Britons living in Bulgaria. Guide to Bulgaria, Sofia and Varna

The Independent's travel section announced the growing popularity ...
THE WEST GOES EASTThe Independent, 27.06.05The Independent's travel section announced the growing popularity of Bulgaria among Britons! ...

Car-jackings are becoming more frequent."Claim to fame: The Cyrillic alphabet, now used across Russia, was devised in Bulgaria.Potential slogan: We invented yoghurt, and we've plenty more culture besides.© 2001-2008 Bononia. Close by are the remains of the Aladzha monastery, and caves occupied 7,000 years ago. Hotels were bady designed and run.In the past few years, Spanish hoteliers have been brought in to raise standards and by next summer, visitor numbers from Britain are expected to double, compared with 2003. Most taxis are metered, but these may be rigged and foreigners are often subject to overcharging. Some are hunting property, in advance of Bulgaria's membership of the EU. The best accommodation was kept for Communist Party officials, and holidaymakers suffered a dismal dining experience, despite the culinary traditions of Bulgaria (yoghurt was invented here, and it has excellent food and wine). The increase of visitors to Bulgaria is causing alarm in Spain and Greece, both of which suffered a slump in UK package holidaymakers last year. The strength of the euro, and perceptions of price rises in member states, persuades bargain-hunting Britons to look further east.Bulgaria has had cut-price holidays at its Black Sea resorts since the 1980s, but standards were poor.