Occupying the eastern area of the Balkan Peninsula in south-eastern Europe, Bulgaria is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, the Black Sea to the east and Greece to the south, with a population of roughly 7.3 million people.

The country spans an area of around 69,000 square miles, with topography varying from large plains and lowlands to mountains, valleys and deep gorges. The Balkan ranges, also called the Stara Planina, (Bulgarian for â€...

Bulgaria is a country caught in transition, slowly switching its gaze from west to east; hidden behind the Iron Curtain until the late 1980s, it is now one of the newest members of the EU. It is rapidly becoming one of Europe’s premier ski resorts, though Bulgaria’s most attractive feature is probably the Black Sea coastline, a fast-developing stretch of golden seas and luxurious resorts.

The country’s rich heritage includes Thracian, Roman and Turkish legacies, among...