Welcome to Bulgaria              .... Rila Monastery
                                                                

Bulgaria is known to insiders as a land of roses, of fascinating traditions and history, friendly people, superb wine, excellent country cooking, and outstanding scenery. Pristine forests and crystal-clear rivers and lakes beckon the visitor, as does an abundant wildlife, including wolves and bear with plenty of space to roam.    

Riding tours: 

Bulgaria - an ancient land
As a state established by khan Asparoukh, Bulgaria has been existing for more than 13 centuries. Thracians were the first settlers in the Bulgarian lands and their civilisation is evidenced by the numerous archaeological finds, uncovered tombs, discovered gold and silver treasures. Testimonies for the presence of life in the pre-historic ages have been preserved in the best-preserved Neolithic housings discovered world-wide - namely those off the town of Stara Zagora, in the "Bacho Kiro" cave off the town of Dryanovo and in the Magurata cave - close to the town of Belogradchik. The first written reference where the name "Bulgarians" is to be found is included in an anonymous Roman chronograph of 452 AD.

Location
Situated in southeastern Europe, Bulgaria occupies the northeastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. To the North, via the Danube River, it borders on Romania, to the West - on Serbia and Montenegro and on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. To the South its neighbours are Greece and Turkey. To the East Bulgaria touches the Black Sea, which links it also to Russia, Ukraine, and Georgia. The Black Sea borderline is 378 km (240 miles) long.
The country's total territory is 111 000 sq. km (43 000 sq. miles).

Monasteries
The Bulgarian monasteries - hiding human, warm and living rather than "divine" beauty behind their austere stone facades, still amaze with their magnificent architecture, unfading frescoes and murals, exquisite icons and wood-carvings, made by self-taught architects, builders and painters.
The Bulgarian monasteries - during difficult and turbulent times they acted as centers of patriotism which helped to preserve national feelings and hopes of the Bulgarians.

Relief
Bulgaria possesses a variety of natural forms, located in the range of altitude from 0 to 2,925 m. Its territory includes part of the lower Danube Plain, The Balkan Range - part of the Alpine-and-Himalayan chain, part of the Thracian lowland and to the south - the mountain structures of the Macedonian-Thracian massif. The best-known mountain ranges are Rila (highest peak Mussala - 2,925 m.), Pirin (Vihren - 2,914 m.), Stara Planina or the Balkan range (Botev Peak - 2,376 m.), and the Rhodopes (Golyam Perelik- 2,191 m.) as well as Mount Vitosha (Cherni Vrah - 2,291 m.)
The mountains occupy half of this country's territory, 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.

Waters
The rivers rise mainly in the highest mountains and flow into the Black Sea and into the Aegean Sea. Bulgaria has 526 rivers longer than 2.3 km. The only navigable river is the Danube, which lies along the North Bulgarian border. There are good prerequisites for the development of adventure tourism: wild waters - rafting and canoe, diving, hanggliding and paragliding in the river valleys of Vatcha, Iskar, Chepelarska, Struma, and Mesta rivers.
The longest rivers on the territory of Bulgaria (in km): Iskar (368.0 km), Toundga (349.5 km), Maritsa (321.6 km), Osum (341.0 km), Struma (290.0 km), Yantra (285.5 km), Kamchiya (244.5 km), Arda (241.3 km), Louda Kamchiya (200.9 km) and Roussenski Lom (196.9 km).
There are about 330 natural lakes; the largest are the Black Sea lakes (Alepou, Arkoutino, Pomorie, Beloslav, Bourgas, Varna and the Shabla lakes), the most numerous (over 260) are the high-mountain glacial lakes in the Rila and Pirin mountain ranges. Dams have been built as a part of waterpower systems - Iskar, Arda, Batak Water Power System, Belmeken-Sestrimo, Dospat-Vucha, and a great number of smaller dams.
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.

Climate
The predominant climate in Bulgaria is moderate and transitional continental. (2,000 to 2,400 hours of sunlight per year). Four seasons. Dry and hot summer. Average temperature (April - September): + 23 °C. Cold winter with snowfalls, average temperature: 0 °C. The average yearly temperature is 10.5 °C.
A Mediterranean climate, with dry summers and mild, humid winters, prevails in the valley of the southwestern Rhodope Mountains. The northern limits of the climatic zone is the Balkan Range.
The average January temperature in Sofia ranges between
-4° and 2°. The July temperature ranges between 16° and 27° C. Along the Black Sea, the average January temperature ranges between -1° and 6° C and the July temperature ranges between 19° and 30° C.
The soft transitional Mediterranean climate and the fertile soils are very suitable for growing the century-famed Bulgarian attar-yielding rose - a valuable raw material for perfumery, medical products, food and wine, and tobacco.

Flora and fauna
Bulgaria has many regions which have preserved in their natural state unique natural nooks, preserving a remarkable biodiversity.
Contemporary natural vegetation demonstrates considerable ecological diversity. Over 12,400 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 22,500 species, over 770 of which are vertebrates (of them - over 420 species of birds). Rare mammal species are to be found in this country. 22 globally threatened species (Dalmatian pelican, Pygmy Cormorant and Ferruginous Duck among them) are also of great interest for the birdwatching tourism.
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), 10 natural parks (over 180,000 hectares), 55 reserves and 35 managed reserves, over 350 protected areas and 500 natural monuments are dedicated to conserve greater part of unspoiled nature and wildlife.
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.
 

Updated for 2007