe for even the youngest holidaymakers. The Black Sea is half as saline
as the Mediterranean.
The Bulgarian coastal stretch faces east and extends over 378 km, dotted
with vast beaches covered with fine golden sand. The majority of Bulgaria
beaches have been awarded the EU Blue Flag for their environmental exellence.
Air temperatures in summer vary between 23°C and 27°C, water temperatures
between 17°C and 25°C. There are more than 240 hours of sunshine in May
and September, and more than 300 in July and August. The deep-cutting
coves and rugged shores, wooded hills and romantic peninsulas, vineyards
and orchards, fishing towns and secluded campsites lend a unique fascination
to the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.
Holiday-makers have a huge selection of resorts and accommodation to choose
from - depending on their budget and on the kind of holiday they are interested
in. They can find anything from luxurious 4 to 5-star hotels, large holiday
hotel complexes, private hotels, small guesthouses - to more seduled holiday
villages, villas and B & B style rooms.
The large major sea resorts - Albena, Golden Sands, Riviera Holiday Club,
Sunny Day Tourist Complex, St. Constantine, Elenite Holiday Village, Sunny
Beach, Dyuni Holiday Village- tempt with luxury, innumerable sports facilities,
entertainment and inland trips to noteworthy landmarks.
Population
8,428,006
State government
Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic.
Capital
Sofia (pop. 1,141,000)
Large Cities
Plovdiv, Varna, Veliko Turnovo
Language
Bulgarian. English, German, French and Russian is spoken in the country's
resorts, hotels and restaurants.
Alphabet
Cyrillic. Signs along international motorways, in airports and resorts
are also spelled in Roman letters.
Religion
86.6% of the population is Eastern Orthodox, 13% are Muslims. The Bulgarian
Church is autonomous and headed by a Patriarch.
Official holidays
January 1 - New Year
March 3 - Bulgaria's Liberation from Ottoman rule - the National Day
Easter - one week after the Catholic Easter
May 1 - Labour Day
May 6 - Bulgarian Army Day
May 24 - Day of Bulgarian Enlightenment and Culture and the Slav Script
September 6 - Bulgaria's Unification
September 22 - Independance Day
December 25-26 - Christmas
History
It will take you back dozens of centuries to Pliska, Preslav and Veliko
Tarnovo - the seats of the first Bulgarian khans, czars and kings; to
the stone carving of the Madara Horseman; to the Thracian Gold Treasures;
to the breathtaking murals of the Kazanlak Tomb and the church in Boyana;
to the quiet wisdom of the Rila Monastery and to the towns of Koprivshtitsa,
Melnick and Zheravna - Renaissance legends of wood, stone and color.
The Bulgarian lands are ancient crossroads. It remembers many ancient
civilizations and great peoples which wrote the pages of its turbulent
history: bronze and iron spears and arrows, ruins of palaces and cities,
wise words carved on rocks and stone columns, written on parchment and
leather.
The Thracians bequeathed us the famous tombs near Kazanluk and Sveshtari,
the unique gold treasures from Panagyurishte and Rogozen. The Hellenes
built the beautiful coastal towns of Apollonia, Anhialo and Messambria,
and Romans - ancient Aescus, Nikopolis ad Istrum and Nove. Huns, Gothes
and Averas later passes through our lands. Around the mid-7th century
the Slavs came from the north across the Danube and reached as far as
the Black Sea and the Adriatic. They were followed by the Bulgarians of
Khan Asparouh...In fact, there were only three states in Europe in 681:
The Western Roman Empire, BULGARIA, and The Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium)...
Treasures
Once upon a time the Thracians inhabited our lands. The Greek chronicler
Herodotus claims that 'after the Indian, the Thracian people are the most
numerous'.
Millennia after, their ancient and mysterious culture was revealed in
its true magnificence.
The unearthed Thracian gold treasures conquered the modern world and enabled
a great civilization to take its deserving place in the history of mankind.
The Varna Chalcolithic Necropolis (4600 - 4200 B.C.) which experts qualify
as 'the world's oldest gold and Europe's most ancient civilization' was
a sensational discovery. The 28 objects - bracelets, hatches, ornaments,
are now kept in the Varna Museum of History. The Vulchitrun treasure dates
from the Bronze Age. The perfectly shaped and carefully polished ritual
vessels weight 12.5 kg. They are part of the exhibition of the National
Museum of History.
The Panagyuriste gold treasure (4th c.B.C.) is a royal set made of 23
carat gold. The nine exquisitely shaped vessels - rhytons, amphoras and
a phial - are embossed and depict mythological scenes. It is kept in the
Plovdiv Museum.
The Vratsa treasure (4th c.B.C) consists of a number of beautiful objects
- a golden wreath, earrings and graves.
The Loukovit and Letnitsa treasures (4th c.B.C.) are both interesting
and valuable.
The Rogozen royal silver treasure attracts attention with its 165 vessels
with Greek and Thracian subjects.
These treasures are necessary to us today because their brilliance and
beauty invariably return us to man's longing for harmony.
As "Mankind's Oldest Gold and Oldest Civilisation in Europe"
they were shown in Japan, Canada, The USA, Mexico, France, Russia, Austria,
Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Hungary, Holland and India.
Religion
An important element in the history of the Bulgarian Church was the adoption
of Christianity. In 864, during the reign of Prince Boris I (852-889),
peace talks were held with Byzantium, following which the Constantinople
Patriarchate sent Byzantine clerics to Bulgaria. Thus the conversion to
Christianity was initiated.
Prince Boris and the members of the foremost Bulgarian families were secretly
converted. Chroniclers recorded and widely popularized this event.
The Eastern Orthodox religion was imposed as the official religion. Prince
Boris met a historical necessity at the time - Bulgaria became part of
European culture which was essentially Christian in nature. In addition,
it also helped to strengthen the country's international situation. The
adoption of Christianity also helped to quickly eliminate the differences
between proto-Bulgarians and Slavs. This, in turn, served to shape the
Bulgarian nationality, i.e. the introduction of a common lifestyle, customs
and mores.
In 927 the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was recognized as an independent
Eastern Orthodox patriarchate.
Traditions
You will hear them in the unique rhythm, melody and harmony of the Bulgarian
folk songs and chants; your heart will sense them in the merry and healthy
joye-de-vivre atmosphere of the rites and celebrations.
You will discern them in the everlasting beauty of the handicrafts, finely
woven in the ceramic vignettes and wood carvings, colorful rugs and hammered
copper-ware.
You will find them in the exquisite taste of Bulgarian cuisine and in
the fine aroma of Bulgarian wines.
Nobody who loves travelling will be able to cover all earth's roads and
come to know all worlds...
But anybody could make a journey to knowledge - without forgetting where
he started from and without losing the way back...
History has allotted Bulgaria a difficult and dramatic face. Much has
perished, but even more has remained - a rich spiritual world which will
show you with the colours, rhythms and melodious songs of living Bulgarian
folklore, the unfading beauty of Bulgarian arts and crafts, the gaiety
and vivacity of Bulgarian festivals and customs, the piquant taste of
Bulgarian cuisine and the delicate fragrance of Bulgarian wines.
Folklore
Melodious tunes and beautiful voices, fiery dances and brightly coloured
costumes - Bulgarian folklore has to be seen, felt and experienced!
The world has already discovered Ninth Symphony, its message to other
civilizations travelling to the stars aboard the Voyager I and Voyager
2 spaceships also includes the recording of a Bulgarian Rhodope Mountain
folk song.
The world is discovering it again and again at major folklore and song
contests in Italy, France, England and Ireland from which the Bulgarian
music and dance ensembles invariably walk off with the first prizes. The
world has started talking about the "Mystery of Bulgarian songs and
dances"...If you attend one of the many picturesque folk fairs, singing
contests and original folklore festivals in this Country, which gather
thousands of singers, musicians and dancers, where several generations
of Bulgarians sing, play and dance, you will perhaps yourself discover
the key to this mystery, the key to the heart and soul of Bulgaria.
Culture
It will be omnipresent in your days with unique finds in the museums,
including the world's oldest gold; with beautiful collections of works
from self-taught old masters to modern painters in the art galleries;
with classical concerts and folklore song-and-dance festivals.
One has to see the magnificent Thracian treasures, the monumental but
beautiful work of the Greek and Roman cities in order to understand why
Bulgaria became the cradle of Slav culture.
For thirteen centuries the Bulgarian has been creating literature, art
and music. Bulgarian culture has given the world men of great achievements,
unparalleled in history.
In the 9th centurie the brothers Cyril and Methodius, recognised as the
patrons of Europe, upset the trilingual dogma and created the alphabet
of the Slav peoples.
During the 14th centurie John Koukouzel - The Angel-voiced carried out
a reform in Eastern Orthodox church music. Unknown painters created masterpieces
which have become part of the UNESCO list of World Heritage.
Born from the power of tradition, modern Bulgarian culture, too, triumphs
in the world. A quatrain of the great Bulgarian poet Hristo Botev has
found a place in the Sorbonne, Boris Christoff and a whole host of Bulgarian
singers have conquered the world's opera stages, the "Mystery of
Bulgarian Voices" has astounded melomaniacs, the paintings of Vladimir
Dimitrov-The Master can be seen in the world's finest galleries.
Arts and Crafts
The Bulgarian's aesthetic sense and conception of the world makes him
create art out of any material - wood and clay, wool and copper, silk
and silver.Applied crafts have gradually emerged from the narrow frame
work of strictly domestic life to become an art which breeds art: Bulgarian
embroidery with its intricate geometrical figures, Bulgarian rugs and
carpets with their vibrant colours, exquisitely painted Bulgarian ceramics,
finely ornamented Bulgarian fretwork and superbly fashioned Bulgarian
jewelry.The Samovodene Market in Veliko Turnovo, the Permanent National
Exhibition of Folk Art in Oreshak near Troyan and the Etura architectural
and ethnographic complex near Gabrovo are all original museums of the
revived beauty of Bulgarian handicrafts. You are bound to find your own
particular memento from Bulgaria here - a small carved wooden wine vessel,
a Troyan pottery set, a fleecy Rhodope rug, an original piece of silver
jewelry, a finely embroidered silk blouse of a colourful carpet.Or you
might just choose a phial of attar of roses with the intoxicating fragrance
of the whole Valley of Roses.
Some interisting place in Southern Coastal region
ELENITE
A picturesque bay with low rise buildings and a less crowded resort but with plenty of activities.
SUNNY BEACH
Situated 36km north of the city of Bourgas and 90km to the south of Varna. Sunny Beach is the largest resort on the Black Sea coast. It is a bay naturally protected by the Balkan Mountain range to the north. Its golden sands stretch 8km with natural dunes and gently sloping beaches, making it safe for young children. The water is calm , clear and safe for swimming. Sunny Beach has a wide range of restaurants, taverns, shops, street stalls and vibrant nightlife. The resort offers an abundance of activites including land sports, water sports and spa centres.
NESSEBAR
Nessebars history dates back 2,500 years and it has been linked with many ancient civilizations. Founded in the 6th century BC, today Nessebar is one of Bulgarias most charming tourist spots. The magnificent old quarter is under preservation order as a living museum town. It hosts the remains of 40 churches from different periods of history, narrow cobbled streets, delightful wooden gabled houses and ancient monuments. It offer quiet restaurants, fashionable cafes and plenty of hotels.
POMORIE
Pomorie is located 20km north of Bourgas and is near a salt lake considered to be sacred because of its healing powers. It is situated on a rocky peninsula and is an attractive place for year round recreation and health treatments. Pomorie one rivalled Nessebar in antiquity, but unfortunately was largely destroyed in 1906 by fire. The town remains attractive with cobbled streets and traditional wooden houses.
BOURGAS
The city was named after the greek word 'bourgos' which means fortress. Unfortunately it burnt down in the 19th century, but is not a thriving administative, economic and cultural centre of Bulgaria. It is in fact the 4th largest city and a gateway port for visiting seaside resorts north and south. The sandy beach stretches 2km dotted with small restaurants and bars. A major sea port on the Black sea coast that is well worth spending time in.
SOZOPOL
Located 34km south of Bourgas, legend dates Sozopol back to 610BC when greek settlers founded the city of 'APPOLINA' It was named Sozopol in the 4th century AD and means 'town of refuge' possibly because as a port it has always been a refuge for seatravellers. Sozopol is situated on a rocky peninsula and is a most delightful and traditional town. It has cobbled streets, historic churches and old houses. There is a thriving modern quarter with lively restaurants, cafes and bars.
SVETI VLAS
Sveti Vlas is located 4km north of Sunny Beach. Founded in the 2nd century BC it was renamed Sveti Vlas in the 14th century AD after the patron sait of cattle growers and merchants. Sveti Vlas is a town offering a variety of accomodation, retaurants and cafes. A central square, with elevated cafes, giving stunning views over the coast to Nessebar Island and Sunny Beach.
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For relocation and visa advice please try:
Bulgarian Embassy186 - 188 Queen's Gate,
London, SW7 5HL
(Enquiries)
Tel: 0207 584 9433
Fax: 0207 584 4948
(Tourist Department Direct Line)
Tel: 0207 581 4903