The city of Burgas is surrounded by the Burgas Lakes, which are situated within the westernmost portion of the Black Sea. The huge Burgas Bay has the biggest and the most significant port in the country. Burgas is now a key cultural, economic, and tourist attraction of the southeastern portion of Bulgaria. The city also has an airport that serves the country’s resorts in the southern coast.

Geography

The city is located on the western portion of the Burgas Bay. It is also located on the eastern portion of the plain that lies on the Upper Thracian Plain. Burgas lies within 389 kilometers of Sofia, 350 kilometers of Istanbul, and 272 kilometers of Plodiv. Bodies of water, including lakes, surround the northern and eastern portion of the city. The lakes in the city include Vaya, Mandrensko, and Atanasovsko. The lakes in Burgas are also the habitat of various species of birds. Moreover, the Pan-European Corridor 8 passes through Burgas.

The Administrative Division of Burgas

The city of Burgas is subdivided into numerous neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are listed below:

• Bratya Miladinovi
• Akatsiite
• Vetren
• Centar
• Izgrey
• Sarafovo
• Vazrazhdane
• Lazur
• Karimorie
• Meden Rudnik
• Beneyo
• Lozoyo
• Pobeda
• Zornitsa
• Gorno Ezerovo
• Petko Slaveykoy
• Dolno Ezevoro

According to the 2009 Decision from the Minister Counsel, the neighborhoods or villages of Vetren and Baneva are now incorporated in the city of Burgas. A city plan currently being considered by the administration involves opening Burgas to the sea. This plan will also include the construction of numerous residential sites as well as highway junctions.

Economy

Burgas is a significant and popular industrial center. The biggest and perhaps the most famous industrial enterprise in the city is the LUKOIL Neftochim Burgas, the biggest refinery within the entire southeast portion of Europe. This is also the biggest manufacturing plant in the Balkans.

Activities in Burgas

Water Sports and Other Water Activities

There are plenty of tourists in Burgas during the summer because there are lots of activities to do. Popular water sports in Burgas include surfing, diving, and parasailing. Kite-surfing is also popular in Burgas. There are numerous sea sports and surfing schools that teach both the locals and visitors how to enjoy the beautiful sea in Burgas. In addition, visitors can also book diving lessons where they will be taught on a one-on-one by an experienced diver guide.

Boat renting is also ppular in Burgas since the city has a huge number of small islands. Among the most visited islands are St. Anastasia, which is formerly known as the Bolshevik Island, and St. Ivan, or the Snake’s Island. The boats that travel to the island of St. Anastasia leave from the Burgas Bridge. Boat renting is only offered during the months of August and July at 10 AM, 12 noon and, 2 PM.

Burgas also offers a venue to enjoy extreme sports such moto-paragliding or, simply, paragliding. There are also courses on tandem flights that are offered in the city.

Entertainment

Cinemas – People in Burgas love to see a movie during the winter season. All the movies in the cinemas are subtitled in Bulgarian language. The movies are rarely done with voiceovers. This means that there will not be any problems if the movies are in English. There are also a few exceptions when it comes to children’s movies.

• Museums – There are numerous museums in the city. Some of them are listed below:
  • Archeological Museum – This museum is located at 21 Bogorodu Street and is open from Mondays to Saturdays at 10 AM to 7 PM. The museum hosts a wide variety of exhibits that feature Byzantine, Greek, and Roman antiques.
  • Ethnographic Museum – This museum is located at 69 Slavianska Street. It is open from Mondays to Fridays at 10 AM to 7 PM. There are numerous ethnic exhibitions in the program. It also offers summer school for crafts, arts, and dances.
  • Historical Museum – This museum is situated at 31 Lermontov Street. It is open at 10 AM up to 7 PM every weekday. It offers exhibits of national and local history and various guest exhibits from other museums in other countries.
  • Science and Nature Museum – It is located at 30 Fotinov Street. The museum is open from 10 AM up to 7 PM every Monday to Friday. It covers the subjects of medicine, flora and fauna, as well as various thematic exhibits and physics.
• Galleries – There are numerous galleries in Burgas. Some of the popular galleries in the city include Bogoridi, Petko Zadgorski, and Briz – Boiadzhiev Art Gallery.
• Shopping – The center of Burgas is basically a shopping area. The city’s shopping area consists of two main streets. There are also some shopping areas within the smaller streets. All the prices in the area are very reasonable. Some shops offer international brands while others offer local produce. There are also numerous gold shops in the area and most of their products are imported from Turkey.

Facts about Burgas

• Burgas is a city within the Province of Burgas in Bulgaria.
• Burgas is located at 27 degrees 28’ 2” Eastern Latitude and 42 degrees 20’ 1” Northern Longitude.
• The altitude of the city is 30 meters above sea level.
• Burgas has a total land area of 1,703 sq. kilometers.
• The time zone of the city is 2 EET.
• The city has eight districts.
• The currency of the city and the country of Bulgaria is BGN.
• The mayor of Burgas is Dimitar Nikoloy.
• The mode of public transport in Burgas is through bus, railway, and the international airport.
• Burgas has a total of 11 museums.
• The city has four theaters.
• There are five universities and high schools within Burgas.

After an enjoying day at the slopes, the many bars and nightclubs found in the resort provides a different kind of enjoyment for the resort’s visitors.  Most of the famous drinks are available, together with local and imported alcohol, beer,  and vintages.  Music is provided by live DJ’s, and no entrance fees are charged in any bar or nightclub in Pamporovo.  A few of these most notable establishments include The White Hart, Dak’s Bar, and Night Flight in hotel Rojen.

Getting around in the town usually does not require much use of transportation vehicles.  Pamporovo is a relatively small town and many places of interest are within walking distance from each other.  Nonetheless, many busses and coaches are organized by the surrounding hotels to get to and fro the ski center during the winter.  They operate several times  during the day and night,  while taxis offer additional transportation for getting around the town at night.

Most certainly, the foremost attraction in the resort is skiing.  Pamporovo features ski runs of varying degrees of difficulties that which has a total length of 25 kilometers.  Beginners are recommended to start on the nursery slopes of the ski school of Pamporovo.  On the other hand, intermediate skiers use the 20 kilometer ski runs, which can be accessed by riding the lift from the Molina or the middle stations going up to the Snejanka peak.

Advanced skiers are most fit to face the challenge of the “The Wall”, which is considered as the most difficult ski run in the resort.  Some of the other difficult piste, called Snejanka, in the resort are Turisticheska, which is slightly difficult and runs at a length of 4,200 meters at a 476 meter incline; Ardashla, which is medium in difficulty and runs at a length of 3,500 meters at a 474 meter incline; Smolyan Lakes, also of medium difficulty and runs at a length of 3,000 meters at a 390 meter incline; Dvata mosta, which is a difficult ski run and has a length of 2,200 meters at an incline of 405 meters; and Evropeiskata, which is of difficulty level also and runs at 2,000 meters at an incline of 476 meters.

There are also 3 cross country runs in the resort, with a total length of approximately 40 kilometers.   The whole expanse of the ski and cross-country runs  is served by eight 5-chair lifts and  nine drag lifts, with a capacity of lifting and transporting  8,600 persons per hour.  Other attractive features and services in the ski resort are the Pamporovo Ski/Snowboard school, ski kindergarten, and professional mountain guides.

Pamporovo winters tend to be mild, albeit 100 days of snow falls each year.  This combination allows for long skiing seasons in the resort.  Sunny days are also not unusual during the winter season in Pamporovo, wherein 120 days of sunshine could be expected between the months of December to May.

Pamporovo, however, offers more than a wonderland for ski and snowboarding enthusiasts.  Located within or near its vicinity are other resorts and attractions that visitors could explore.  First amongst these is the Rodope Mountain, which is the oldest mountain  massif in Bulgaria.  It is divided into two differentiated parts, namely the Western Rhodopes and Eastern Rhodopes.  The former has an extremely mountainous character, while the latter is characterized by hilly reliefs, cut by valleys separated by gorges and steep slopes.  As a recreational area, the settlements in the mountain have turned themselves into climatic resorts.  This has been pushed by the mild climate and the abundance of salt mineral springs.

Another notable resort near Pamporovo is the Chepelare mountain resort.  Chepelare occupies a small valley at the heart of the Rodoppi Mountain, where it stands 10 kilometers away from Pamporovo.  Its deep snow slopes during winter is very ideal for some of the longest ski runs in Bulgaria, all of which  are housed within the resort.  There are a total of 11,400 meters of runs, all of which vary in difficulty, classified from black  to green.  The foremost and most difficult of these runs is Mechi Chal, 3,150 meters long with an incline of 720 meters.  This run is qualified to be used for international competitions. The Mechi Chal 2, on the other hand, is a combination of a red/green run that extends 5,250 meters and with an incline of 720 meters.  A cross-country track,  a 5 kilometer biathlon track, a parallel slalom for skiers, Ski Schools, outdoor winter carnivals, and various ski competitions, such as the Chepelare Cup and the  Orion Cup are also found and held in the resort.  Other interesting attractions in the town include the St. Atanas Church, the St. Virgin Mary Church, and the Rojen Observatory.

Fifteen kilometers away from Pamporovo, at the heat of the Rodope Mountains, is the picturesque  town of Smolyan.  It enchants its visitors with the combination of old and modern architecture, which is influenced by the magnificence of the mountain.  A lot of historical monuments, dating from the Ottoman rule, are found in the town.

The village of Momchilovtsi, located 12 kilometers east from Pamporovo high in the Rodopi Mountain, is dubbed as the “Snowboard Park” as the area is largely unexplored and has not been touched with intense commercialization.

As Pamporovo is one of the well-known ski resorts in Europe, Pamporovo properties may just present itself as a most ideal investment.  Although its property market is not as developed as the one in Bansko, Pamporovo properties offer a great potential for growth with demands from smaller or bigger investors.  This anticipation is pushed by the development of a new and bigger skiing area and resort called Perelik.

The property prices in Pamporovo have been growing between 10% to 15% per annum, with a premium on new developments.  And with its proximity to the Plovdiv airport and to the Greek border and the Aegean Sea, these property prices can only be expected to grow as tourists and international property hunters are provided with easy access to the city.   These prices, however,  vary depending on their distance from the ski lifts and the property’s facilities.

Properties in Pamporovo range from both ends of the property spectrum.  Specific properties found in the resort town that are priced below 50,000 Euros include apartments in Mursalitza Residence, Dream Lake, Pampora Residential Complex, and Izvor Resort.  Specific properties priced above 50,000 Euros can be found in Evridika Hills Apartments and Spa and  Orpheus Valley, among others.  Properties tagged at above 100,000 Euroes can also be found at the aforementioned property developments.

Varna lies northeast of Sofia and surrounded by the cities of Dobrich to the north, Shumen to the west, and Burgas to the south.  It is accessible by air through the Varna International Airport, by sea via the Port of Varna Cruise terminal, by railroad via the Central Train Station, and by various European routes.

As a much desirable beach resort, Varna offers prized blue flag golden beaches that stretch for kilometers.  During the holiday season of July and August, the summer sun shines for long hours without the cold Baltic winds or the summer Riviera heat.  Its tideless and gentle slopes makes it an ideal seaside location for children, while its pleasant sea temperature is most suitable for the various water sport activities found in the area.

The city’s beaches, also called sea baths, are dotted with hot sulfuric mineral springs, which are used for spas, swimming pools, and public showers, punctured by small, sheltered marinas.  In addition, the waterfront promenade has beach clubs that are lined side by side offering vibrant and lively hip-hop, rock, techno, and chalga scenes.  The 50 meter high Asparuhov most (Asparuhovo Bridge) is a popular bungee jumping spot.

Varna also rivals the cities of Sofia and Plovdiv with its offerings of artistic, cultural and historical attractions.  Having existed as a settlement for thousands of years, Varna boasts of a wealth of interesting ancient sites, as well as Medieval and Renaissance structures interspersed with museums and contemporary art galleries.

The city center predominantly features a local interpretation of Neo-Renaissance, Neo-Baroque, Neo-Classicism, Art Nouveau, and Art deco in its building designs. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Varna was rebuilt by the emerging Bulgarian middle class.  This had wiped out much of the Ottoman architecture and monuments that had once dominated the city’s landscape.  Today, only a very few of these relics remain in the city.

Nonetheless, Varna still has other notable landmarks and monuments that would satisfy the interest of any art and history lover who visits the city.  One of the city’s famous landmarks is the Varna Archaeological Museum, which is situated in a Neo-Renaissance building designed by renowned architect Petko Momchilov, and houses exhibits from Varna’s various periods of history, from the prehistoric to the Bulgarian National Revival.  Its most noted exhibit is the Gold of Varna, which is the oldest gold treasure in the world that dates back to 4600-4200 BCE.

Part of the museum’s open-air exhibits is two other prominent landmarks in the city—the Roman baths at the city center and the medieval grotto of Aladzha Monastery at the Golden Sands Nature Park.  The former were the public baths of the prosperous Roman city of Odessos, while the latter is a monastery dug high above the ground into  a steep rock., wherein one could find impressive frescos all dating back to the early Middle Ages.

Another prominent landmark in the city is the Sea Garden, which is Varna’s largest and oldest landscaped park, as well as in the Balkans.  Found in the park are the Varna Aquarium, an open-air theater that had been the site of the International Ballet Competition the Museum of Natural History, the Nicolaus Copernicus Observatory and Planetarium,, a terrarium, a zoo, and a children’s amusement park.

Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox churches also abound in Varna.  The most outstanding examples of these structures  include the Theotokos Panagia, which was built atop an old church that was said to have been the burial of Ladislaus III; Saint Athanasius, which is a former Greek metropolitan cathedral; Saint Petka Parashkeva chapel; the metropolitan Dormition of the Theotokos Cathedral; the seamen’s church of Saint Nicholas; the Archangel Michael Chapel, which was the site of the first Bulgarian secular school from the Bulgarian National Revival era, and the Saints Constantine and Helena church.

Just as Varna’s unique position on the north shore of the Black Sea
And its rich resources has made it as one of the most well-known and frequented resorts in Europe and the Black Sea region,  it had also given rise to the city’s attractiveness for property development.  This is further supported by the city’s highly developed infrastructure, determined by its telecommunication network, port, and airport, as well as Varna’s industrial and trade development.

It is not surprising then, that Varna has emerged as a much sought-after city to live in, and the most expensive one as well, in terms of newly built apartments.  This trend, which had left the previous leader Sofia in second place, has emerged in 2007. Newly built apartments in Sofia averaged at 1,043 Euros per square meter, while newly built apartments in Varna averaged at 1,188 Euros per square meter.   Residential property prices in Sofia, however, saw a greater increase by 45.7% than in Varna with 33.9% over the same year.

This trend in Varna’s property market is due to the lack of newly built apartments in the face of a growing preference of people to live in the central area of the city.  This was further pushed by Varna’s lack in large-scale residential complexes as compared with Sofia and Plovdiv.

Consequently, just as recent as 2008, rental prices in the city have been the highest in Bulgaria.  Luxury apartments registered the greatest increase by 22.1%.  Rents of unfurnished housing, on the other hand, increased by 19%, while rents in furnished houses increased by 17%.  Two-bedroom apartments were the most preferred choice, with rental prices of apartments located at the downtown area starting at 300 Euros per month, while apartments located at remote burrows, such as Mladost and Vuzrazhdane, start at 250 Euros per month.  Meanwhile, the rental price of a newly built house of 250 square meters in the seaside vacation town of Trakata was around 2,500 Euros monthly.

With the supply and demand gap in properties in the city center, interest in suburban areas will continue to grow, particularly near major office, lifestyle, and transportation hubs.  The districts that have been receiving much focus recently are Mladost and Troshevo, which had been developing into major commercial centers with the several shopping centers being built in these areas.

All of these trends had resulted to the Bulgarian property market’s most outstanding performance in the global price index of properties in 2008.  This is evident with the price increase that registered at 31.5% in the first quarter of 2008.

Aside from being a major industrial and economic center, Burgos also possesses significant resources as a major tourist center in the region.  For years, Burgas has been the renowned tourist center of the south Black Sea coast.  Aside from the few beautiful beaches found within the city itself, Burgas is the most ideal starting point for visiting other seaside resorts in the area, such as Sunny Beach (Slantchev Bryag) and Elenite Village, located in the north, and Duni Village in the south.

Aside from the beaches, Burgas also offers outdoor and rustic cultural attractions to its visitors.  The city is the starting point to the Ropotamo Reserve, which is famous for its lilies and one-of-a-kind plant species.  The city is also the gateway to the Nature Park Strandzha.  The park is situated within the territory of the Strandzha Mountain, where many well-preserved villages with unique architecture are found.  For a genuine rustic Bulgarian cultural experience, the local inhabitants offer accommodations in their traditional-style homes.  These areas are also most ideal for outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, and hunting.

Other natural attractions found in Burgas are the lakes found within the vicinity of the city.  The lake of Pomorie, located 20 kilometer north of Burgas, is surrounded by salt mines and resorts.  The Atanassovo Lake, found to the north between the airport and the city, is a nestling site of many marsh and sea birds migrating from the Bosphorus and Gibraltar.  The Burgas Lake, on the other hand, is a nestling site of ibis, herons, and pelicans.  The Mandren Lake, found 10 kilometers south of the city, is also an important ornithological reserve that nestles a large population of birds during the summer.  All these locations offer facilities for fishing, canoeing, swimming, and resting near the water’s edge.

Although the city appears to be like any modern industrialized metropolis, Burgas also boasts of a past rich in culture and history.
The beginnings of the city are widely believed to have been founded by colonists from Apolonia as a military and observational post.  Subsequently, the city came under Roman rule and was used as a settlement for its veteran soldiers, wherein it was referred to as Deultum.

During the Middle Ages, the fortress of Pirgos was erected to be used as a watch tower in place of the old settlement.  By the 17th century, a town named Ahelo-Bourgas grew in the present location of the city.  Renamed into Burgos and inhabited by just 3000 by the time of the liberation, the town grew into the modern city that it is today.

However, much of the monuments and architecture found in the city dates to as recent as the 19th and the 20th centuries.  And as the city was left largely untouched by the Communist urbanization, much of these are well-preserved for all visitors to see and appreciate.  Amongst these important structures are the city’s church buildings, such as the Saint Cyril and Methodius Cathedral.  The cathedral is known for its magnificent frescos and wooden altar.  Another one of these impressive structures is the Armenian Church, which was built in 1855 by the local Armenian minority, with the support of the Bulgarian majority.

Art and culture are also major attractions in the city.  Found within it are more than ten galleries, the most prominent of which is the City Art Gallery.  It is housed in a former Jewish Synagogue the was built at the beginning of the 20th century and designed by an Italian architect.  While the synagogue itself is proclaimed as a work of art in itself, it also houses the works of most major contemporary Bulgarian artists and sculptors.

The museums found in Burgas are just as interesting cites as the city’s other attractions.  The most remarkable of these is the Burgas Regional Historical Museum, which features an archeological hall that exhibits items that dates back to the old colonies along the Black Sea coast.  The Burgas Regional Historical Museum, on the other hand, is also notable for its exhibits that feature masks of koukeri, traditional Bulgarian costumes, ritual   accessories, and traditional fabrics and embroidery.   Also worth of note is the Museum of Nature and Science, which features over 1,200 exhibits of insects and reptiles, over 140 species of fish, as well as endemic species of plants that grows in Strandzha.

Other notable structures found in the city that is dedicated for the propagation of art and Bulgarian cultural values in the city include an opera house, a philharmonic hall, a drama theatre, and a puppet theater.

Burgas is also known as the ”city of Festivals”, all of which are huge attractions for the young visitors in the city.  First of these is the “Burgas and the Sea”, which is a festival renowned for popularizing many songs and a threshold for many talented performers.  The festival is held every summer, on the stage of the Summer Theater in the Sea Garden.  Held in the same venue is the International, Folklore Festival, which presents folk songs and dances of people from all over the world.  Other much anticipated festivals in the city include the Festival of the Bulgarian Rock Music, Beer Fest, an annual theater festival, and the traditional classical music festival.

With all the features of an important modern city and a lot more, investing and purchasing properties in Burgas could be both financially and culturally rewarding.  Burgas has the most developed market amongst the coastal property markets in Bulgaria.  And in the last three to four years, it has seen incredible movement in its market, wherein it has been one of the top four Bulgarian cities in terms of property prices.

Residential property prices in the city center are much more expensive than in the outlying regions as there is a gap between supply and demand, which  had been brought on by a virtual lack of large plots on which to build new residential developments.  On the average, apartments are tagged at 400 Euros per square meter, while the average price of a 1-bedroom apartment under construction varies between 380 euros to 506 Euros per square meter.  2-bedroom apartments under construction, on the other hand, vary between 457 Euros to 661 Euros per square meter.  Meanwhile, 3-bedroom apartments under construction have their prices varying between 507 Euros to 776 Euros per square meter.

Outside the city center, the residential district of Sarafovo is quickly becoming the hottest investment location in the country’s Black Sea coastal region.  Property prices in this residential district had reached 750 to1,100 Euros per square meter, which are similar to the property prices of the famous resort cities of St Vlas and Sunny Beach.  The properties that are often found in Sarafovo are apartments, studios, and villas which had been largely purchased by foreigners, particularly Russians and British nationals.  As Sarafovo’s main attraction to property buyers and investors is its proximity to the beach and to the Burgas airport, Sarafovo properties present a significant potential for property investments.

Sunny Beach is also home to 500 hotels with over 110,000 beds.  These hotels are located in the resort’s park region in close proximity to the beach, while the main strip of high-rise hotels are primarily located on a 70 kilometer beach strip that extends along an extensive bay connecting Sveti Vlas and Nesebar.  Some of the five-star hotels found in Sunny Beach are Helena Park, Helena Sands, and Royal Beach, while some four-star hotels found there are Bellevue, Chaika, Delta Palace, Victoria Palace, and Korona.  Three-star hotels, such as the Azurro, Delfin, and Kontinental, are also housed in the resort, together with the two-star hotels of Orel, Venera, and Yunona.

More than 150 restaurants and numerous lively bars, cafes, night clubs, and discos are also found in Sunny Beach.  Most of the restaurants, folk-style establishments, snack bars, and cafeterias in the resort serve traditional Bulgarian dishes prepared from ecologically pure products, some of which include Shopska salad, kebapcheta, and kavarma.  These sumptuous dishes are ideally washed down with Bulgaria’s excellent vintages and brandy.

With Sunny Beach surrounded with warm and calm waters, the opportunity for various water sport activities is endless.  Some of the aquatic activities found in the resort include yachting, wind surfing, water skiing, parasailing, and hang-gliding.  Other sports facilities are also found in Sunny Beach, such as tennis and riding, where tennis and riding enthusiasts can enjoy a game or a ride in one of the resort’s riding facilities. Tennis and riding Schools are also available in Sunny Beach.

Sunny Beach is also a paradise for children.  The resort features various activities, services and amenities that would ensure the enjoyment of both the young ones and their parents.  Some of these features include 24-hour kindergartens, sport schools, children’s menus, play areas and children’s pools, kids’ discos, and other various games.

The most appealing attraction in Sunny Beach, particularly for young visitors, is the festivals that showcase various lively and colorful Bulgarian traditions.  Celebrated in Sunny Beach are the Golden Orpheus International Festival for popular songs, Decade of Symphonic Music, and the International Folklore Festival.  Fashion shows and various beach competitions are also held in the resort.

Also housed within the resort are two campsites, casinos, a shopping center, as well as arts and crafts bizarre.

The construction of the resort started during Communist times in 1958.  Through the years, it had gone through continuous expansion, with several luxury hotels and apartment complexes were constructed.  Nonetheless, the resort has long been popular with tourists since before the fall of Communism.  Boasting of a warm Mediterranean climate and tons of sunshine throughout the year, Sunny Beach has grown popular with German, British, Irish, Scandinavian, and Serbian tourists, all of whom find Sunny Beach a much inexpensive alternative to the established Mediterranean resorts.  These tourists have added to the already large number of Bulgarian and Russian tourists who visit the resort.
Sunny Beach is certainly not just a popular beach resort; it is also a much sought-after location for buyers seeking properties overseas.  The most obvious attraction for Sunny Beach is the sand and the sun.  Sunny Beach is one of the largest and the most developed property market in Bulgaria.

An active market for villas and apartments exists, wherein properties are often being sold out off plan.  Much of the buyers are second home buyers, who have chosen Sunny Beach for establishing their second home, and property investors, who are anticipating a further tourism boom.  This is due to the ever increasing likelihood of Bulgaria’s joining with the European Union.  Without doubt, with the resort’s ever growing popularity with tourists, the properties in Sunny Beach would offer the most considerable rental returns in the entire country.

Much of the properties in Sunny Beach are built along the main beach road that connects the resort with Nessebar and Saint Vlas.  The property prices in Sunny Beach start at around 600 Euros per square meter and could reach up to 2,000 Euros per square meter.  The prices, however, varies based on several factors.  These include the property’s distance to the sea or the beach, the available facilities in the residential complex, the present sales availability, level in which the unit is located, the quality of the construction materials used to construct the building with, and sometimes, on which side of the main road is the property located—the beachside or the other.  The types of properties most often found in Sunny Beach are houses, villas, and apartments.

With beach properties in Sunny Beach cost a fraction of what is found in Spain, France, and Portugal, the resort’s local property market can only be expected to expand and grow in the following years.  This is already seen with the rising property prices and doubling rental rates in the last three years.  It won’t be long before Bulgaria follows the markets of Turkey and Greece, with Sunny Beach as its largest property development.  Numerous property developments in the resort are still located within walking distance from the beach.  Hence, these properties present not jus greater value for money, but a spectacular location for one’s investments and second homes.

Although it has existed for no more than ten years as a ski resort, Bansko has excellent features and ideal settings, setting it as one of the most best developed ski and winter resorts in Europe.  It is set high on the Pirin at 925 meters above sea level, with its skiing area located at 2,000 to 2,600 meters. The highest peak in the Pirin Mountains is Virden at 2,914 meters.  It has excellent snow conditions, with great snow cover of at least 2 meters from the months from December up to May.

Bansko houses various features and amenities that provide new opportunities for skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, biathlon, and winter extreme sports.  Foremost of these are the ski runs located in Bansko, which totals in length at 70 kilometers, with the longest track at 16 kilometers on a downhill race.  These tracks vary in their degree of difficulty, ranging from beginners to advance.  The Bansko ski runs which are classified for beginners are Shiligarnika that runs for 2,047 meters, with an inclination of 487 meters. This is along with the Shilingarnika 2, which runs at the same length and inclination as the previous, the Plato-south, that runs at a length of 1, 148 meters and inclines at 320 meters, and the Plato-north, which runs for 1,015 meters with an inclination of 300 meters.

The ski runs classified as medium include Todorka, which runs for 1,690 meters at an inclination of 470 meters, Old piste, which runs for 970 meters at an inclination of 205 meters, and Chalin Valog-east, which runs for 775 meters at an inclination of 75 meters.  Meanwhile, one of the ski runs in Bansko that are classified as difficult is Tomba, which runs at a length of 2,567 meters with an inclination of 925 meters.

Snowboarders, on the other hand, can take advantage of the first on the Balkans fun – Park, wherein   snowboard enthusiasts to ski over present artificial bumps and jumps, as well as the opportunity to jump over  bumps  that they could build on their own.  Meanwhile, extreme skiers can take full advantage of Bansko ski zone’s so-called fun – park zone.  It features a 7-kilometer lighted ski road between Banderishka polyana and the town.

The ski zone in Bansko is serviced by 22 kilometers of lift and gondolas.  The types of lifts found in Bonska include gondolas, four-seat chairs, tree-seat chair lift; anchor type tow lifts single tow lifts, anchor type tow lifts, and children draggers.

During the summer, Bansko offers numerous outdoor activities among the lush forests and verdant sceneries of the Pirin Mountain.  One of the most common outdoor activities in Bansko during the summer is hiking tours.  The Pirin Mountains offers verdant scenery, numerous crystal lakes, and interesting flora and fauna.  Some of the marked hiking routes in the resort include Mountain track from Bansko to the Moratovo – Ribno and Okoto lakes, Mountain track from Bezbog Chalet to the Popovo Lake, which is the larges in Pirin, and a climb to the summit of Mount Virden, the highest peak in the Pirin.

Mountain biking and horse-back riding are two other outdoor activities that visitors can engage in to travel on especially marked trails.  These two activities can afford the visitors a different venue to experience the stunning views offered by the Kresna gorge.  In addition, Bansko also provides excellent facilities and the most ideal settings for extreme adventures.  Some of these adventures include off road jeep safari, rafting, and rock climbing.

Bansko is not only known as an alpine skiing, hiking, and climbing center, it is also a town that boasts of a wealth of history, culture, and folklore.  While many of the old relics and monuments from its past have been preserved, the town in itself offers a peak of its past as it has retained the appeal of an ancient 10th century Bulgarian town.  Aside from the ancient Bansko town, visitors can also visit other notable locations found within the area, such as the Bear Park, the Yagodinska Cave, Rozhen Monastery, Rila Monastery, and the Kovatchevitsa village.

After a day in the slopes on the mountain tracks, travelers can have their pick of accommodations offered by the hotels and apartments housed in the resort.  Some of these include Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena, Lucky Bansko Hotel, Park Hotel Gardenia, Redenka Palace Hotel, Grand Montana Apartments, Mountain Residence Apartments, and Redenka Chalets.

Entertainment during the night in Bansko is not as lively as the other ski resort towns.  This old-fashioned town takes it tone from the quiet residents who prefer to while away the evenings in the numerous taverns and pubs found in the area.

As this ancient town is Bulgaria’s best and most modern ski resort, and has attracted not only tourists but investors as well, Bansko is the best location to invest in mountain resort properties.

The massive investment process that the area has undergone had resulted in the construction of new hotels and resort facilities being constructed, together with new residential developments.  Bansko’s property market is quite competitive and offers an enormous potential for rental returns due to the popularity of the ski and mountain resort.  Tour operators report that ski-flats in Bansko offers up to 10% of rental returns.
The area is also growing popular with foreign expatriates who seek a mountain resort property with the fraction of the cost in France or Switzerland.  Prices usually vary depending on the property’s proximity to the lifts and the facilities available.  For instance,
A studio close to the ski-lift in Bansko is tagged at around £22,000, while 1-bedroom apartments cost at around £31,000. Meanwhile, Two-bedroom apartments cost around £45,000.

Property prices are only predicted to steadily rise due to the growing popularity of Bulgarian ski resort properties, supported by an airport plan in Razlog, which is located 10 kilometers from Bansko.

Situated up the Rila Mountains at 1,350 meters, Borovets features three ski centers with the highest skiing area set at 2,560 meters.  First of the three is the Central Borovets, which starts from an altitude of 1,337 meters up to 1,780 meters.  Yastrebetz, the second ski center, has an altitude of 1,340 meters up to 2,369 meters, while the last of the three, Markudjik, has an elevation of 230 meters to 2,550 meters.

Within the resort are 19 ski runs of varying degrees of difficulty, which totals to a length of 58 kilometers.  These tracks are divided according to their level of difficulty, from green to black, and can satisfy any skill level from beginning to advanced skiers.  Some of the ski runs found in Borovets are the following: Sitnyakovo ski track, classified as green, and runs for 6,000 meters with no inclination, Sitnyakovo 1a, classified as blue, and runs for 5,800 meters with an inclination of 400 meters, and Martinovi Baraki 5, classified as green, and runs for 5,000 meters with no inclination.

The several ski tracks in Borovets that are classified as red are the following: Sitnyakovo 2, which runs for 4000 meters with an inclination of 250 meters, Yastrebets 3, which runs for 2,350 meters with an inclination of 617 meters, Markujik 3, which runs for 1, 240 meters at an inclination of 390 meters, Martinovi Baraki 2, which runs for 1,160 meters at an inclination of 280 meters, and Sitnyakovo 3, that runs for 1,000 meters at an inclination of 220 meters.

Lastly, the ski tracks that are classified as black are as follows: Yastrebets 1, which runs for 2,300 meters at an inclination of 860 meters, Lavinata, which runs for 830 meters with no inclination, and Yastrebets, which runs for 800 meters and has no inclination.

The cross-country trails in Borovets are 35 kilometers long at a minimum width of 6 meters.  The design of the trails was according to the specifications of the Federation Internationale de Ski (FIS).  Other attractive features of Borovets include the ski school, wherein the instructions may  be given in a grouped or by individual and the lessons may last for a few or several days, ski kindergarten for children aged 4 to 8 years, facilities for biathlon, night skiing, ski-doos, and ski jumping.

Borovets is also a hiker’s paradise with its numerous hiking trails that start from the resort along marked routes that leads to various sites in the Rila Mountains.  One of the signatures hiking from Borovets is the one leading to Chernata Skala, more commonly known as Black Rock.  It takes the hikers through centuries-old pine forests, passing flower-filled meadows, and across idyllic streams.

Visitors can also ascent the highest peak in Bulgaria from Borovets, which is Mount Moussala at 2,925 meters.  The Yastrebets hotel is the starting point for the ascent, where one could start on foot, or by gondola, to the first leg    of the trail, which is Moussala hut at the foot of the mountain.  Hiking from the foot of the mountain to the summit takes less than two hours.

On the other hand, starting off from the Rila Monastery allows one to set out on several marked hiking routes around the Rila Mountains.  Some of the signature destinations one could get to when starting off from the Rila Monastery are the Ribni Ezera Chalet, Macedonia Chalet, Ivan Vazov Chalet, 7 Rila Lakes Chalet, and to the peak and chalet of Malyovitsa.

Mountain excursions are most ideal during the months of June, July, August, and September,  During these months, the meadows of the higher elevations are lush and in full bloom, offering picturesque scenery and verdant views.  Winter climbing is also possible, with February and March as the most suitable months.

After a day in the slopes or a trek in the mountain, the numerous hotels in Borovets provide the most ideal accommodations.  Visitors can have their choice of budget or luxury accommodations from the list of hotels and apartments found in the resort.  Some of the well-established hotels in Borovets include the Rila Hotel, Chalet Mariela, Hotel Bor and Edelweiss, Hotel Breza, Villa Stresov, Flora apartments, Villa Park Apartments, Malina Villas, and Yagoda Villas.

All-year round entertainment in Borovets is provided by the bars, nightclubs, and discos in the resort, complimented by restaurants that serve typical Bulgarian cuisine and vintages.  Folklore evenings provide visitors a cultural connection to the area’s rich folklore traditions, a taste of the hearty local food, and a visit to quaint villages and historic sites.

An investment and development project in Borovets, dubbed as the SUPER BOROVETS PROJECT, is currently on the way which aims to transform the area into a year-round resort featuring amusement facilities, swimming pools, football fields, tennis courts, and other playgrounds for practicing active sports.  It ultimately aims to develop the tourism sector, with the help of the locals, whilst maintaining the eco-balance of the region.  And upon completion, the current Borovets town will have encompassed the neighboring towns of Samokov and Beli Iskar.

The resort will be divided into three levels, in which the prices in each level will cater to a wide range of visitors.  Level 1, or Low Borovets, is aimed to cater to the less well-off visitors but will have good connection and transport to Borovets and the main ski areas.  5,000 hotel rooms are expected from this project.  Level 2, or Borovets, consist of the existing Borovets with extensive investments and developments, where in, it will be the main accommodating area.  Level3, or Super Borovets, will cater to visitors who are in search of luxury accommodations, although it will only provide 2,500 rooms.  Twelve additional lifts will be built to cope with the higher demands for lifts and gondolas.  One of these lifts will be a multi-station gondola which connects Borovets to Samokov.

The project started in 2004, and was originally estimated to be completed by 2009.  However, several setbacks have somewhat delayed the project.

In spite of years of being a popular mountain resort, the property market in Borovets is not as well-developed as the property markets in Bansko or Pamporovo.  However, the SUPER BOROVETS project has increased the investment interests, consequently leading to increases in property prices in Borovets town and the near-by villages.  In addition, the predicted influx of tourists into the bustling ski resort provides an ideal rental market that has considerable potential for investment returns.  Securing an excellent off-plan property whilst the project is still in its development stages could provide investors enormous return of investment as the property prices in Borovets will undoubtedly increase once the development is complete.

Property prices in Borovets vary, depending on their location from the ski lifts and property facilities.  The most common off-plan properties available in Borovets are apartments and  ski chalets, while the type of resale properties are often traditional villas with larger living space and offers greater value for money.

The city has a moderate continental climate that features high temperature ranges.  The hottest temperatures are experienced during the month of August, while the coldest temperatures are experienced during the month of January.  The city gets about 650 millimeters of annual precipitation, with rain falling, the most during the summer and the least during winter.  Summer temperatures in Sofia generally remain much cooler than in other parts of the country due to the valley’s high altitude, in which the city is situated.  Occasionally, temperatures can rise to 40°C.

Sofia is an important international railway center, as well as a vital European automobile route.  Found within the city is the Central Railway Station and the Center Bus Station, both of which are the largest and most modern of their kind in Bulgaria.  The city is serviced by air through the Sofia Airport that features a newly-built second terminal.  Also relatively well-developed is the public transport system in the city, wherein  bus, 153 six kilometer tram network, and a 97 kilometer trolley network lines run in all areas of the city.  The Sofia underground, however, is relatively undeveloped, with only one line and 6 stations in operation, whilst the other 2 lines and additional 41 stations still under construction.  Clearly, all types of transport are represented in the city, with the exception of water transport.

As the chief economic center in Bulgaria, the city is home to most major Bulgarian and international companies operating in the country.  The city also serves as the country’s financial hub, where it is home to the Bulgarian National Bank, the Financial Supervision Commission, the Bulgarian Stock Exchange, as well as the headquarters of all the commercial banks operating in the country.  The local economy is largely moved by the construction, trade, and transport sectors.  In recent years, Sofia has been becoming an ideal outsourcing location for multinational companies, such as Hewlett-Packard, IBM, and Sony.  The unemployment rate in the city is low at 2.5% in comparison with the Bulgarian average of 6.25% and with the levels of other European countries.

Sofia is one of Europe’s oldest cities with a history dating back to 7,000 years ago.  The civilization that supposedly had first established their settlements over the present location of the city were the Thracians.  For a short period, during the 4th century BC, King Philip of Macedon and his Son Alexander the Great had ruled the city.  In 29 AD, the city came under Roman rule where it gained significant political and economic prestige, and where Christianity was first recognized as an official religion.  During the middle ages, the city became part of the first Bulgarian Empire, wherein it was called Sredets and grew into an important fortress and administrative center.  In the course of the Bulgarian-Ottoman Wars, the city was seized by the Ottoman Empire who held power over it until its liberation in 1878.

Given the rich history of the city and the various civilizations that had passed through it, Sofia is undoubtedly a city laden with historical and cultural   monuments and attractions that would satisfy any history and art lover.  Sofia houses several well-preserved centuries-old churches as a testament to its past where Christianity was first declared as an official religion.  Some of its most well-known churches   include Church of St George, which is a late Roman rotunda that dates back to the 4th century and known for its medieval frescos in its central dome; the 6th century Byzantine Church of St Sophia; the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, which is the largest church in the Balkans and second largest orthodox cathedral in the world; the medieval St Nedelya Church; and the Church of St. Nicholas the Miracle-Maker, or more popularly known as the Russian Church.

As the country’s cultural center, Sofia abounds with museums and galleries that showcases various exhibits from antiquity to contemporary times.  Some of the city’s museums and galleries are the National Historical Museum, which houses more than 600 artifacts of Thracian treasures, old armory and weaponry, and medieval plates; National Archaeological Museum, which houses archaeological artifacts from all over the Balkans; and the National Gallery of Foreign Art, which features permanent exhibitions from European, Asian, Buddhist, Indian, Japanese, and African   art.

Other notable cultural and historical attractions in the city include the Vazov National Theatre, National Palace of Culture, Slaveykov Square, Monument to the Tsar Liberator, and Borisova Gradina.

The country’s educational center houses no less than 16universities, some of which are Saint Clement of Ohrid University of Sofia, which is regarded as the most prestigious Bulgarian University, the Technical University of Sofia, the Sofia Medical University, the National Academy of Arts, the New Bulgarian University, the Krastyo Sarafov National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts, and the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy.

Aside from being the economic, financial, and cultural center of Bulgaria, Sofia is also the forerunner in terms of the country’s property markets. Sofia used to lag behind other Central and Eastern European capital cities in terms of the level of price increases and the number of new residential developments that were being constructed.  This situation changed when Bulgaria joined the European Union and investor confidence increased markedly.  Consequently, Sofia was perceived as a great investment opportunity with an emerging market set to boom.

Sofia’s attractiveness to property buyers and investors is due to the permanent growth potential and the possibility of a long-term upward price trend.  In fact, by end of 2007 until the first quarter of this year, Sofia led the residential prices increase by 35.21% in comparison with the 31.55% increase countrywide.  This proof of brisk demand certainly makes Sofia the best investment in Bulgarian property.

Other factors that facilitates a permanent growth potential of the properties in Sofia is the demand for larger, more luxurious properties by the city’s resident millionaires, of which a majority of the country’s 200 wealthiest reside in the city.  Demands for properties within commuting distances of Sofia, from Bulgaria’s emerging middle class, as well as from professional expatriates who work in the multinational companies in the city, also added to Sofia’s enormous potential for capital growth. Thus, analysts predict that property prices in Sofia will grow by 20% to 25% in 2008.

Veliko Turnovo has long been Bulgaria’s foremost tourist destination.  With its rich history and the different civilizations that had left their mark, the city  boasts of a wealth of historical monuments and landmarks that are among the well-preserved in the region.  One of its most significant monuments is the Saint Demerius of Thessaloniki Church, which is a medieval structure found in Asenova Mahala.  The architectural style of this structure reflects the picturesque styles of the Second Bulgarian kingdom.  The church had also been a witness to many milestones in the history of the country, such as the declaration of the uprising of Asen and Petur agaist the Turks for the restoration of the Bulgarian state.  In the following years, the church became the site of the coronation ceremonies of the next tsars of the Asens’ dynasty.

Another important historical structure is the medieval Saint Peter and Paul Church.  Featuring a picturesque style, this cruciform church boasts of facades decorated with arched niches, glazed cups, and for-pedaled flowers.  This had been the somber site of a massacre of the Turnovo notables when the Ottoman Turks seized the town in 1393.

The medieval Church of the Forty Holy Martyrs, built in the 12th century during the reign of Tsar Kaloyan, is a late Basilica that features ceramic-plastic decorations on its façade andmural paintings.  Found on one of the churche’s columns is a dug-in inscription on the history of the construction of the church known as the Turnovo Inscription of Tsar Ivan Asen II.  During the Ottoman rule, the church was turned into Muslim monastery and mosque.  Upon the liberation from the Turks, the liberation of Bulgaria was declared in the church.

Found within veliko Turnovo are numerous Bulgarian National revival buildings that somewhat feature the same typical architectural style.  First of these is the Sts. Constantine and Helena Church, which  is a Bulgarian National revival church built by master Kolyo Ficheto in 1873.  Its most remarkable features are the in form arches that cover the separate areas.  The striking eastern façade features these in form arches.

Another historical structure built by Kolyo Ficheto is the Hadzhi Nikoli Han, which is a Bulgarian National revival Inns.  It comprises of several buildings, the most original is the design of a three-storey building at the far end of the yard.

Other prominent Bulgarian National revival structures and monuments found in the city include the museum of The Bulgarian Revival, the Old Town Hall where in the Constituent National Assembly had its first session, Samovodska Charshia which is an old trade street that sheltered skillful craftsmen   through the revival period, and the Gurko street that features unique illustrations of the Bulgarian Revival architectural style.

The historical sites in Veliko Turnovo are most certainly not concentrated on monuments and buildings alone.  Tsarevets, which is a historical hill, found in the eastern part of the city, is the location where the capital residences of the tsar, the boyars, and the patriarch were erected during the 7th century.  During the 4th to the 6th centuries, Tsarevets was a site of a formidable fortress surrounded by two fortified walls enforced by battle towers and flying buttresses.  Found on the central plateau of the hill is the palace compound, which is a separate fortress, surrounded by fortified walls.

Another historical hill is Trapezitsa, wherein together with Tsarevets, comprised the inner part of the Bulgarian capital during the 12th to 14th centuries.  It is also fortified with a fortress wall.

Veliko Turnovo’s location, the preserved architecture in the old part of the city, in combination with all the modern conveniences of a present-day city, complemented by a remarkable nature, gives this city its unique appeal and the prerequisites for tourism development.  Indeed, Veliko Turnovo and the region that surrounds it are amongst the top ten most frequented tourist destinations in Eastern Europe.  Veliko Turnovo is also third most attractive tourist destination in the country, following sea resorts and ski resorts.

The city’s strong attraction to tourists, no matter the time of the year, makes it the most favorable location to invest in the property holiday market as it has an enormous probability to provide good rental returns.  Properties near the city are priced at 20,000 to 100,000 pounds sterling.  Prices of residential houses vary, such as a small bungalow is tagged at 5000 pounds, while a small bungalow is priced at 20,000 pounds.  A small house needing some renovations is priced at 70,000, while a large family house in good condition and with land is tagged at 120,000pounds.

Additional reasons for the attractiveness of investing in Veliko Turnovo properties include the city’s position, wherein the city is found within the short distance from the Bulgarian cities of Sofia, Varna, Bourgas, and Plovdiv; and the advantages afforded by the developed traffic infrastructure of the region, particularly that of provided by the international airport in Gorna.