Tourist destinations & famous resorts

In Bulgaria which is a country having a favourable climate all the year round, an exclusively diverse relief, a rich vegetation, plenty of water resources, a country being a cradle of an ancient civilization having left numerous monuments and cultural items, there are thousands of gorgeous and interesting places worth visiting. Having seen them, one is cast a spell on forever!
It is difficult to list all these beautiful towns, villages, mountain areas, etc. by their significance because each of them is charming and attractive in its own and unique way.
Some of the most interesting places are located on the Black Sea coast or close to it. From the northern to the southern part along the seaside there are plenty of wonderful spots. Incredible landscapes of steep rocks get replaced by azure beaches, or towns founded in the antiquity, or prestige resorts.
Varna is one of the most favourite towns on the North Black Sea coast. It was set up in the antiquity and named Pont Euxinos; later it was renamed Odessos; nowadays Varna is the pearl of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.
The most ancient treasure was found by the town and it is considered that the oldest civilization in Europe existed there. Situated on Varna bay, being the third largest town in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, Varna is a town of economic stability, good infrastructure, many universities and schools, having the headquarters of local and foreign companies with various businesses.
Varna is an attractive tourist destination for its beauty and architectural and historical and cultural sights as well for the proximity to the resorts of Golden Sands and St.St.Constantine and Helena renowned for their large golden beaches, modern hotels, rich greenery and thousands of opportunities for good recreation.
In the vicinity of Varna one could find plenty of pretty Bulgarian villages with authentic Bulgarian houses or newly built modern and luxury villas providing all the extras of nowadays life in a calm and peaceful atmosphere rather than noisy towns.

Another beautiful Bulgarian resort is situated to the north of Golden Sands. It is called Albena and also provides perfect conditions to the tourists staying there. Around Albena there are lots of gorgeous areas with opportunities for property purchase and investment. The Chiflika Chukurovo ethnographic complex has been built nearby interesting with the authentic Bulgarian houses from the past, the opportunity to go hunting in the picturesque forests around, the fantastic captivating views.
Balchik is another really interesting town worth paying attention to. Standing in tiers on the rocks, being a town of old history and culture, Balchik leaves unforgettable memories in its visitors. There you can walk around the huge botanical garden with rockeries, thousands sorts of trees and flowers, some of which quite rare. Within the garden is the palace of the former Romanian queen currently working as a museum.
To the north of Balchik the picturesque cape of Kaliakra towers its rocks high above the crystal clear sea water; nearby you can also find the Rusalka resort famous as an elite recreation centre and other pretty villages and areas.
Traveling down to the south of Varna you could not miss Byala, Obzor and plenty of villages and lands around them. These places offer good recreation conditions in a peaceful atmosphere near the sea and the forest and at the same time not far from cities like Varna and Burgas.
There are many attractive places along the South Black Sea coast as well and of course, great investment opportunities. Resorts like St.Vlas, Eleni, Sunny Beach, Duni, etc., towns like Nesebar (an antique town proclaimed by UNESCO for a cultural monument), Pomorie, Aheloy, Burgas, Sozopol and others are located there.
At the foot of the Stara planina mountains in the quietness and tranquility of centuries-old forests settlements keeping the Bulgarian traditions and lifestyle are tucked away. Such are Elena and the numerous hamlets scattered around, Troyan, Bozhentsi, Tryavna, Apriltsi, Etara (one of the most interesting ethnographic complexes in the country) and many others. Most of these small towns are museums in a way preserving the old Bulgarian schools of woodcarving, icon-painting, pottery, etc.
In the Rhodopes along the valley of the river Cherna, surrounded by mysterious rocks and picturesque hills, green forests and meadows, the town of Smolyan is situated. The lovely towns and villages of Chepelare, Devin, Shiroka laka, Stoykite, etc. also could be found in this region. The elite resort of Pamporovo, an attractive centre for non-professional skiers, is in the Rhodopes as well.
The Rila mountains impress with its numerous beautiful towns, villages, hamlets and other picturesque areas. It covers the area of 81046 ha and was established as a national park to conserve its old forests of spruce and white pine, Pinus peuce, the medicinal plants growing there, 14 species of which are listed in the Red Book and 8 are protected by the Nature Protection Act.
Rila boasts four reserves listed as protected territories by UNO. The Rila monastery is set at the foot of the mountains. It was founded by a hermit called Ivan Rilski under the reign of Tsar Petar. The monastery has an impressive architecture and holds a large collection of exclusively valuable murals (most of them painted by Zahari Zograph). It is included in the UNESCO World Historical and Cultural Heritage Register. The monastery is surrounded by small mountain rivers and awesome peaks – it will take you 4 hours to walk to Malyovitsa peak and 8 hours to reach Musala peak which is the highest one the Balkan Peninsula.
The lake with the highest location on the Balkan Peninsula – Ledenoto (2709 m), and Marichinite and Ropalishkite lakes could also be found here.
The biggest lake on the Balkans – Smradlivoto, is in the central part of Rila and covers the area of 212 decares.
The Seven Rila lakes being one of the most beautiful views in Bulgaria are located in the north-west part of Rila.
Some of the biggest Bulgarian rivers – Iskar, Maritsa and Mesta, spring from there.
There are lots of huts and small hotels accommodating tourists from all over the world, not only Bulgaria.
Pirin is another beautiful mountain. One gets impressed by the queer shapes of the ridges, the sharp peaks and the large glacial valleys, the circuses and the crystal clear lakes.
The gem of Pirin is the town of Bansko. It is attractive with the perfect ski runs in the winter and with the coolness in the summer, with the air freshness. High up in the mountains next to Banderitsa hut is the oldest tree in Bulgaria – Baykushevata mura, at the age of over 1300 years.
There are lovely areas attractive for buying land in or just for a holiday in the rest of the country as well, e.g. the foot of Vitosha mountains, the valley to the south of the Stara planina mountains, along the Bulgarian rivers.
The common among all the areas, towns, villages and hamlets is the fact that they are not just naturally beautiful but also carry the spirit of a people with deep historical and cultural roots which survived the difficult centuries of yoke and economic crises and managed to keep its national wealth and its dignity.