Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Leonora Enking

Mountains

Over 80% of Greece consists of mountains. It is one of the most mountainous regions in all of Europe, third only to Norway and Albania. It is located in South-Eastern Europe at the convergence of three continents, Europe, Asia, and Africa. What makes this country unique is the view of the sea from almost any mountain top. The mountains are not very high, the tallest being just less than 3,000 meters, but the sea is never more than 100 Km. Mount Olympus is the tallest mountain and contains over 52 peaks. It also is home to a variety of flora and fauna.

Peninsula

Greece offers a unique combination of largely mountainous regions, but also a peninsula. Peninsulas are characterized as being projected into a large body of water but connected to a mainland. Often a peninsula is surrounded by almost 75% water. Greece is located at the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula on the Peninsula of Haemus.  This peninsula is connected to the mainland by the canal of Corinth Isthmus.

Islands

Greece includes over 1600 islands and islets that are grouped into clusters. There are on 227 of the islands that are actually inhabited though. Five of the most popular and well known are: Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, the Dodecanese and the Cyclades. An entire vacation alone could be spent exploring this vast region of islands. Potentially the most famous is Crete. It is the largest island in Greece and fifth largest in the Mediterranean. It serves as a large tourist hub so much of the economy and business caters to travelers.  The other islands are lesser known than Crete but still have much too offer. With less tourism traffic it is possible to get around easier and more efficiently yet still enjoy the beauty and wonder of the Grecian islands.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Ronald Saunders

Hot Springs

One significant hot spring has been the site of many battles of centuries due to its valuable location on the Balkan Peninsula that is a necessary passage route from the north to the south. This was the site where the Persians and Spartans battled and the oft repeated saying “Go tell it to the Spartans” was ignited.

Forests of Greece

Up to one quarter of the land area of Greece is covered by forests. They are considered to be of significant value to the natural landscape and tourism industry so they are widely protected. Housed within these forests are many national parks where afternoons picnicking can be a delightful treat. These parks tend to be located deep within valleys in between gorges so an afternoon dining provides quite a sight to see as well.

The landscape of Greece is truly amazing and you should definitely explore it yourself if you have the chance.  Villa holidays in Greece are ideal for people of all ages and with villas located throughout the country you can stay somewhere beautiful and unique depending on your tastes.

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Although the history of Bulgaria is closely connected with Turkish influence, cultural roots date back to the days of the Roman Empire. At that time, today’s territory of Bulgaria became a Roman province. Bulgaria was founded in the 7th century. Part of the residents were Slavic, and part came from Asia.

In the 11th century Bulgaria was conquered by Byzantium, and from the late 14th century it belonged to Turks throughout five centuries. Perhaps due to this fact, Bulgaria didn’t build any castles during the Middle Ages, just like in Central Europe. The resistance against Turkish domination culminated in the early 20th century, when Bulgaria became independent. However they didn’t enjoy the independence for a long time and before 1 World War II it was merged with neighboring countries against Turkey. After inappropriate policy Bulgaria has lost part of its territory in a dispute with its allies. After World War I and later after World War II, Bulgaria again had to give up other parts of its territory. The inclusion of Bulgaria into Eastern Bloc meant to stop economic development. Just the revolutionary period in the late of 20th century enabled the reforms and reorientation. Today Bulgaria is one of the leading tourist destination countries.

Further information:

Official name: Republic of Bulgaria
Capital city: Sofia
Area: 110.910 km2
Number of residents: 7.537.929
Density: 74 people per km2
Time zone: GMT + 2 h (+ 3 h in summer)
Currency: lev (Lv)
Official language: Bulgarian
Water area: 360 km2
Land area: 110550 km2
Board lengths: 1808 km
Coast lengths: 354 km
Neighbours: Romania, Serbia, Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Turkey
Average age of man: 70
Average age of woman: 76
Ethnic group: Roma
Religion: Orthodox 30%, Muslim 7%, Atheists 60%
GDP per person: 1510 $
The highest mountain: Musala – 2.925m above the sea level
The lowest point: Black sea
The longest river: Marica (526 km)
Biggest city: Sofia (1.125.000 people)
Ports: Burgas, Lom, Nesebur, Ruse, Varna, Vidin

Why visit Bulgaria?
- Bulgaria is an interesting country that has everything: sea, sandy beaches, quaint historic towns, cultural and architectural attractions, old monasteries, modern resorts, high mountain… In Bulgaria, everyone can find something interesting, whether you like to relax by the sea, discover the historical treasures, walk through the picturesque streets of coastal towns or mountain hiking.
- Bulgaria is cheaper than Croatia, France, Italy, Spain and other traditional tourist destinations.
- In Bulgaria you can taste various dishes typical for Bulgaria (Shopska salad, kaškaval, Moussaka and many others)

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