Time for Travel
09:00 Mon 22 May 2006
Few visitors fail to be seduced by Bulgaria. The list of its attractions is long. Every holidaymaker may find a suitable element. Water, in the form of the country's magnificent Black Sea coast, with its range of unspoiled beaches and soaring cliffs, and the resorts that cater for visitors seeking modern and comfortable accommodation and a slice of night life to follow their day of sun, sea and sand; and mineral water, read more 
more from Time for Travel
09:00 Mon 22 May 2006 - Georgi Dimitrov, www.odysseia-in.com
Bulgaria has a unique geographical situation in the far south-east corner of Europe on the Balkan Peninsula. The country’s area is rather small – only 111 000 sq km – but it is located at the meeting point of three bio-geographic regions: the mid-European forest, the Eurasian steppe and the Mediterranean. This location, together with the huge variety of landscapes, ensures a rich biodiversity. Eco tourism has never been so read more
09:00 Mon 22 May 2006 - Georgi Dimitrov, www.odysseia-in.com
Bulgaria has many mountain ranges, most of which are located in the southern region. This extremely mountainous country has an average altitude of more than 450m. Nearly a third of Bulgaria is covered by mountains, the main ranges being Rila, Pirin, Rhodope and Stara Planina.
The Rila Mountains are characterised by magnificent coniferous forests and alpine scenery. Mt Musala (2925m), the highest point on the Balkan read more
09:00 Mon 22 May 2006 - Clive Leviev-Sawyer
Lubomir Popiordanov sits down to sketch a profile of the type of visitor who comes to Bulgaria to explore the country’s wealth of alternative tourism. “They come in small groups, of about 10 to 20 at the most, and they are people definitely interested in Bulgaria, who have acquired an interest in Bulgaria, not to save money but to come here specifically, rather than to Bangladesh or Botswana,” says Popiordanov, who heads read more
09:00 Mon 22 May 2006 - Ivan Vatahov
The potential for Bulgaria’s tourism industry to become competitive lies in alternative forms and in offering exclusive experiences to foreign holidaymakers. In this way, the country could compete with Greece and Turkey, and even Italy and Spain, Professor Yulia Dilova, head of the advertising agency Bria, told Time for Travel. Dilova, who also teaches management at several Bulgarian universities, has spent a lot of time in read more
09:00 Mon 22 May 2006 - Clive Leviev-Sawyer
Astral Holidays was founded in Plovdiv in 1995 with just four employees. It now has about 60, and eight offices, in Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna, and in the summer season, in Sunny Beach and Golden Sands as well.
Since 1997, Astral Holidays has been an authorised IATA agent. Services that it has offered for some time include air ticket reservations, and incoming and outgoing travel services for destinations in Bulgaria read more
09:00 Mon 22 May 2006 - Clive Leviev-Sawyer
The Villa Kibela is a place of many dimensions. Margarita Kaisheva explains with enthusiasm about the villa, registered under the law on tourism in 2005, which is set adjoining Durankulak Lake in the alluring north Black Sea coast hamlet of Krapets, Shabla, about an hour’s easy drive north of Varna. It is in an area rich in opportunities for eco tourism and alternative tourism, deeply appreciated by visitors for its pristine read more
09:00 Mon 22 May 2006 - Lucy Cooper
For those of you who aren’t averse to trading a hotel bed for a sleeping bag under the stars, camping is an excellent way to experience Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast. We set off to explore the southeastern coast, from Sozopol down to the Turkish border, with a car, a tent, and two kids. Sozopol- There’s nothing quite like waking up to the smell of eggs and bacon frying outside the tent. This, followed by an after read more
09:00 Mon 22 May 2006 - Petar Kostadinov
Like every city in Bulgaria, Kavarna has a long and ancient history. The town has experienced the influence of Thracian, Greek, Slavonic, Proto-Bulgarian, Byzantine, Bulgarian and Ottoman civilizations, making it a great example of the cultural mix of the Balkans. The town was a significant economic and cultural centre in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, with rich and various cultural remains - stronghold walls, early- read more
09:00 Mon 22 May 2006
Tsonko Tsonev, Mayor of Kavarna answers questions from Petar Kostadinov
When does the tourist season start and end for Kavarna? Are there any tourists in the city yet, and if so can you tell where are they from?
The tourist season in Kavarna starts at the beginning of May and ends in the middle of October. The first tourists in the city have already arrived and are Bulgarians. What kind of tourists does Kavarna municipality rely on, foreigners or Bulgarians? The ratio of the tourists in read more
09:00 Mon 22 May 2006 - Clive Leviev-Sawyer
The final stretch of road from the inland to the south coast of Bulgaria runs along a short highway into Bourgas, and most holidaymakers are eager to swing the wheel to the right and continue their journey on to the resorts. But pause a while, if you will, and take in some of the attractions of Bourgas, the country’s fourth-largest city. There is a mild stigma in perceptions of Bourgas, that it is a highly industrialised, read more
09:00 Mon 22 May 2006 - Clive Leviev Sawyer
Summer in Bulgaria means for many feasting on fish, washed down with lavish doses of mastika. Not enough water that with that mastika, and the morning may leave you feeling as if you have a ton of licorice resting awkwardly on your head. One solution: more water, and one option is to take the healthy route of spending time at one of the country’s many mineral water spa resorts. Velingrad is probably the king read more
09:00 Mon 22 May 2006 - Ivan Vatahov
Another summer season is starting for the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Last year, seaside resorts saw that holidaymakers from traditional Bulgarian-coast loving countries like Germany starting to drop in number, unhappy with the noise and dirt caused by the excessive and seemingly incessant construction along the seacoast. Time for Travel spoke to Antoaneta Koleva, general manager of Business Hotel Varna, read more
09:00 Mon 22 May 2006 - Petar Kostadinov
The Black Sea capital of Bulgaria; the third-largest and fastest-growing city in the country; the pearl of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast; home of the oldest gold in Europe. These are the usual definitions you will read in most of the travel guides and websites about the city of Varna. This article will not try to prove or disprove these claims that the city had managed, over the past few years, to turn into its advertising hallmark. read more
09:00 Mon 22 May 2006 - Polina Slavcheva
So, you’ve made it to Bulgaria, or are planning to do so? Bulgarian public transport, especially city public transport, can be somewhat in a state of disrepair and it sometimes takes a wild spirit to enjoy it. Still, if you are planning to travel around a bit, you will be happy to find out that, first, it also often inexpensive; and second, that you can use it to get to most places of interest. For more tips, read on. Bulgarian State read more
