The Black Sea is an inland sea bordered by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus, ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas, plus various the straights including Bosphorus, Dardanelle and Gibraltar straights.
It has many important countries along its coastline including Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Turkey, Russia and Georgia. The reason for the colour term 'Black' is said to be an ancient assignment of colours to the 'cardinal directions' - black referring to the north, red to the south and yellow to the east.
Another possible explanation comes from the colour of the Black Sea's deep waters. Historically the Black Sea was a busy waterway on the crossroads of the ancient world.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria is a country in the Balkans on the western side of the Black Sea. It is surrounded by Romania, Serbia, the Republic of Macedonia, Greece and Turkey. It has a varying landscape with changing from the Alpine snow-capped peaks through to the mild and sunny Black Sea coast and from the continental Danubian Plain (ancient Moesia) to the strong Mediterranean climate in the valleys of Macedonia.
It also has a varying climate with cold winters and hot summers. This picturesque small country has existing for more than 13 centuries in Europe. Situated in South-eastern Europe, it occupies the north-eastern part of the Balkan Peninsular.
The lure for most holidaymakers is its long sandy Black Sea Coast with swaths of stunning beaches and picturesque bays. Bulgaria also treats you with lush mountainous and forested landscapes with many rare birds and other kinds of wildlife in abundance. In the more rural areas you will come across beautiful monasteries and pretty timber-framed villages. The cosmopolitan city of Sofia contains many lovely parts, alfresco bars and museums.
Romania
Romania is located north of the Balkan Peninsular on the western shore of the Black Sea. It is a country of great natural beauty and a diverse rich cultural heritage.
Holiday makers will be enchanted by its scenic mountain landscapes and unspoilt rural areas, as well as its historic cities, and its busy capital City - Bucharest - with its magnificent architecture.
Romania is famous for the majestic Carpathian Mountains, medieval fortresses and towns in Transylvania, Dracula, painted monasteries in Bucovina, the traditional villages in Maramures and the Danube Delta.
Moldova
Moldova - once known as 'the garden' of the Soviet Union - is a small land-locked country north of the Balkans and surrounded by Romania and the Ukraine.
Moldova boats a rich history. Its capital City of Chisinau is an excellent place for food lovers with many excellent eateries all over the city with local food being served. Moldova also has a long tradition of wonderful local wines, with most villagers growing their own grapes and pressing their own wine.
The country is also famous for its cultural monasteries.
Ukraine
Ukraine lies at the northwest end of the Black Sea, surrounded by Russia, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania, with Moldova also neighbouring this wonderful region.
Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe and is centred around the capital city Kiev - home of leafy hills and world-famous Orthodox and Baroque architecture. Crimea is seen as Russia's favourite beach resort, enclosed by the beautiful Black Sea coastline and the mountains.
In Western Ukraine you will find Central European architecture and cuisine. In Southern Ukraine you will find the popular Ukrainian Black Sea coast - best known for the magnificent city of Odessa.
Turkey
Turkey is in the Anatolian region of West Asia with the Black Sea to the north and the Aegean Sea in the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the Southwest.
Greek and Roman ruins lie between the sea and wonderful olive groves. In Mediterranean Turkey, the mountains are clad with pine woods ascending right from the crystal clear sea.
Ankara is the capital city of Turkey, Istanbul - Turkey's largest city - the only city in the world to straddle two continents, with the famous Sultan Ahmed Mosque and the Dolmabahçe and Ç?ra?an Palaces.
Sinop is an ancient fortress on the northernmost tip of Anatolia. In Trabzon you will find the wonderful Sumela Monastery. Other popular destinations include Cappadocia - renowned for its unique 'moon-lie' landscape, underground cities, cave churches and houses carved into the rocks; Bergama - located near the ruins of the ancient city of Pergamon, and Selcuk - a tourist town near the ancient city of Ephesus.
Turkey is also famous for its delicious Turkish Delight, which is available wherever you go, as well as silk and earthenware.
Russia
Russia is the World's largest country spanning Eastern Europe and northern Asia, sharing borders with 14 countries including Norway, Finland, Poland, Ukraine, China and North Korea.
It has extensive coastlines, bordering the Arctic Ocean and Northwest Pacific as well as smaller coastlines on the Baltic, Black and Caspian Seas.
Its major cities include one of the World's greatest cities Moscow, as well as Nizhny Novgorod, which is well worth a visit for its Kremlin, Sakharov museum, and nearby Makaryev Monastery; and of course infamous St Petersburg - Russia's formal capital city home to the Hermitage, one of the World's best museums, and St Catherine's Palace, - while the city centre is a living open air museum in its own right, making this city one of the World's top travel destination.
Both St Petersburg and Moscow offer sophisticated, world class dining and a wide variety of cuisines. They are also excellent cities to sample some of the best cuisines of the former Soviet Union (e.g., Georgian and Uzbek). Stylish cafes serving hot drinks, rich cakes and local pastries are also popular with holiday makers.
Georgia
Georgia is a country in the Caucasus and lies at the eastern end of the Black Sea. It is a land filled with magnificent history and unparalleled natural beauty.
Imagine cities with narrow side streets filled with leaning houses, overstretched balconies, mangled and twisted stairways, majestic old churches, heavenly food and warm and welcoming people. All of this with a backdrop of magnificent snow peaked mountains, and the best beaches of the Black Sea.
The Rioni Region is the ancient kingdom of Colchis, land of the Golden Fleece, with fantastic mountainous scenery. The wine region of Kakheti is full of beautiful churches, monasteries and wineries. Popular tourist spots are Mount Kazbeg - one of the highest mountains in Europe, also home to Tsminda Sameba one of the most spectacularly situated monasteries in the World.
Davit Gareja is a 6th century cave monastery on a mountain overlooking the desert.
