Bulgaria lies in South East Europe (SEE) and has been part of the EU since 2007. It is both a beach and ski resort with mountains occupying over half of the country’s territory. This has acted like a magnet for tourists to either relax by the Black Sea or whoosh down the mountains. Folklore traditions play a major part in Bulgaria with folk dances, national costumes, music and traditional rituals being played on throughout the year.

Bulgaria has had a rather turbulent history but had a large political change from communism to democracy in 1990. This then lead the country to regain its political parties and restoration of the land began. Cities and resorts subsequently underwent construction resulting in areas that are attractive, exciting and relatively cheap which have enticed buyers and holidaymakers from Western Europe.

The spoken language is Bulgarian however many are fluent in English, French or German. Their currency is Bulgarian Leva with 90% of the country being Orthodox Christian. A unique feature that many Bulgarians follow is that they shake their head for ‘yes’ and nod their head for ‘no’. Be careful, this could cause confusion!

Travel

There are four international airports in Bulgaria, the biggest being Sofia airport. Plovdiv International airport is mainly used for charter flights for the ski resort of Pamporovo. The international airports of Varna and Bourgas are used for local flights from Sofia, as well as for charter flights during the summer, serving the beach resorts around these two cities on the Black Sea coast.

Festivals & Traditions

May: St Georges Day is on 6 May every year and was traditionally a celebration of the end of spring and the beginning of summer. It has become customary for Bulgarian households to cook a lamb in honour of St George who is the saint of shepherds. It is also the day of the Bulgarian Army with parades organized in the capital city of Sofia.

June: In Bulgaria the rose is a symbol of youth, beauty and health. There are thousands of different varieties of roses in the world but only three or four produce oil, which is an essential ingredient for making perfume. Of these, the Kazanluk rose, which has been produced in the Valley of the Roses for over 300 years, is the best. This traditional event celebrates its harvest in the town of Kazanluk. The festival takes place on the first weekend of June with festivities beginning on Friday and ending late on Sunday.

June: The Southeastern European Music Festival began in 2006 and is now an annual event.  It takes place for three days in Sofia which begins with a conference where DJs, club promoters and industry professionals can meet and exchange ideas, followed by an exhibition showcasing the latest developments in lighting, video and studio equipment.

June-August: The World Art Print takes place in Sofia every year to exhibit contemporary art from all over the world. Their aim is to also gather research into paper, inks and other materials used in printmaking.

June-July: Prestigious guest producers and conductors host one of the biggest summer events for the historic city of Plovdiv. Annually, the city holds an Opera Festival in the Phillippopolis Theatre which always includes one of Verdi’s staged works.

July-August: The former capital of Bulgaria, Veliko Tarnovo, stages the International Folklore Festival, which was first introduced in 1998, and includes concerts, ethnic dances, shows, conferences and also features a famous sound and light show.

August: The International Jazz Festival, branded the music of the free people, takes place in the main square of the well-known ski resort in Bansko. The first festival took place in 1997 and has steadily been growing since.

October: On 26 October, St Dimitri’s Day is celebrated for the up and coming winter delights. Saint Dimitri is the saint of winter, frost and snow and according to the popular belief, on this day the skies will open and the first snow will fall. This day is also known as Razpous (dismissal) as it is the last day for seasonal workers (such as Shepherds). As with St George’s day, it is customary to have a large meal.

Tourism

Shopaholics
Mall Plodiv has 20,000m2 of leasable area and it is conveniently accessible by private and public transport. The investors behind this project also developed Mall of Sofia which was the first shopping centre in Bulgaria.

Grand Mall is situated in Varna on the Black Sea coast with 52,000m2 of leasable area making it the largest shopping centre in this region. It’s due for opening in the second half of 2009.

Carrefour Tzarigradsko Mall has 66,000m2 of leasable area which will feature numerous shopping and entertainment facilities due to include 200 retail shops and 14,000m2 of Carrefour hypermarket – the first in Sofia.

Mall Stora Zagora is due to open at the end of 2008 and is due to have more that 110 retail shops and entertainment units, along with a food court and children’s playground.

Mountains
The mountains occupy more than half of the country’s territory with 36 of the 37 mountains being situated in the Southern region. Stara Planina is the 37th mountain and divides the Northern and the Southern part of Bulgaria and happens to be the largest and longest mountain range in the country. The greatest attribute is that they are accessible all year round providing limitless opportunities for recreation, leisure and tourism.

Water & Beach
There are many rivers and dams available throughout the year for those that are keen swimmers, rowers and fishing. There are many beach resorts in Bulgaria so researching the area is recommended.