When people think of Bulgaria, images of the Ottoman Empire are often what first come to mind. After that, most people don’t know much about this enigmatic country and what they do know is likely information they picked up before the country spent many years locked behind the wall of the Iron Curtain. Because of this, Bulgaria can boast to being almost untouched by overseas visitors and to being able to keep most of its hidden gems just that. Here are some facts about Bulgaria’s landscape that even regular visitors to the country might not know.
Bulgaria’s Black Sea Coast is famous for its swathes of sandy beaches, but the coast’s other claim to fame is playing host to the country’s largest bay. The Bourgas Bay stretches a colossal 31km inland and measures a breathtaking 41km wide. Divers will be interested to know the bay is 25m deep at its most unfathomable point.
On another watery note, Bulgaria’s longest river, the Iskar, runs for a staggering 368km, while its highest waterfall, the Raiskoto Praskalo measures a heady 124m tall.
If mountain ranges get your excited, the longest mountain range in Bulgaria stretches out to a mind bending 530km and is known as Stara Planina, or simply the Balkan mountains. Its highest peaks are found in the Rile mountains where the peak of Moussala hits 2,925m above sea level and is the highest point in the whole country.
Bulgaria used to be home to a number of now extinct animals, including lions, bison, lynxes and others. The last lynx in the country fell foul of man in 1941, while the largest bear in Europe was also shot and killed there in 1936. The country’s last wild lions were killed thousands of years ago during the conquests of the great Persian king Xerxes. Bison, however, have enjoyed something of a rival in modern Bulgaria: two bison were introduced to Voden forest in 1961 and now there are several dozen pairs of bison living throughout the country.
Bulgaria is a fascinating country filled with many secrets that adventurous travellers are sure to enjoy uncovering. This guide gives you a great jumping off point, but if you’re interested in learning more about Bulgaria the best way is to visit it yourself.
The Untouched Beauty of Bulgaria