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  In the near past, this ancient, quiet, rather undistinguishable resort town was familiar to the Russians only because of the Bulgarian toothpaste “Pomorin”. Some of them used to associate the town’s name with one of the most designated trademarks of brandy in the former Soviet Union: the Bulgarian “Pliska” and “Slanchev Briag”. At that time, neither the Russians, nor the Bulgarians, have imagined that, in the beginning of XXI century, Pomorie would turn into a luxurious place for rest, and would be one of the best seaside balneological resorts in Bulgaria. The 100 years old Pomorie comprises two parts – the old part of the town is situated on a peninsula that could be reached by just one narrow road. That distinguishable town with history is densely built-up, with narrow winding streets – expressive, and even eclectic (the native guides usually talk with pride about the several buildings built in style “Modern”). The new town is situated on the continental part, and according to the guides, it is not less attractive than the old town. It has its places of interest, rectangular quarters, with lots of tiny hotels with luxurious rooms, and the new buildings are really impressive with the individuality of their designs.

  Pomorie is a balanced and quiet resort. It does not impose its places of interest on its guests, although some interesting architectural monuments could be seen there, such as the active monastery “St. George”, which has been built on the seaside and has preserved its appearance of the year 1856, or the little church “Preobrazhenie Hristovo”, the construction of which dates back to the year 1764; the quite interesting Thracian tomb-mausoleum, situated on several kilometers south of the town, in the location “Kuhata”. When you enter it, you pass a 22 meter-long corridor and reach a room, which has served the Thracians as a tomb, and the Romans – as a mausoleum.

  The first contemporary balneological public health station was built here in the year 1902, and nowadays, on the Pomorie lake’s shore, there are a contemporary balneological center with a resort polyclinic, departments for mud-cure, water-cure, physiotherapy and curative gymnastics, a medical boarding-house and a sanatorium.

  Tourists do not have to comply with any imposed modes of rest in the town. The guests of Pomorie have the possibility of either choosing the beach, or taking pleasure in a new kind of tourism – the wine one (sometimes, after visiting wine-cellars and testing wines, the excursions end with a lunch or dinner with folklore programme), or take care of their health due to the centuries-old balneological experience of the region.

  All that could explain why the population of Pomorie, which numbered to 14 000, is rapidly growing during the recent years. The place is also very attractive to foreigners who buy their second residences in Bulgaria.

  Sitting at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, Bulgaria is increasingly attractive for investors and tourists alike. With a population of 7.5 million, eastern Bulgaria faces the Black Sea and is bordered by Greece and Turkey to the south, Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro to the west, and Romania to the north. Known for its exquisite ski resorts in Bansko, Borovets, and Pamporovo, Bulgaria also offers sunny beaches on the shores of the Black Sea. The climate and economic conditions of the country make Bulgaria property investment attractive to Europeans and others from around the globe.

  Because Bulgaria isn’t yet a member of the European Union - although it is determined to become a member in 2007 - it doesn’t have the steep tax structure and production costs that make second homes cost prohibitive in EU countries. In addition, the Bulgarian government recognizes that tourism is an important component of its growing economy, and so offers a variety of financial incentives in order to attract investors to property in Bulgaria.

  With property investment television programmes dominating the listings, it is inevitable that real estate is beginning to attract more and more potential investors.

  Most of these programmes are also becoming increasingly adventurous in terms of the places they cover, which is having a direct result on the investment patterns of UK residents.

  In a report for Antara News, for instance, journalist David Burrows says that many investors are beginning to turn away from France and Spain in search of better value. He suggests that Bulgaria is a prime example, in that prices in the country are still exceptionally low but experts are predicting something of a boom before long.

  "The EU may be balking at Bulgaria's failure to rein in organised crime but second-home hunters seem to have no worries," pointed out Mr Burrows.

  Local real estate investment trust has bought for an undisclosed amount a land plot near the ferry port in Vidin, on the Danube, which will be developed into a logistics center, the Bulgarian stock exchange said Thursday, January 25.

  The 86,000 sq m land plot is occupied by 7 buildings with a combined area of 1,900 sq m.
The fund intends to build contemporary warehousing facilities that will be leased out.The fund is still in talks to buy a 1.5 ha land plot near the Sofia International Airport. The site could be developed into a logistics center if the sale price ensures the rate of return targeted by the fund.

  The fund is also still in negotiations to acquire between 5 ha and 10 ha in Sofia for residential developments.

  One of the fund’s projects in progress is a mixed-use building on 2.0 ha across from office property Business Park Sofia. The development is due for completion in 20-22 months.
The fund has on the drawing board a holiday village near Black Sea resort town Sozopol. It has bought a 3.0 ha land plot for the project.

  The first skyscraper in Bulgaria will be built on the Bourgas beach, Standart learnt.
The 150-meter high building will be built by Bourgas businessman Vaklin Stoinovski.
The project is already finished and the soil tests came out several days ago.
The tests show that the Northern beach of Bourgas, southeastern Bulgaria, is the most suitable for such a high building.
The skyscraper will be built on the place of the popular tavern Vodenitsata - The Mill, which is Stoinovski's property.

   Residential property prices in Bulgaria might increase by more than 70 per cent in the next five years as a result of the country’s European Union entry, experts from UK real estate agency Simpligroup said.

  The agency gives the example of Spain, where residential property prices have grown by 800 per cent since the country joined the EU. A similar development, though on a smaller scale, is expected in Bulgaria.

  The number of British entrepreneurs willing to invest in real estate in Bulgaria is growing, Downham said in the Bulgarian-language daily Pari. Investments in the future will be concentrated mainly in infrastructure and agricultural regions, according to Simpligroup.

  But this projection contradicts the forecast often given by Bulgarian real estate experts who believe the country’s EU entry has already had its effect on the local real estate market.

  Property prices in Bulgaria increased by 36.6 per cent in 2005, compared to the previous year, according to National Statistical Institute data. Prices vary according to region. In Sofia and Varna the increases were between 20 and 25 per cent. In smaller cities, prices rose by more than 70 per cent.
Apartments in the capital city continue being most expensive, the cheapest property is in Vidin. Bourgas property became significantly more expensive, by 46 per cent. Property in the Black Sea city costs almost as much as apartments in Sofia. Experts said that the boom that Sofia experienced a few years ago is now spreading to other cities, Dnevnik newspaper reported.

  Data also shows that construction is continuing at full pace throughout the country. Construction permits issued in 2005 numbered 55 per cent more than those in 2004. Smaller apartments are now more preferred than larger ones, while larger buildings are being constructed. The process is tied to the popularity of housing loans. More users are buying property with loans, experts said.

   An increasing number of Britons are buying second homes in Dubai and Bulgaria, according to a recent report of the British consultancy company HIFX.

  The number of Britons buying homes in Dubai is up 60 per cent on last year, while 77 per cent more people are buying a property in Bulgaria.

  "Although France and Spain remain the most popular destinations to buy abroad, due to their proximity and the cheap price of travel, British citizens are starting to look further afield," Alex Wright, director of HIFX, commented.

  "Bulgaria also is booming and the Black Sea resorts are reminiscent of Spain 20 years ago; investors are buying in their droves and there is similar activity in some of the ski resorts.

  "Supply is in danger of outstripping demand from a rental perspective so investors should be wary; capital growth is what most speculative investors are chasing at the moment. Traditional areas such as Spain and France are still popular with families looking for a holiday home and retirees who plan to spend the majority of their time abroad but the younger generation are becoming more adventurous."

  With the increased availability of cheap flights and the current popularity of relocation television programmes, property investors from the UK are becoming increasingly adventurous as they look for the perfect property.

  In an assessment of the current European property market, the Independent has suggested that Bulgaria has now become a genuine alternative to France and Spain as an estimated 80,000 Britons make the decision to purchase a second home in the coming months.

  Peter Esders, a partner at law firm John Howell & Co, states that because some people are solely interested in a holiday home while others will want either capital growth or income, it is impossible to isolate an individual area as the "best" choice for property investment.

  Nonetheless, he indicated that the rapid rise to prominence of a number of Eastern European markets had led to a shift in the usual emphasis.

  "Spain and France are still popular - but probably not as much as they used to be because of these new countries," said Mr Esders.

  Bulgaria's population has increased by three since 2005, two men and one woman. In August, archaeologists from the Institute of Archaeology discovered two additional tombs on Cape Kaliakra, during a site excavation. The tombs are thought to be from the country's early Christian period (seventh-eighth century CE) according to the uncoverers, and from the same family, but buried at different times.

  Instead of trying to privatise the national rails of iron, the country can put on public display a mediaeval sword. The weapon was found at the site of the two tombs and is particularly prized because such weapons are rarely found.

  Six point three more inches of gold and platinum have now been added to the country's miles of wealth. The dagger, found in August in an ancient Thracian complex near the village of Dabene, central Bulgaria, is believed to be 5000 years old.

  On the 500th day of Christmas my true love gave to me 500 tiny gold rings. The pieces of what appeared to be ancient jewelery were found at the same site as the dagger in August. Other finds include a small golden plaque, silver vessels, bronze and silver ritual knives and ancient pottery.

  Complementing the country's widespread construction, site exploration continues at Sostra, in northern Bulgaria. Unlike Bulgaria, however, Sostra's population and buildings are no longer functioning, having ceased civilization about 1500 years ago. Near Troyan in the northern part of the country, the ancient settlement sits on a Roman military road and spans the Danube and Phillipopolis, the present-day city of Plovdiv. While Sostra was first heard of in modern times from Hungarian traveller Felix Kanits in the late 19th century, current excavation of the site only began in 2002. Archaeological team leader Ivan Hristov from the National Museum of History said that so far, Sostra has been revealed to have a castello, a few civilian settlements, necropolis and more. Basically, it was a mid-second century to end-fifth century small Roman town. He said that the name derives from the Greek work “sostrum”, meaning a bandage or a waist-band; this perfectly describes Sostra, as it lay in a valley of the River Ossum, blocking unchecked access to the roads leading to Phillipopolis. The settlement had a rather violent history, with it being destroyed by the Huns in the late fifth century. “It was only in the late Middle Ages and the early National Revival period that settlements and roadside inns began to be built again along the River Ossum,” he said. “Sostra itself covers an area of four sq km, and was never densely populated. There is a crafts and trades quarter and a civilian settlement, called Vikus. The castello, in the shape of a diamond, is of an impressive size of 130 by 130m. The fortress walls, having sunk two metres in the ground, are presently uncovered.”