General Information about Bulgaria
Capital: Sofia
Population: 7,6 million (2008)
Area:111 000 sq.km. (43 000 sq.miles)
Major language: Bulgarian
Religion: Orthodox Christianity
Government: Parliamentary republic
Monetary unit: 1 lev = 100 stotinki
Main exports: Chemicals and plastics, food and drink, tobacco, machine-building equipment
Economy: Rapid economic growth in recent years, Budget surplus, currency tied to EUR, 80% private economy, Steady and improving investment rating of Bulgaria.
Stability: political, ethnic and economical stability, law system in accordance to the European Union
Taxes: low general levels of the taxes compared to other EU member states; lowest corporate tax
Culture: ancient culture on the crossroad between East and West;
Nature: extremely varied relief - 354 km. coast line, large plains and lowlands, low and high mountains, valleys and lovely gorges;
Climate: tempered continental, with clearly marked seasons
Tourism: Summer resorts- Sunny beach, Nessebar, Sveti Vlas, Ravda, Golden sands, Albena, Sozopol, Tsarevo
- Winter resorts: Bansko, Pamporovo, Borovets, Samokov
- Spa resorts: Sandanski, Bankya, Hisarya, Velingrad
Bulgaria
Bulgaria, one of the EU's newest members (joining in January 2007), has been through mammoth changes in the last few years. Many of the cities and resorts have been undergoing construction booms galore, tempting buyers from Western Europe with relatively cheap property.
Bulgaria's beach and ski resorts are expanding quickly as a result. The main cities have shrugged off their weary Communist-era image and have become vibrant and attractive, with well-kept boulevards, varied shopping and lively nightlife.
Spectacular mountains occupy half the country's territory and the swathe of golden beaches along the 370km- (232-mile-) long Black Sea bring in hordes of tourists from
around the world.
Visitors can stay in towns and villages that have aimed to preserve the authentic Bulgarian spirit and hospitality. Bulgaria is especially proud of its rich folklore traditions, and folk dances, music, national costumes and traditional rituals play an important part in the life of Bulgarians.
Bulgaria has had a turbulent history and recently experienced radical political changes. Having been a satellite of the Soviet Union for nearly half a century, Bulgaria chose its first democratically-elected president, Zhelyu Zhelev, in 1990. A constitution was adopted in 1991, the political parties were restored, and privatization and restitution of the land started. Such changes escalated in the run-up, and subsequent accession, to the European Union in 2007.
Sunny Beach
Bulgaria’s Sunny Beach is one of the country’s two most prestigious and prominent seaside resort destinations. It boasts an 8km long beautiful, sandy beach with clear, calm and safe waters. It is also very close to the mountains as well as the sea coast. It is found in the southern part of the Bulgarian Sea Riviera between the towns of Nessebar and St-Vlas.
The new resort’s construction was begun in 1958 at the site where two old wells that supplied Nessebar with water in ancient times were located.
Sunny Beach boasts a very clean environment with air that is purified by the gently breezes coming off the waters. It also features beautiful parks and green areas that provide ample opportunity for strolling, hiking or just sitting and enjoying the vibe.
Located 2km away from Nessebar, Sunny Beach is also ideally situated if you want to go exploring Bulgaria’s ancient past by visiting its many historic sites. Sunny Beach is also only 30 km away from Bourgas, which is the district capital. It has modern infrastructure and an airport served by charter flights in high season.
Given Sunny Beach’s proximity to some of Bulgaria’s more famous sights and landmarks, it serves as an excellent base for cultural tourism – especially if you are interested in the medieval settlements of the Eastern Balkan Mountains.
Sunny Beach has everything needed for a fun-filled vacation – tennis courts, swimming pools, bowling clubs and mini-golf playgrounds as well as polyclinics for treating small injuries or administering routine
health care. There are also shopping centers and an amphitheatre that can accommodate up to 1000 people.
The resort is currently recommended as an excellent real estate investment. Given the resort’s newer infrastructure and its proximity to the country’s more popular cultural sites, Sunny Beach represents the best of what Bulgaria has to offer – sun and surf along with historic sites of interest.
There are many types of property to choose from in Sunny Beach. Those interested in relocating to the resort can splurge on acquiring a luxurious seaside villa, while those looking to make more of an investment purchase would do well to sink their money into a studio or one-bedroom condo; as such units are easy to rent out when not in use. The best part is that prices at Sunny Beach are still tremendously affordable compared to such property markets as Spain and France.
Sunny Beach is definitely worth a look if you are serious about purchasing real estate in a place where the capital value growth is sure to appreciate significantly in the near to mid-terms. It is also a great place to consider if all you want is a beautiful second home to which you can escape every now and then.