• Swim in the Black Sea: Bulgaria has over 370km (232 miles) of glorious coastline with sandy beaches. Try busy resorts Sunny Beach and Golden Sands, picturesque Albena, historical Nesebar, the cultural and historical city of Varna, or the Mediterranean ambience of port city Bourgas.

• Ski the slopes. Quaint Bansko (website: www.banskoski.com) is the newest ski area, set in a historical town at the foot of the Pirin Mountains; Pamporovo (website: www.pamporovoresort.com), in the Rhodopi range, is Europe's southernmost ski resort; and Borovets (website: www.borovets-bg.com), in the Rila Mountains, is Bulgaria's oldest and largest mountain resort.

• Hike along Bulgaria's 35,000km (21,749 miles) of waymarked paths. One- or two-week trips through the wild mountains can be arranged. Guides are provided and accommodation is usually in mountain chalets, guest houses or camps.

• Climb every mountain: organised mountaineering and climbing trips can be arranged in the areas of Vratsa, Veliko Tarnovo, Trojan, Maliovitza and Roussenski Lom. The steep rocks of the Pirin, Rhodope, Rila and Stara Planina are popular with expert climbers, and there are numerous caves and spectacular rock formations, many with ancient cave paintings.

• Saddle up: horse riding has traditionally been popular in Bulgaria; possible itineraries include the Danube Valley, the Balkan, Rila and Stara Planina mountains and the Valley of Roses.

• For mountain biking enthusiasts, the Rhodopi mountains provide excellent trails, while cycling along the Black Sea coast is a popular family activity.

• Relax in Bulgaria's many mineral water spas. The curative properties of the Bulgarian mineral waters have been known and used for centuries. Ancient mineral complexes were built near the mineral springs and there are now plenty of top hotels with spas, especially around the Black Sea coast. 

• Sample the folklore: Bulgaria's traditional music festivals are an important part of Bulgarian rural life. Pirin Pee festival features the famous Pirin Folk Ensemble (website: http://ensemble-pirin.com), a major group based in Blagoevgrad.

• Get back to nature in Bulgaria's national parks. These include the ancient Bailusheva pine forests and limestone rocks in Pirin National Park, the seven lakes and 10th-century monastery in Rila National Park, and the Raiskoto Praskalo waterfall, the highest in the Balkan peninsula (website: www.bulgariannationalparks.org).

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.