Bulgaria is a country situated in Southeast Europe that occupies the eastern quarter of the Balkan peninsula, being the largest country within its geographic boundaries. It borders Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, and the Black Sea to the east. The northern border with Romania follows the river Danube until the city of Silistra. The land area of Bulgaria is 110,994 square kilometres (42,855 sq mi), slightly larger than that of Cuba, Iceland or the U.S. state of Tennessee. Considering its relatively compact territorial size and shape, Bulgaria has a great variety of topographical features. Even within small parts of the country, the land may be divided into plains, plateaus, hills, mountains, basins, gorges, and deep river valleys. The geographic center of Bulgaria is located in Uzana.
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain in the western parts of the country. The city is built west of the Iskar river, and has many mineral springs, such as the Sofia Central Mineral Baths. It has a humid continental climate. Being in the centre of the Balkans, it is midway between the Black Sea and the Adriatic Sea, and closest to the Aegean Sea.
Tourism in Bulgaria is a significant contributor to the country's economy. Situated at the crossroads of the East and West, Bulgaria has been home to many civilizations: Thracians, Greeks, Romans, Eastern Romans or Byzantines, Slavs, Bulgars, and Ottomans. The country is rich in tourist sights and historical artifacts, scattered through a relatively small and easily accessible territory. Bulgaria is internationally known for its seaside and winter resorts.
A subterranean river is a river that runs wholly or partly beneath the ground surface – one where the riverbed does not represent the surface of the Earth. It is distinct from an aquifer, which may flow like a river but is contained within a permeable layer of rock or other unconsolidated materials. A river flowing below ground level in an open gorge is not classed as subterranean.
Vitosha, the ancient Scomius or Scombrus, is a mountain massif, on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Vitosha is one of the symbols of Sofia and the closest site for hiking, alpinism and skiing. Convenient bus lines and rope ways render the mountain easily accessible. Vitosha has the outlines of an enormous dome. The territory of the mountain includes Vitosha nature park that encompasses the best known and most frequently visited parts. The foothills of Vitosha shelter resort quarters of Sofia; Knyazhevo quarter has mineral springs. Vitosha is the oldest nature park in the Balkans. The mountain emerged as a result of volcanic activity and has been subsequently shaped by the slow folding of the granite rock layers and a series of gradual uplifts of the area. It appears dome shaped at first sight, but the mountain, 19 km long by 17 km wide, actually consists of concentric denudational plateaus rising in tiers one above the other. Vitosha is separated into four main parts whose main ridges gather at a crown known as Cherni Vrah. This is the highest point of the mountain at 2290 m and is one of 12 peaks of Vitosha over 2000 m in height. It is the highest massif of Srednogorie mountain chain system, together with Sredna gora, Plana (mountain), Lyulin Mountain, Greben (mountain), Viskyar Mountain, etc. They all are a result of the folding of the earth layers through the Mesozoic, causing also magma sheet-like intrusion that has been injected between layers of sedimentary rock. The laccolithic domed form of Vitosha is a typical example.
The Pirin Mountains are a mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria, with the highest peak, Vihren, at an altitude of 2,914 m (9,560 ft).
Samokov is a town in Sofia Province in the southwest of Bulgaria. It is situated in a basin between the mountains Rila and Vitosha, 55 kilometres from the capital Sofia. Due to the suitable winter sports conditions, Samokov, together with the nearby resort Borovets, is a major tourist centre.
Vitosha Boulevard is the main commercial street in the centre of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, which has stores, restaurants and bars. It extends from the St Nedelya Square to the Southern Park. Many high-end fashion labels have outlets on Vitosha boulevard and the neighbouring streets: Versace, Escada, Bulgari, D&G, La Perla, Lacoste, Van Laak, Ermenegildo Zegna, Tru Trussardi, Moreschi, Marella, Max Mara, Gianfranco Ferré, Emporio Armani, Tommy Hilfiger, Boss, Baldinini. Among the notable buildings, located on the boulevard are: The National Palace of Culture, The Palace of the Courts, the house where the famous Bulgarian poet Peyo Yavorov lived and died. The corner of Vitosha and Patriarch Evtimiy boulevards, so called the Pharmacy, is a popular place for meetings.
Dragalevtsi is a neighborhood of Sofia, which is located at the foot of Vitosha Mountain. It is part of the administrative district "Vitosha" of Sofia Municipality. Dragalevtsi is an affluent quarter built up with luxurious one-family country houses, villas and hotels.
Perlovska river is a small river in the Sofia Valley in western Bulgaria. The river is only 17.8 kilometres (11.1 mi) long. It takes its source from the foothills of Vitosha, runs through Sofia's South Park, separates the two lanes of Evlogi Georgiev Boulevard, runs through the neighbourhood Poduyane, and finally flows into the Iskar River. The well-known Orlov Most is built over this river.
Vitosha is one of the 24 districts of Sofia, situated in the southern parts of the City on the foot of the Vitosha mountain. As of 2006 it has 42,953 inhabitants. The district includes 7 neighbourhoods: Boyana; Simeonovo; Dragalevtsi; Pavlovo; Buxton; Manastirski Livadi and Knyazhevo as well as two villages Vladaya and Marchaevo. It is among the richest and greenest districts in Sofia and Bulgaria with many beautiful residences, houses, villas and residential complexes.
Vladaya is a village on the Vitosha and Lyulin mountains in western Bulgaria at an altitude of about 1000 m. In the 2011 census in Vladaya were counted 4043 residents, which makes it the tenth-largest village in Bulgaria.
The Boyanska reka is a river in western Bulgaria, a left tributary to the river Perlovska.
Urvich is a medieval fortress in the territory of today's quarter Pancharevo, heir to the village of Glavishevo. It is located on the right riverside of Iskar River, in the hill of "Sredobardie", in the Lozen mountain, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) from Sofia downtown on the road to Samokov. In this region there is a river meander, which has been declared a natural landmark.
Opletnya is a village in Svoge Municipality, Sofia Province, western Bulgaria.
Boyana Waterfall is the largest waterfall in the Bulgarian Vitosha mountain, with a height of 25 meters.
Murgash is a peak in Bulgaria, in the Balkan Mountains mountain range. The peak is located in the East part of Murgash massive, with an altitude of 1,687 m (5,535 ft) above sea level.
Kladnitsa is a village in Southern Bulgaria. The village is located in Pernik Municipality, Pernik Province. Аccording to the numbers provided by the 2020 Bulgarian census, Kladnica currently has a population of 1277 people with a permanent address registration in the settlement.
