The best place to relax in Bulgaria. Resorts in Bulgaria for holidays: description, how to choose where to go. Resorts and beaches of Bulgaria. Where is the best place for young people to relax?
Tourism confrontation: Bulgaria or Türkiye
Which is better: Bulgaria or Türkiye? The question is rather rhetorical, to which there is no clear answer. It’s like asking: “Which is better, watermelon or melon?”, “Ice cream or chocolate?”, “Tea or coffee?”. Each person will have a different answer based on preferences and tastes. The main thing is from which side and angle to look at the tourist dilemma. Bulgaria and Turkey have advantages and disadvantages. And then, the division is conditional. For some, “all inclusive” is a huge plus, for others this plus turns into a minus. Some people are a fan of sandy beaches, while others prefer pebbles.
In this tourism battle we will try to consider different aspects. Weather, sea, road to the resort, accommodation, entertainment, food, cost, safety. In our opinion, these are the main components that vacationers pay attention to. Countries that have long received the status of heavyweights in our market (in terms of the number of vacationers) have much in common, including their border. But there are still more dissimilarities in their appearance, character, and atmosphere.
Road
You can get to Bulgaria by car, bus, rail or plane. The only way to Turkey is by plane. This fact is especially important for aerophobes who under no circumstances use air transport. A land journey to Bulgaria will not take much time; comfortable air-conditioned buses and high-speed trains go here. Moreover, there are bus stations and railway stations in all cities of the resort area.
A flight, for example, from Moscow to Burgas will last on average from 2 and a half hours to 3 and a half hours. The flight to the resort town of Turkey is a little longer.
Sea access and climate
Neighboring countries have access to the Black Sea. And if for Bulgaria this is the only maritime border, then Turkey is 4 times luckier. Its coastline is washed by four seas at once: the Black, Mediterranean, Aegean, and Marmara. All seas are completely different: in water density, degree of warming, and even color. Color differences are clearly visible where the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas meet. Mediterranean is darker, blue, Aegean is lighter, with a greenish tint.
The climate in Turkey is hot, in Bulgaria it is more comfortable, without sweltering heat. In Turkey, even in September, the readings on the thermometer can reach +40. With such numbers, excursions turn into torture rather than an exciting pastime. That’s why lazy, exclusively beach holidays are so common here. In Bulgaria, the temperature does not set such records, the only thing is that rains in summer are more frequent than in the neighboring country. But they pass quickly, so they don’t ruin your vacation.
Type of holiday
Türkiye and Bulgaria are two completely different vacation models. Turkey is a predominantly passive beach holiday, which is limited to the hotel area and a trip to the sea. There are a minimum of excursions here - it will most likely be a sightseeing tour of the city, a trip to a sheepskin coat or gold jewelry store. There are not many attractions in the resort area, plus it is very hot. For an excursion to Istanbul, people most often go from Burgas or Varna, because they are closer.
Bulgaria is conducive to travel, comfortable weather, an abundance of attractions directly in the resort area, you can go to Nessebar, Sozopol. Everything is very close and compact. A big plus is the developed network of commuter buses. You can easily get from one city to another on your own, develop your own tourist route, and see the sights that you deem necessary.
Accommodation, food, entertainment
These three points again give rise to many discrepancies. Bulgaria and Turkey are two visions, two approaches to organizing holidays.
- Hotels. In Turkey, these are mostly A's and B's, less often C's. Probably 95% of them work on an all-inclusive basis. By and large, there is no need to leave the hotel grounds. Food, pools, spa, animation - everything is within walking distance. There are many hotels of different levels in Bulgaria, from luxury fives to budget twos. Apartments with a kitchen are very common; some rent apartments in residential complexes. This is very convenient with small children, or during a long vacation. In Turkey, this segment is not particularly in demand; here everyone stays in hotels.
- Nutrition. In Bulgaria, hotels operate on an all-inclusive basis, but not all of them. The type of meals varies widely - from breakfast, half board, full board or no meals at all. There are many cafes and restaurants in Bulgaria with delicious and inexpensive food. Therefore, most vacationers eat here; this model frees you from being tied to the schedule of breakfast, lunch, and dinner at the hotel and gives you freedom in planning your day. In Turkey, hotels compete in the “all inclusive” variety; prefixes are often added to it, for example, ultra, this is when you can eat at any time of the day, even at night. Tourists rarely go to restaurants and cafes, because there is no reason to. The downside of this model is that sometimes hotels that are declared “all inclusive” (usually triples and even quadruples) offer a rather meager and uniform diet.
- Entertainment. In Turkey, animation in hotels is much more developed. Here, each hotel necessarily has its own entertainment program, which lasts from morning to evening. In Bulgaria, most entertainment is located outside of hotels. In Turkey, on the contrary, everything on the other side of the fence is not so extensive. In the evening, nightclubs and bars open, plus shopping centers are open 24 hours a day.
Beaches
In Turkey, the beaches are sandy and pebble, depending on the coast. In Bulgaria it is predominantly sandy. In Turkey, the entire coastline is divided between hotels; each hotel has its own territory with sun loungers, umbrellas, and a towel collection point. Outsiders are not allowed to enter here. In Bulgaria, not all hotels have their place on the beach, except perhaps five-star hotels. Here the area is usually divided into free and paid areas with sun loungers, a water spray system, etc. On which beach to stay, in which zone, everyone decides for themselves.
Bulgaria wins in terms of the length of its beaches, the length of some of them reaches 10 kilometers, the width ranges from 100 to 350 meters.
Comfort and safety
Bulgaria is a Slavic country, with an Orthodox culture, a similar language, and signs in Cyrillic. Without knowing Bulgarian, you can easily guess the meaning of a particular word. Plus, most of the population speaks Russian fluently. So there will be no difficulties in communication. In Turkey, the language barrier is still felt. Despite the fact that the flow of our tourists to this country is large, unfortunately, not all hotels have Russian-speaking staff.
BULGARIA
(Republic of Bulgaria)
General information
Geographical position. Bulgaria is located on the Balkan Peninsula. In the north it borders with Romania in the west, Yugoslavia and Macedonia in the south, Greece and Turkey in the north and is washed by the Black Sea.
Square. The territory of Bulgaria occupies 110,994 square meters. km.
Main cities, administrative divisions. The capital of Bulgaria is Sofia. The largest cities: Sofia (1,200 thousand people), Plovdiv (400 thousand people), Varna (340 thousand people). Administratively, Bulgaria is divided into 9 regions.
Political system
Bulgaria is a republic. The head of state is the president. The head of government is the prime minister. The legislative body is a unicameral people's assembly.
Relief. Bulgaria has a truly unique variety of landscapes. From the high banks of the Danube, which is the border of the country in the north, to the green peaks of the Stara Planina mountain range in northern Bulgaria, the plain stretches. Stara Planina stretches from the Black Sea in the east to Yugoslavia in the west. In two places it is dissected by deep valleys of the Iskar and Kamchia rivers, forming picturesque gorges. The Iskar Gorge is especially majestic and beautiful. Everywhere you can see picturesque villages climbing steep slopes. On this ridge of the Balkan Mountains there are a number of passes convenient for motorists at altitudes from 400 to 1,600 m: in the west - Petrokhansky, Botevgradsky, in the middle part of the Stara Planina-Zlatitsky, Troyansky, Shipkinsky, Republic Pass, in the east - Kotlensky and Dyulinsky.
Another mountain range, Sredna Gora, is separated from Stara Planina by the so-called geological fault - small valleys and gorges of volcanic origin. Not far from Kazanlak is the Rose Valley, where about 70% of the world's rose oil used in the perfume and cosmetics industry is produced.
The most mountainous area lies in the southwest of the country, where the Rila-Rhodope mountain range is located along the border with Greece. It includes the highest Bulgarian mountains: Rila and its peak Musala (2,925 m), located south of Sofia, Vihren (2,915 m) in the Pirin mountain range.
Geological structure and minerals. On the territory of Bulgaria there are deposits of bauxite, copper, lead, and coal.
Climate. Bulgaria is located in a zone of temperate continental climate, and the extreme south of the country is in a zone transitional to a Mediterranean climate. The air temperature in January reaches zero. The average temperature of the warmest month - July - in lowland areas is from +23°C to +25°C. In the mountains, vertical climatic zonation is clearly visible. Autumn frosts in the northern regions occur no earlier than the end of October, and the last spring frosts no later than the beginning of April.
Inland waters. The main rivers of Bulgaria are the Danube, Iskar, Maritsa.
Soils and vegetation. About a third of Bulgaria's territory is covered with forests. Deciduous tree species predominate in the valleys, and coniferous trees predominate in the mountains. National parks: Vitasha, Golden Sands, Ropotamo, Steneto, etc.
Animal world. The fauna of Bulgaria is characterized by deer, fallow deer, roe deer, wild boar, wolf, fox, hare, ferret, badger, and gopher. Lots of birds. Reptiles are common in the south.
Population and language
The population of Bulgaria is about 9 million people. Largest cities: Sofia (1 million 250 thousand people), Plovdiv (375 thousand people), Varna (315 thousand people), Burgas (205 thousand people), Ruse (195 thousand people) , Stara Zagora (165 thousand people), Pleven (140 thousand people).
Ethnically, Bulgarians belong to the group of Southern Slavs. The most numerous national minorities are Turkish (8.5%), Roma (2.6%), Macedonians (2.5%). Ethnic Macedonians inhabit the Pirin mountain range, south of Sofia.
Turks (about 800 thousand people) inhabit mainly the northeast of the country, in particular, the eastern part of the foothills of the Rhodope massif. Between the First and Second World Wars there was a massive (more than 340 thousand) migration of ethnic Turks to Turkey, and after the Second World War another 200 thousand people emigrated. In the 80s, the government adopted a program of “active” assimilation of the Turks remaining in the country, but the program had obvious excesses, since it included bans on the observance of religious and national traditions. There were even attempts to ban the wearing of Turkish national dress and speaking Turkish in public places. The protests of the Turkish part of the population against this policy and its rejection were very strong. After changes in the passport regime in 1989, another 350 thousand Bulgarian Turks left the country. At the end of 1989, when power in the country passed to the democrats, mosques were opened, and it was allowed to call children by Turkish names. Turkish secondary schools also opened in 1991.
In the Rhodope Mountains, south of Plovdiv, live 250 thousand Pomaks of Slavic origin who converted to Islam at a time when Bulgaria was part of the Ottoman Empire. In the Rose Valley, especially around Sliven, many gypsies live (about 550 thousand in total).
Religion
Approximately 85% of the population is Christian, 13% Muslim, 2% other faiths.
Brief historical sketch
In ancient times, the territory occupied by modern Bulgaria belonged to powerful Macedonia, and it was inhabited by the Thracians.
After 46 BC e. all these lands and part of Macedonia, which in turn became part of the powerful Roman Empire, were divided by the Romans for ease of administration into three parts - Lower Moesia, the Balkan Mountains and Thrace in the south.
Appeared here in the middle of the 6th century. n. e. Slavic tribes merged with the small Thracian population, which easily accepted their way of life, traditions and rituals. This merger was also facilitated by the fact that the Slavs were very peaceful towards the local residents and were engaged in arable farming and cattle breeding in small communities.
In 679, the Turkic hordes, the so-called proto-Bulgarians, led by khans and boyars, leaving their traditional habitats between the Volga and the Southern Urals, crossed the Danube.
In 681, the Turkic Khan Asparukh formed the first Slavic state in history - the First Bulgarian Kingdom - with its capital in the city of Pliska in Moesia. The state existed until 1018 and was very extensive by European standards - in the 9th century. its borders extended from Byzantium to Macedonia. At the same time, the few proto-Bulgarians dissolved among the Slavic tribes, adopting their language and culture.
Since 870, Bulgaria has professed Christianity, and the Bulgarian Church is independent and has its own patriarch.
The Bulgarian kingdom reached the peak of its power under Tsar Simeon (893-927), who moved the capital to Preslav and expanded the country's borders to the western shores of the Adriatic. Even the proud and independent Serbs recognized Simeon as their sovereign (the adoption of Christianity by the Serbs dates back to the same time). Prospered
culture and writing. The writing schools of Preslav and Ohrid were the first in Europe after the Hebrew, Hellenic and Roman schools, which had long since experienced their heyday.
Simeon's attempts to try on the crown of the Byzantine Empire significantly weakened the country, the collapse of which was also facilitated by minor internecine wars after his death. Serbia managed to prove its independence in 933, and in 972 Byzantium also dissociated itself, leaving behind part of the eastern lands.
Tsar Samuel (980-1014) tried to prevent fatal changes, but suffered a severe defeat in 1014 in the battle of Belastitsa with the troops of the Byzantine emperor Vasily P. The latter ordered the eyes of 15 thousand Bulgarian soldiers to be gouged out. Upon learning of this, the Bulgarian Tsar died of a heart attack. Four years later, all of Bulgaria came under Byzantine rule.
In 1185, two brothers - Peter and Asen - led a successful uprising against Byzantine rule, which resulted in the creation of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom (1185-1396). Asen became king, and the capital was moved to Veliko Tyrnovo.
Tsar Ivan Asen II (1218-1241) subjugated all of Thrace, Macedonia and Albania, but after his death in 1241 the gigantic empire began to fall apart again. The country was exhausted by continuous Tatar raids from the north, the Serbs captured Macedonia.
In 1340, the Turks sensed an opportunity to declare weakened Bulgaria a zone of their national interests. In various ways - political, economic and religious - they carried out expansion, which by 1371 was crowned with success. The Bulgarian Tsar Ivan Shishman recognized himself as a vassal of the Turkish Sultan Murad I.
In 1393 the Turks took Veliko Tarnovo. The last Bulgarian stronghold, the city of Vidin, fell in 1396. Its fall marked the beginning of five centuries of rule by the Ottoman Empire.
The Turkish governors, who chose Sofia as their residence, and the Turkish colonists who settled on the fertile plains, pushed the indigenous inhabitants into the mountains, onto dry and infertile lands, while collecting huge taxes from them. These circumstances, however, contributed to the fact that the Turks failed to introduce Islam into Bulgaria and force the indigenous population to forget their old traditions and customs. The Christian faith was preserved, despite persecution, in remote monasteries such as Rila, Troyan, and Bachkovo. The richest folklore traditions have been preserved, serving as a bridge between the 14th and 19th centuries. - the end of Turkish rule. The Bulgarians retained self-government, and the national economy was still dominated by the agricultural sector.
The cities became centers of Turkish trade and crafts, and in the 16th-17th centuries. Turkish influence in Bulgaria reached its peak. It weakened significantly in the 18th century, when the deprivation of the population sharply increased due to the extremely unsuccessful wars of Turkey with Austria and Russia, accompanied by rising taxes and soaring inflation.
At the beginning of the 19th century, as Ottoman influence weakened, the revival of national Bulgarian culture began on the basis of folk traditions, customs, rituals, and folklore. For the first time in 500 years, schools were opened and books were published in Bulgarian.
In 1860, a movement began for a church independent of the Patriarch of Constantinople, which was crowned with success ten years later. Turkey's recognition of the autonomy of the Bulgarian Church was an important step on the path to independence.
While the future national heroes of Bulgaria: Hristo Botev, Lyuben Karavelov and Vasily Levski, were preparing in deep secret for the war of liberation, the inhabitants of Koprivshtitsa raised a premature uprising in April 1876. It was suppressed with unprecedented cruelty. In Plovdiv, 15 thousand Bulgarians were executed, and 58 villages were destroyed.
This turn of events forced Serbia to declare war on Turkey, which in April 1877 Russia and Romania entered on the side of Serbia. Decisive battles took place near Pleven and Shipka. Russia lost 200 thousand people killed and wounded in this war. When Russian troops approached Istanbul within 50 km, the Turks laid down their arms, fearing the possibility of complete defeat. According to the treaty signed in San Stefano, Turkey gave 60% of the Balkan Peninsula to Bulgaria.
The modern history of Bulgaria dates back to 1878.
Fearing the emergence of a powerful Russian outpost in the Balkans in the form of a new nascent state, the Western powers did everything possible to prevent this. At the Congress of Berlin, the southern part of Bulgaria was declared an autonomous province, which was nevertheless nominally under the authority of the Turkish Sultan. Macedonia was officially recognized as part of the Ottoman Empire.
In 1879 Northern Bulgaria adopted a liberal constitution.
In 1885, Southern Bulgaria, called Eastern Rumelia, became part of a new state, the formation of which was largely completed by 1878.
June 29, 1913 Bulgarian King Ferdinand (1908-1918) launched a surprise attack on his former allies, the Second Balkan War began. It quickly ended with the defeat of Bulgaria by Serbia, Greece, as well as Romania, which successfully chose the moment to join the winning side. Macedonia was divided between Greece and Serbia, and Romania received Southern Dobruja from Bulgaria.
In September, rebel troops forced King Ferdinand to abdicate the throne. Bulgaria concluded a truce, giving up part of its territory to Greece and Serbia.
Elections in 1920 led to the victory of Alexander Stambolisky, a democrat and opponent of the war. The government he formed managed to carry out land reform, according to which land that belonged to large landowners was distributed among the peasants who worked it. This state of affairs could not suit the landowners. The internal situation of the country was complicated by the abundance of refugees from Macedonia, as well as an unprecedented increase in crime in Macedonia itself and complete arbitrariness in the country. A. Stamboliysky was killed as a result of a conspiracy by a right-wing radical group that came to power in June 1923, and in September of the same year an armed peasant uprising led by communists was brutally suppressed. Terror has come to the country.
In 1935, Boris III was crowned king in Bulgaria.
On January 24, 1937, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia solemnly signed a treaty of “indestructible peace and sincere and eternal friendship.”
In September 1940, Hitler demanded that Romania return southern Dobruja to Bulgaria, and in 1941, grateful Bulgaria, having terminated all treaties, took an active part in the German intervention in Yugoslavia.
In 1942, the majority of anti-fascist and anti-government groups, including communists, united into the Fatherland Front to organize Bulgaria’s withdrawal from the war and the conclusion of a truce. Tsar Boris died under mysterious circumstances in August 1943. A Regency was formed
advice. It carried out its functions until September 1944 - on September 2, the Fatherland Front planned an armed uprising.
On August 8, 1944, as Soviet troops advanced through Romania, Bulgaria unexpectedly declared itself a neutral country and disarmed its German troops. At the insistence of the USSR, Bulgaria declared war on Germany, after which Soviet troops entered Bulgarian territory without encountering resistance, as if they were entering the territory of a friendly state.
On September 9, 1944, armed detachments of the Fatherland Front and partisans entered Sofia. Power passed into the hands of the communists under the leadership of Todor Zhivkov. From 1944 until the end of the war, units of the Bulgarian army took part in the battles with the Nazis along with Soviet troops.
After a referendum in 1946, Bulgaria was declared a republic, and Georgi Dimitrov was elected prime minister on October 27, 1946.
In the 1980s Bulgaria joined Greece's call for the Balkans to be declared a nuclear-weapon-free zone, but relations with Turkey remained strained.
Since the late 1940s. In the country, led by the communist Todor Zhivkov (from 1954 to 1989), large-scale reconstruction unfolded, and then the development and transformation of industry, industrialization and collectivization of agriculture. Bulgaria has become one of the most prosperous countries in Eastern Europe. At the same time, as part of planning in a socialist economy, significant flexibility was shown, which made it possible to increase the quality of products and labor productivity; private farming was allowed in free time from the main job.
In 1989, a wave of perestroika came to Bulgaria from the USSR. On November 9, 1989, the Berlin Wall came down, and the next day, a radical group within the Bulgarian Communist Party ended the 35-year rule of 78-year-old Todor Zhivkov. After 43 days, T. Zhivkov was placed under house arrest, and in February 1991 he became the first communist leader to stand trial on charges of corruption and bribery during his reign.
Brief Economic Sketch
Bulgaria is an industrial-agrarian country. Brown coal mining. The most developed are mechanical engineering (production of electric hoists and electric cars, tractors, agricultural machines, computers, machine tools) and the food industry (tobacco, fruit canning). Ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy. Chemical and petrochemical, woodworking industries. Agriculture is dominated by crop production. Production of grain and legumes, tobacco, vegetables, fruits, grapes, essential oil crops. Meat and wool livestock farming (cattle, sheep, pigs). Fishing. International resorts Golden Sands, Albena, Sunny Beach. Export: mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemical products, plastics, vegetables, fruits, wine, tobacco products. Foreign tourism. d Currency unit - lev.
Brief sketch of culture
Art and architecture. Veliko Tarnovo, the former capital of the medieval Bulgarian kingdom, Koprivshtitsa, the ancient peninsular town of Nessebar and Melnik, the smallest city in Bulgaria, where all the houses have signs hanging on them explaining the architectural value of each house, are declared museum cities. The ancient villages of Zheravna and Shiroka-Lyka were also taken under protection. The roofs are traditionally tiled and hipped. The houses are two- or three-story, on a high base, often with a bay window. The central place in the house is the hall (day room), separated by an arch with a curtain or a sliding wall from the rest of the room, so that when receiving a large number of guests (an important moment in Bulgarian life), a spacious room is formed.
There are more than 200 museums in the country, most of which are located in Sofia (National Archaeological Museum, National Ethnographic Museum, National Museum of Natural History, etc.)
Sofia: Church of the Holy Resurrection (was built after the Liberation from the Nazis, continuing the tradition of building churches on this site from medieval times. Previously, it was the old aristocratic quarter of the city - Varosha, where there were bell towers and church schools); Banya Pasha Mosque (a Sultan-style building with a huge dome and minaret, built in 1576 by Hajj Mimar Sinan). Plovdiv. Ruins of a Roman stadium; Dzhumaya Mosque (“Friday Mosque”); Imaret Mosque (1444-1445, with an old Turkish tomb in which the Turkish ruler Pasha Gaazi Shahabeddin is buried); Archaeological Museum; Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary (where several icons by the famous master of the late 19th century Stanislav Dospevsky are presented); Museum of Icons; Church of Saints Constantine and Helena; ruins of a Roman citadel.
The science. G. Nadzhakov (1896-1981) - physicist who discovered the photoelectret state of matter).
Literature. P. Vezhinov (1914-1983) is the author of novels and stories about the anti-Hitler struggle of the Bulgarian people (the collection “Second Company”) and works about modernity, which are distinguished by the depth of psychological analysis (the stories “The Smell of Almonds”, “Barrier”, “Dimensions”, novels “At Night on White Horses”, “Scales”).
Well known to Russians. In recent decades, this sunny country has been attracting more and more tourists. The most important thing is that you can visit at any time of the year. Where is the best place to go? We will try to answer this question in this article. We offer you a short overview of the most popular and visited places that offer a comfortable stay.
Winter holidays in Bulgaria
In winter, it is better to spend a holiday in the mountains of Bulgaria. Magnificent nature and mild climate will allow you to have a wonderful rest. Let's consider several of the most popular objects, taking into account the reviews and recommendations of experienced travelers.
Bansko - ski resort
Bansko is a city located in the southwest of the country, at the foot of the Northern Pirin Mountains. 145 kilometers separate it from Plovdiv and 150 km from Sofia. The famous ski resort is located here. The skiing season starts in December and lasts until April.
Near the town there is the Pirin National Park, through which the Glazne River flows. The Pirin Mountains are an excellent place for both amateurs and professionals to feel comfortable here. Bansko is a ski resort with a highest point of 2560 m and its lowest point is 1000 m. This popular resort is famous for its main slope, which is 75 km long. A third of it is equipped for beginner athletes, it is served by 170 machines that produce artificial snow.
Bansko has cable cars, an elevator and other essential attributes of a good ski resort. International competitions in alpine sports are often held on the territory of this complex. Tourists who visit this resort can combine active recreation with excursion. Near the city there are ancient cultural monuments - the churches of St. Elijah and St. George, and the Church of the Holy Trinity, located in Bansko, was consecrated back in 1860. Next to it there is a permanent exhibition of icons.
It should be noted that today tourists from all over the world come to resorts here that are designed for guests of any income. Take, for example, the Belmont 3* hotel, located in the center of Bansko. It was built in 2005 at the foot of the Pirin Mountains, 400 meters from the ski lifts that lead to a height of 2600 meters. This homely hotel guarantees excellent service and excellent recreational conditions for ski lovers.
Borovets
This wonderful place is located at an altitude of 1390 meters above sea level, near Mount Musala, the highest in the Balkans (2925 m). The resort of Borovets (Bulgaria) received its name because of the dense forest surrounding it on all sides. Thanks to this, the area is famous for its unusually clean air.
The resort is located 70 km from the capital of the country. The highest point is 2560 meters. Borovets is the most prestigious and oldest ski resort in the country, with excellent ski slopes of varying difficulty and modern systems for the production of artificial snow. Clients note the well-organized operation of the lifts and developed infrastructure.
This resort dates back to 1896. At first, the area was intended for recreation and hunting for the kings of Bulgaria. Now it is a modern ski resort with wonderful territory. Here you can practice various winter sports - snowboarding and skiing, skating and sledding, etc. As for the location of guests, Borovets offers its visitors apartments, hotels, villas of different levels.
Where to stay?
We advise you to pay attention to the comfortable and modern EUPHORIA CLUB HOTEL & SPA 4 *, which is located in a picturesque forest, a short distance from the resort center. Here you will be offered spacious and comfortable rooms. The establishment is suitable for a relaxing holiday. Three three-story buildings of the complex were built in 2011.
Where to relax in Bulgaria in summer?
You are probably interested in the question (if you are going to visit the resorts of Bulgaria): “Where is the best place to go in the summer?” For many experienced tourists, the answer is obvious: the Black Sea.
Golden Sands Resort
In the northern part of Bulgaria there is the most famous, largest and beloved resort by many. It is located very close to the sea capital of the country - Varna (10 km). If you ask the question: “Which resorts are particularly popular in Bulgaria?”, surely 95% of respondents will name this particular area. This popularity is not accidental.
The resort is located on the territory of the Golden Sands natural park, where tourist life does not subside day and night. The resort offers its guests all types of water activities; a magnificent water park has been operating here for more than ten years; there is no shortage of restaurants and discos. You can stay in luxury apartments or in a modest hotel. You can be sure that in any case you will be well served and warmly received by friendly staff. We recommend that you stay at the Admiral Hotel, which we will describe below.
Hotel ADMIRAL 5*
The hotel is located in the center of the resort, close to nightclubs and discos. A narrow path leads to the beach from it. In the lobby there is a Raiffeisenbank, where guests can change currency at any time. The hotel was built in 2004. Occupies an area of 12,387 m2. This is one seven-story and one nine-story building. They have a total of 301 rooms of varying comfort levels to accommodate guests. You can stay in the hotel with small breed pets (weight no more than 5 kg).
sunny Beach
Many resorts in Bulgaria are popular. Where is the best place to go to make your vacation enjoyable and memorable? Experienced travelers recommend going to Sunny Beach. This is the largest resort in sunny Bulgaria, which is known far beyond its borders. It is located between Varna and Burgas.
Every year guests from all over the world come here to vacation. The resort is located in a picturesque area, has proven itself to be excellent with clean and well-groomed beaches and calm seas. Sunny Beach gained its popularity among our compatriots back in Soviet times. At that time, holidays here were considered very prestigious.
The beaches of this resort stretch along the coast for sixteen kilometers. The bay is calm, the bottom is flat, which is especially appreciated by families with children. This is a resort where no one will be bored - neither adults nor children. For kids there are many wonderful playgrounds with carousels, slides, and swimming pools. There are even children's discos here, talented animators work who organize outdoor games and interesting events.
Hotel ALBA 4*
We would like to draw your attention to this nice hotel, which is located very close to the beach, in the center of the resort. Both young outdoor enthusiasts and sedate married couples will feel comfortable here. This hotel was built in 2003, and in 2014 a major renovation was carried out here. You will be able to live in an eight-story building.
Albena
Experienced tourists know how diverse the resorts in Bulgaria are. Where is the best place to go with children? We advise you to go to a relatively quiet place, which is located 30 km from Varna. Albena is considered the third largest seaside resort in the country.
This is an ideal place to relax with children. A year ago, a magnificent water park with dizzying slides and swimming pools for adults and very young holidaymakers was built here. Ten kilometers from Albena is the Botanical Garden of Balchik. This is a very beautiful place where you can see unique plants from all over the world. In addition, there is also a palace, which at the beginning of the 20th century was the residence of Queen Mary.
Hotel ALTHEA 3*
If you are wondering where to stay in Albena, we recommend choosing this hotel. It is great for a family holiday. The hotel is located in the park area of Albena, 45 km from the city. It was built in 1972. Guests are offered to stay in one of 200 standard rooms, which have two beds (single beds), a folding sofa or an armchair. The rooms are designed to accommodate three adults.
Detailed map of Bulgaria in Russian. Map of roads, cities and regions on the map of Bulgaria. Show Bulgaria on the map.
Where is Bulgaria located on the world and European map?
Bulgaria (Republic of Bulgaria) is a state located in South-Eastern Europe.
Bulgaria is located in the eastern region of the Balkan Peninsula and occupies about 22% of its area. In the east, Bulgaria is washed by the Black Sea, in the south it has borders with Turkey and Greece, in the west with Macedonia and Serbia, and in the north with Romania.
Geographical position of Bulgaria
The geographical position of Bulgaria is quite advantageous, since it is located at the crossroads of Western and Central Europe, as well as the Near and Middle East. Moreover, the Black Sea connects Bulgaria with Ukraine, and the Dardanelles and Bosphorus with the Mediterranean countries. Geographical coordinates of Bulgaria: 42.9064941 north latitude and 25.4553223 east longitude.
Interactive map of Bulgaria with cities
There are not many large cities in Bulgaria, but you can spend a whole vacation just exploring Sofia or Plovdiv. For a beach holiday, the country can easily offer a whole galaxy of famous resorts: Sunny Beach, Golden Sands, Pomorie, Rusalka, Sunny Day... the list goes on. Fans of winter holidays from December to April can choose one of 10 ski resorts with a lot of sports centers. Each of them is unique in its own way: here is the oldest Borovets in the Rila Mountains and democratic Bansko and Pamporovo, where you can combine skiing with medical procedures.
Bulgarian territory
The area of Bulgaria is about 111,000 square kilometers and ranks 103rd in the world. The distance between the northern and southern points of the state is 330 kilometers, between the western and eastern - about 520 kilometers. The country's topography is very diverse. Thus, in the north of Bulgaria and in the central regions there are quite high mountains, and in the south there are long plains. In the east, the coast of the country with magnificent sandy beaches is washed by the Black Sea. The length of the coastline along is about 380 kilometers. All major cities (Sofia, Ruse, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas) are located in the valleys of large rivers or on the Black Sea coast. Small towns and villages are scattered along the mountain slopes.
Regions of Bulgaria - 28 regions of Bulgaria on the map
Administratively, Bulgaria is divided into twenty-eight regions, which in turn are divided into 264 communities. The regions of Bulgaria are: Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrov, Haskov, Kardzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pleven, Pernik, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Rusen, Shumen, Sliven, Silistren, Smolyan, Sofia Sofia, Starozagorsk, Targovisht, Var Nenskaya , Vidin, Veliko Tarnovo, Vrachan and Yambol regions.
There are two most popular resorts in Bulgaria. These are Golden Sands and Sunny Beach. They are located near the large coastal cities of Varna and Burgas. Each of them has an international airport, which makes it easier for tourists to get to the hotel. Therefore, the resorts of Golden Sands and Sunny Beach are quite crowded even out of season.
When choosing where to go, you shouldn’t grab at familiar names - Golden Sands, Sunny Beach, Saint Vlas. Explore the Bulgarian coast, choose a small town and learn more about it. You definitely won't be disappointed.
Grocery prices and food in restaurants at popular resorts are more expensive than at less popular beaches. And the crowded coastline makes Sunny Beach and Golden Sands less and less attractive to tourists. During the season, it can be difficult to find a place, since almost all the beaches in Bulgaria are public, and even those who live in hotels have to rent sun loungers or sit directly on the sand on a mat.
But if someone loves this country with all their soul, there is no need to worry. On the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria there are dozens of small towns that have retained their flavor and delight vacationers with low prices, homemade fruits and vegetables, and almost deserted beaches.
Russians in Bulgaria need a visa. You can get it at the consulate in Moscow; entry with a valid Schengen visa is also allowed.
Less popular Bulgarian resorts - which one to choose
Small Bulgarian towns and villages on the Black Sea coast are attracting more and more tourists. Many people already know such places as Kranevo, Obzor, Albena, Kiten, Pomorie. There is a beautiful and clean Black Sea, excellent beaches, but there are no crowds of tourists. The entire infrastructure of the towns is adapted for vacationers. There are small family cafes where you can taste both traditional Bulgarian and European dishes, there are amusement parks with inflatable slides, trampolines, carousels, hypermarkets, fitness centers, chain hotels and mini-hotels.
You can relax there for very little money. A room with breakfast costs from twenty euros per night, depending on the month. It is cheapest in May/June, but at this time the sea is still quite cold. You can also rent apartments. Their price is from ten euros per day. But most often this is an option without a kitchen; it is suitable for those who are traveling for a short time and without small children.
Each of these resorts has its own peculiarity, in Obzor there are low Carpathian mountains that cover the city from the mainland, in Kranevo there is a bay in which the water is warmer than in the sea and there are no waves, etc. These towns and villages are very beautiful and your vacation in them can be better than in popular resorts.
