Mountain Biking Rankings
Travel in Bulgaria
With a territory of 110,994 square kilometers 42,855 sq mi, Bulgaria ranks as the 15th-largest country in Europe. Several mountainous areas define the landscape, most notably the Stara Planina (Balkan) and Rodopi mountain ranges, as well as the Rila range, which includes the highest peak in the Balkan region, Musala. In contrast, the Danubian plain in the north and the Upper Thracian Plain in the south represent Bulgaria’s lowest and most fertile regions. The 378-kilometer 235 mi Black Sea coastline covers the entire eastern bound of the country. Bulgaria’s capital city and largest settlement is Sofia.
The emergence of a unified Bulgarian in Dupnitsa ethnicity and state dates back to the 7th century AD. All Bulgarian political entities that subsequently emerged preserved the traditions in ethnic name, language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian Empire 681–1018, which at times covered most of the Balkans and eventually became a cultural hub for the Slavs in the Middle Ages. With the decline of the Second Bulgarian Empire 1185–1396/1422, Bulgarian territories came under Ottoman rule for nearly five centuries. The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 led to the establishment of a Third Bulgarian state as a principality in 1878, which gained its full sovereignty in 1908. In 1945, after World War II, it became a communist state and was a part of the Eastern Bloc until the political changes in Eastern Europe in 1989/1990, when the Communist Party allowed multi-party elections and Bulgaria undertook a transition to democracy and free-market capitalism with mixed results.
Bulgaria functions as a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic. A member of the European Union, NATO, the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the World Trade Organization and a founding state of the OSCE and the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization, it has a high Human Development Index of 0.743, ranking 58th in the world in 2010. Bulgaria was visited by a total of 8,900,000 people, with Greeks, Romanians and Germans accounting for more than 40% of all visitors. Significant numbers of British, Russian, Dutch, Serbian, Polish and Danish tourists also visit Bulgaria. In 2010, Lonely Planet ranked it among its top 10 travel destinations for 2011.
Main destinations include the capital Sofia, coastal resorts Albena, Sozopol, Nesebar, Golden Sands and Sunny Beach and Sapareva banya and winter resorts such as Pamporovo, Chepelare, Borovetz and Bansko. The rural tourist destinations of Arbanasi and Bozhentsi offer well-preserved ethnographic traditions. Other popular attractions include the 10th-century Rila Monastery and the 19th-century Euxinograd chateau. Tourist activities, such as “ethno-tourism” and “architectural-cultural” tourism, are gaining ground, catering to specialized tastes. These are new types of tours, which involve interaction with and living amongst the local people, in mountain villages.
For the more adventurous, active recreation, involving mountain hiking and bike tourism, provides a close connection with nature. Climbers scale the granite mountains of Rila, Pirin and the Balkan. Hikers enjoy the mountains of Vitosha and the Rhodopes. Mountain biking, and bicycle racing are also recreations, and Bulgaria is one of only six countries to annually host the official 1,200 km Randonnees – ultra-marathon bicycle rides patterned after Paris–Brest–Paris.
Situated at the crossroads of the East and West, Bulgaria has been home to many civilizations – Thracians, Romans, Byzantines, Slavs, Proto-Bulgarians, and Ottomans. Bulgaria is rich in historical artifacts, but museus to keep them is up to be built (central historical and art museum is now being developed in Sofia), many of the museums and monasteries still need to be Panichishte properly advertised and maintained, and some of the most interesting heritage sites may not be easily accessible, due to poor infrastructure. Yet, some visitors regard such “underdevelopment” as desirable – those who prefer to experience history first-hand rather than look at artefacts behind glass.
About the Author
Author: Dani Catzarov
Jane Maria de Jesus – Campeã do Ranking Brasileiro de Mountain Bike XCO 2010
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Globe Pequot Press Mountain Biking- Washington Dc $17.95 Globe Pequot Press Mountain Biking- Washington Dc |
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Globe Pequot Press Mountain Biking Northern California $18.95 Globe Pequot Press Mountain Biking Northern California |
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Globe Pequot Press Mountain Biking North Carolina $16.95 Globe Pequot Press Mountain Biking North Carolina |
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Globe Pequot Press Mountain Biking Pennsylvania $19.95 Globe Pequot Press Mountain Biking Pennsylvania |
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Performance Video Performance Mountain Biking Dvd $29.95 Performance Video Performance Mountain Biking Dvd |
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The Mountaineers Mountain Biking Adventures- Four Corners Region $12.95 The Mountaineers Mountain Biking Adventures- Four Corners Region |
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Guided Mountain Biking Tour $305 This memorable mountain biking experience will provide all levels of riders an invigorating Sonoran Desert experience! Explore the expansive network of trails winding through the McDowell Mountain Regional Park, Arizona’s premier mountain bike trail system. In addition to sharpening your mountain biking skills, this adventure also allows you to learn about the fascinating flora and fauna, geology and history of the richly diverse Sonoran Desert. |
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Mountain Biking Singletrack Ride $120 This mountain biking adventure will take you to Park City and Midway areas, including lift access riding at one of our four amazing resorts.Our friendly and professional guides will help you learn the necessary techniques and skills to really enjoy this fantastic form of outdoor adventure.Whether you are looking to ride cross-country trails or technical downhills, your guide will customize your experience and lead you to the terrain you want to ride. |
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San Diego Mountain Biking $95 Climb onto your trail-ready mountain bike and rediscover your inner 10 year old! This mountain biking tour covers some of San Diego’s best wild areas and includes a combination of dirt roads and single track.Riding in the dirt is simply a blast as you bank off berms, cruise down hills and whip through rolling terrain catching a little air! We’ll share with you some secret wild places within San Diego city limits including quiet creeks and maybe a waterfall or two!As an off-road tour, expect to get dirty and bounced around a bit, all in good fun of course.The tour is designed for beginning mountain bikers, but will please riders of all abilities. You will ride in local parks including Penasquitos, Mission Trails and the Rose Canyon areas. |
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Ft. Lauderdale Mountain Biking $75 Get away from the everyday hustle and bustle to enjoy a truly memorable day mountain biking in scenic Oleta River State Park!Oleta River State Park is located at the northern end of Biscayne bay, just 15 minutes away from downtown Miami and 20 minutes away from downtown Fort Lauderdale.Enjoy a guided mountain bike tour, exploring Oleta River State Park’s extensive trail network, consisting of over 14 miles of challenging off-road trails. Your trained guide will lead you behind the scenes to give you an overview of the entire park.The Oleta River is a very beautiful place, and there is no more exciting way to explore this wonderful area than on a mountain bike. |
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Miami Mountain Biking $75 Get away from the everyday hustle and bustle to enjoy a truly memorable day mountain biking in scenic Oleta River State Park!Oleta River State Park is located at the northern end of Biscayne bay, just 15 minutes away from downtown Miami and 20 minutes away from downtown Fort Lauderdale.Enjoy a guided mountain bike tour, exploring Oleta River State Park’s extensive trail network, consisting of over 14 miles of challenging off-road trails. Your trained guide will lead you behind the scenes to give you an overview of the entire park.The Oleta River is a very beautiful place, and there is no more exciting way to explore this wonderful area than on a mountain bike. |
