Adventure, Nature, Culture - Penguin Travel

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contents: about bulgaria 1 about us 2 tour types and grades 2 roundtrips Roundtrip “Around Bulgaria” 3 Self drive 3 Wine & Dine 4 Short breaks 4 Roundtrip Macedonia & Albania 5 Rose festival 6 icon painting & Monastery tour 7 Hiking tours The Rila-Pirin mountain trek 8 Transbalkan trek 9 The Pirin-Rodopi mountain trek 10 Trigrad, Rodopi Mountains adventures 11 Bansko, Pirin Mountains adventures 12 Teteven, Balkan Mountains adventures 13 Mala Tsarkva, Rila Mountains adventures 14 Rock climbing course in Rila Mountains 15 Snowshoeing in Rodopi Mountains 15 Rodopi Mountains self-guided trek 16 Balkan Mountains self-guided trek 16 Trekking holiday in Sinaia, Bucegi Mountains (Romania) 17 Trekking in Northern Albania 17 cycling tours The Balkan cycling tour 18 Monastery cycling tour 19 Road cycling in Rodopi Mountains 20 Mountain biking in Rodopi Mountains 21 Devin, centre-based cycling trip in Rodopi Mountains 22 Tryavna, centre-based cycling trip in Rodopi Mountains 22 The heritage of Transylvania (Romania) 23 Horseriding tours The iskar Ranch rides 24 Balkan Riding Base – the Balkan rides 24 The Balkan riding trek – Ride trek over two mountains 25 The Rila Mountains riding trek 26 The Balkan Mountains trek to the “Singing Rocks” 27 Horse riding at the Black Sea 27 birdwatching tours Spring birding tour “200+ specialties” 28 Spring birding intense tour for keen birders 29 Birdwatching in Southern Bulgaria 29 Autumn birding along the spectacular “Via Pontica” flyway 30 Winter birding tour “Red-breasted goose” 31 Special interest tours 31 spa & Wellness 32 Holidays Winter holidays 34 Summer holidays 35 sofia & plovdiv guesthouses 36 rent a car 36
About Bulgaria More and more people around the world are now curious about Bulgaria. You may have heard bits and pieces concerning the country in general, you may have visited the famous beach and ski resorts, but Bulgaria offers far more than that. Located on the southeastern part of the Balkan Peninsula, Bulgaria boasts an ancient and rich history. The Thracians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Bulgarians and Slavs all inhabited these lands in their time, leaving behind monuments and enriching the world’s treasurehouse of culture, and amazing modern-day tourists. Here are some things you might not know about Bulgaria, but would be interested to know: • The Bulgarian state was founded in the year 681 • The oldest handcrafted gold was discovered in Bulgaria • The global perfume and cosmetics industry could not do without Bulgarian rose oil. Bulgaria produces 80 percent of the world’s supply • Bulgaria invented yoghurt • Bulgaria is one of the biggest wine producers • Bulgaria is the land of Orpheus – the mythical musician and singer In addition to its historical sites and remnants of ancient cultures, Bulgaria is renowned for its unique biodiversity – one of the richest in B r i e f a b o u t B u l g a r i a Europe. It features more than 12,500 plant species (with over 250 endemic varieties); about 770 vertebrates (over 420 species of birds, more than 20 of them globally threatened); and hundreds of nature reserves and protected areas. The beauty of Bulgarian nature has many faces: long sandy beaches on the sundrenched Black Sea coast; 37 mountains – each one with its own unique characteristic; over 550 mineral springs; fertile plains and valleys; deep gorges and mysterious caves. Some call the mountainous regions of Bulgaria the fortresses of Bulgarian spirit. They preserve not only the purity and variety of Bulgarian nature, in bygone times they maintained the spirit of the nation during difficult periods of Byzantine and Ottoman domination in the churches and monasteries hidden deep in the mountain slopes and woods. These regions keep another treasure – the Bulgarian village. Throughout the ages people followed tradition and created unique customs, folklore and crafts. The villages of the Rodopi Mountains and the small picturesque villages and museum towns in the Balkan range offer excellent opportunities for walking, cycling, hiking and horse riding in the area. Enjoy the beauty of Bulgarian nature, taste the spirit of an ancient and rich culture, discover unknown crafts and traditions, become acquainted with some of the finest cuisine and wines Territory: 1,110,912 sq km (11,957,756 sq ft). Population: 7,538,000 (2003) 83.9% ethnic Bulgarians; 9.4% Turks; 4.7% Roma; rest – smaller minorities including Russians, Armenians, Vlachs, Jews and Karakachans. Religion: 82.6% Orthodox; 12.2% Islam; 0.7% Protestant; 0.5% Catholic; 4.1% Other. Capital city: Sofia (1,182,698 people in 1992) Largest towns: Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Bourgas, Ruse, Stara Zagora, Pleven Mountains: 37. Longest – Balkan mountains: 550 km (341 miles); width – 30-60 km (18-37 miles); highest – Rila Mountain – Musala – 2,925 m (9,596 ft). Boundaries: North: Romania; East: Black Sea (coastline 378 km, or 234 miles); West: Serbia, Macedonia; South: Greece, Turkey. Distribution of land (above sea level): 59.8% – 0-400 m (0-1,312 ft); 27.6% – 400-1,000 m (1,312-3,280 ft); 11.9% – 1,000-2,000 m (3,280-6,561 ft); 0.7% – over 2000 m (6,561 ft). Protected areas: Three national parks, 10 nature parks, 55 reserves, 35 managed reserves, over 350 protected areas and 500 natural monuments 0 1
Page 1: penguin travel - bulgaria Penguin T
Page 5 and 6: oundtrips Wine & Dine I n t r o d u
Page 7 and 8: hiking tours The Rila-Pirin Mountai
Page 9 and 10: hiking tours Bansko, Pirin Mountain
Page 11 and 12: hiking tours Rodopi Mountains Self-
Page 13 and 14: cycling tours Road Cycling in Rodop
Page 15 and 16: horseriding tours The Iskar Ranch R
Page 17 and 18: irdwatching tours Spring Birding To
Page 19 and 20: SPA & Wellness SPA & Wellness Bulga
Page 21: hostels & rent-a-car Sofia & Plovdi

Adventure, Nature, Culture - Penguin Travel

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