Situation: Situated in southeastern Europe, Bulgaria occupies the northeastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. To the North, via the Danube River, it borders on Romania, to the West – on Serbia and Montenegro and on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. To the South its neighbors are Greece and Turkey. To the East Bulgaria touches the Black Sea, this links it also to Russia, Ukraine, and Georgia. The Black Sea borderline is 378 km (240 miles) long. The country’s total territory is about 111 000 sq. km (43 000 sq. miles).

Mountains: Bulgaria possesses a variety of natural forms, located in the range of 0 and 2,925 m. altitude. Its territory includes part of the lower Danube Plain, The Balkan Range – part of the Alpine-and-Himalayan chain, part of the Thracian lowland and to the south – the mountain structures of the Macedonian-Thracian massif. The best-known mountains are Rila (highest peak Mussala – 2,925 m.), Pirin (Vihren – 2,914 m.), Vitosha (Cherni Vrah – 2,291 m.), Stara Planina (the Balkan range -Botev Peak – 2,376 m.), and the Rhodopes (Golyam Perelik- 2,191 m.).
The mountains occupy half of this country’s territory, with the high-mountain relief – i.e. at an altitude above 1,600 m., comprising 5 % of its entire area. The Bulgarian mountains easily accessible and the presence of towns and villages in them that have preserved the authentic Bulgarian spirit and hospitality, gives a chance for receiving and accommodating tourists at village houses.

Rivers: The rivers rise mainly in the highest mountains and flow into the Black Sea and into the Aegean Sea. Bulgaria has 526 rivers longer than 2.3 km. The only navigable river is the Danube, that lies along the North Bulgarian border. There are good prerequisites for the development of adventure tourism: wild waters – rafting and canoe, diving, delta- and para- drifting in the river valleys of Vatcha, Iskar, Chepelarska, Struma, and Mesta rivers.

Climate: The predominant climate in Bulgaria is moderate and transitional continental. (2 000 to 2 400 hours of sunlight per year). Four seasons. Dry and hot summer. Average temperature (April - September): + 23 °C Cold winter with snowfalls, average temperature: 0 °C. The average yearly temperature is 10.5 °C. A Mediterranean climate, with dry summers and mild, humid winters, prevails in the valley of the southwestern Rhodope Mountains. The northern limits of the climatic zone are the Balkan Range. The average January temperature in Sofia ranges between -4° and 2°. The July temperature ranges between 16° and 27° C. Along the Black Sea, the average January temperature ranges between -1° and 6° C and the July temperature ranges between 19° and 30° C. The soft transitional Mediterranean climate and the fertile soils are very suitable for growing the century-famed Bulgarian attar-yielding rose – a valuable raw material for perfumery, medical, food and wine, and tobacco industries. Bulgaria has many territories, which have preserved in their natural state unique natural nooks, preserving a remarkable bio-diversity. Contemporary natural vegetation demonstrates a considerable ecological diversity. 12 360 species have been found in its composition, of which – 3 700 higher plants. The Bulgarian endemic plants, which are to be found nowhere else in the world, number more than 250: Rila primrose, Balkan violet, Bulgarian blackberry, Rhodopean tulip etc. Forests abound with wild fruits, briars, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, mushrooms – all of them of proven flavour and of qualities strengthening the body. There is also a great diversity of herbs and healing plants.

National Parks/Reserves: A network of 3 national parks has been set up (with a total area of 221 252.2 ha) – Rila, Pirin, and the Central Balkan, 9 natural parks (over 180 000 ha), reserves, as well as 2 234 protected territories and natural landmarks. Two of them (Pirin National Park and Sreburna biosphere reserve have been included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Together with further 16 biosphere reserves they offer wonderful conditions for photo-hunting, scientific-and-cognitive tourism and hobby tourism.

Spa resorts: Bulgaria has some 500 deposits of mineral waters with over 1 600 water sources. These are localized chiefly at the mountain foothills. The spa resorts of all-national significance are Bankya, Velingrad, Sandanski, the mineral baths of Stara Zagora, Narechen, Sliven and Haskovo, as well as Kyustendil, Varshets, Pavel Banya, Hissarya, Merichleri, Momin Prohod, and Kostenets.