Traditional Tourism

In winter, Borovetz, Bansko and Pamporovo are ski resorts. There are summer resorts on the Black Sea at Sozopol, Nessebur, Golden Sands, Sunny Beach, Albena, St. St. Constantine & Helena and many others. Bulgaria is becoming an attractive destination because of the quality of the resorts and prices below those found in Western Europe. Borovets in winter Borovets in summer Borovets (Боровец), known as Chamkoriya (Чамкория) until the middle of the 20th century, is a popular Bulgarian moutain resort situated in Sofia Province, on the northern slopes of Rila, at an altitude of 1350 m. ... Bansko (Банско) is a town in southwestern Bulgaria, located at the foot of Pirin at an altitude of 936 m above sea level. ... View of Snezhanka summit taken from Pamporovo. ... Sozopol (Bulgarian: Созопол, Greek: Σωζοπολης) is a small, ancient town located 30 km south of Burgas, Bulgaria. ... Nessebar (Несебър), previously known as Mesembria and before that as Menebria, is an ancient city on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria, located in Obshtina Nessebar, Burgas Oblast. ... Golden Sands is a resort town on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast located about 15-20 miles from Varna, the third largest city in Bulgaria. ... Sunny Beach (Bulgarian: Слънчев Бряг, Slânchev Bryag) is a town on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria, located approximately 35 km north of Burgas in Obshtina Nessebar, Burgas Oblast. ... Albena is a town on the Northern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. ... St. ...

Bulgaria has enjoyed a substantial growth in income from international tourism over the past decade. Beach resorts are popular with tourists from Germany, Russia and Scandinavia. The ski resorts are a favorite destination for English tourists. Scandinavia is a region in Northern Europe named after the Scandinavian Peninsula. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the British Isles Languages None official English de facto Capital None official London de facto Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population – Total (mid-2004) – Total (2001...

Emerging Forms of Tourism

Besides the traditionally developed forms of tourism new types are also gaining popularity. Ethno tourism is one such kind, where tourists explore living among local people, particularly in small mountain villages far from five star hotels and luxury shops.

Bike tourism and mountain hiking have also shown strong growth in popularity among foreign tourists. The mountains of Rila, Pirin and the Balkan attract climbers. Hikers enjoy the mountains of Vitosha and the Rhodopes. Bicycling is popular, Bulgaria is one of only six countries to annually host official 1200km Randonnees - ultra-marathon bicycle rides patterned after Paris-Brest-Paris. Rila Mountain, Bulgaria The Rila is a mountain range in western Bulgaria. ... Vihren from the south The Pirin Mountains (Bulgarian: Пирин) are a mountain range in southwest Bulgaria, with Vihren (2,914 m high) the highest peak, situated at , . The range extends about 40 km northwest-southeast, and about 25 km wide. ... Stara Planina, Rhodope, Rila and Pirin Mountains The Stara Planina (Old Mountain) or Balkan mountain range is an extension of the Carpathian mountain range, separated from it by the Danube River. ... Beautiful natural scenes are common hiking destinations Hiking is a form of walking, undertaken with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery. ... Vitosha (Bulgarian: Витоша) is mountain massif, at the foot of which Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, is situated. ... The Rhodopes (also spelled Rodopi) are a mountain range, with over 83% of its area in southern Bulgaria and the remainder in Greece. ... Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP) is an approximately 1200km randonnée bicycle ride held on an out-and-back course between Paris and Brest, France, every four years. ...

Unfortunately sex tourism has began to take hold in the past couple of decades. Due to the poor status of financial income for families, young women are often turning to prostitution as a means to support themselves and their families. The local mafia in Bulgaria, specifically Sofia, control most of the industry, protecting both their clients and their prostitutes. Sex tourism is tourism, partially or fully for the purpose of having sex. ... Prostitution is the sale of sexual services. ... The Mafia, also referred to in Italian as Cosa Nostra (which translates as Thing of Ours), is an organized criminal secret society which evolved in mid-19th century Sicily. ... Official website: sofia. ...

History Tourism

Historical tourism is undeveloped in Bulgaria. The country is situated at crossroads linking East and West. It has been home to many civilisations, including the Thracians, Slavs, Romans, Byzantines, Proto-Bulgarians, and Ottomans. The Thracians were an Indo-European people, inhabitants of Thrace and adjacent lands (present-day Bulgaria, Romania, Republic of Moldova, northeastern Greece, European Turkey and northwestern asiatic Turkey, eastern Serbia and parts of Republic of Macedonia). ... The Slavic peoples are the most numerous ethnic and linguistic body of peoples in Europe. ... For other senses of this name, see Roman Empire (disambiguation). ... Byzantine Empire (Greek: ), is the term conventionally used since the 19th century to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... Imperial motto (Ottoman Turkish) دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power (1683) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital Söğüt (1299-1326), Bursa (1326-1365), Edirne (1365-1453), İstanbul (1453-1922) Imperial anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Sovereigns Padishah of the Osmanl...

Although the country is rich in historical ruins, museums and monasteries those are not properly advertised and maintained. Some are not tourist-accessible due to poor infrastructure. This underdevelopment is regarded as desirable by some tourists who prefer to experience history first-hand rather than look at artefacts behind glass.

Popular Destinations

Summer Resorts

• • Albena
  • Ahtopol
  • Balchik
  • Dyuni
  • Elenite
  • Golden Sands
  • Kiten
  • Lozenets
  • Nessebar
  • Obzor
  • Pomorie
  • Primorsko
  • Riviera
  • Rusalka
  • Sinemorets
  • Sozopol
  • St. Constantine
  • St. Vlas
  • Sunny Beach
  • Tsarevo

Winter Resorts Albena is a town on the Northern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. ... Akhtopol (Bulgarian Ахтопол) is a town in Southeastern Bulgaria. ... Balchik (Bulgarian Балчик, Romanian Balcic) is a Black Sea coastal town in the Southern Dobruja area of northeastern Bulgaria. ... Golden Sands is a resort town on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast located about 15-20 miles from Varna, the third largest city in Bulgaria. ... Kiten (Bulgarian: Китен, meaning lovely, pretty) is a resort town on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, part of Burgas Province. ... Nessebar (Несебър), previously known as Mesembria and before that as Menebria, is an ancient city on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria, located in Obshtina Nessebar, Burgas Oblast. ... Obzor is a town in Bulgaria on the Black Sea coast. ... Pomorie also known as Anchialos is a town in Bulgaria on the Black Sea coast. ... Because of the worldwide popularity of the French and Italian Rivieras, it has become fashionable to attach the term Riviera to many scenic strands of coastland, particularly semitropical or tropical, and usually with an eye to tourism. ... The name Rusalka may refer to one of the following. ... Sozopol (Bulgarian: Созопол, Greek: Σωζοπολης) is a small, ancient town located 30 km south of Burgas, Bulgaria. ... Constantine. ... Sveti Vlas (Свети Влас) is a village on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria, located in Obshtina Nessebar, Burgas Oblast. ... Sunny Beach (Bulgarian: Слънчев Бряг, Slânchev Bryag) is a town on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria, located approximately 35 km north of Burgas in Obshtina Nessebar, Burgas Oblast. ... A view over Tsarevo Tsarevo (formerly Vassiliko and Michurin) is a resort and fishing town on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, situated on three small coves 72 km southeast of Bourgas, at the eastern foot of the Strandzha Mountain. ...

• • Bansko
  • Chepelare
  • Borovetz
  • Pamporovo
  • Vitosha

City Tourism Bansko (Банско) is a town in southwestern Bulgaria, located at the foot of Pirin at an altitude of 936 m above sea level. ... Chepelare (Bulgarian: Чепеларе) is a town in Smolyan Province in Southern Bulgaria. ... Borovets in winter Borovets in summer Borovets (Боровец), known as Chamkoriya (Чамкория) until the middle of the 20th century, is a popular Bulgarian moutain resort situated in Sofia Province, on the northern slopes of Rila, at an altitude of 1350 m. ... View of Snezhanka summit taken from Pamporovo. ... Vitosha (Bulgarian: Витоша) is mountain massif, at the foot of which Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, is situated. ...

• • Sofia
  • Varna
  • Burgas
  • Plovdiv
  • Rousse

* Hiking Official website: sofia. ... Varna (Bulgarian: Варна) is the third largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, with a population of 351,552(10. ... Burgas (also transliterated as Bourgas; Bulgarian: Бургас) is the second-largest city on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. ... Plovdiv (Bulgarian: Пловдив) is the second largest city in Bulgaria, with a population of 376,918 citizens. ... Rousse (also transliterated as Ruse or Russe; Bulgarian: Русе; Romanian: Rusciuc) is the fifth largest city in Bulgaria, with a population of 178,000. ...

• • Balkan Mountains
  • Pirin Mountains
  • Rila Mountains
  • Rodopi Mountains
  • Strandja Mountains
  • Sakar Mountains
  • Vitosha Mountains

Paragliding ... Vihren from the south The Pirin Mountains (Bulgarian: Пирин) are a mountain range in southwest Bulgaria, with Vihren (2,914 m high) the highest peak, situated at , . The range extends about 40 km northwest-southeast, and about 25 km wide. ... Rila Mountain, Bulgaria The Rila is a mountain range in western Bulgaria. ... The Rhodopes (also spelled Rodopi) are a mountain range, with over 83% of its area in southern Bulgaria and the remainder in Greece. ... Strandzha (Bulgarian: Странджа, Turkish: Stranca; also transliterated as Strandja and Stranja) is a mountain massif in southeastern Bulgaria and the European part of Turkey, in the southeastern part of the Balkans between the plains of Thrace to the west, the lowlands near Burgas to the north and the Black Sea to... Sakar (Bulgarian: Сакар or Сакар планина, transliterated as Sakar planina) is a mountain in southeastern Bulgaria, between the rivers Maritsa, Tundzha, Sokolitsa and Sazliyka and close to the borders with Greece and Turkey. ... Vitosha (Bulgarian: Витоша) is mountain massif, at the foot of which Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, is situated. ...

• • Central Balkan Mountains

Monasteries

• • Rila Monastery
  • Bachkovo Monastery
  • Drianovo Monastery
  • Troyan Monastery

Rila Monastery with the medieval tower The Rila Monastery (Bulgarian: Рилски манастир, Rilski manastir) is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. ... Bachkovo Monastery in Bulgaria is one of the largest and oldest Orthodox Christian monasteries in Eastern Europe. ... A 1876 drawing of the monastery The Troyan Monastery is the third largest monastery in Bulgaria. ...

External links

• Guide to Bulgaria
• Visit to Bulgaria
• The Official Tourism Site for Bulgaria
• National Museum of History
• Ecotourism in Bulgaria - Official Site
• Travel Guide about Bulgaria and world
• Bulgarian Travel and Tourism Directory
• Small Group Hiking Adventures
• Climbing and mountaineering school
• Pictures from Borovets
• Pictures from Pamporovo
• Pictures from peak Todorka, up the mountain from the city of Bansko
• Pictures from the Golden Sands resort
• Pictures from the Sunny Beach resort
• Pictures from Albena resort
• Pictures from Etara, near the city of Gabrovo. Working museum of old Bulgarian trades.
• Pictures from the Rila monastery
• Other great pictures from Bulgaria!
• Annual 1200km endurance cycling event
• UK portal for all things Bulgaria
• Where to find accommodation on the net in Bulgaria