Bordering Turkey, Greece and Romania, Bulgaria also meets with Macedonia, Serbia and the Black Sea. Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria sits in the west of the country.

A mixture of histories induces the Greeks, Romans, a Byzantine Empire, a Mongol invasion, and finally the Ottoman expansion which ended in the early 20th century. After the Second World War, Bulgaria came under the rule of the Soviet Union until 1989 when Soviet government was removed from power. In 1991 the Union of Democratic Forces won the parliamentary elections and by 1997, the country’s economy was on the road to stability.

Continuing its integration with the West, Bulgaria is fast becoming an economic, political and social force in Eastern Europe.

Renowned for its arts and crafts and music, Bulgaria holds a complex culture; ancient frescos, burial tombs, Thracian treasures of pure gold are just a few of its inheritance. Its music is the most marvellous aspect of its art – often described as mysterious, the style and scale of the vocal musicality has many experts puzzled as to how the human voice can produce such complex notation.

Highly regarded as part of  Bulgarian culture, the arts and crafts and festivities often take centre stage; fire dancing; growing and exhibition of  roses that date back to the Roman empire; circus performers; festival of masks marks the beginning of spring add to the cultural milieu.

Bulgaria also houses a great collection of fine art paintings and exhibits throughout the country, the most famous being the National Art Gallery housed in the Royal Palace in the capital Sofia.

Known throughout the world for its ceramics, Bulgaria supplies bone china throughout the west, often creating for well known companies. Handicrafts such as fleece rugs evoking the legends of Jason and the Argonauts and jewellery, particularly fret work dates back to ancient times.