Bulgaria
Situated in Southeastern Europe, Bulgaria occupies the northeastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. The country’s total territory is 111,000 sq. km. It has a 378 km borderline with the Black Sea to the east. Bulgaria also neighbors Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro to the west, Romania to the north and Greece and Turkey to the south.
Bulgaria possesses a varied relief, in the altitude range 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 predominant climate in Bulgaria is moderate and transitional continental with plenty of sunlight days per year. There are four seasons, with warm summer and snowy winter. The average yearly temperature is 10.5 °C.
The Bulgarian mountains which occupy half of the country’s territory, are easily accessible, and are a prime destination for both winter and summer tourist activities, including skiing, hiking, fishing, canoeing. The major mountain ranges are Rila, Pirin, Rhodope and Stara Planina. Mussala peak in the Rila mountain range is the highest point on the Balkan peninsula.
Much of the Black sea coast is covered by long beaches with fine white sand. The sea itself is non-tidal, less salty and warmer than the Mediterranean. The tourism sector has flourished in recent years and holds a firm lead in the Bulgarian economy.
Varied Landscape
The country offers a mixture of quiet rural scenery and villages that have preserved their unique spirit of old times, and modern cities pulsating with the rhythm of growing business activity and ever changing fashions. Regardless of your mood and interests, you will always find something intriguing and fascinating in this small piece of land.
Hot Mineral Spas
Bulgaria is famous for its natural hot mineral water springs – 1600 of them altogether. They present excellent opportunities for health tourism. The country is very rich in ancient monuments and artifacts from different epochs in its 1300 year old history and beyond. Thracians, Romans, Slavs, Greeks and Turks have left their mark and heritage to be appreciated by locals and tourists alike. The country has 9 UNESCO World Culture Heritage sites. Numerous monasteries, churches and mosques, some having hundreds of years of history, present a compelling attraction to every tourist.
Politics
Bulgaria’s political system is a parliamentary republic. After the fall of communism in 1989 the country has started on the road to democratic reforms and has achieved significant progress in recent years. It has a sustained GDP growth of 4.8%, a stable political system and highly trained workforce. As of March 2004 the country is member of NATO and is invited to join the European Union in 2007.
Macroeconomic stability:
- Political and economic stability
- Sustained GDP growth of 4.7-4.9 % per year
- NATO membership achieved in 2004
- EU membership set for 1 January 2007
- Very competitive labor cost compared to the rest of Europe
- Very competitive tax regime - 15% corporate profit tax as of 1 January 2005
- Well educated, highly trained English speaking workforce
- Strategic geographic location
- Full national treatment of foreign investment
Top tourist destination:
- Bulgaria voted No. 4 tourist destination worldwide by The Washington Post
- 22% average annual growth of tourist arrivals for 2002 – 2004
- 43% year-on-year increase in British tourists for 2003
- Well developed and constantly improving summer resorts
- Excellent skiing opportunities with guaranteed winter snowfall
- Unbeatable prices guaranteeing best value for money holidays
- 1600 thermal mineral water springs
- Rich historical and cultural heritage
Easy access from Europe
Booming real estate sector:
- 25% price growth in the last 12 months
- Still lowest real estate prices in Europe
- Strong year round corporate letting market in Sofia
- Dramatic increase in demand for quality accommodation at Bulgarian resorts
- Strong drive for property purchase from Bulgarians living abroad
- Bulgaria on the agenda of top European real estate investment funds
Bankso
Overview
Nestled between the Pirin, Rila and Rhodope mountain ranges, Bansko is located at the foot of the Pirin National Park, listed in the World Register of Natural Heritage. It is a climatic mountain resort with a short hot summer and long mild winter. Snow falls are abundant, providing a constant winter snow cover up to 2 m thick. The region is famous for its cuisine and colorful folklore and offers various entertainment opportunities. The access to Bansko is convenient even in winter conditions. The distance to the nearest airport – the Sofia Airport - is 160 km, and is covered in just 2 hours by car.
A famous ski resort
Bansko is the youngest and the best developed ski resort in Bulgaria. The skiing conditions are excellent. The slopes offer runs and tracks for all types of skiers, from starters to experts, and the ski runs are maintained in excellent condition. The resort is equipped with machines for artificial snow.
The two major ski regions of Bansko - the lower called Chalin Valog (1,100 - 1,600 m) and the higher Shiligarnika (1,700 - 2,500 m) - are situated above the town, on the northern slopes of the Pirin Mountains. Slalom and giant slalom runs are available in the Shiligarnika region. The total track length is 75 km with plans to expand this to 95 km by 2006. A gondola lift provides convenient access from the town to the ski slopes, a further lift is planned for 2006/07 season. Bansko is applying for the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Summer activities
Bansko is a great place to visit during the warmer months from May through October. The Pirin National Park combines breath-taking views with excellent opportunities for hiking and sightseeing, including plethora of lakes, waterfalls, caves and historical sights. The town and the nearby villages are known for their healing mineral water springs, providing opportunities for rest and relaxation.
Rich history, culture and traditions
The town of Bansko attracts visitors with its 120 cultural monuments. It is famous for its fortified and artistically decorated houses, museums and the Bansko School of Art. A very interesting site is the Holy Trinity Church, with its 30 m high bell-tower and clock, splendid murals and woodcarvings. Every August Bansko hosts the National Jazz Fest. Museum houses and collections, souvenir shops and romantic holiday residences, hotels and taverns complement the unique atmosphere of this splendid Bulgarian resort.
The future
Bansko has attracted exceptional tourist and investor interest in the last three years. Among the most notable developments are the expansion and modernizing of the ski runs and equipment, as well as the construction of new hotels and residential developments. Regardless of the increased capacity, Bansko is generally fully booked during the winter months with Bulgarian, Macedonian, Greek and British tourists making up the bulk of the visitors. With its year-round activities, rich history and traditions, and mineral water springs, Bansko represents not only an attractive tourist destination, but also a great opportunity for the seeing investor.
Sofia
Overview
The city of Sofia is situated near the geographical centre of the Balkans region, in the Sofia Basin, a troughlike valley in the western part of the country. Immediately to the south is the Vitosha National Park and to the north is the Stara Planina mountain range. At 550 m above sea level Sofia is the highest capital in Europe. There are four distinct seasons here, with dry, hot summers and snowy winters. Extreme climatic conditions, however, are very rare. The city has a population of 1.3 million and the average age of the population is 38 years. The motto of the city is “Ever growing, never aging”.
The capital of Bulgaria is one of the oldest settlements in Europe. For over 7,000 years Sofia has been a meeting place of the four directions of the world. Tribes and peoples came and went, civilisations flourished and declined but the city has stayed forever. Today Sofia is a modern and busy capital and a centre of Bulgaria's political, economic and cultural life. Its central parts have a European character with tree-lined boulevards and balconied buildings by 19th-century Russian and Viennese architects. Sofia combines the atmosphere of a large city with the cozy feeling of a place whose main attraction can be seen on foot.
With its well-developed infrastructure and strategic location, Sofia is an important centre for international railway and automobile routes. All major types of transportation (except water transport) are represented in the city, which is home to 8 railway stations, the Centre for Flight Control and the Sofia Airport. Three Trans-European Transport Corridors cross the city: 4, 8 and 10. Public transit is well-developed, reliable and important to the city's economy; it is provided by means of underground trains (metro), buses, trams and electric buses. There are over 15,000 licensed taxi cabs operating in the city.
Sofia boasts numerous places of interest, many related to the rich and diverse history of the city. Most notable of these are the landmark Alexander Nevski Cathedral, the St. Nedelya Church, the St. George Rotunda, the Banya Bashi Mosque, the Central Sofia Synagogue and the Women’s market, among others. Scores of museums, theaters, music halls and cinemas complement the impression of a place where one never gets bored. The innumerable restaurants offer cuisines from all over the world that can satisfy even the most capricious of tastes.
If shopping is your priority, Sofia will not disappoint you. The capital offers the full range from large shopping centres to designer boutiques to small street shops. The main shopping street is Vitosha boulevard where one can find almost any designer brand. The main shopping mall is TSUM, but currently The Mall of Sofia project is under way, expected to best TSUM in size and diversity starting from the end of 2005. Major European chains like Metro, Praktiker, HIT, Mr. Bricolage and others have opened doors in Sofia with more heavy investments expected in this area.
Sofia is well known for its fantastic nightlife. Bars are popular in the evening hours till midnight after which the crowd moves to the night clubs. While present everywhere, bars and nightclubs are concentrated in the central part of the city which makes it easy to explore several different places in one outing. Recommendable bars include By The Way, Motto, Cargo, The Piano Bar, Buddha Bar, JJ Murphy’s, Select and among the best night clubs are Chervilo, Escape, Mojito, Tequila, Caramba, Brilliantine, Black Box. Some places offer live music. There are also casinos, which require ID, but do not operate a dress code.
Sofia is a city with a lot of green areas. The parks offer peace and tranquility in the heart of the city. All major parks have alleys where one can enjoy several relaxing hours of strolling or biking. The Boris Garden Park hosts two football stadiums, including the National Stadium, and many other sports facilities. A great place for recreation is the Vitosha National Park just south of the capital, where Sofians and tourists enjoy hiking in the summer and skiing in the winter. Mount Vitosha also provides some great views to the people in the city.
Sofia has changed notably in the last 5-6 years. Nowhere else in Bulgaria has the recent economic growth been felt more strongly than in the capital. It is a magnet for a growing number of multinational corporations, as well as for qualified labor force from all over the country. As a result, the population has grown steadily, yet unemployment is at record low levels – 1-2%. In the last 2 years thousands of new apartment units are being constructed to meet the growing demand of quality housing. Substantial investments were made especially in infrastructure projects. Standards of business are also being raised as Bulgaria is heading to the EU.
Between 2007 and 2009 Bulgaria will receive 4.6 billion euro from the EU which is the highest amount per capita for any accession country ever. This fact only adds to the already positive prospects for the development of this vibrant city. Factors like qualified labor, competitive operational costs, strategic geographic location, low corporate taxes, low real estate prices and quickly developing capital market, make Sofia not only a great tourist destination, but also an exciting place to invest.
Sunny Beach
Overview
Sunny Beach is the biggest and the sunniest Bulgarian resort, with the longest and the widest beach strip, with hotels spread along the beach and among the dunes.
The resorts lies only 35 km north of the city of Bourgas, stretching along a beautiful semicircular bay facing east. Closed to the north by the descending ridges of the Balkan Range, thus blending sea and mountain in perfect harmony. Lying to the south is the small peninsula on which the ancient town of Nessebar is located - an architectural and historic monument of Bulgarian and world culture. Accessibility is very good with regular boat and bus connections to the district centre of Bourgas and Varna - 95 km. Charter flights from and to the UK and Germany are operated by the Bourgas international airport during the summer season.
Sunny Beach features wide and warm sea with a gently sloping, sandy bottom and approximately 1,700 hours of sunshine from May to October, plenty of ozone and ultraviolet rays, along with the fresh breeze. The average daily temperature in summer is 27°C. The resort was awarded the prestigious Blue Flag International prize for proven ecological advantages.
Sunny Beach has more than 100 hotels, 2 campsites, over 130 catering establishments: restaurants, taverns with folklore shows, bars with floor shows, night clubs, casino, discos and cafes, providing culinary pleasures and a good mood. Here you can also find a shopping centre, as well as arts and crafts bazaars.
One can find here every conceivable opportunity for sports: 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, sports tournaments for amateurs and professionals.
A genuine children's paradise - plenty of fun and games, children pools, slides, carting, Rolba water slide, inflatable trampoline, sport schools. In addition: special discounts, children's menus, 24-hour kindergarten, etc.
The resort features a varied cultural programme - Golden Orpheus International Festival of Bulgarian Pop Songs, folklore and symphony concerts, exhibitions, Miss Sunny Beach contest, etc. Short excursions both inland and abroad are organized regularly.
Sunny Beach is living through a transformation that started in 2000. The importance and reputation of the resort have grown sharply, especially among Western tourists. Investments in high class accommodation have moved in parallel, with some 500 million euro being invested in Sunny Beach in the last four years. As a result the resort has cemented its top place as a tourist destination in Bulgaria. The combination of warm sea, fine sand, sunny weather and affordable prices ensure excellent prospects for the future as an increasing number of people are switching from the Spanish Costas and the French Riviera to more exotic destinations like this Bulgarian pearl.
