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" ... All that I experienced afterwards had already been in Roustchouk" - Elias Canetti Ruse is the largest Bulgarian city (184,000 residents) on the Danube River. It is situated in the northeastern part of Bulgaria, at 300 km from the capital Sofia. The town was founded at the time of the Roman emperor Vespasian over the period of 69 - 79 AD as a fortress called Sexaginta Prista, meaning Harbor of the Sixty Ships. The fortress existed up to the 6th century when the Avars brought it to ruins. In the Middle Ages the region of Ruse was among the most developed areas of the Bulgarian state. At the time of the Ottoman Yoke Ruse (Rouschouk) was an important fortress and the main gate to the north of the Turkish empire. In the 19th century, Ruse was the first town in Bulgaria to acquire a pronounced European look. For its economic and cultural prosperity at the turn of the century the town gained the nickname "Little Paris".

The city of Ruse today boasts of a very rich cultural life. The drama theater, the opera and puppet theater, the symphony orchestra has a long and fruitful history. Each spring the city hosts an international music festival " March Symphony Days ". The district library, the art galleries and museums., provide a proper medium for cultural activities. Some 23 km south-west of Ruse there is an unique archeological reserve - the remarkable Ivanovo rock monasteries. Located at a height of 6 to 8 meters, the cells have been inhabited by monks until the 17th century. In its long 19-century-old history and progress Ruse has always been organically bound to the great river, the Danubian waterway and the Danubian countries. After the opening of the Rhein - Main - Danube canal which covers 3,500 km and connects thirteen European countries with the Near and Far East via the Black Sea, the river becomes the longest inland waterway on the planet.

The Interlighter International Shipping Company with headquarters in Budapest used to provide river-sea-river liner services from ports on the Danube River to Bombay, Calcutta, Singapore and the Mekong River in Vietnam. It is a joint venture of the shipping companies of Hungary, Slovakia, Bulgaria and the Ukraine. A ferryboat operates between Ruse and port Reni in the Ukraine. The great Danube River has stamped Ruse's fate -its name, history, prosperity and spirit. Stretching its gentle arm over the continent, the river connects Bulgaria with Germamy,Austria,Czechia,Slovakia,Hungary, former Yugoslavia, Rumania, Moldova.

Modern Ruse has an estimated population of almost 200 000 and ranks fifth by the number of inhabitants in the country. According to the requirements of the EU, in relation with accepting Bulgaria in the alliance, the country will be divided into six major districts. Ruse is coming to be the capital of the Central North region, and this is a guarantee for more investments, international trade, economical growth and prosperity as a whole of the city. In Ruse you will surely find the greatest Bulgarian architecture, some of the finest Bulgarian wines and amazing nature and parks. If you like sports, you can visit several annual world-fanous tennis tournaments like "RUSE OPEN" and "ZAGORKA GOLD CUP". Many Europeans already spend their vacation by travelling with luxury cruising ships along the Danube, just to visit the city of RUSE.