Bulgaria is situated in south – east Europe, on the east end of the Balkan Peninsula. It occupies 110 910 sq.km. Bulgaria is borders on Greece and Turkey (south), Romania (north), Macedonia and Serbia (west) and Black sea (east). The country has population of around 7 500 000. Official language is Bulgarian. Bulgaria is member of the European Union (since the 1st of January 2007). The country is one of the oldest in the Europe. It is founded in the 681st year by Khan Asparuh.
Climate of Bulgaria. The climate of Bulgaria is very different during the different seasons – cold winter, cool spring, hot summer and mild autumn.
There are great differences between the climate in the mountains and on the coast of Black sea. Around the coast the climate is similar to the Mediterranean.
The summer is very hot and dry and lasts from June to September. It is shorter than the summer in Greece, but is not less hot. The daily temperatures are usually between 25 and 30 °C. Sometimes the temperatures can reach 40 °C.
The precipitations are rare. Sometimes can be med thunderstorms. The autumn begins suddenly at the end of September. Usually fall heavy rains. The temperatures are unstable.
In the sunny days can reach 20 – 25 °C, but in the rainy and windy days can drop to 5 – 10 °C. The winter begins at the end of December.
Usually has thin snow cover for 2 – 3 weeks, but in some years the weather is mild and the precipitations are only of rain. In December and January the days are dark, cloudy and depressive.
The temperatures are between 0 and 5 °C. Sometimes in Bulgaria involve arctic air masses. Then the temperatures can drop to (-20 °C). Fortunately this conditions can lasts only 3 – 4 days.
Sometimes these polar air masses are attended by significant snow falls. As Bulgaria is situated in the southern most parts of the temperate climate zone, sometimes in the winter can involve tropical air masses.
Then the temperatures can reach 15 °C – 20 °C. The spring begins at the end of March. Usually the weather in the spring is cool. The daily temperatures are between 10 and 20 °C. The weather is very changeable – some days are warm and sunny, but other are cool (or even cold) and rainy.
The mountain climate is different. The hottest month is August, and the coldest is February. The snow cover in the mountains is covered by deep snow in the biggest part of the year.
The precipitations in the mountains are significant. In the highest parts of the mountain predominate snow and in the lower parts predominate rain.
Musala is the highest point of Bulgaria – 2925m. The average temperature in August is 4 – 5 °C. In February the average temperature is around (-11 °C).
The mountains are covered by incredible beautiful forests. The coast can offer amazing beaches. Bulgaria has very beautiful winter resorts that in the last year are serious competitors of the old classic resorts in the Alps. The Black sea resorts are in typical Mediterranean stile.
The most famous mountains are Rila, Pirin, Rhodopes and Stara Planina (Balkan Mountains). The Bulgarian mountains are covered by lush, green forest with incredible fresh air. In the lower parts of the mountains predominate broad leaved forests.
In the higher parts can be found pine forests. In the mountains of Rila and Pirin can be seen Glacial Period lakes as the seven Rila lakes. The water is crystal clean and calm as mirror.
The lakes are surrounded by green meadows and mountain flowers. The visitors say that the most beautiful mountain is Rhodopes. It is not so high as Rila and Pirin, but is very picturesque.
The rivers that cross the mountain are formed deep and green valleys. The Rhodopes is fool of lakes and dam lakes. Stara planina (in a literal translation – old mountain) is also covered by lush, green forests.
The Mountain, play the role of climate barrier – it stops the cold air masses that coming of north and stop the hot air masses that coming from south.
Here you can find great number of caves – the most famous with its beauty is Magurata. The Bulgarian mountains are home to huge number of animal and plant species bear, wolf, fox, deer, wild boar, rabbit, eagle, owl, snakes, wild cats and so on.
The other interesting place in Bulgaria is the coast of Black sea. In its biggest part it is covered by golden beaches. Here are tens of resorts that are magnet to the tourists.
Bulgaria offers the rare combination of sea and forest. On the Bulgarian coast there are two big cities (Varna and Bourgas) and many other towns and resorts.
Varna is the second largest and most beautiful city in Bulgaria. It has population of around 800 000 people. Varna is very attractive for foreigners that wish to live in Bulgaria.
The city is home to many English citizens that live here all year round. They come here because of the low prices of the immovable properties and the great number of warm and sunny days.
Few years ago here have found the oldest man made golden fineries in the world. The city was found by the Greeks six centuries before Christ.
If you come here for your holiday you can find beautiful beaches, the large city park that is around 8 km long and play the role of barrier between the city and the sea.
The park is named “Sea garden’’ and is favourite place where the citizens of Varna like to spend their free time.
Around Varna you can find some of the most famous resorts in Bulgaria – st.st. Konstantin and Helena, as well as Golden sands. They combine luxury hotels and villas with beautiful nature. st.st. Konstantin and Helena is situated 8 km north of the city.
It has beautiful villas and hotels, surrounded by lush, green vegetation. The resort has few very beautiful beaches with white sand.
Among the green plant of the resort you can find great variety of small and charm restaurants, most of them specializing in the preparing of traditional Bulgarian cuisine.
18 km north of Varna is situated Golden sands. This resort is favourite for the lovers of night life. The restaurants are open until late into the night. Every year tens of thousands visitors come here because of the big opportunities for entertainment.
In south you can find Kamchia. This is not luxury resort as Golden sands and Konstantin and Helena. The hotels and bungalows are old, but the nature… It can’t be describe by words. It has to be seen.
The resort is covered by lush, green forest. Predominate, pine forest in the northern part of the resort and broad leaved trees in the southern part of the resort.
Except the forest here you can find the most beautiful beach in Bulgaria, and one of the most beautiful in Europe. This beach is ever crowd less.
In the southern part of the resort you can find the mouth of river Kamchia. The river, divide the resort of the preserve Kamchia. In the late afternoon you can feel how clean the air is actually. You can feel the smell of river, forest, sea, sand and so on.
If you dispose with enough free time you have to visit the old capital of Bulgaria – Veliko Tarnovo. Here you can find old and traditional Bulgarian architecture in the near situated village of Arbanasi.
Here you can feel the Bulgarian traditions and lifestyle of the times gone by. Similar to every other Bulgarian piece of land the green, lush forest surround this area. Veliko Tarnovo is situated not far of the mountain “Stara Planina’’.
The shortcomings of Bulgaria. Maybe the biggest of the shortcomings is the bad condition of the infrastructure in the country. The roads in every city are full of pot-holes.
If you planning to live in Bulgaria you have to know that the life standard is very low and will be very difficult for you to earn your own living.
Of course you can do it if you have very good paid job or if you have some other earnings. You have to be very careful because of the huge number of homeless dogs.
Usually they are not aggressive, but will be good if you stay away from them. Be careful when you cross the streets because the high speed driving is “traditional’’ especially in the biggest cities.