Bulgaria is located in the southeastern region of Europe on the territory of the Balkan Peninsula. In the north of the country, the Danube River flows, being the natural border between Bulgaria and Romania. In its southern part of Bulgaria there is a border with Greece and Turkey, in the western part – with Serbia and Macedonia. The geographical center of the country is located in the area of the city of Uzany. See Bulgaria abbreviations.
Bulgaria is a country that occupies a relatively small area and at the same time has a diverse landscape: the valleys here are adjacent to the hills, and the mountain ranges are adjacent to reservoirs and gorges.
The Danube is the largest navigable Bulgarian river, which collects water in the northern part of the country and discharges it into the Black Sea. The Danube tributaries located in Bulgaria, with the exception of the Iskar, begin in the Balkan Mountains, continuing the Southern Carpathians.
The length of the Balkan Mountains is about 600 kilometers, and the width is from 30 to 50 kilometers. Gradually losing height, they pass into the rocks of the Black Sea coast. The highest peak of the Balkan Mountains is Mount Botev (2376 meters).
The Sofia Basin (24 kilometers wide) is the largest in Bulgaria, its length is 96 kilometers. The capital Sofia is located here, and the most important cities of the country were based on the route passing through this basin and connecting Belgrade and Istanbul.
According to 800zipcodes, the main part of Bulgaria is located in the temperate climate zone, where hot and dry summers give way to cold winters with high rainfall.
Winter periods on the coast of the Danube are characterized by lower temperatures than areas located in the southern part of the country, whose climate is close to the Mediterranean.
The beach resorts of Bulgaria in summer are characterized by mild warm weather and a very long swimming season, lasting from May to October.
The spring and autumn months in Bulgaria are characterized by fairly mild weather with a predominance of sunny days.
The average annual air temperature is approximately +13 °С. The air temperature in the summer months ranges on average from +21 °С to +27 °С.
The average temperature of sea water in the coastal zone in summer is +24 °С.
Famous beach and medical resorts in Bulgaria:
Varna, Golden Sands, Nessebar, Mermaid, Kranevo, St. Constantine and Elena, St. Vlas, Primorsko, Burgas
Famous ski resorts in Bulgaria: Bansko, Borovets, Pamporovo
Bulgarian cuisine
Bulgarian cuisine has historically evolved under the influence of different peoples and cultures, the most noticeable similarity between the national dishes of Bulgaria, Armenia and Georgia.
The main products used in the preparation of various dishes in Bulgaria are meat and a variety of vegetables, as well as legumes: tomatoes, various types of peppers, onions, beans, lentils.
Vegetables are eaten both fresh and pickled, salted, they are used not only as a side dish, but also as part of the main dish. The national feature of the Bulgarian cuisine is the fact that the culinary specialists of this country perfectly combine dairy, flour, meat and fish products with vegetables.
In Bulgaria, they love and actively use various dairy products: yogurt, yogurt, kefir, sour milk – for making soups, stews, as well as cold snacks.
The most popular dishes of Bulgarian cuisine, which are worth a try (in different regions, the recipe for the same dish may differ): Shopska salad (with the addition of cheese and vegetables); “chushka byurek” – stuffed bell pepper baked in batter; “kebab” – meat fried on a spit; “tarator” – the Bulgarian version of okroshka with the addition of sour milk; drob-sarma (stuffed cabbage from mutton omentum); banitsa with feta cheese – roll with cheese filling.
For first-time visitors to the country, it will certainly be useful to know that in Bulgarian taverns (in the local language they are called “mehans”), as well as in many restaurants, portions are served large, despite the very low level of food prices in this country.
National Bulgarian cuisine is characterized by a wide use of spices, including spicy ones, so experimenting with different dishes can adversely affect the state of the gastrointestinal tract. It is also necessary to take into account the fact that many dishes containing meat are quite fatty.
Among soft drinks, freshly squeezed juices and coffee are popular. There is a national drink made from sour milk and water – ayran, which perfectly quenches thirst and has a pleasant refreshing taste.
As for alcoholic beverages, Bulgarian wines (of which there are over 600 names) have earned wide fame all over the world, thanks to their taste palette and quality. While in Bulgaria, you can visit (and more than one) wine tasting in such places as the Dimyat hut in Varna, Domain Boyar in Shumen, Domain Menada in the village of Orekhovitsa (Stara Zagora region), Villa Vinifera located in area of Plovdiv. There are many establishments offering tasting events in Bulgaria.
The most famous varieties of Bulgarian wines: “Gymza”, “Pamid”, “Merlot”, “Trakia”, “Hotel”, “Cabernet Sauvignon”. “Melnik”, “Mavrud”, “Khan Krum Traminer”, “Galatea”, “Rila Monastery”, “Riesling”, “Kadarka”.
In addition, the world-famous brandy is made in Bulgaria – brandy, various types of which are made from plums, grapes, apricots, cherries, sweet cherries and other types of fruits and berries. The most popular varieties of crayfish are “Biserna”, “Vrachanska”, “Muskatova”, “Shumensko”, “Astika”, “Zagorka”.
Some of the strongest beers are Shumensko Pivo, Astika and Zagorka.
