There are places in this world almost too good to write about. Like precious jewels, unpolished and raw they sit proudly in the quiet knowledge of their own self-worth without needing to blow their own trumpet. With a surface of only 13 800 Km2 and a population of 600 000, Crna Gora, as the locals call her (meaning Black Mountain) is the size of a postage stamp. And yet, this UNESCO protected nature lover’s paradise packs plenty of punch. Diverse landscapes, rugged terrain, dramatic gorges, spectacular rivers, striking fjords and a picture postcard coastline. There are 250km of beach (pebbles and sand), National parks and ski resorts, all complimented by the turquoise hue of the Adriatic Sea. The average temperature is 25°C in summer, with 230 days of sunshine per year. While Montenegro, specifically the coast has grown in leaps and bounds, little is known about its inland charms such as Durmitor National Park, the Tara River Canyon (the deepest in Europe), Mount Lovcen, Skadar (the biggest lake in the Balkans) and numerous other lakes, forests, and hidden gems. - Montenegro – Tanja Bulatovic's Unconventional Guide

Map Of The Balkans

Real Estate In The Balkans EscapeArtist Real Estate Marketplace Properties In Central Europe & The Balkans Current Listings - Central Europe & The Balkans offers great investment and life style opportunities. Central Europe & The Balkans may be the last area of Europe to offer beachfront, lakefront and housing bargains. - Advertise Your Property - Real Estate By Type - Islands, B&B's, Plantations - List Your Property In The Marketplace - Islands for Sale Worldwide - Yachts For Sale Worldwide

Articles On Central Europe & The Balkans Living & Investing in Albania - A Mediterranean country with beautiful scenery along both the Adriatic and Ionian coasts, along with a great mountain landscape, Albania is attracting a lot of attention from international property investors, large investment companies & holidaymakers. Albania offers spectacular scenery and views, hundreds of kilometres of unspoiled and undeveloped pristine sandy coastlines, white sandy beaches, mountains, archaeological sites, ancient monuments and castles. Albania is a key holiday destination for Kosovans and Macedonians. The country is totally undiscovered by westerners and it is actually considered the last emerging market in Europe to be developed. Albania offers a fascinating history that includes initial settlement by the Illyrians and eventually the Romans, Venetians, Byzantines and even Ottomans. Living & Investing in Armenia - Athough Armenia probably does not cross the mind of the average American very often, those considering retirement or life abroad would do well to consider all it has to offer.  With an incredibly low cost of living, a variety of climates, choice of city or country life, many sites to visit, virtually zero crime and one of the world's most hospitable people, it has much to offer anyone. As part of the Soviet Union, Armenia was one of the most prosperous and advanced parts of the entire communist world.   Now with independence and a depressed economy, it offers a chance to live in a Western city for very little money. For the average American, the prices in Armenia alone make it a paradise. To maintain or even surpass the lifestyle the average American enjoys, in the most expensive parts of the capital city would mean spending no more than $600 per month. If you live a bit more frugally, monthly expenses in even the expensive areas can easily be capped at $300. Living & Investing in Bosnia - Herzegovina - You don’t have to be an adventurer to appreciate the unique beauties of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While the name evokes memories of a war-torn past, today’s BiH is the country all the ex-humanitarian workers come back to visit again and again. Bosnia’s natural beauties and wonders are unparalleled. A country of rugged hills, mountains, rivers and lakes, eco-tourism has become all the rage here with opportunities for river rafting, mountain climbing, skiing and paragliding in an untouched, pristine natural wonderland. For more information about eco-tourism in Bosnia, check http://www.greenvisions.ba/gv/ an eco-tourism NGO founded by an American who fell in love with, and escaped to Bosnia 13 years ago. Bosnia’s capital, Sarajevo, does not disappoint. A city nestled in a valley, surrounded by hills and mountains; it’s the cool tourists’ new hot spot. The first thing that hits you when you arrive in Sarajevo is the feeling. An intangible, yet very real feeling that you definitely want to come back here or that you definitely don’t want to leave. Living & Investing in Bulgaria - Located in the Balkan Mountains in South Eastern Europe, one of Europe’s poorest countries is now in a period of transition with major investment helping its economic growth with predicted membership to the EU on course for 2007. The Republic of Bulgaria covers an area of 110,910 square miles with a population of over 7 million. It boasts 354km of dramatic coastline along the non-tidal Black Sea. Its tourist industry is flourishing as people flock to the clear waters of the Black Sea and temperatures that beat the Mediterranean in the summer months. Living & Investing in Croatia ~ John Hurd is a former aerospace manager and an amateur writer, painter, poet.  Today, he and his wife live on the Dalmatian Coast. John writes, "You can feel it in the air, in the shining white yachts visiting the Adriatic harbors, in the industrious village renovations by the local people, in the sheer number and richness of the websites: something big is about to happen.  There’s a feeling of widening awareness, rippling out from this narrow band of Europeans.  This year, the beauty and timelessness of the islands got top story headlines in the New York Times. The region is on the verge of a market explosion." Living & Investing in Georgia - Duncan Williamson is living and working in Georgia, a former USSR republic located in the Caucasus region between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea of Eastern Europe and Asia. Scenery, people, and traditions abound. Duncan writes, "Tamadas must have a serious side, too. During any Supra there will be toasts for everyone for getting together, to Georgia, to parents, to children, to the dear departed, to peace, to friendship, to any honored guests, and if someone ends a toast with alaverdi, it means the person being toasted has to reply." Georgia is the land of wine, churches, and legends. reason: the Georgians are basically warm, friendly people, and for much of the year, Georgia is a warm inviting country. I live and work in Tbilisi, the capital of the Caucasian, former Soviet, Republic of Georgia. Living & Investing in Hungary - Expat Business Life In Budapest - One of Europes Great Destinations - Budapest is on a Roll - However, in practice, we all get drawn pretty quickly into a web of  expats with their own newspapers, bars, social clubs and - most importantly - networks. These groups are not cliquey at all, and are actually very easy to join whether you are just passing through or whether you are a new long-term resident. Budapest is no exception to this rule. Since absolutely no expat speaks the local language, and every one of the 40,000 expats speaks English even if not as a first language, they are bound to get together, share experiences and help each other out. This can be a very rewarding experience. Most expats in Budapest are of working age - many own or have high positions in companies here, others have fallen in love with the city or one of its inhabitants and come looking for a job. Living & Investing in Romania - Sooner or later just about all of us come to the painful realization that money does not grow on trees, no matter what kind we plant or where we plant them. I’ve traveled to a lot of countries and I’ve always made a point to check out the local trees and see if any of them, by some odd twist of fate, have started to turn green with dollar bills. I’ve never completely given up hope that one might exist by some miracle, somewhere. It’s been said that “sometime the answer is right under your nose.” For those of us searching for cash-bearing trees, I have discovered that the answer is indeed right under our noses. We’ve simply been looking in the wrong direction, we have been looking up instead of down. Trees may not grow money but the land on which they sit most definitely can. The land on which Romania’s trees grow is of the most fertile cash-yielding land in all of the world. Living & Investing in Slovakia -  For about 7 years we have been searching the world for a place to live an easier, less constricted lifestyle, longing  to find a more basic and natural way of life than in our home country Holland. During those years we have visited other western countries like Australia, Canada, and the US only to find out that the rules for immigration are so restricting.  This is understandable from their economic point of view: wanting your labour or your money, but to us this would have meant less freedom instead of more. In other EU countries like France, Spain, Italy the price of real estate has risen so much, bureaucracy has become so overbearing and getting a renovation done is so complicated.     Following the implementation of the Euro in our country, general life has become so much more expensive, that we felt even more we wanted to get out and find a place where you can still get a decent value for your money. Living & Investing in Slovenia - A Mediterranean climate along the coast, lush vineyards and fields of sunflowers inland,virgin forests, snow capped mountains and sky resorts - no, we're not talking about California. You'll find all this plus gothic cathedrals, baroque palaces and more in Slovenia, a tiny country no bigger than New Jersey. From Slovenia you could go to Venice, Italy, for a Sunday outing and be back in time for dinner. Oddly enough, many people haven't even heard of it, and others confuse it with Slovakia. Slovenia broke away from Yugoslavia in 1990 while Slovakia broke with the Czech Republic in 1992. Of the two, Slovenia is the more prosperous. Slovenia has a many advantages for expats seeking a beautiful country with European ambiance and convenience.  As the first republic to break away from Yugoslavia, Slovenia escaped the turmoil that and violence that occurred in the region over the past decade. It secured its independence in a mere 10 days of fighting. Living & Investing in Turkey - The Turkish Mediterranean is an area of spectacular beauty. Beautiful sheltered sandy coves, backed by the Taurus Mountains, are a sight once seen never forgotten. With no pollution, a relaxing atmosphere and the warm hospitality of the Turkish people it’s like living in paradise. Imagine waking up and looking out of your window at spectacular scenery that makes you feel good to be alive. The easy-going lifestyle here allows you to relax and really enjoy your life. With inexpensive living costs and not having to keep up with the Joneses, you have less stress and more money in your pocket. Why continue spending most of your hard earned money on ever-increasing taxes back home? Living & Investing in Ukraine - What Ukraine has (and has not) done to Attract Investment: an Overview of Post-Soviet Business/Political Developments. Ukraine’s track record in attracting foreign capital has not been impressive. In absolute terms, the country has attracted only 4.9 billion USD since independence. Foreign direct investment (FDI) per capita stands at only 78 USD (Graph 1), which is ten times less than its Eastern European neighbor Poland and almost thirty times less than the Czech Republic. For Ukraine to attract foreign direct investment, it will need to provide a more predictable investment climate. Most notably they will need to improve corporate and public governance, provide a stable and predictable legal environment, liberalize and deregulate business activities, and eliminate corruption through greater transparency.