• Low cost of Living
• Hot Summers & Incredible Beaches
• Natural Weight Loss Foods
• Winter Skiing International Standard
• Culture 'as important as the pyramids'
• Beautiful Scenery
• Stable Economy
• Cheap Flights

• Golf Courses
• Natural Spa's and Healing
• Restaurants open all day
• Lower Cost Health Care
• Less Expensive & Great Shopping
• Five Star Service
• Kind and Generous Hospitality
• Historical Importance

Bulgaria is often described as 'Europe's best kept secret'. The food is good, the weather is great and you can enjoy skiing in winter and phenomenal beaches in the summer. (Download Bulgaria News)

Add the fact that it is an inexpensive country and you have a recipe for success. Perhaps that's why Bulgaria is the fastest growing tourism market in Europe. Strange but true, there are some things we won't be used to.For example, Bulgarians nod their heads for 'No' and shake for 'Yes' and the salt pot delivers pepper and the pepper pot the salt. The charm, intellect and fun of Bulgaria doesn't stop there though.

It’s now an open secret that Bulgarian wines are among the best in the world. Bulgaria can be geographically divided into five wine producing regions. Each one of those has its own distinct features and peculiarities and is somewhat different from the rest. "The success story of the Eastern Block" as called by R. Joseph, the editor of Wine magazine, Bulgaria is gaining reputation as a producer of high quality affordable wines.

Modern technology coupled with centuries old traditions and enormous natural potential bore fruit and Bulgarian wines are gaining popularity among consumers in Western Europe, United States, Canada, and even as far as China and Japan. The best wines are produced from the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties, high quality, rich, and Bordeaux-like. Local grapes include:

• Gamza - the most widespread sort produces earthy, light bodied red wine good for simple fare.
• Mavrud - is a full bodied, spicy red that can age to more than 8 years
• Melnik - grown in the southernmost part of the country makes hefty red wines that age very well
• Pamid - rustic and hardly unforgettable but still good enough "commercial" for weekly drinking.

Whites are produced from renowned varieties such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling as well as from the local: Misket, Ottonel, and Dimiat. Whites are nearly as good as reds and rapidly improving. The Sub Balkan Region contains the kettles at the Southern foot of the Balkan Mountain. These deep valleys produce unique micro climates. The famous in Bulgaria Sungurlare Misket comes from there as well as the excellent Sungurlare Eau deVie. White wines from different grapes are local specialty.

Slavjantzi is a popular winery from this region.The Southern Region includes the Thracian Valley from the Balkan Range to the Greek border and boasts almost Mediterranean climatic conditions particularly good for Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot production. The best Bulgarian variety grape-Mavrud grows in the Thracian Valley. Reds coming from this region are superb. Jambol and Haskovo are fine appellations.

Traditional food includes bread, pickled vegetables, salads, soups, stews, casseroles, stuffed vegetables, kebabs, spicy sausages and cheese dishes. Yoghurt is very popular and eaten most days. In fact, Bulgaria is said to be the home of yoghurt and Bulgarian yoghurt is thought to have curative properties.

Meat (pork, chicken, lamb and beef), fish and vegetarian dishes are served with staple foods such as rice and bulgar wheat. Vegetables include aubergines, beans, cabbage, carrots, corn, courgette's, cucumbers, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes and olives. Favourite desserts are pancakes, baklava, baked apples and fruit: apricots, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, grapes, melons, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, pears, plums and quinces.

Traditional alcoholic drinks are "rakiya" (a fruit brandy, often plum), wine and "boza" (a type of beer made with grain, usually millet). Non-alcoholic drinks include coffee, tea, juices, buttermilk and mineral water. It is said that Bulgarians are natural slim. The reason why this is obviously true is the traditional foods.

This is a must for everyone. Bulgarians love to farm and here you can buy far better fruit and vegetables than in the supermarkets. 

The size and taste of the tomatoes, huge water melons (dinya in Bulgarian), and wild strawberries are some of the delights on offer. The Central Market is quite simply one of those joyful life experiences.

As you walk between the stalls your senses will be awakened by the smells, tastes, sounds, vision and lively atmosphere created by the interaction between stall holders, customers and browsers.

Locally grown fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs, locally produced honey, cheeses and breads made in village kitchens, and a myriad of locally grown flowers grace the tables. To cap it all, you’ll struggle to spend more than £10.

Remains of two houses from a settlement of the Neolithic age, dating from the 6th millennium BC, in Stara Zagora are considered the best preserved from this early time uncovered, to date, on the European continent.

Witness the preserved ovens, grain storage pots, primitive mill for grinding grain, pottery, tools, etc. A museum exhibiting pottery, jewelry, tools, etc. from the numerous archeological excavations in the Stara Zagora region is located on the lower level.

This antique forum, a semi-circular gathering place, with the preserved pedestal for the statue of the Roman emperor Tryan, is one of the most monumental public facilities from the Roman town of Augusta Triana. An amphitheater and auditorium consisting of nine rows of descending stone seats is found in the northern portion of the area. The upper part of the amphitheater is crowned with an arched colonnade.

A facade of the town's thermal baths, built in the middle of the 2nd century AD, was discovered directly behind the auditorium on an area stretching for 1¾ acres.  To the west of the forum one can observe the fortress-like walls of the ancient town.

The inside wall was built at the end of the 2nd century and rebuilt, with increased thickness, in the 4th century. The outside wall was built at the end of the 5th century. An antique city-center east-west street, with ridges from chariot traffic, crosses the stone open space and ends at the western gate of the town. The gate is 4.2 meters wide and has three doors- two that raise up and down and one two-winged.

Located in the area around the town of Kazanluk is the Valley of Kings where you will find the Kazanluk Tomb from 3rd century BC, the Thracian Mausoleum at Ostrysha Mound from 4th & 3rd Century BC and the Thracian Tomb of Helvacius, Kolons & Griffins from 4th & 3rd Century BC.

The tomb is world-famous for its murals was unearthed by chance during the construction of an air defense observation post. It is also on UNESCO's World Heritage list. This is the only place in Bulgaria where completely preserved painting - a masterpiece of early Hellenistic art can be seen.

The Thracian Tomb is located in the north part of Tyulbeto Park and dates to the end of the 4-th or early 3-rd century). The spatial design of the Kazanluk Tomb, and in particular, the careful execution of the two brickwork chambers - the corridor and the burial chamber - indicate that the builders had considerable knowledge of the art of building. The murals are the chief asset of the Kazanluk Tomb, because they are the only entirely preserved work of Hellenistic art that has been found in exactly the state in which it was originally designed and executed.

Stara Zagora has a cultural tradition with an impressive number of talented poets, writers, artists, musicians and actors.

The State Opera Theater was the first provincial opera theater in Bulgaria and provides world class operas. In addition, the Geo Milev Drama Theater presents outstanding productions as does the State Puppet Theater which provides children and adults creative fun-filled productions.

The Opera House is also holding an Opera Masterclass (Worldwide) for Opera Conductors to be held between 19 - 31 March 2007 in Stara Zagora.

East of Stara Zagora is the "Valley of the Roses". Every May and early June it is magically transformed into a sea of beauty with a glorious scent and fields of color as far as the eye can see. The festival lasts for three days with celebrations of the rose through street parades, exhibitions, crafts and shows.

The period of the harvest lasts only 20-25 days. No other cultivation method has been able to preserve the character of the rose almost unchanged for over three centuries. This fact explains why there were no attempts at cultivating other rose varieties in the Rose valley near Kazanlak. It has established itself as a stable, independent type of rose, differing in its anatomy and physiology from the oil-bearing roses cultivated elsewhere.

Bulgaria produces over 80% of the worlds rose oil. The reason for this is hidden in the high qualities of the Bulgarian Kazanluk rose ("Kazanlashka roza"), a special type, that was cultivated in our country after many years of production and development. The Bulgarian roses  are inheritors of the so called Damascena rose, that was brought here ages ago. The rose oil is called "the liquid gold" of Bulgaria, because it is a very expensive and used extensively in major brand perfumery products.

Recently, Bulgarian monasteries, which are closely connected to the historical fate of the Bulgarian state and nation, have witnessed increasing tourist interest.

From the very start, monasteries have gained great importance as centers of the Bulgarian literature and culture and have preserved the nation's values during difficult times. Some of the monasteries, which date back to Byzantine times, have played a key role in keeping up the Bulgarians' spirit and self-consciousness during 5 centuries of Ottoman domination. Others were built in the late 20th century in the place of destroyed cloisters in order to restore past glory and respond to the religious needs of local people.

Due to Ottoman invasions or merely to the course of time, only few of the still-functioning monasteries keep their original architecture and interior of the buildings. Nevertheless, the visit of each one of them leaves a lasting memory and a deep impression. Some impose on the visitor with their unique design, others - with their valuable icons and masterly wall paintings, third - with their location in most beautiful and wild parts of the country.

Lovely parks filled with greenery, flowers and children’s playgrounds are plentiful in Stara Zagora. In the heart of town the City Garden is frequented by locals who revel in its shady nooks and paths.

Ayazmoto Park dominates the northern section of the city with 940 incredible acres of exotic trees, an open air theater, an astronomy observatory, a zoo, children’s playgrounds, countless hiking trails, and a sports complex. It’s a popular weekend gathering place for locals and tourists. Stara Zagora offers a unique and diverse shopping experience with a wide range of shops fully equipped shops from designer ware to crafts cater to the needs of both visitors and locals alike.

Tzar Simeon Veliki, the main shopping street has a pedestrian walkway lined with sidewalk cafes and real Parisian feel. Located 8 kilometers northeast of Stara Zagora, in the Mechi Kladenetz area, are the oldest copper mines in Europe dating from the end of the 5th millennium BC. Research of the 11 mines indicates that a huge quantity (for that time) of copper ore was extracted there. Semi finished objects made from copper, extracted from these mines, can be found in a large section Europe extending to the Volga river in Russia.

The Regional Art Gallery, established in 1908, houses 4,600 works of art. Many art galleries showcase the talents of local artists offering traditional and contemporary paintings, sculptures, ceramics, jewellery, leather goods and woven cloths. A visit to the following galleries will demonstrate the exceptional talents of both local artists and the artists of Bulgaria: Bayer, Ritzar, Ednorog, Zodiak, and the Radev.