Dobrich
Dobrich Province is a province in northeastern Bulgaria. Its major city is Dobrich. In 1949, Dobrich (the city) was named Tolbukhin in honor of the Soviet General Fedor Tolbukhin, whose 3th Ukrainian Front was responsible for liberating the region. Tolbukhin province was created in a local government reorganization in 1959. The names of both the city and the province were reverted to Dobrich in 1991, after the fall of Communism. In the centre of the city is "the old city", a small district of reconstructed renaissance buildings. The city is the centre of the agriculture in the entire northern Bulgaria. It is also a place of increasing interest by the companies dealing with Bulgaria property management.
It is situated almost in the center of the Dobrudzha plateau, 50km to the north of Varna. It occurred in the 15th century under the name of Hadjioglu Pazardjik. In 1882 it was called Dobrich after the name of Dobtotich, a former ruler in Dobrudzha in the past. Some of the sights in Dobrich are the museum of Yordan Yovkov, the ruins of a Middle Ages settlement, the ancient necropolis, and a big number of monuments.
The Dobrich-Town municipality is located in the Dobrich district, which consists of eight municipalities: Dobrich-Town, Dobrich-Region, Balchik, Shabla, Kavarna, Tervel, General Toshevo and Kroushari. The municipality is situated in the Danube Hilly Plain upon the Dobrudzha Plateau - 45 km away from Airport Varna and 35 km away from the Balchik Harbour. The town of Dobrich is the second largest economic centre in Northeast Bulgaria. The municipality's territory encompasses the town of Dobrich and the "Riltsi" district with a total area of 1705 hectares. Bulgaria property management is present there permanently.
History
The remains found by archaeologists testify that there was human presence on the territory of Dobrich in antiquity and early middle ages. The devastating Pecheneg invasions of the first third of c. 9 AD depopulated the interior of Dobrudzha and the life in the settlements ceased for the whole period of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. In c. 14, a new settlement came into being in this crossroad area (roads from the Danube to the Black Sea and from Eastern Europe to the interior of the Balkan Peninsula passed through it). Its founder was the Turkish traveling merchant Hajioglou. In his honour and because of the important function of the town and the large food and livestock marketplace, it was named Hajioglou Pazarjik, which means "important marketplace" in Turkish. In c. 17-19, the town developed as a crafts, commercial and agricultural centre. Its culture took shape, its church and educational work developed, girls' education was introduced. Its town planning started in 1869.
The town was liberated from the Ottoman oppression on 27.01.1878. It was renamed to Dobrich after the medieval Dobrudzha ruler Dobrotitsa with a princely decree of 19.02.1882 (Bulgaria was a principality then). The town's development during the first decades of c. 20 was influenced by the political vicissitudes resulting from the three consecutive wars which were led by Bulgaria. The Day of the town of Dobrich is celebrated on 25 September, because on this date in 1940 the Rumanian occupation of South Dobrudzha was ended and the Bulgarian army entered Dobrich.
The town bore the name of the Soviet Marshal Tolbouhin for several decades during the Communist rule. The name Dobrich was restored with a decree of the President of 19.09.1990. Now Dobrich is one of the ten largest towns in Bulgaria - am important cultural, economic and administrative centre in the northeast economic region of the country in which Bulgaria property management dates since the time of the democracy recreation in 1990.
Relief
The town of Dobrich's territory is a part of the Danube Hilly Plain, which is characterized by flat and even hills, shallow and wide valleys with slanting slopes, cut through by the valley of the Souha Reka River which passes through the town. The town of Dobrich is situated upon a plain terrain and the increasing developments make the Bulgaria property management be interested in that fact. Terrains with a favourable incline prevail - from 1.5% to 6%. The incline at some places on the slopes of the valley of the Souha Reka River in the south part of the town reaches 12-15%. The Chorcholiikite hill with a 10-12% incline of the east and the north slopes and very slanting slopes is situated northwest of the town. The slopes of the valley which is situated eastwards of the North Industrial Zone are steeper - at some places they reach 10-15%.
Climate
The territory of the Dobrich municipality falls into the Temperately Continental Climatic Sub-Zone of the European Continental Climatic Zone. The average annual air temperature is 10.2°С. The absolute temperature minimum was registered in January - minus 22.7°С, and the maximum - in August and September - plus 39.1°С. The springs are comparatively cool, the autumns are warm because of the warming influence of the Black Sea. In winter the impact of the northeast air masses is more pronounced, which causes the greater differences in the thermal level through the year. The precipitation is characterized as weak - averagely 540 mm per year, with a clearly shown continental regime. The summer maximum is in June, the winter minimum - in February. 80% of the annual precipitation falls in summer.
Despite the comparatively low altitude above sea level the snow-cover lasts up to 2.5 months. The northeast winter winds cause the drifting and re-laying of the snow-cover and its heaping into deep snow-drifts. The region is windy, with a low percentage of calm weather - averagely about 20% per year. The main wind transfer is from the northwest, with a high velocity of the winter winds and a low velocity of the summer winds. The average relative air humidity is 78%. In the winter period the humidity reaches 85-86%, and in summer decreases to 68-69%. The balanced climate has turned the region into an attractive object of acquiring real estates in it and makes the services of Bulgaria property management especially necessary.
Resources
Soils. The soil cover has formed mainly upon a loess foundation at steppe and forest-steppe relations. Mainly black-earth soils have developed - leached and podzolized. Alluvial soils develop on the valley bottoms. In terms of their productivity characteristics these soils are highly productive. Lands of the 1st and the 2nd category are prevalent. Low-productivity swamped soils of the 5th category are situated only on one spot - northwest of the town and east of the Chorcholiikite.
Mineral resources. The town of Dobrich was built upon a terrain, whose geological foundation shows materials of the upper Miocene age: Sarmat limestone, clay and marl of considerable power - 50-80 m.
Water resources. The porosity of the loess cover and the Karsted limestone foundation together with the scanty precipitation and the weak incline of the terrain determine the lack of surface running waters and the presence of dry valleys. The surface waters are drained by a developed river network, which was formed in past geological times and is oriented to the north. The density of the river network is under 0.250 km/sq. km. The module of the drainage is low. It fluctuates from 0.5 to 1 l/sec/km. Its minimal manifestation is determined by the scanty precipitation quantities, the considerable evaporation, the loess and carbonate foundation and the weak incline of the terrain.
Forest fund. The natural vegetation occupies very limited areas. It has been displaced and is preserved only in those places that are less suitable for the development of agriculture. Age-old oak, hornbeam, elm, hazelbush, etc. forests. Now cultivated and agricultural vegetation prevails. The forest vegetation in the region is represented by different kinds of oak, linden, ash, crab-apple, hornbeam, etc. in the forest park Kobalaka and the artificial forest belts, which are a characteristic element of the landscape.
Population
According to the data from the census of 04.12.1992, the municipality's population numbered 119 814 inhabitants. In recent years, a lasting tendency towards a reduction of the municipality's population, which is typical of the country as a whole, affirmed itself. According to statistics, now 109 835 people live in the municipality and the number of inhabited houses makes the services of Bulgaria property management quite prefferable.
Characteristics of the Population. Age structure - worsened, with a negative tendency.
Natural population growth - decreasing. The expected annual growth of the town of Dobrich after the year 2010 is 1.500 – 2.000 people. Average density of habitation - 215 inhabitants per hectare, the number varies in the different administrative regions. Standard of habitation - 25 m2/person.
Unemployment. The seasonal employment in the economy and tourism has a considerable influence upon the parameters and characteristics of unemployment. Besides, the processes of privatization, the reduction of the quantity of work in the firms, the lack of orders, raw materials and markets for the production, the expiry of short-term labour contracts and other factors have led to the redundancy of a considerable part of the employed labour force.
The Dobrich-Town municipality consists of one settlement - the town of Dobrich. The municipality's territory is 2.200 decares. The many dispersed properties are an object of servicing by the Bulgaria property management companies. Pursuant to the administrative and territorial division of the Republic of Bulgaria, the town of Dobrich is the administrative centre of the Dobrich district and has a leading part in its development.
Transport System
Road network. Roads: First-class road Е-87: Bourgas - Varna - Balchik - Shabla ; second-class road Е-21: Silistra - Dobrich - Obrochiste - Albena; second-class road Е-27: Dobrich - Balchik - Kavarna; second-class road Е-29: Varna - Dobrich - General Toshevo. The railway junction connects Dobrich with the capital, the coast and some European countries. The Dobrich Railway Station has 12 main tracks and a capacity for the processing of about 50 000 metric tons of loads per year. The Dobrich-North Railway Station has the capacity for the processing of about 200 000 metric tons of loads per year. The street network is developed in accordance with the layout plans and regulation schemes and the terrains' conditions. It is radial-circle in its main part, with elements of a free or rectangular street network in some regions. There is an all-round ring road around the town, which takes in the uninterrupted load transit with destination Varna, Albena, Balchik, General Toshevo, Silistra, Shoumen, Rousse. The main street network within the town takes in the interrupted transit stream. Its total length is 165 km, including 60 km of main street network, qualified as follows: ІІ class town motorways - 21.60 kmм ІІІ class regional arteries - 19.80 km; ІV class main streets - 18.60 km.
All town motorways, regional arteries and main streets were constructed more than 20 years ago and the service life of the carrier layer of asphalt concrete has long ago expired. The transport services are chiefly performed by three firms - “Patnicheski Prevozi” Ltd. (Passengers' transportation), “Troleiboussen Transport” Ltd. (Trolley-Bus Transport), “PG Commerce” Ltd., and some private transporters, united into various associations. “Troleiboussen Transport” Ltd. is a municipal firm with 180 people on the staff. It has 50 trolley-buses, serves 11 town lines and transports about 100 000 passengers monthly. “Patnicheski Prevozi” Ltd. is a privatized state firm with 270 people on the staff. It has 38 busses for town transportation and 61 busses for inter-settlement transportation. It serves 8 town lines and transports about 60 000 passengers monthly. The firm serves about 40 inter-settlement schedules daily and transports about 200 000 passengers monthly. The Bulgaria property management firms use inevitably their services.
About 50 additional minibuses (From 8 to 14 seats) function on the municipality's territory, performing express inter-settlement transportation along the main destinations of the district and outside it. Those are separate transporters, united into associations, cooperatives and limited liability companies. Express minibus transportation in compliance with a transport scheme confirmed by the Town Council has been performed on the town's territory since1998. This new type of service is performed by “PG Commerce” Ltd. The firm has 10 minibuses and transports about 50 000 passengers monthly and is a serious partner of the Bulgaria property management bravch. About 750 taxi cars work in the municipality, which contributes to the better transport services to the population, especially in the late night hours and the holidays when the public town transport runs at larger intervals.
The two largest firms for load transportation - "Spetsializirani Prevozi" Ltd. (Specialized Transportation) and "Tovarni Prevozi" Inc. (Load Transportation), which have the capacity to serve the loads of the whole Dobrudzha region, are situated on the municipality's territory.
Water Supply
The water supply of the town of Dobrich comes from cathcment and drill wells, situated mostly around the town, through the pumping stations "Primortsi", "Minkovo", "Odrintsi", "Bogdan", "Almalii" and "Riltsi"; from the region of the village of Batovo, and the water-supply system "Shabla", whose structure includes a water-supply group from the region of the village of Makedonka. The water is acquired from two water-bearing strata, and the depth of pumping from the drill wells varies from 50 to 3000 metres. The total acquired water quantity which is supplied to the town of Dobrich is about 630 l/sec at a drinking water loss of 80%. The external water-supply system is 34 km long, including 23 km of asbestos-cement water-pipes and 11 km of steel water-pipes. The street water-supply system is 218 long, including 169 km of asbestos-cement, 24 km of steel, 15 km of zinc-coated, 8 km of polyethylene and 2 km of cast-iron water-pipes. The asbestos-cement water-pipes were constructed in the period 1953-1961 and the rubber seals of their bracings are strongly worn-out, which is a prerequisite for continual damages. The central town part is encompassed by an asbestos-cement ring ø 546 mm, constructed in the period 1968-1970.
A gradual replacement of the asbestos-cement ring ø 546 mm with cast-iron pipes ø 600 mm, and of the street asbestos-cement and zinc-coated water-pipes in the blocks of flats with polyethylene pipes has started with means, allocated by the World Bank for the so-called water loan of the Republic of Bulgaria. The water, supplied for the drinking and domestic needs of the town of Dobrich's population, meets the requirements of the Bulgarian State Standard 2823-83 and this achievement promotes the activities of the Bulgaria property management companies.
Sewerage
The town of Dobrich has a mixed sewerage system disposing of both the domestic and the atmospheric waters mostly through concrete pipes ø 200 mm. The length of the existing sewerage system is 160 km, and the length of the collector to the town waste water purification plant is10 km. The dimensioning during their designing was made at lower norms and a lower intensity of the precipitation, and besides sewerage pipes with smaller diameters were used during the building. All that led to a permanent overloading of the sewerage system and the collector bringing the waters to the town purification plant, and during peak loading - to the impossibility for the waste waters to be received and transported for their purification. The waste water purification plant is designed for a loading Q = 73 440 m3/day, and the actual loading is Q = 66 414 m3/day, i.e. the present state of loading is 90.4%. The purification is mechanical and biological with a treatment of the sediments. The constructed sewerage system is separated for domestic waters and for rainwater only in the "Balik" district. The districts "Riltsi" and "Izgrev" are without a constructed sewerage system. The degree of construction of the town's sewerage system is over 80% and the construction is continued every year.
Communications
6 objects for postal services function in the town of Dobrich, one of which - the Central Post Office, performs the full set of postal, telephone and telegraph services, and the other branches are specialized in performing the basic services in this sphere. The Dobrich-Town municipality is encompassed by two zoned telephone systems with analogue exchanges. The "Centre" system has 28 000, and the "Balik" system - 10 000 subscribers. Four mobile telephone systems function in the town - the digital systems of Mobiltel, Globul and Vivatel and an analogue system of Mobicom. The Bulgaria property management firms are among their most active clients. The telephones for public use for local and long-distance calls with chip phone cards are 70 in number, and with tokens - 80 in number. The construction of a settlement telephone system in the "Pineta" district is forthcoming, with which the larger part of the town with a few exceptions will be covered with new communications. A radio and television station for transfer and broadcasting of radio and television programs, cable televisions and telephony.
Heating System
A central heating of the town was planned in the past, but was not duly realized, and the plan is practically unfeasible in the present economic conditions. The analysis of the existing situation shows the following: There are 46 companies and public buildings with constructed local heating stations. 31 of them belong to industrial enterprises, and about 15 are in the range of the former "Toplofikatsia" (Heating), which has not functioned in recent years. The Directorate on Education and Youth Activities of the Dobrich-Town Municipality has its own 42 constructed local heating stations. A large part of the abovementioned objects, mainly in the residential buildings and the inter-building spaces, now do not perform their function for various reasons. The constructed heat-transmission systems leading to the abovementioned power objects are placed underground, in impassable concrete channels. The central heating system of the town is also in favour of the Bulgaria property management activities.
Agriculture
Cultivable land on the municipality's territory: 76 786 decares. Main farm crops - wheat, maize, sunflowers. Yields according to crops for 1999: Wheat - 380 kg/decare; Maize - 450 kg/decare; Sunflowers - 165 kg/decare.
Stock-breeding. Number of the farm animals: Cattle – total: 290; incl. cows: 125; Sheep – total: 330; incl. breeding females: 250; Goats – total: 54; incl. breeding females: 39.
Places of Trade and Services
According to data from the registration of the trading objects, by 31.12.2000 there are on the municipality's territory: 550 shops for industrial goods; 500 shops for foodstuffs; 500 places of catering and entertainment; 90 objects for services; 3 commodity markets. The objects for services are mainly represented by workshops for repairs of domestic appliances, service stations, computer halls, barber's, hairdresser's and cosmetic services. The Bulgaria property management companies work in close co-operation with all these services.
Ecology
Air. The air is temporarily in a good state because of the non-functioning industry. The meteorological and morph-graphical characteristics of the region bring forth favourable conditions for dispersion of the harmful emissions in the atmospheric air, or in other words, the Dobrich municipality is characterized by a low pollution potential. The main sources of pollution of the atmospheric air are the transport and the domestic heating installations. Two lasting zones of polluted air, which encompass almost the whole town, are being formed. In the most intensive part of the zones, the total concentration of the components of air pollution reaches 5-10 times above the safe norm. The respective is that it will be reduced to about half its present value, and its composition will be changed, but in spite of that it will remain above the safe norm with a changed range of the polluted air zone. The town of Dobrich is not included in the United System for Monitoring and Control of the Atmospheric Air. Measures taken for the reduction of the atmospheric pollution: gasification of the heating-boiler installations of 14 enterprises and the hospital in the town of Dobrich; forthcoming gasification of the heating-boiler installations of the town's schools and kindergartens; widening of the town's trolley-bus network and reduction of the bus town transport.
Waters. The "Izgrev' district occupies a substantial part of the town of Dobrich's territory. The district has existed for many years and its population is mostly Roma. A sewerage system is not constructed yet. The domestic waste waters are conducted into cesspits or directly into the surrounding spaces. All this constitutes a potential health and ecological problem for Dobrich. Over 80% of the total quantity of town waste waters is purified in the town waste water purification plant (TWWPP).
Education
The system of education includes 19 municipal mass schools of general education (10 primary and 9 secondary) and 8 vocational schools (7 technical schools (of secondary education) and 1 polytechnic secondary school). 8 secondary general-education schools are profiled and are attended by 2 367 pupils in 101 divisions with admission after the 7th or the 8th class. In 15 general-education schools early foreign-language learning is developed with 2 245 pupils in 114 divisions. In 10 general-education schools intensive learning of general-education subjects is organized with 1 754 pupils in 77 divisions.
The municipality's vocational training is carried out in 10 schools, situated in various parts of the town. 3 288 pupils are trained there in 29 specialties and 14 professions in 9 professional fields. Each vocational school has its own building and a base for practical training.
The schools are financed by the municipality, the ministries and some other establishments.
Culture and arts
Museums: Historical Museum;
The Home-Monument with the House-Museum “Yordan Yovkov”. The latter is founded in 1953. It has a total of over 163 000 museum exhibits. In 1968, A fund "Yordan Yovkov" was furnished. In 1980 it became the foundation of an autonomous museum specialized in literature, art and ballet - the Home-Monument with a House-Museum "Yordan Yovkov".
Ethnographic House. It was built in 1860-1861, and restored in 1970. It was proclaimed an architectural and cultural monument. Its collections of beautiful Dobrudzha fabrics and original national costumes and adornments are masterpieces of the folk art.
Libraries and Cultural Clubs:
The “Dora Gabe” Library was founded in 1950. With its 350 000 volumes, it is the largest book depository in the Dobrich district and the eight largest in the country.
People's Cultural Club “Yordan Yovkov”
The People's Cultural Club “Yordan Yovkov” was instituted on 11 May 1870. The cultural club's library has 170 000 library units. Four schools which admit children and youths aged from 4 to 19 work in the cultural club: a foreign language school with a four-year course of studies, a school of fine arts, a children's musical school and a school of ballet and sporting dances. The cultural club also performs publishing activities.
The town park is one of the oldest parks in the country - with a history of 130 years.
Albena
Albena is the place where the sea meets the sand. Sport and recreation facilities, numerous entertainment spots, nightlife in bars and beauty facilities - Albena has it all. Albena is a world of quality service and value! Albena - a delight for all ages - sandy beach, crystal sea, and as much or as little action as you need, Albena has something for everyone.
Albena offers a total of 13,000 beds in 40 hotels, 5 holiday villages and 1 campsite. It has 1 four-star, 17 three-star and 22 two-star hotels. The resort is intent on offering its guests the best it can by constantly improving hotel facilities and the standard of service. The resort's hotels are located in a natural environment, either right on the beach or on the nearby hills which command splendid views of the sea. One of Albena's latest acquisitions is the Maastricht Hotel, which houses the Dutch Hotel Management School. The Bulgaria property management companies work actively on the territory of the resort.
Albena is a Blue Flag winning resort, located in a picturesque and ecologically clean gulf on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, famous for its flower gardens, close to Varna international airport.
Hotels and restaurants
Albena has 39 hotels, three villa zones, 64 luxury bungalows, campsite, satellite TV 102 catering establishments, ranging from top class restaurants to fast food outlets to suit any taste and pocket Year-round climatic and spa center in the Dobrudzha Hotel: hightly trained medical staff, 120 kinds of medical procedures making wide use of natural factors, special cosmetics programmes.
Sports facilities
Yachting clubs, horse-riding club, football field, wind surfing, 8 tennis courts, paragliding, 9 swimming pools, bowling alley, water skiing, boat-driving banana and other sport entertainments. Albena offers a holiday in cozy comfortable hotels and delicious Bulgarian, European and Eastern cuisine Albena provides for its guests a variety of services for recreation, health and beauty at the spa and leisure centre in the Dobrudzha 4 star hotel all the year round Albena is the perfect place for business contacts and meetings, as well as for entertainment at the night clubs. The apartments of the foreign citizens are being served by the Bulgaria property management companies.
Bar Variety and Casino - congress center with conference halls and simultaneous translation facilities in 4 languages Children's amusement park - fun fair with kid's discos, mini trains, and inflatable castles.
Balchik
Location: The town of Balchik is a relatively large settlement along the Northern seaside with its population numbering 13,766 people and a harbor used for medium-sized passenger and commercial vessels. It is situated 31km north of Varna in a beautiful inlet and 17 km south of Kavarna which is also a sea resort.
History: The place was first inhabited by Ionians in the 5th century BC. At that time, the settlement was called Kmuni or Krounoi after the Greek word for springs, due to the abundance of karst springs in the area. Later on it was renamed Dionisopolis after the name of Dionisius, the Greek god of wine and feasts. According to one of the most popular explanations, the town received this name after a statute of Dionisius was dragged there by the sea. The god’s image appeared also on the coins minted there. Noteworthy, the town was a rather important centre on the northern Black Sea coast till the beginning of the new era and it was second in significance only to Varna (named Odessos at that time). Later on the town was included in the territory of Bulgaria. Around the 13th - 14th century AC it was moved to a natural fortification, called Dzhina Bair. Following its rule by the Boyar Balik, it received its present-day name of Balchik. The town flourished and grew into a big corn-trading centre after the Crimean War (1853-1856). Yet after the Balkan War which ended 1913, it was annexed to the territory of Romania. Struck by the natural beauty of the place, The Romanian Queen Maria built a summer palace and a botanical garden there. The royal complex also included a chapel and a villa for Romanian aristocrats. The town turned into a luxurious resort at the time. After 1940 Balchik was again included in Bulgarian territory.
Places of Interest: Apart from the palace complex and the botanical garden, which is the biggest and most diverse on the Balkans, the town also appeals to tourists with its ancient spirit, reflected into steep pebbled streets and houses made of stone and adobe. The palace complex consists of a central palace with a high tower, numerous buildings, a terraced park, summer houses made of stone and propped up on marvelous columns facing the sea, a throne under an old tree where Queen Maria loved to watch the sunset, and a small chapel where her heart is preserved. There are more than 3,000 rare and exotic species of plants in the botanic garden, which has made it a part of the teaching facilities of Sofia University. The whole complex was called Tenha Yuva (Quiet Nest). Besides the palace and the botanic garden, the Art Gallery of the town, which houses also the town’s museum, is also an interesting place to visit. There is also a small ethnographic museum and a beautiful old church called St. Nicola. A Renaissance complex with the old school, which is quite well preserved, can be other possible destinations of a walk. The coastal alley, which is about 4 km long, is also a nice place to stroll, the same way as the harbor and the small streets of the town are.
Outside the city, the area of Touzlata is located 4 km east of the town. It is well known for its curative mud, which was the main reason to build a curative centre there beside two lakes, formed by old landslides. A large recreational complex, a lot of villas, bungalows and a camping site can be also found there. There is a mineral spring with water temperature of above 30ºC. Two big camping sites - Sandrino Camping and Beliyat Bryag Camping are also located near Balchik. They offer various opportunities for rest and water sports, clubs, bars, numerous bungalows for tourists having no camping equipment, small restaurants and snack bars for seafood and continental food. Fifteen kilometers away from the town in south-west direction is the village of Obrochishte with a well-preserved fortress dating back to the early Ottoman rule, which travelers of that time used to compare it with the beauty of Baghdad.
Accommodation: The most popular hotels in the town are Valeo Hotel, Elit Hotel, Rai hotel and Paris hotel. One can reserve rooms at the Palace as well. There are bungalows near the shore in the Tihiya Kut Resort (The Quiet Corner) and many private lodgings offered in the town with their prices depending on the comfort and the distance to the beach or the centre. Not far from the town is the Bisser Camping offering bungalows and space for caravans to park and tents to put up. We also recommend the following local hotels: Balchik Hotel ***, Alex Hotel ***, Diana Hotel ***, Green Bay Lodge ***, Horizont Hotel, Complex **, Jupiter Hotel 2 **, Lotos Hotel ***, Residence Sinfonie ***, Victoria Hotel **, Villa in Balchik and Villa Romantika **. The firms in the branch of Bulgaria property management serve the new owners of real estate in the resort town.
The Valeo hotel *** is situated on the sea side of Balchik near the Botanique garden and the Palace Complex. The hotel is on the coast street, just a second away from the central part of the town. The individuality of The Valeo Hotel is the complex of home comfort and the innovation taste. The lobby of the hotel gently confides the guests that they have made the best choice. The restaurant makes them feel cozy thanks to its comfortable atmosphere and selected music. Everyone can see the quantity of the hotel if they see the interior and feel the attitude. The hotel has 58 places, organized in rooms and studios. There are air-conditioning, a mini-bar, a toilet and a bathroom in every single room. All rooms have a sea view. There is swimming pool for children near by.
The Elit hotel *** is situated in Balchik near the Botanic garden, 250 m from the seacoast. The furniture of the rooms and the apartments is modern. The whole hotel offers everything needed for a real vacation. It offers 54 rooms and 7 apartments. The guests of the hotel have the opportunity for using: a restaurant, a lobby bar, rent-a-car, parking, a swimming pool and billiard. Every room includes air-conditioner, TV-set, a mini-bar, a large terrace and a bathroom.
The Rai hotel ** is located in a picturesque bay, 6 km far from Balchik in the direction of Kavarna town. The hotel is ideally located only 20m from the sea coast. The hotel disposes of 20 rooms each one with extra-bed, 3 apartments. All rooms have a sea view and own bathroom/shower and toilet. There is also a restaurant, a bar, a parking lot, a swimming pool with children's section and a playground. Each room has its own bathroom/shower and toilet, two beds and one extra-bed. Seven rooms are equipped with air-condition, TV-set, refrigerator.
The Paris hotel ** is the newest in Balchik and is situated on the entrance of the town 300 m. away from the Palace and 700 m. away from the beach. It has 16 double rooms (from 15 to 19 sq. m. each) equipped with unique furniture, pleasant pastel tones and original lighting. Some of the rooms have TV-sets and three of them have additional air for one more. The hotel has an open area swimming pool, billiard, fitness, snack-bar with 100 sites that can be used by the visitors. Each room has a luxury sanitary knot – bathroom and WC. The parking place is non-stop security guarded.
Catering: Apart from several big restaurants in the palace, in the hotels and downtown, there are a number of small private restaurants and coastal stalls offering seafood, pizzas, spaghetti and other kinds of European cuisine. Groceries can be also an alternative for tourists who prefer to cook for themselves.
Transport: There is regular bus transport to the nearby town of Dobrich, Varna and the Albena resort. Apart from buses, there are numerous route taxis and private minibuses, taxis and water transport to Varna and Albena.
Kavarna
Kavarna is a small port town which has a broad outlet on the Black Sea to the Eastern and Southern sides. The coast is varied and there are cliffs combined with beaches and abrasive formations such as caves, fissures, etc. The area lacks surface running water and irrigation is most valuable. There is a steep cape called Kaliakra near the town, famous for the romantic legend about forty ‘maidens’ committing suicide in the name of Christianity. It is also famous for the caves - once the habitat of the extremely rare Black Sea monk seal.
Kavarna is one of the ancient towns on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. First it was situated nearer to the sea but after an earthquake in I c. B.C. the old town Byzone has been partly drawned into the sea and later, in Roman times, it was rebuilt at a new place, 3 km inland. During the times of the First and Second Bulgarian Kingdom it was the administrative centre of Dobrudzha.
Recently Kavarna is known as cozy and attractive resort town with a number of family hotels and villas and the Bulgaria property management becomes increasingly necessary for the convenience of the tourists.
It is situated almost in the center of the Dobrudzha plateau, 50km to the north of Varna. It occurred in the 15th century under the name of Hadjioglu Pazardjik. In 1882 it was called Dobrich after the name of Dobtotich, a former ruler in Dobrudzha in the past. Some of the sights in Dobrich are the museum of Yordan Yovkov, the ruins of a Middle Ages settlement, the ancient necropolis, and a big number of monuments.
The Dobrich-Town municipality is located in the Dobrich district, which consists of eight municipalities: Dobrich-Town, Dobrich-Region, Balchik, Shabla, Kavarna, Tervel, General Toshevo and Kroushari. The municipality is situated in the Danube Hilly Plain upon the Dobrudzha Plateau - 45 km away from Airport Varna and 35 km away from the Balchik Harbour. The town of Dobrich is the second largest economic centre in Northeast Bulgaria. The municipality's territory encompasses the town of Dobrich and the "Riltsi" district with a total area of 1705 hectares. Bulgaria property management is present there permanently.
History
The remains found by archaeologists testify that there was human presence on the territory of Dobrich in antiquity and early middle ages. The devastating Pecheneg invasions of the first third of c. 9 AD depopulated the interior of Dobrudzha and the life in the settlements ceased for the whole period of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. In c. 14, a new settlement came into being in this crossroad area (roads from the Danube to the Black Sea and from Eastern Europe to the interior of the Balkan Peninsula passed through it). Its founder was the Turkish traveling merchant Hajioglou. In his honour and because of the important function of the town and the large food and livestock marketplace, it was named Hajioglou Pazarjik, which means "important marketplace" in Turkish. In c. 17-19, the town developed as a crafts, commercial and agricultural centre. Its culture took shape, its church and educational work developed, girls' education was introduced. Its town planning started in 1869.
The town was liberated from the Ottoman oppression on 27.01.1878. It was renamed to Dobrich after the medieval Dobrudzha ruler Dobrotitsa with a princely decree of 19.02.1882 (Bulgaria was a principality then). The town's development during the first decades of c. 20 was influenced by the political vicissitudes resulting from the three consecutive wars which were led by Bulgaria. The Day of the town of Dobrich is celebrated on 25 September, because on this date in 1940 the Rumanian occupation of South Dobrudzha was ended and the Bulgarian army entered Dobrich.
The town bore the name of the Soviet Marshal Tolbouhin for several decades during the Communist rule. The name Dobrich was restored with a decree of the President of 19.09.1990. Now Dobrich is one of the ten largest towns in Bulgaria - am important cultural, economic and administrative centre in the northeast economic region of the country in which Bulgaria property management dates since the time of the democracy recreation in 1990.
Relief
The town of Dobrich's territory is a part of the Danube Hilly Plain, which is characterized by flat and even hills, shallow and wide valleys with slanting slopes, cut through by the valley of the Souha Reka River which passes through the town. The town of Dobrich is situated upon a plain terrain and the increasing developments make the Bulgaria property management be interested in that fact. Terrains with a favourable incline prevail - from 1.5% to 6%. The incline at some places on the slopes of the valley of the Souha Reka River in the south part of the town reaches 12-15%. The Chorcholiikite hill with a 10-12% incline of the east and the north slopes and very slanting slopes is situated northwest of the town. The slopes of the valley which is situated eastwards of the North Industrial Zone are steeper - at some places they reach 10-15%.
Climate
The territory of the Dobrich municipality falls into the Temperately Continental Climatic Sub-Zone of the European Continental Climatic Zone. The average annual air temperature is 10.2°С. The absolute temperature minimum was registered in January - minus 22.7°С, and the maximum - in August and September - plus 39.1°С. The springs are comparatively cool, the autumns are warm because of the warming influence of the Black Sea. In winter the impact of the northeast air masses is more pronounced, which causes the greater differences in the thermal level through the year. The precipitation is characterized as weak - averagely 540 mm per year, with a clearly shown continental regime. The summer maximum is in June, the winter minimum - in February. 80% of the annual precipitation falls in summer.
Despite the comparatively low altitude above sea level the snow-cover lasts up to 2.5 months. The northeast winter winds cause the drifting and re-laying of the snow-cover and its heaping into deep snow-drifts. The region is windy, with a low percentage of calm weather - averagely about 20% per year. The main wind transfer is from the northwest, with a high velocity of the winter winds and a low velocity of the summer winds. The average relative air humidity is 78%. In the winter period the humidity reaches 85-86%, and in summer decreases to 68-69%. The balanced climate has turned the region into an attractive object of acquiring real estates in it and makes the services of Bulgaria property management especially necessary.
Resources
Soils. The soil cover has formed mainly upon a loess foundation at steppe and forest-steppe relations. Mainly black-earth soils have developed - leached and podzolized. Alluvial soils develop on the valley bottoms. In terms of their productivity characteristics these soils are highly productive. Lands of the 1st and the 2nd category are prevalent. Low-productivity swamped soils of the 5th category are situated only on one spot - northwest of the town and east of the Chorcholiikite.
Mineral resources. The town of Dobrich was built upon a terrain, whose geological foundation shows materials of the upper Miocene age: Sarmat limestone, clay and marl of considerable power - 50-80 m.
Water resources. The porosity of the loess cover and the Karsted limestone foundation together with the scanty precipitation and the weak incline of the terrain determine the lack of surface running waters and the presence of dry valleys. The surface waters are drained by a developed river network, which was formed in past geological times and is oriented to the north. The density of the river network is under 0.250 km/sq. km. The module of the drainage is low. It fluctuates from 0.5 to 1 l/sec/km. Its minimal manifestation is determined by the scanty precipitation quantities, the considerable evaporation, the loess and carbonate foundation and the weak incline of the terrain.
Forest fund. The natural vegetation occupies very limited areas. It has been displaced and is preserved only in those places that are less suitable for the development of agriculture. Age-old oak, hornbeam, elm, hazelbush, etc. forests. Now cultivated and agricultural vegetation prevails. The forest vegetation in the region is represented by different kinds of oak, linden, ash, crab-apple, hornbeam, etc. in the forest park Kobalaka and the artificial forest belts, which are a characteristic element of the landscape.
Population
According to the data from the census of 04.12.1992, the municipality's population numbered 119 814 inhabitants. In recent years, a lasting tendency towards a reduction of the municipality's population, which is typical of the country as a whole, affirmed itself. According to statistics, now 109 835 people live in the municipality and the number of inhabited houses makes the services of Bulgaria property management quite prefferable.
Characteristics of the Population. Age structure - worsened, with a negative tendency.
Natural population growth - decreasing. The expected annual growth of the town of Dobrich after the year 2010 is 1.500 – 2.000 people. Average density of habitation - 215 inhabitants per hectare, the number varies in the different administrative regions. Standard of habitation - 25 m2/person.
Unemployment. The seasonal employment in the economy and tourism has a considerable influence upon the parameters and characteristics of unemployment. Besides, the processes of privatization, the reduction of the quantity of work in the firms, the lack of orders, raw materials and markets for the production, the expiry of short-term labour contracts and other factors have led to the redundancy of a considerable part of the employed labour force.
The Dobrich-Town municipality consists of one settlement - the town of Dobrich. The municipality's territory is 2.200 decares. The many dispersed properties are an object of servicing by the Bulgaria property management companies. Pursuant to the administrative and territorial division of the Republic of Bulgaria, the town of Dobrich is the administrative centre of the Dobrich district and has a leading part in its development.
Transport System
Road network. Roads: First-class road Е-87: Bourgas - Varna - Balchik - Shabla ; second-class road Е-21: Silistra - Dobrich - Obrochiste - Albena; second-class road Е-27: Dobrich - Balchik - Kavarna; second-class road Е-29: Varna - Dobrich - General Toshevo. The railway junction connects Dobrich with the capital, the coast and some European countries. The Dobrich Railway Station has 12 main tracks and a capacity for the processing of about 50 000 metric tons of loads per year. The Dobrich-North Railway Station has the capacity for the processing of about 200 000 metric tons of loads per year. The street network is developed in accordance with the layout plans and regulation schemes and the terrains' conditions. It is radial-circle in its main part, with elements of a free or rectangular street network in some regions. There is an all-round ring road around the town, which takes in the uninterrupted load transit with destination Varna, Albena, Balchik, General Toshevo, Silistra, Shoumen, Rousse. The main street network within the town takes in the interrupted transit stream. Its total length is 165 km, including 60 km of main street network, qualified as follows: ІІ class town motorways - 21.60 kmм ІІІ class regional arteries - 19.80 km; ІV class main streets - 18.60 km.
All town motorways, regional arteries and main streets were constructed more than 20 years ago and the service life of the carrier layer of asphalt concrete has long ago expired. The transport services are chiefly performed by three firms - “Patnicheski Prevozi” Ltd. (Passengers' transportation), “Troleiboussen Transport” Ltd. (Trolley-Bus Transport), “PG Commerce” Ltd., and some private transporters, united into various associations. “Troleiboussen Transport” Ltd. is a municipal firm with 180 people on the staff. It has 50 trolley-buses, serves 11 town lines and transports about 100 000 passengers monthly. “Patnicheski Prevozi” Ltd. is a privatized state firm with 270 people on the staff. It has 38 busses for town transportation and 61 busses for inter-settlement transportation. It serves 8 town lines and transports about 60 000 passengers monthly. The firm serves about 40 inter-settlement schedules daily and transports about 200 000 passengers monthly. The Bulgaria property management firms use inevitably their services.
About 50 additional minibuses (From 8 to 14 seats) function on the municipality's territory, performing express inter-settlement transportation along the main destinations of the district and outside it. Those are separate transporters, united into associations, cooperatives and limited liability companies. Express minibus transportation in compliance with a transport scheme confirmed by the Town Council has been performed on the town's territory since1998. This new type of service is performed by “PG Commerce” Ltd. The firm has 10 minibuses and transports about 50 000 passengers monthly and is a serious partner of the Bulgaria property management bravch. About 750 taxi cars work in the municipality, which contributes to the better transport services to the population, especially in the late night hours and the holidays when the public town transport runs at larger intervals.
The two largest firms for load transportation - "Spetsializirani Prevozi" Ltd. (Specialized Transportation) and "Tovarni Prevozi" Inc. (Load Transportation), which have the capacity to serve the loads of the whole Dobrudzha region, are situated on the municipality's territory.
Water Supply
The water supply of the town of Dobrich comes from cathcment and drill wells, situated mostly around the town, through the pumping stations "Primortsi", "Minkovo", "Odrintsi", "Bogdan", "Almalii" and "Riltsi"; from the region of the village of Batovo, and the water-supply system "Shabla", whose structure includes a water-supply group from the region of the village of Makedonka. The water is acquired from two water-bearing strata, and the depth of pumping from the drill wells varies from 50 to 3000 metres. The total acquired water quantity which is supplied to the town of Dobrich is about 630 l/sec at a drinking water loss of 80%. The external water-supply system is 34 km long, including 23 km of asbestos-cement water-pipes and 11 km of steel water-pipes. The street water-supply system is 218 long, including 169 km of asbestos-cement, 24 km of steel, 15 km of zinc-coated, 8 km of polyethylene and 2 km of cast-iron water-pipes. The asbestos-cement water-pipes were constructed in the period 1953-1961 and the rubber seals of their bracings are strongly worn-out, which is a prerequisite for continual damages. The central town part is encompassed by an asbestos-cement ring ø 546 mm, constructed in the period 1968-1970.
A gradual replacement of the asbestos-cement ring ø 546 mm with cast-iron pipes ø 600 mm, and of the street asbestos-cement and zinc-coated water-pipes in the blocks of flats with polyethylene pipes has started with means, allocated by the World Bank for the so-called water loan of the Republic of Bulgaria. The water, supplied for the drinking and domestic needs of the town of Dobrich's population, meets the requirements of the Bulgarian State Standard 2823-83 and this achievement promotes the activities of the Bulgaria property management companies.
Sewerage
The town of Dobrich has a mixed sewerage system disposing of both the domestic and the atmospheric waters mostly through concrete pipes ø 200 mm. The length of the existing sewerage system is 160 km, and the length of the collector to the town waste water purification plant is10 km. The dimensioning during their designing was made at lower norms and a lower intensity of the precipitation, and besides sewerage pipes with smaller diameters were used during the building. All that led to a permanent overloading of the sewerage system and the collector bringing the waters to the town purification plant, and during peak loading - to the impossibility for the waste waters to be received and transported for their purification. The waste water purification plant is designed for a loading Q = 73 440 m3/day, and the actual loading is Q = 66 414 m3/day, i.e. the present state of loading is 90.4%. The purification is mechanical and biological with a treatment of the sediments. The constructed sewerage system is separated for domestic waters and for rainwater only in the "Balik" district. The districts "Riltsi" and "Izgrev" are without a constructed sewerage system. The degree of construction of the town's sewerage system is over 80% and the construction is continued every year.
Communications
6 objects for postal services function in the town of Dobrich, one of which - the Central Post Office, performs the full set of postal, telephone and telegraph services, and the other branches are specialized in performing the basic services in this sphere. The Dobrich-Town municipality is encompassed by two zoned telephone systems with analogue exchanges. The "Centre" system has 28 000, and the "Balik" system - 10 000 subscribers. Four mobile telephone systems function in the town - the digital systems of Mobiltel, Globul and Vivatel and an analogue system of Mobicom. The Bulgaria property management firms are among their most active clients. The telephones for public use for local and long-distance calls with chip phone cards are 70 in number, and with tokens - 80 in number. The construction of a settlement telephone system in the "Pineta" district is forthcoming, with which the larger part of the town with a few exceptions will be covered with new communications. A radio and television station for transfer and broadcasting of radio and television programs, cable televisions and telephony.
Heating System
A central heating of the town was planned in the past, but was not duly realized, and the plan is practically unfeasible in the present economic conditions. The analysis of the existing situation shows the following: There are 46 companies and public buildings with constructed local heating stations. 31 of them belong to industrial enterprises, and about 15 are in the range of the former "Toplofikatsia" (Heating), which has not functioned in recent years. The Directorate on Education and Youth Activities of the Dobrich-Town Municipality has its own 42 constructed local heating stations. A large part of the abovementioned objects, mainly in the residential buildings and the inter-building spaces, now do not perform their function for various reasons. The constructed heat-transmission systems leading to the abovementioned power objects are placed underground, in impassable concrete channels. The central heating system of the town is also in favour of the Bulgaria property management activities.
Agriculture
Cultivable land on the municipality's territory: 76 786 decares. Main farm crops - wheat, maize, sunflowers. Yields according to crops for 1999: Wheat - 380 kg/decare; Maize - 450 kg/decare; Sunflowers - 165 kg/decare.
Stock-breeding. Number of the farm animals: Cattle – total: 290; incl. cows: 125; Sheep – total: 330; incl. breeding females: 250; Goats – total: 54; incl. breeding females: 39.
Places of Trade and Services
According to data from the registration of the trading objects, by 31.12.2000 there are on the municipality's territory: 550 shops for industrial goods; 500 shops for foodstuffs; 500 places of catering and entertainment; 90 objects for services; 3 commodity markets. The objects for services are mainly represented by workshops for repairs of domestic appliances, service stations, computer halls, barber's, hairdresser's and cosmetic services. The Bulgaria property management companies work in close co-operation with all these services.
Ecology
Air. The air is temporarily in a good state because of the non-functioning industry. The meteorological and morph-graphical characteristics of the region bring forth favourable conditions for dispersion of the harmful emissions in the atmospheric air, or in other words, the Dobrich municipality is characterized by a low pollution potential. The main sources of pollution of the atmospheric air are the transport and the domestic heating installations. Two lasting zones of polluted air, which encompass almost the whole town, are being formed. In the most intensive part of the zones, the total concentration of the components of air pollution reaches 5-10 times above the safe norm. The respective is that it will be reduced to about half its present value, and its composition will be changed, but in spite of that it will remain above the safe norm with a changed range of the polluted air zone. The town of Dobrich is not included in the United System for Monitoring and Control of the Atmospheric Air. Measures taken for the reduction of the atmospheric pollution: gasification of the heating-boiler installations of 14 enterprises and the hospital in the town of Dobrich; forthcoming gasification of the heating-boiler installations of the town's schools and kindergartens; widening of the town's trolley-bus network and reduction of the bus town transport.
Waters. The "Izgrev' district occupies a substantial part of the town of Dobrich's territory. The district has existed for many years and its population is mostly Roma. A sewerage system is not constructed yet. The domestic waste waters are conducted into cesspits or directly into the surrounding spaces. All this constitutes a potential health and ecological problem for Dobrich. Over 80% of the total quantity of town waste waters is purified in the town waste water purification plant (TWWPP).
Education
The system of education includes 19 municipal mass schools of general education (10 primary and 9 secondary) and 8 vocational schools (7 technical schools (of secondary education) and 1 polytechnic secondary school). 8 secondary general-education schools are profiled and are attended by 2 367 pupils in 101 divisions with admission after the 7th or the 8th class. In 15 general-education schools early foreign-language learning is developed with 2 245 pupils in 114 divisions. In 10 general-education schools intensive learning of general-education subjects is organized with 1 754 pupils in 77 divisions.
The municipality's vocational training is carried out in 10 schools, situated in various parts of the town. 3 288 pupils are trained there in 29 specialties and 14 professions in 9 professional fields. Each vocational school has its own building and a base for practical training.
The schools are financed by the municipality, the ministries and some other establishments.
Culture and arts
Museums: Historical Museum;
The Home-Monument with the House-Museum “Yordan Yovkov”. The latter is founded in 1953. It has a total of over 163 000 museum exhibits. In 1968, A fund "Yordan Yovkov" was furnished. In 1980 it became the foundation of an autonomous museum specialized in literature, art and ballet - the Home-Monument with a House-Museum "Yordan Yovkov".
Ethnographic House. It was built in 1860-1861, and restored in 1970. It was proclaimed an architectural and cultural monument. Its collections of beautiful Dobrudzha fabrics and original national costumes and adornments are masterpieces of the folk art.
Libraries and Cultural Clubs:
The “Dora Gabe” Library was founded in 1950. With its 350 000 volumes, it is the largest book depository in the Dobrich district and the eight largest in the country.
People's Cultural Club “Yordan Yovkov”
The People's Cultural Club “Yordan Yovkov” was instituted on 11 May 1870. The cultural club's library has 170 000 library units. Four schools which admit children and youths aged from 4 to 19 work in the cultural club: a foreign language school with a four-year course of studies, a school of fine arts, a children's musical school and a school of ballet and sporting dances. The cultural club also performs publishing activities.
The town park is one of the oldest parks in the country - with a history of 130 years.
Albena
Albena is the place where the sea meets the sand. Sport and recreation facilities, numerous entertainment spots, nightlife in bars and beauty facilities - Albena has it all. Albena is a world of quality service and value! Albena - a delight for all ages - sandy beach, crystal sea, and as much or as little action as you need, Albena has something for everyone.
Albena offers a total of 13,000 beds in 40 hotels, 5 holiday villages and 1 campsite. It has 1 four-star, 17 three-star and 22 two-star hotels. The resort is intent on offering its guests the best it can by constantly improving hotel facilities and the standard of service. The resort's hotels are located in a natural environment, either right on the beach or on the nearby hills which command splendid views of the sea. One of Albena's latest acquisitions is the Maastricht Hotel, which houses the Dutch Hotel Management School. The Bulgaria property management companies work actively on the territory of the resort.
Albena is a Blue Flag winning resort, located in a picturesque and ecologically clean gulf on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, famous for its flower gardens, close to Varna international airport.
Hotels and restaurants
Albena has 39 hotels, three villa zones, 64 luxury bungalows, campsite, satellite TV 102 catering establishments, ranging from top class restaurants to fast food outlets to suit any taste and pocket Year-round climatic and spa center in the Dobrudzha Hotel: hightly trained medical staff, 120 kinds of medical procedures making wide use of natural factors, special cosmetics programmes.
Sports facilities
Yachting clubs, horse-riding club, football field, wind surfing, 8 tennis courts, paragliding, 9 swimming pools, bowling alley, water skiing, boat-driving banana and other sport entertainments. Albena offers a holiday in cozy comfortable hotels and delicious Bulgarian, European and Eastern cuisine Albena provides for its guests a variety of services for recreation, health and beauty at the spa and leisure centre in the Dobrudzha 4 star hotel all the year round Albena is the perfect place for business contacts and meetings, as well as for entertainment at the night clubs. The apartments of the foreign citizens are being served by the Bulgaria property management companies.
Bar Variety and Casino - congress center with conference halls and simultaneous translation facilities in 4 languages Children's amusement park - fun fair with kid's discos, mini trains, and inflatable castles.
Balchik
Location: The town of Balchik is a relatively large settlement along the Northern seaside with its population numbering 13,766 people and a harbor used for medium-sized passenger and commercial vessels. It is situated 31km north of Varna in a beautiful inlet and 17 km south of Kavarna which is also a sea resort.
History: The place was first inhabited by Ionians in the 5th century BC. At that time, the settlement was called Kmuni or Krounoi after the Greek word for springs, due to the abundance of karst springs in the area. Later on it was renamed Dionisopolis after the name of Dionisius, the Greek god of wine and feasts. According to one of the most popular explanations, the town received this name after a statute of Dionisius was dragged there by the sea. The god’s image appeared also on the coins minted there. Noteworthy, the town was a rather important centre on the northern Black Sea coast till the beginning of the new era and it was second in significance only to Varna (named Odessos at that time). Later on the town was included in the territory of Bulgaria. Around the 13th - 14th century AC it was moved to a natural fortification, called Dzhina Bair. Following its rule by the Boyar Balik, it received its present-day name of Balchik. The town flourished and grew into a big corn-trading centre after the Crimean War (1853-1856). Yet after the Balkan War which ended 1913, it was annexed to the territory of Romania. Struck by the natural beauty of the place, The Romanian Queen Maria built a summer palace and a botanical garden there. The royal complex also included a chapel and a villa for Romanian aristocrats. The town turned into a luxurious resort at the time. After 1940 Balchik was again included in Bulgarian territory.
Places of Interest: Apart from the palace complex and the botanical garden, which is the biggest and most diverse on the Balkans, the town also appeals to tourists with its ancient spirit, reflected into steep pebbled streets and houses made of stone and adobe. The palace complex consists of a central palace with a high tower, numerous buildings, a terraced park, summer houses made of stone and propped up on marvelous columns facing the sea, a throne under an old tree where Queen Maria loved to watch the sunset, and a small chapel where her heart is preserved. There are more than 3,000 rare and exotic species of plants in the botanic garden, which has made it a part of the teaching facilities of Sofia University. The whole complex was called Tenha Yuva (Quiet Nest). Besides the palace and the botanic garden, the Art Gallery of the town, which houses also the town’s museum, is also an interesting place to visit. There is also a small ethnographic museum and a beautiful old church called St. Nicola. A Renaissance complex with the old school, which is quite well preserved, can be other possible destinations of a walk. The coastal alley, which is about 4 km long, is also a nice place to stroll, the same way as the harbor and the small streets of the town are.
Outside the city, the area of Touzlata is located 4 km east of the town. It is well known for its curative mud, which was the main reason to build a curative centre there beside two lakes, formed by old landslides. A large recreational complex, a lot of villas, bungalows and a camping site can be also found there. There is a mineral spring with water temperature of above 30ºC. Two big camping sites - Sandrino Camping and Beliyat Bryag Camping are also located near Balchik. They offer various opportunities for rest and water sports, clubs, bars, numerous bungalows for tourists having no camping equipment, small restaurants and snack bars for seafood and continental food. Fifteen kilometers away from the town in south-west direction is the village of Obrochishte with a well-preserved fortress dating back to the early Ottoman rule, which travelers of that time used to compare it with the beauty of Baghdad.
Accommodation: The most popular hotels in the town are Valeo Hotel, Elit Hotel, Rai hotel and Paris hotel. One can reserve rooms at the Palace as well. There are bungalows near the shore in the Tihiya Kut Resort (The Quiet Corner) and many private lodgings offered in the town with their prices depending on the comfort and the distance to the beach or the centre. Not far from the town is the Bisser Camping offering bungalows and space for caravans to park and tents to put up. We also recommend the following local hotels: Balchik Hotel ***, Alex Hotel ***, Diana Hotel ***, Green Bay Lodge ***, Horizont Hotel, Complex **, Jupiter Hotel 2 **, Lotos Hotel ***, Residence Sinfonie ***, Victoria Hotel **, Villa in Balchik and Villa Romantika **. The firms in the branch of Bulgaria property management serve the new owners of real estate in the resort town.
The Valeo hotel *** is situated on the sea side of Balchik near the Botanique garden and the Palace Complex. The hotel is on the coast street, just a second away from the central part of the town. The individuality of The Valeo Hotel is the complex of home comfort and the innovation taste. The lobby of the hotel gently confides the guests that they have made the best choice. The restaurant makes them feel cozy thanks to its comfortable atmosphere and selected music. Everyone can see the quantity of the hotel if they see the interior and feel the attitude. The hotel has 58 places, organized in rooms and studios. There are air-conditioning, a mini-bar, a toilet and a bathroom in every single room. All rooms have a sea view. There is swimming pool for children near by.
The Elit hotel *** is situated in Balchik near the Botanic garden, 250 m from the seacoast. The furniture of the rooms and the apartments is modern. The whole hotel offers everything needed for a real vacation. It offers 54 rooms and 7 apartments. The guests of the hotel have the opportunity for using: a restaurant, a lobby bar, rent-a-car, parking, a swimming pool and billiard. Every room includes air-conditioner, TV-set, a mini-bar, a large terrace and a bathroom.
The Rai hotel ** is located in a picturesque bay, 6 km far from Balchik in the direction of Kavarna town. The hotel is ideally located only 20m from the sea coast. The hotel disposes of 20 rooms each one with extra-bed, 3 apartments. All rooms have a sea view and own bathroom/shower and toilet. There is also a restaurant, a bar, a parking lot, a swimming pool with children's section and a playground. Each room has its own bathroom/shower and toilet, two beds and one extra-bed. Seven rooms are equipped with air-condition, TV-set, refrigerator.
The Paris hotel ** is the newest in Balchik and is situated on the entrance of the town 300 m. away from the Palace and 700 m. away from the beach. It has 16 double rooms (from 15 to 19 sq. m. each) equipped with unique furniture, pleasant pastel tones and original lighting. Some of the rooms have TV-sets and three of them have additional air for one more. The hotel has an open area swimming pool, billiard, fitness, snack-bar with 100 sites that can be used by the visitors. Each room has a luxury sanitary knot – bathroom and WC. The parking place is non-stop security guarded.
Catering: Apart from several big restaurants in the palace, in the hotels and downtown, there are a number of small private restaurants and coastal stalls offering seafood, pizzas, spaghetti and other kinds of European cuisine. Groceries can be also an alternative for tourists who prefer to cook for themselves.
Transport: There is regular bus transport to the nearby town of Dobrich, Varna and the Albena resort. Apart from buses, there are numerous route taxis and private minibuses, taxis and water transport to Varna and Albena.
Kavarna
Kavarna is a small port town which has a broad outlet on the Black Sea to the Eastern and Southern sides. The coast is varied and there are cliffs combined with beaches and abrasive formations such as caves, fissures, etc. The area lacks surface running water and irrigation is most valuable. There is a steep cape called Kaliakra near the town, famous for the romantic legend about forty ‘maidens’ committing suicide in the name of Christianity. It is also famous for the caves - once the habitat of the extremely rare Black Sea monk seal.
Kavarna is one of the ancient towns on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. First it was situated nearer to the sea but after an earthquake in I c. B.C. the old town Byzone has been partly drawned into the sea and later, in Roman times, it was rebuilt at a new place, 3 km inland. During the times of the First and Second Bulgarian Kingdom it was the administrative centre of Dobrudzha.
Recently Kavarna is known as cozy and attractive resort town with a number of family hotels and villas and the Bulgaria property management becomes increasingly necessary for the convenience of the tourists.
