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131 Maria Louisa BoulevardSofia
69, Hristo Botev BlvdSofia
131 Tsarigradsko Shose Str.Sofia
14 Todor Alexandrov BoulevardSofia
5 Sveta Nedelya SquareSofia
136 Mimi Balkanska Str SOFIASofia
30, Solunska StreetSofia
1 Gurko StreetSofia
Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria (Bulgarian: Република България), is a country in the Balkans, west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria boasts sublime beaches on its seaside, lovely churches and winter sport opportunities in its mountains, as well as a unique combination of architectural styles in each of its cities and towns. A medium-sized country (approximately the size of Cuba, Portugal or the US state of Virginia), Bulgaria offers a wide diversity of landscapes, as well has numerous historical sites, each possessing its own unique beauty. Because of this all, there is a great number of tourism opportunities in the country.
Being close to the Turkish Straits, the key land routes from Europe to the Middle East and Asia pass through Bulgaria. Thanks to this location, the territory of the country has been of interest to many peoples that have left their impact on the land. Remains of various civilizations and epochs are scattered all across the country and can still be seen today. From the tombs of the mighty Thracian kings, through the theatres of the ancient Greeks and the stadiums of the Roman Empire, to the medieval castles of the kings of the First and Second Bulgarian Empire, and the mosques from the Ottoman rule.
The Balkan mountain chain separates North from South Bulgaria as it goes all the way from the furthest northwestern parts of the country to the east ending on the coast of the Black Sea. In its South, the terrain of Bulgaria is dominated by high mountains and river valleys taking up almost all of the western and the southernmost areas of the country. The South also includes the Thracian plain and the low mountains of Strandzha and Sakar. The territory of North Bulgaria is entirely lowlands. Eastern Bulgaria is all coasts and beaches of the Black Sea.
Highest point: Mount "Musala" in Rila mountain - 2925m (highest peak in Eastern Europe)
Continental in most of the interior: moderately cold winters with occasional heavy snowfalls; hot and dry or mildly humid summers. Temperate on the coast: mild autumns, cool winters, mild springs and warm and breezy summers. Subtropical in its South-West: mild winters with more rain than snow in the lower grounds; hot and humid summers.
The temperatures during the winter period average between -5°С and 0°С in the plains, between -2°С and 3°С at the seaside, and between -10°С and -6°С in the mountains. The winter extremes usually reach -15°С in the inhabited areas, with the occasional -25°С during cold years.
In the summer the temperatures vary from 25°С to 30°С in the plains, from 21°С to 28°С on the coast of the Black Sea, and from 18°С to 21°С in the mountains. The extremes in summer pass 40°С and occasionally the temperatures in the plains near the rivers reach 46°С-48°С.
Bulgaria is a democratic parliamentary republic, with traditional separation of powers - legislative (parliament), executive (government) and judicial (independent judicial system).
The supreme power belongs to the unicameral National Assembly. It consists of 240 members who are elected by proportional representation (with a 4% exclusion threshold) and serve simultaneous 4-year terms. The government consists of a cabinet of ministers lead by a Prime Minister, who is considered the head of government. The National Assembly has to confirm any proposed government and can hold it accountable via votes of no confidence. The President is elected by a separate popular vote; they are considered the head of state and serve mostly ceremonial functions, except in a war (when they are the Supreme Commander) and during the process of forming a government - if there's no functioning government for some reason, the President appoints a caretaker government until the next (snap) elections.
Administratively, Bulgaria is divided into 28 oblasti (provinces or regions). Each oblast is named after the major city that is its administrative center, and there are two separate provinces for the capital due to its size - Sofia Province and Sofia City (Sofia-grad). Each province is further subdivided into a number of obshtini (municipalities, singular: obshtina).
Excavations have found artifacts dating back to 5000 BC. The territory of the country has been continuously inhabited from then on and various peoples and communities have lived on the grounds of present-day Bulgaria. The majority of Bulgaria, along with the part of Greece directly south of the two countries' shared border, and European Turkey, made up what was in ancient times Thrace. Many Thracian remains and ruins can be found throughout Bulgaria, particularly around Kazanluk. In ancient Greek times the region had numerous towns established in it, with some of them still standing as cities and towns in Bulgaria. In later ages the area of modern Bulgaria was part of the Roman Empire with tree provinces. In the beginning of the Middle Ages some Slavic tribes settled on the Balkans, and in the late 7th century a branch of them merged with the Proto-Bulgarians, a Central Asian tribe coming along with the last waves of the Great Migration, to form the first Bulgarian state on the Balkans.
In succeeding centuries, Bulgarian and the Byzantine Empires dominated South-East Europe, with constant changes in the proportion of power and influence that the empires had in this part of the world. At times the Bulgarians were days away from conquering the cradle of civilization of that period: the Byzantine capital Constantinople; and at times, the Byzantines made fatal blows on the Bulgarian state. During the Middle Ages Bulgaria was the centre of Slavic culture and one of the focal points of Christianity. Religious literature and fine arts were developed in Bulgarian schools and the country was famous for its hand crafts. Bulgaria was the first state to adopt the Cyrillic alphabet (in its primal form) as its own writing system in 886 AD. The first "Golden Age" of Bulgaria lasted from about 811 AD to 924 AD during the rule of knyaz Boris I and of tzar Simeon the Great, kings of the First Bulgarian Empire. The second Golden Age in the state was from 1200 AD to 1241 AD in the reign of tzar Ivan Asen II, king of the Second Bulgarian Empire. He was a ruler of the Asenevtsi dynasty, a house that re-established the Bulgarian state after it had fallen from the Byzantine Empire and was "absent from the map" for nearly two hundred years until 1185. The rule of Asenevtsi is famous for crushing the crusaders after they gave up on their aim to conquer the holy lands and turned against Orthodox Christianity. Around and after the battle with the crusaders the rulers of the Second Bulgarian Empire had a reign of supremacy in this part of Europe as the state has become the largest and most powerful in "the neighbourhood".
At its greatest extent, The Bulgarian Empire spanned from near Crimea to Southern Greece, and reached the Adriatic Sea.
But by the end of the 14th century the region was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. The Bulgarians, along with the other Balkan peoples, became part of the Ottoman Empire. Five centuries later, in 1878, Bulgaria was liberated with extensive help from the Russian Empire as part of their larger fight against the Ottoman Empire. The country's iconic heroes include freedom fighters and intellectuals from the time of the Ottoman rule. Some of the most prominent are: Father Paisiy, the revolutionary strategist Georgi Sava Rakovski, the Apostle of Freedom Vasil Levski, and poet and fighter Hristo Botev. Bulgaria gained its de facto independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1908.
After a series of bloody and brutal Balkan wars and a national catastrophe, Bulgaria had the further misfortune to be occupied by the losing side in both World Wars, and fell within the Soviet sphere of influence during the Cold War. It became a People's Republic in 1946, with the communist party in the leader position. During Communist times, the Black Sea was a favorite destination for travellers behind the Iron Curtain and many of the resorts in the country were built in that era. In the end of 1989 the communist domination was brought to a swift end. Though Bulgaria held multi-party elections, many communist politicians stayed in power with re-branded socialist policies. Hyperinflation and economic meltdown made long retired workers to go begging in the streets to supplement their now-worthless pensions, young people to start shady businesses and the community to look up to leaders of the mafia for help. The situation finally drove the old guard out of power in 1997, but the country was in a tough political situation because of the spread of the influence of the "underground processes" in all the levels of the government.
Today, reforms and democratization have brought Bulgaria into the NATO fold, with EU accession celebrated in 2007. Bulgaria planned to drop its national currency, the leva, and join the Eurozone in 2015, but these plans are on hold. Though it has a relatively stable economy and low debt, it's the European Union's poorest member. Furthermore, the country has been undergoing a demographic crisis since the early 1990s and has lost more people than any other nation on earth.
In addition to Christmas, New Year's Day and Easter, the Bulgarian state recognizes another seven national holidays: 3 March (the national holiday: Liberation Day, commemorating the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman Empire in 1878); 1 May (International Workers' Day a.k.a. Labor Day); 6 May (feast of St. George and thus Day of the Bulgarian Armed Forces, usually celebrated with a military parade in the capital); 24 May (Day of Bulgarian Education and Culture and the Cyrillic Alphabet); 6 September (Unification Day, between the Principality of Bulgaria and the Ottoman province of Eastern Rumelia (Southern Bulgaria) in 1885); 22 September (Independence Day, from the Ottoman Empire in 1908); and 1 November (Day of the National Enlighteners - only a school holiday). If one of those days occurs during the weekend, the Monday afterwards is officially a non-working day to "compensate".
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church celebrates fixed holidays according to the Gregorian calendar, and "floating" holidays (i.e. Easter and its related holidays) according to the Julian calendar. This means that in Bulgaria, Christmas is celebrated on the same date as in most of the West - 25 December, but Easter is usually a week "late" (it falls on 16 April in 2023 and 6 May in 2024). Christmas and Christmas Eve, as well as four days around Easter (Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday and the Monday afterwards), are also official holidays.
Another religious holiday that may be amusing to travelers is the feast of the Epiphany (6 January) - the religious ceremony of the "Blessing of the Waters" involves a priest tossing a cross in a local body of water, and a number of local men competing to retrieve it. Sometime in the late 20th century an additional, non-religious tradition was established in some places: the "ice horo", men dressed in traditional costumes dancing horo (line dance) in the cold water of a local river (usually having to break the ice first, thus the name). It seems to have originated in Kalofer, but it has since spread to other towns and villages (Blagoevgrad, Kazanlak, Panagyurishte, etc).
Bulgarian is a southern Slavic language that uses the Cyrillic alphabet.
Bulgarian is mutually intelligible with Macedonian (considered a variant of Bulgarian by many Bulgarians) and also closely related to Serbo-Croatian. Russian and other Slavic languages are more distantly related but still similar.
Turkish is spoken natively by the Turks of Bulgaria, who live mostly in the Southern mountains and the further Northeast.
It is also important to remember the fact that many Bulgarians, contrary to most nationalities, shake their head for Yes and nod for No! It is better to rely on the words "da" for yes and "ne" for no than on head movements.
Bulgarian education emphasizes foreign language studies, and especially the English language. Older people may speak Russian, as it was a compulsory second language in schools during the communist era. The use of Russian has been declining since the collapse of the iron curtain, with English now being far more popular. Younger people who grew up after the fall of communism are likely able to communicate in at least basic English. In the south people often understand Greek and Turkish.
In churches, the liturgical language is Old Church Slavonic, which differs considerably from any of the modern Slavic languages.
Bulgaria is committed to implementing the Schengen Agreement although it hasn't yet done so. For citizens of the European Union (EU) or European Free Trade Area (EFTA) (i.e. Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland), an officially approved ID card (or a passport) is sufficient for entry. Other nationalities will generally require a passport for entry.
Travel to/from any other country (Schengen or not) from/to Bulgaria will result in the normal immigration checks, although customs checks will be waived when travelling to/from another EU country.
Inquire with your travel agent or with the local embassy or consulate of Bulgaria.
Citizens from the following countries do not need visas to enter Bulgaria: Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mauritius, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Paraguay, South Korea, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Singapore, Ukraine, UK, USA, Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela, Hong Kong and Macao.
Citizens from all other countries will require a visa, which can be obtained from a Bulgarian embassy or consulate in your home country. Different types of visa can be obtained, including a short-stay, 90-day visa (type "C"). A visa application form is available online here, from the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
There are four international airports in Bulgaria, located in the cities of Sofia (SOF IATA), Varna (VAR IATA), Bourgas (BOJ IATA), and Plovdiv (PDV IATA), but most traditional flag carriers (like Lufthansa, British Airways, Turkish Airlines) fly only to Sofia International Airport. There are many charter and last-minute flight offers, however, to Varna or Bourgas leaving from Western Europe (especially Germany and Great Britain). Using those, you can go from German airports to Bulgaria and back for less than €100, if you are lucky.
Several low-cost airlines offer regular flights to Bulgaria. They change their schedules every season, so check for flights at the airline's website.
Charter flights can offer very good prices to the Black Sea airports of Varna and Burgas from a large variety of European cities in the summer (such as: Thomson, Balkan Holidays Air, Bulgarian Air Charter, Condor, UTair and many others). In winter, charter airlines may offer good bargains to Sofia and Plovdiv.
From the USA, major airlines offer excellent connections to Bulgaria via Europe. The airports that you can get to with a major airline are Sofia and Varna. From Asia, Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airlines offer the best connections and prices.
From Romania, a train runs daily from Bucharest at 12:00, taking ten hours; the return train leaves Sofia at 09:00. June to Sept this is a through-train, Oct-May you have to change at Rousse ("Ruse") on the border. There's no longer an overnight train.
From Greece, a train runs daily from Thessaloniki at 07:00 reaching Sofia by 14:20; the return train leaves Sofia at 15:00 to reach Thessaloniki (shown on departure boards as "Solon") for 22:20. You need to stay there overnight for connections to and from Athens, Piraeus and the ferries to the Greek islands.
From Turkey, a sleeper train departs Istanbul Halkali at 21:40, running via Edirne, Kapikule on the border where you get out for passport control, and Plovdiv, to reach Sofia by 09:40. The eastbound train leaves Sofia at 18:30 to reach Istanbul for 05:40. Second class single fare is €30 (April 2022), plus supplement of €10 for couchette or €15 for a sleeper berth.
From Serbia, from mid-June to mid-Sept a direct train runs daily between Belgrade Topcider and Sofia, taking ten hours. However the Budapest-Belgrade line is disrupted throughout 2022 for engineering works, so it's difficult to reach Bulgaria from western Europe by train.
A cheap way of travelling to Bulgaria is the Balkan Flexipass.
If you want to reach Bulgaria from Western Europe by car you will have to pass through either Serbia or Romania, or you can take a ferry from Italy to Greece.
The shortest distance path from Western Europe to Bulgaria is through Serbia. However, you should make sure that you have a green card with you as Serbia is not a part of the EU. The most used Serbian path to Bulgaria (through Nis) was a narrow mountain road that can be exhausting to drive on because of the heavy traffic. Motorway A6 however has been finished and now the whole trip through Serbia can be made by motorway.
The other roads-only path to Bulgaria, through Romania, is longer in distance but can take up much less time as Romania has highways connecting its borders with Western Europe to Bulgaria and as a part of the EU, citizens of the union have less formalities on Romanian borders. The path is also very suitable for people travelling from Northern Europe.
Travelling through Greece, after passing Thessaloniki you can choose from three paths depending on your final destination. If you are going towards Sofia, Western or North Bulgaria, the fastest and shortest route is towards Serres and then to the border Promahonas - Kulata. If youur destination is somewhere in the Rhodopes (Smolyan, Pamporovo, Kurdzhali) or near Plovdiv, the shortest route is towards Xanti (passing near Kavala) and then to the border Thermes - Zlatograd. This route however still needs reconstruction in Greece. Finally, if going to the Bugarian seaside the fastest route is towards Komotini (parring near Kavala and Xanti) and then to the border Ormenio - Captain Petko Voyvoda.
In Bulgaria you have to pay road tax at the border (around €5 for 7 days). You will get a special sticker that you have to place on your car. There are no toll stations on Bulgarian roads.
Besides the sticker, you may need to pay the Bulgarian authorities health insurance (€2 per person for 3 days, slightly more for more days). Make sure you get a receipt! Expect long queues on certain days coinciding with some Bulgarian holidays.
Buses to and from Sofia go to most major cities in Europe - while Bulgarian bus companies will be cheaper (and mostly offer less comfort), the tickets are hard to come by if you are travelling to Bulgaria, so Eurolines buses are recommended. Don't be surprised if an extra "border fee" is asked from each traveller by the bus driver - it makes your border passing quicker. Most buses from Western Europe will pass through Serbia, so be sure to check if you need a transit visa beforehand (Serbian visas for citizens of the EU have been abolished).
There are regular ferries across the Black Sea between Varna, Chernomorsk (near Odessa, Ukraine) and Poti (Georgia). There's talk of fast passenger ferries between Burgas and Istanbul. Occasionally there are cruise ships docking in Varna and Burgas.
The fastest way to travel around the country is by bus. Buses frequently connect all the larger cities. Timetables information in English can be found online (avtogari.info or bgrazpisanie.com). Always confirm times locally as online resources may be incomplete or out of date. Most bus station agents (except at the Black Sea and in Sofia) as well as the drivers will not speak or understand any languages except Bulgarian (and, if you are lucky, Russian) and the destinations will be written exclusively in Cyrillic. You can look up bus schedules for the Sofia New Central at the bus station.
Buses depart on time and don't wait for late passengers.
Travelling from Sofia to major cities in Bulgaria by bus is good value. A one way ticket to the Black Sea from Sofia costs €12-15. Several companies operate regular routes serviced by new and modern buses. Timetables and prices in English for couple of the major companies can be found at GRUP Plus and Biomet.
At the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast buses go from Varna, Sunny Beach or Bourgas all along the coastline, passing through most sites and towns.
Ticket: You will always receive a ticket your origin and destination (in Cyrillic), in the rare case that you feel you have been cheated. Short distances with buses outside of cities are a bit more expensive (per km) than inner city and long distance trips.
Using the train is a convenient, inexpensive and great way, even if slower than the bus, to travel the country. Bulgaria has an extensive railway network that connects every major city, with the exception of the mountainous Smolyan. The only passenger service provider are the Bulgarian State Railways (BDZh or BDZ, БДЖ in Bulgarian). During the Communist period, the railways were prioritized as the main mode of mass passenger transport, but in the 1990s the advent of personal automobiles and private bus companies caused a large decline in ridership. As a result, due to corruption, mismanagement and the general economic woes of the country, BDZ has struggled to modernize or even maintain its services, though there has been improvement in the last decade.
Trains are most efficient when traveling along the two major train routes: Sofia - Varna and Sofia - Burgas. You can travel both routes overnight, but you should make your reservations early because these night trains are often fully booked.
The official website of the Bulgarian State Railways (BDZ) is available in English and can be quite helpful: it offers an online timetable/route planner, information about delays and other disruptions in English, a virtual arrivals/departures board (many stations don't have electronic boards), and a live tracker of train locations. Another train planner is available on bgrazpisanie.com.
If you are traveling "off the beaten track" (almost synonymous with using anything but the long-range fast trains targeted at tourists going to the seaside), it's a good idea to learn Bulgarian Cyrillic well enough to read place names (it's relatively easy, as it's phonetic) and some basic Bulgarian phrases to deal with the ticket offices at the smaller stations. Though you might be able to cope using the BDZ website and apps such as Google Translate that can do both verbal conversations and signs.
Also be aware that most Bulgarian train carriages are more than 20 years old, are a mixture of older Bulgarian stock and old German rolling stock (mainly former Interregio coaches) and not always well maintained. In particular the toilets will appear primitive to most western users.
There are newer, quite comfortable, Desiro trains built by Siemens (identical to those in use in countries further west) being introduced on the: Sofia to Plovdiv; Plovdiv to Karlovo and Asenovgrad; and Sofia to Blagoevgrad routes. BDZ has also renovated some older carriages and uses them for their premium product now, called IC, which is a fast train with obligatory reservations and 2+1 seating even in 2nd class, and pretty comfortable with clean seats.
Buying train tickets is pretty simple, though most people will buy a ticket 20 to 30 minutes before departure, as your ticket is usually valid for a specific train; ticket sales are halted 5 minutes before the arrival or departure of that specific train. If you board "in the last moment" or from a station that doesn't have a ticket office, you should board *the first* carriage and you should be able to buy a ticket from the ticket inspector without penalty. If your journey starts at the same point as the train starts, you might also be able to buy a reservation for a specific seat on a specific train a small surcharge (0.30 лв). Though it never seems to work from stations in between. First class usually cost about 30% more than 2nd class and is usually not notably more comfortable (3 seats in a row instead of four).
If you buy a return ticket, you might get a discount of 30% for the full journey,compared to buying two separate tickets. If you do this you need to get the ticket stamped at the station ticket office before your return journey, as it might be invalid otherwise. Also, there are group discounts.
When the schedule says to change train, often the same train just changes numbers and you have to remain in the same train. Best to ask the conductor.
There is a picturesque narrow gauge train (760 mm) in the Rhodope Mountains, which starts at Septemvri and goes up to Dobrinisthe, passing through a very scenic landscape, climbing up the Rhodopes mountains, reaching the top and then going down again through Bansko in 5 hr for 125 km (30 km/h average speed). It takes a while, but it is a really good way to see some rural Bulgarian life. On special occasions, it is operated by a steam engine. Tickets are very cheap, just 6.60 лв for the whole distance.
Taxis are usually a convenient and affordable way to get around cities. Many taxi drivers know only limited English so it is useful to write out your destination or carry a map.
By law, taxis in Bulgaria have signs spelling ТАКСИ (taxi) on top of their roofs, they are painted yellow (green if the car is electric or hybrid), and fares are calculated by the taxi's meter (initial fee + distance traveled). While there are some regulations, prices are mainly set by the taxi companies and drivers themselves, and the average price varies by city. That's why taxis are also obliged to have visible price stickers on their front and side windows, as well as on the dashboard: day and night prices per kilometer, initial fees, dispatch fees (if summoned by phone or app), waiting fees (per minute), and the price per kilometer outside of a city if it's different. Taxi operators in a given city converge around an average price that makes economic sense for that location. However, foreigners are likely targets of unscrupulous taxi drivers. The most common major scam relies on customer inattention (ignoring the price sticker) - taxis that use a legal but highly inflated price per kilometer (up to 10 times the average). Other possibilities are rigged meters and less obvious tricks like taking long detours or sub-optimal routes. Familiarize yourself with the most well-known taxi operators in your area, your route and expected bill. The most likely way to find an honest taxi driver is by ordering a taxi by phone or app, use a taxi from the official taxi stand at Sofia and Varna airports, or hail one that is passing by on major roads. The most likely place to find a dishonest one is from taxi stands at tourist hotspots and major hotels, or by following a tout who offers you a taxi at airport arrivals, bus and railway stations. Some predatory taxi companies even mimic others' logos and labels on their cars.
If travelling by car, it would be helpful if you can read the Cyrillic alphabet at least a bit. Most signs at the major roads have the direction shown in Latin letters, but the signs in the internal road system are exclusively in Cyrillic, so if you are planning a road trip, GPS navigation or a road map are recommended.
If you are a foreigner, its best to rent a car. If you decide to rent a car bear in mind that for any bump or scrape to the car, whether involving a third party or not, you must immediately call the police to come and establish the damages of the incident for the insurance companies, otherwise you will find that your insurance will not cover the damage. Check the Terms & Conditions of your rental agreement closely.
Driving in Bulgaria can be a bit precarious - many roads do not have well defined lanes as they are not well marked, and are in poor conditions with bumps and holes on them. On all but the major roads, expect to find significant pot holes and uneven surfaces. Due to the poor road surfaces, you will often find cars driving on the wrong side of the road to avoid these holes, so be cautious when driving around blind bends. Locals often do not observe speed limits, do not signal when changing lanes, take up dangerous manoeuvres on the road and are very nervous on behind the wheel. When travelling on the road Sofia-Greece, be very careful. There are extensive road reconstructions and you can meet some really dangerous drivers.
If you observe the rules, police will not bother you. Bulgarian police have white Opel Astra patrol cars, marked "POLICE" with blue letters - keep that in mind, because in the past there have been several cases of fake police officers stopping cars and robbing travellers. Should you ever doubt the authority stopping you, you have the right to ask them to identify themselves with a certificate issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Министерсво на вътрешните работи - МВР).
Never ever drink and drive in Bulgaria! This is always dangerous, and in Bulgaria it is a criminal act: your first offence will result in a long prison sentence or at least - a very significant fine. The once-common practice of bribing a police officer to get out of a speeding or parking ticket is becoming rare. Do not attempt to bribe the police.
Car theft isn't much of a risk, but shouldn't be underestimated. In rural areas leaving your car should be safe, but in the big cities or tourist spots, it is advisable to stay on the safe side by parking either on the major streets or on guarded garages, where fees range from 6 лв a day to 2 лв an hour. If you plan to spend more time in one city, it might be better to rent a parking space, which on the average costs 60 лв a month. Most hotels have their own parking, and even at private lodgings it is often possible to park the car in the garden, so just ask.
Not as common as in Soviet times, but still pretty easy to find someone, especially if you look like a tourist. Especially in remote areas, hitch hiking is often better than taking a slow and irregular bus that takes half a dozen detours.
Bulgaria has many hiking destinations, many with huts along the trails. For reliable maps, city bus routes (at least for Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna), comprehensive trails and general tourist information, consult OpenStreetMap, which is used by this travel guide and by many mobile Apps like OsmAnd (complex with many add-ons) and MAPS.ME (easy but limited). Specifically for hikers, BGMountains.org provides greater detail than the base OSM, including the color markings of hiking trails, and while their online map has only Cyrillic place names, they also have downloadable maps for Garmin GPSr in English.
Domestic air travel does not make much sense in Bulgaria as distances are relatively short.
Bulgaria Air, the national carrier, flies 2-3 times/day between Sofia and Varna.
There is a wide variety of historical, natural, religious and artistic sights to see in Bulgaria. All across the country there are remains of different epochs and eras, societies and peoples, that create a beautiful mix of ethnic cultures and unique traditions and rituals.
The Bulgarian tourism authorities promote the sights that distinguish the Bulgarian identity through its so-called "100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria" programme. Nowadays, this includes more than 250 of the country's must-see places. Some of the most popular sites include:
Bulgarian culture includes a many unique and interesting to see traditional rituals some of which have been around since pagan times and are still performed. Some of the most interesting rituals are:
A popular activity in Bulgaria, where a big choice of regions for a day or multiday walking trips is available. The best time for hiking in the highest parts of the mountains is in summer, between late June and September as the snow is already melted and the weather is generally dry. In winter, snowshoeing and ski trips are possible between December and March, depending on the current snow and weather conditions. The main hiking areas are:
There is an extensive network of marked hiking trails available and this allows a large number of different routes. The main accommodation in Balkan, Rila and Pirin mountains are the mountain huts and lodges, which usually offer rustic conditions, but there are also numerous three- and four-star hotels near popular tourist destinations. In the Rhodopes it is possible to stay in local guest houses.
Bulgaria is rich in mineral water springs, easily illustrated by the number of cities, towns and villages with names that contain the word banya ("bath"), though this is somewhat more poorly advertised to international tourists than the country's sea-side and skiing resorts. Most mineral springs are concentrated in the mountainous areas, but some pop up in unexpected places - there are steaming drinking fountains in the center of the capital, and heated swimming pools right by the beach of coastal Varna.
Gold is not a traditional sport in Bulgaria - the first golf course was established almost exactly 10 years after the fall of the communist regime - but a number of entrepreneurs have decided to use the country's scenic views to create all-inclusive (?) golf resorts with "tournament-level" courses designed by foreign specialists. Three of them are on the limestone ridges by Balchik, overlooking the Black Sea; another one is tucked below the Balkan Mountains, in Pravets (next to Botevgrad, 55 km (34 mi) north-east of Sofia); and the last one is right next to the busy mountain resort of Bansko. There's also a somewhat smaller golf course near Sofia itself, by the town of Elin Pelin.
The Bulgarian unit of currency is the lev (лев, plural: leva), denoted by the symbol "лв" (ISO code: BGN). It is divided into one hundred stotinki. The лв is pegged to the euro at 1.95583 лв for €1.
As the conversation rate between euro and lev is fixed at about 1.96: Simply divide the price in lev by 2.
Otherwise your usual currency (1 dollar or 1 pound) equaling between 1.55 and 1.8 lev, do this to convert: Divide by 10 and multiply by 6. Example:
• 10 лв -> 1. 1*6 ≈ 6 of your usual currency
When your usual currency equals between 1.8 and 2.2 lev, do this to convert: Divide by 2. Example:
• 20 лв -> 10 of your usual currency
And your usual currency being between 2.2 and 2.85 lev, do this to convert: Divide by 10 and multiply by 4. Example:
• 30 лв -> 3. 3*4 ≈ 12 of your usual currency
This works well for everyday expenses. For rather high amounts of money, it's better to convert with the exact exchange rate, e.g. with an app.
Shopkeepers and other businesses in Bulgaria will usually not accept foreign money, although many will accept the euro. Bulgaria remains a largely cash economy in the rural areas; but in major cities, credit cards are generally accepted.
In most cities there are many money exchange offices which are marked with signs that say "Change". Most are legitimate, but some may rip you off. For example, they advertise a very competitive rate on the outside, but on the inside, there is a tiny sign with the "official" rates, and these are much worse – so always make sure to ask how many leva you will get for your money before you hand it over, and calculate yourselves (e.g., using your mobile phone) how much money you would expect to get. If you refuse the transaction because the rate suddenly changed, they will make all kinds of unjustified assertions (e.g., "I already entered it into the computer, it cannot be stopped"), but you if threaten to call the police immediately while raising your voice so that other tourists look your way, they usually will let go immediately.
It is much safer to exchange your money at a bank. Banks apply little or no commissions, and generally offer good rates, although they are slightly worse than at a (non-criminal) change bureau. Higher commissions may be applied to traveller's cheques. Old, dirty or very worn bank notes may be refused. Never exchange money out on the street. Beware of people on the street who offer high rates of exchange or who may ask you to make some change for them.
Over the past years the ATM network in Bulgaria has grown considerably, making it relatively easy to obtain cash from the numerous ATMs in Sofia, and in all other major cities and resorts. The national credit/debit card circuit Borica, to which all ATMs in the country are hooked up, accepts Visa/Plus, Visa Electron, MasterCard/Cirrus, Maestro, American Express, Diners Club, and a number of other cards.
Prices in Bulgaria for some items are around half that of Western Europe, and good bargains are to be had on shoes and leather goods as well as other clothing. Clothes from famous international brands, perfumes, electronic equipment, etc. often are more expensive than in other parts of Europe.
In Sofia and a few major cities you can find branches of international hypermarket chains like Kaufland, Hit, Billa, Metro, and other. There are also many local supermaket chains like Fantastiko, Familia, and Piccadilly. All Bulgarian supermarkets sell products of European quality.
Waiters in Bulgaria usually get paid a minimum wage, because they make up the rest of their salary on tips (бакшиш (bakshish)). Tips are not added to the bill, so give 5-10% if you like. However, many restaurants are run by their staff, so it is not necessary to tip.
Change is ресто (resto) and Service charge is такса обслужване/сервиз (taksa obsluzvane/serviz).
Bulgarian cuisine is a representative of the cuisine of Southeastern Europe. It has some Turkish and Greek influences, but it has some unique elements. The relatively warm climate and diverse geography produce excellent growth conditions for a variety of vegetables, beans, herbs and fruits. Bulgarian cuisine is particularly diverse.
Famous for its rich salads at every meal, Bulgarian cuisine is also noted for the diversity and quality of dairy products and the variety of wines and local alcoholic drinks. Bulgarian cuisine features also a diversity of traditional hot and cold soups, and numerous main dishes featuring a myriad of local grown vegetables. The meat appetizers that are typically served after the main dish are not to be missed out on. Bulgaria is also famous for the abundance of pastries in its cuisine.
A traditional Bulgarian meal starts with a salad of choice and some strong alcoholic beverage. The Bulgarian likes to drink wine or beer with its main dish continuing with the chosen drink by the end of the meal. This is why in most restaurants a salad is considered to be the best combination for strong alcoholic drinks.
Restaurants serving international cuisine have a presence in the country, offering various options such as Chinese, French, Italian, and international contemporary.
Because of Bulgaria's geographic location and the slow technological progress in the agricultural sector of the economy, the plant products used in the typical Bulgarian kitchen are all organic.
Most Bulgarian dishes are oven baked, steamed, or in the form of stew. Deep-frying is not very typical, but grilling - especially different kinds of meats - is very common. Turkish-influenced dishes do exist in Bulgarian cuisine with most common being moussaka, gyuvetch, and baklava. Pork meat is the most common meat in the Bulgarian cuisine. Fish and chicken are widely eaten, while beef is less common.
Yogurt (Kiselo mlyako) is very popular. It is mixed with water (drink called ayryan or airian) and it is added to main dishes (especially liver based or with minced meat). White cheese (brine) is a very popular ingredient in the Bulgarian cuisine too. Salads are often topped with it and it is often added to soups and main dishes.
There are a number of traditionally vegetarian dishes in Bulgarian cuisine including salads, soups, and some main dishes.
Salads - main ingredients in Bulgarian salads are tomatoes, cucumbers and white cheese. The most popular Bulgarian salad is Shopska salad, which is a mix of tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, raw or roasted peppers (preferably roasted), white cheese and is typically seasoned with parsley. The dressing for Shopska salad is salt, sunflower oil and wine vinegar.
Soups - Traditional Bulgarian vegetarian soups include: Bob Chorba (боб чорба) which is a minty bean soup, Leshta Chorba (Леща чорба) which is minty lentil soup and Tarator (Таратор) - a cold yoghurt and cucumber soup.
Main dishes - there is a wide variety of boiled, fried, breaded, or roasted vegetarian dishes.
There are only two native kinds of cheese: the yellow-colored Kashkaval (Кашкавал) - more or less akin to the Dutch Gouda - and the more popular white Sirene (Сирене) - a kind of Feta cheese, similar to Greek Feta in taste but more sour. Originally made from sheep milk, it is available from cow or goat milk, or mixed.
A pride of the Bulgarian people, yoghurt has Bulgaria for its motherland. The native Bulgarian original yoghurt (kiselo mlyako) contains Lactobacilicus Bulgaricus, a bacterium which serves as the basis for active culture "plain" yoghurt in other countries. Normally made from cow or sheep milk, it can also be prepared from buffalo milk, with a remarkably stronger taste.
Being a staple, and quite favourite around the country, Bulgarian yoghurt also is an ingredient to many dishes, the most famous one being the cold soup Tarator and the drink Ayran. Yoghurt is also a main ingredient of a white sauce used in baking.
There are a lot of dishes served with yoghurt on the side since Bulgaria is the homeland of the product.
There is a large number of traditional meat appetizers from all kinds of meat in Bulgarian cuisine. The most widely consumed, however, have been pork. Traditional meat appetizers are made from either the meat of the animal or from its intestines, but some of the delicacies include both. Other ingredients include leek, garlic, sometimes rice and a wide variety of herbs and spices such as savoury, thyme, parsley, cumin, dill, black pepper, red pepper, and others.
Cooked traditional meat appetizers include fried liver ( typically chicken, pork or lamb), roasted lamb intestines in herbs and spices, breaded veal tongue or veal tongue with mushrooms in butter, and veal stomach in butter or with mushrooms and cheese. Other popular cooked meat appetizers are sazdarma (саздърма) and bahur. Sazdarma is made of chopped meat and usually is seasoned with Daphne leaves and black pepper and can be from veal, lamb or mutton, while bahur is made of chopped pork meat and liver, with added rice and seasoned with allspice, savoury and black pepper. Although, some may think that those appetizers do not sound attractive at all, many of them fin out that they are a jewel once they have tried them.
Smoked and/or dried meat appetizers can be generally divided into two types: pastramis and salamis.
Some of the most popular pastrami-type appetizers are the pork Elena fillet (a salted air-dried fillet covered in savoury, thyme and other herbs) and Trakiya fillet (again, salted and air-dried fillet which is more juicy than Elena fillet and is covered in red pepper). There is also a wide variety of conventional pastramis (air-dried and then smoked and steamed) made from pork, veal, mutton, lamb and turkey. Pastrami in Bulgaria is transcribed as пастърма (pastarma). Another popular fillet appetizer is air-dried mackerel (in Bulgarian veyana skumriya (веяна скумрия) and it can be found in restaurants all around the seaside.
Salami-like appetizers are mostly made of pork and are only air-dried. The most popular are lukanka (made of minced pork with black pepper and cumin), ambaritsa (made of minced meat with red pepper, black pepper and garlic), babek (chopped meat and belly with red pepper, black pepper and either dill or savoury), and starets (chopped meat and belly with black pepper, cumin, allspice and rarely leek or garlic).
Bulgarians have a long tradition of making meat appetizers and many of them vary in recipe across the country. Much of them can be found in different varieties in restaurants and food stores. Most of the most popular appetizers have regional recipes that give the distinct flavour of the area.
The most preferred Bulgarian salad is the shopska salad. However, there is another traditional salad that includes the ingredients of the shopska salad and adds it own distinct touch. The ovcharska salad is a mix of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onion, parsley and white cheese combined with mushrooms, boiled eggs, yellow cheese and most significantly - ham. The dressing again is salt, sunflower oil and wine vinegar.
As a main course you can have:
In Bulgaria there are traditional bakeries that prepare different kinds of pastry products. Banitsa and mekitsa are the favorite salty and sweet (respectively) pastries among others like tutmanik, milinka and kifla. Also, a traditional fast food option in Bulgaria is the grilled foods, such as kebabche and kufte (made of minced meat), karnache (a variety of sausage) and shishche (a king of shish-kebab made with chicken or pork meat).
Pizza, dyuner (döner kebab), sandwiches and toasts, or hamburgers are also very easily found on the streets of Bulgaria. There are also many local and international fast-food chains. While the local vary across regions, some of the internationally recognised McDonalds, KFC, Subway and Burger King are in every big city.
There is also a chain of fast food restaurant made by Syria Bulgarian all over Bulgaria offering fried chicken and pizza called 'Shami' and it offers halal cheap food.
Another recommended chain is 'HAPPY' and it is available all over Bulgaria. It is always worth a try, promising good and clean service.
There are more than six hundred mineral water springs around the country, which are safe to drink. However, tap water is not safe to drink in some regions.
Some of the most popular traditional non-alcoholic beverages in the country are ayran/ayryan (yoghurt, water and salt) and boza (sweet millet ale).
Another popular non-alcoholic drink is the fizzy drink "Etar" that has a distinct caramel flavour.
Also, Bulgarian are coffee addicts. You will find automatic coffee machines even in the remotest village and in cities at every corner, with Lavazza and Nespresso being the most common ones. Most provide not instant coffee but properly ground beans—around 0.50 лв.
Grape growing and wine production have a long history in Bulgaria, dating back to the times of the Thracians. Wine is, together with beer and grape rakia, among the most popular alcoholic beverages in the country.
Some of the well known local wine varieties include:
Beer (bira: бира) is produced and consumed all around the country. You can find readily available excellent local varieties like Kamenitza (from Plovdiv), Zagorka (from Stara Zagora), Ariana (from Sofia), Pirinsko (from Blagoevgrad) and Shumensko (from Shumen), as well as Western European beers produced under license and produced in Bulgaria like Tuborg, Heineken, Stella Artois and Amstel.
In many regions people still distil their rakia at home. Home-made rakia may include some special ingredients such as anise, honey, milk, natural gum and lozenges. Home-made rakia is then usually much stronger (around 50% to 60% vol).
Finding accommodation in Bulgaria is very easy, for any price. You can find everything, from hostels in Sofia and Plovdiv, very cheap boarding houses along the coast to inexpensive hotels in all cities and luxury hotels in large cities. There are many "mountain huts" (10-20 лв) or villas available for rent all around the mountains in the country. Overnight accommodations can also be acquired at about a dozen of the monasteries. There are also plenty of guest houses and villas. Bulgaria is famous for offering quality budget accommodation for rural and ecological tourism in charming small towns in its mountains as well as at the seaside. In some of the coastal villages, elderly ladies often approach tourists disembarking from coaches and trains, offering accommodation in boarding houses. These can often be excellent value for money (from as little as 10 лв a night) and can offer an authentic experience, however check these out before you agree on a stay.
Don't bother about going to any accommodation without reserving online, expecting to get a discount or even to get the discounted price from your favourite hotel reservation website. It will more likely get more expensive this way or end up in unnecessary discussions.
There are many serviced camp grounds around Bulgaria, especially along the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast.
Pitching a tent anywhere else (free camping) is not legal, but if done in an inconspicuous place, no one will bother you.
The oldest Bulgarian university is the Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski" that in 2008 celebrated 120 years from its foundation. It is considered to be the largest and most prestigious university center. There are many newer centres of education in Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Shumen, Veliko Tarnovo, Blagoevgrad, etc.
For most subjects, programs are available in Bulgarian or English, depending on the university. Elementary and middle schools are supported by local authorities budget. As with most nations, teachers complain about small salaries. Literacy is nearly universal. Bulgarian people speak mostly English, German, French and Russian.
Some of the universities that offer education entirely in English are the American University in Bulgaria, the New Bulgarian University and the Technical University of Sofia. The last one offers also degrees in German language.
Secondary education entirely in English is offered by the American College in Sofia.
As a member of the EU, anyone who's a citizen of an EU member state can settle in Bulgaria with ease.
If you're not a citizen of an EU member state, finding a job in Bulgaria can be a difficult experience. A Bulgarian company has to prove to the government that you are more qualified than a Bulgarian national, since Bulgarian nationals have preference over foreign nationals.
Bulgaria's biggest export happens to be people leaving the country in search of better opportunities. Rates of pay in Bulgaria are quite low (the average wage in Bulgaria is €825 a month) and many Bulgarians often lament that there are limited opportunities for success in the country.
Bulgaria is generally a very safe country, and people are quite friendly. You should however behave according to common sense when you are outside of the main tourist areas, i.e. don't show too openly that you have money, don't dress too much like a tourist, watch your things, don't walk around the suburbs (esp. those of Sofia) at night, avoid dark streets at night. Stepping in a hole is a much greater danger in Bulgaria than getting robbed.
Bulgaria uses the pan-European standard number 112 for all emergency calls. If you can not connect to 112, dial 166 for police, 150 for ambulance and 160 for the fire department.
Driving in Bulgaria can be fairly nerve-wracking. Road accidents claimed 628 lives in 2019, which, although down on previous years, is one of the highest per-capita rates in the EU. Aggressive driving habits, the lack of safe infrastructure, and a mixture of late model and old model cars on the country’s highways contribute to a high fatality rate for road accidents. Significantly, the Bulgarian road system is largely underdeveloped. There are few sections of limited-access divided highway. Some roads are in bad repair and full of potholes. The use of seat belts is mandatory in Bulgaria for all passengers, except pregnant women. In practice, these rules are often not followed. Take caution while crossing the streets, as generally, drivers are extremely impatient and will largely ignore your presence whilst crossing the road.
In general, organised crime is a serious issue throughout Bulgaria, however it usually does not affect tourists and ordinary people. Bulgaria is safer than most European countries with regard to violent crime, and the presence of such groups is slowly declining. Pickpocketing and scams (such as taxi scams or confidence tricks) are present on a wider scale, so be careful, especially in crowded places (such as train stations, urban public transport).
Car theft is probably the most serious problem that tourists may encounter. If you drive an expensive car do not leave it in unguarded parking lots or on the streets as these locations are likely to attract more attention from criminals. If, by any chance you do leave it in such a location, you need to be sure that the vehicle has a security system.
Travellers should also be cautious about making credit card charges over the Internet to unfamiliar websites. Offers for merchandise and services may be scam artists posing as legitimate businesses. An example involves Internet credit card payments to alleged tour operators via Bulgaria-based websites. In several cases, the corresponding businesses did not exist. As a general rule, do not purchase items from websites you are unfamiliar with.
Bulgaria is still largely a cash economy. Due to the potential for fraud and other criminal activity, credit cards should be used sparingly and with extreme caution. Skimming devices, surreptitiously attached to ATMs by criminals, are used to capture cards and PINs for later criminal use, including unauthorized charges or withdrawals, are very common in Bulgaria. If you are unsure which ATM to use, it's best to use cash instead of a credit card.
Also, be careful with the cash you are dealing with. Bulgaria is one of the biggest bases for money forging of foreign currency, so pay attention to your euros, dollars and pounds. Do not exchange currency on the street. It is a common scam to offer you fake money as exchange in tourist areas such as stations.
On occasion, taxi drivers overcharge the unwary, particularly at Sofia Airport and the Central Train Station. Foreigners are recommended to use taxis with meters and clearly marked rates displayed on a sticker on the passenger side of the windshield, as generally these taxi's charge a normal amount, and the taxis with no meters charge for very unfair prices. One useful tip is to check the price for your trip from a trustworthy source beforehand, such as a friend or an official at station or tourist bureau. If you are trying to be lured into such rogue taxis, it is best to reject the offer, or just walk away.
Bulgaria has very harsh drug laws, and the penalties are perhaps more severe than in any other country in Europe.
According to the reports of the Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), Bulgaria is the country with the least tolerance of LGBT people in the European Union for 2009 and 2011. After mass protests at the end of 2017 and the beginning of 2018, the Istanbul Convention was officially rejected. Be careful in conversations and refrain from public displays of affection with same-sex partners — otherwise you could be attacked by skinheads or nationalists. The same applies for visitors who are visibly transgender.
Stray dogs are common all over Bulgaria. While most are friendly and are more scared of you than you are scared of them, they have been responsible for a number of accidents, so do keep on guard. There is rabies in Bulgaria, so any animal bites should receive immediate medical attention.
Wild bears and wolves can sometimes be seen in woods, so be careful.
Corruption exists in Bulgaria as in many other European countries. For example, some policemen or officials may request bribes. If this happens, decline the proposal and ask for the name & ID of the individual. Corruption in customs was also once a problem, but has dropped drastically since the country's entry into the EU.
The government has fiercely fought the corruption with a huge success. Should you appear in a situation to which you are asked to bribe, or you feel that you are being exploited, you can either fill out an online query with the police here http://nocorr.mvr.bg/, or call 02 982 22 22 to report corruption.
Unfortunately begging and unsolicited sales are quite common in Bulgaria. In the holiday resorts both in the mountains and on the coast there will be numerous people trying to sell you various things such as roses and pirated DVDs. Usually a firm 'no' will get rid of them but sometimes they will persist and often ignoring it will not make them go away unless you make it absolutely clear you are not interested. Also be aware that in many cases these people can just wander into the hotel restaurants in the evening so expect to see them standing at your table at some point! In the ski resorts there are many people who sell "Traditional" Bulgarian bells. They know when tourists arrive and how long they are staying for and will pester you all week to buy a bell. If you make it clear at the start of the week that you do not want a bell they will usually leave you alone (for a few days at least) but if you do not say no, they may force the cheap plastic bell upon you to encourage you to buy one later in the week. The bell men will become your friend for the week as they try to get you to buy a bell. If you really don't want to buy a bell, by the end of the week your bell man will demand his cheap plastic bell back and won't be very happy! Don't feel bad about not buying a bell as they often charge extortionate prices unless you really haggle. If you do buy a bell however, you will find that the bell men will be genuinely friendly and chatty people and really aren't all as bad as they seem!
As a generally rich country in Europe, it's best to say that health standards are developed. However, there are potential health risks, even though the government has fought the high chances of such things with a huge success. It best to stay that the greatest risk that a traveller can encounter is air pollution. People with breathing difficulties, such as asthma are at a greater risk.
Pollution is no better or worse than in any other European city. Health risks are the same as those in other parts of Europe, so be careful of what you eat, meaning that if you purchase fruits and vegetables, wash them prior to eating. If you are inclined to purchase food from a stand that sells fast food containing meat, know that you are taking on a health risk to yourself, because there are no health codes in those establishments.
If you are at the Black Sea, mind the strong sun at the beach, especially in July and August. Wear sunscreen and do not leave the umbrella in the first one or two days. Do not drink hard alcohol at the beach, it could give you a heart attack.
Smoking is the national pastime, and evading the fumes of cigarettes is even more difficult than evading exhaust fumes in the streets. Generally, during the Summer, most people generally sit outside, which makes matters less worse. As this is a seasonally-changing obstacle, it's best to stay on guard. Since 2012, smoking is prohibited in public places, including bars and restaurants, but restrictions are rarely followed.
Most food is quite safe to eat. Of course, avoid eating at places that are obviously not clean.
Tap water in Bulgaria varies greatly in quality, taste and drinking recommendations. While it is of very good quality and safe to drink in the mountain regions, it is best to avoid drinking water in North Bulgaria and in the regions near the seaside. The mountain regions in Bulgaria have natural springs that are quite abundant and many of villages have one or more mineral water springs.
Conditions in Bulgarian hospitals may vary - from very clean with all the latest technological utilities, to the downright drab, dark and cold. There are some new hospitals, and some very old, with old technology. Doctors and nurses are usually competent and skilled.
Citizens of the European Union are covered by Bulgaria's National Healthcare System as long as they carry a Eurocard (or European Health Insurance Card), obtainable from their own national healthcare authority.
Dental procedures in private clinics in Bulgaria are of excellent quality. Many people from Western Europe come to Bulgaria for dental work for the quarter of the price they pay in their home countries.
Bulgarians are incredibly friendly and very interested in talking to foreigners. Bulgarians tend to be far more open than some other Eastern Europeans and engaging in dialogue with these people is much advised and worthwhile. In smaller towns, especially in the Rhodopes, people may invite you for lunch, dinner or even to sleep over. Often it is a pleasant gesture to give someone a "Dobar Den" when walking past a quiet stall or past a person. Kak sté (how's it going) will usually suffice for the younger generation.
As a rule of thumb for most countries worldwide, you should avoid topics involving politics, wars and foreign relations, and on some occasions football (soccer) as well. If you are pulled in to such a conversation, try to stay neutral. Remember that your own knowledge of local situations is unlikely to be as good as a Bulgarian's!
For certain people, Macedonia is a sensitive subject to talk about, but feel free to ask your questions, provided you do not discuss it with those more likely to take offense (i.e. nationalists and skinheads). Many Bulgarians feel that Macedonia belongs to Bulgaria, but unless you know the subject and the people you are talking to, just asking questions is the best option.
Most of the Bulgarian people do not feel anger or resentment towards Russians (unlike a number of people from other former Eastern Bloc countries), and Bulgarians tend to have a much better perception of Russians, however caution may sometimes be needed in discussing issues regarding Turkey. Likewise, discrimination against Turks and Roma people can be observed, but it's mostly because of certain nationalist groups, that are not much different than hate groups in central and western Europe.
Avoid talking or comparing between Turkey and Bulgaria, this subject is very sensitive, and also there is a misunderstanding that Islam is Turkey and Turkey is Islam, so Bulgarian in general have prejudices towards Muslims in general.
Bulgaria is still a very conservative country, so LGBT+ travellers may need to be discreet as assaults sometimes occur.
Bulgarians don't really do chit chat, so trying to make conversation with someone at a till in a shop will probably result in odd looks (either from not understanding or not wanting to engage) or they will just ignore you. Likewise Bulgarians are quite impatient and will often honk their car horn at you if you walk in front of a car, especially in winter in the mountains as they try to keep a grip on the road.
There are three networks (A1, Yettel and Vivacom), all using the GSM/4G/3G/HDSPA standards. 5G coverage is being expanded; as of the beginning of 2023, most larger cities are covered. Phone service has almost full national coverage, with minor exceptions in the highest and the most remote parts of the mountains.
Fares are average for the European Union (€0.05-0.40 per minute, €0.70/SMS). Pre-paid cards and subscriptions are available, and special options for discounted international calls exist with some pricing plans. Prepaid cards need registration with a valid ID or passport.
Mobile phones are widely spread in Bulgaria - many people have two or three mobile phones using the different carriers.
Domestic telephone service is available in almost every population centre (no matter the size), via the PSTN or VoIP.
Free WiFi access is often available in public places such as libraries and in gas stations. Many pubs and hotels will also have WiFi that is free of charge to use. Internet cafes are mostly a thing of the past; some of the few places that still provide to the public computers with internet access are the regional public libraries in the larger cities.
Internet access is widely available in Bulgaria. Broadband internet is available through cable, ADSL, fiber optics, WiMax and LAN connections. Mobile internet access via 3G/4G/5G is available from all three carriers; as of the start of 2023, 5G coverage is mostly limited to the larger cities, but it's expanding. In all cases, coverage and prices vary with the carrier and the chosen plan.
The land border can be crossed to Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia, Greece and Turkey.
The decision to travel is your responsibility. You are also responsible for your personal safety abroad. The purpose of this Travel Advice is to provide up-to-date information to enable you to make well-informed decisions.
Petty crime is less widespread in Sofia than in most Western European cities. Nevertheless, petty crimes (pickpocketing, mugging and purse snatching) do occur, particularly at the railway and bus stations, and at tourist sites and crowded areas. Be especially vigilant at tourist resorts along the Black Sea coast, such as Sunny Beach, the biggest sea resort in Bulgaria.
Vehicle theft occurs as well, particularly of these types: vehicles of prestige, four-wheel-drive vehicles and late-model European sedans. Be aware that you will have to pay customs duties for your stolen vehicle before you will be allowed to leave the country. Try to park in a guarded location, and always keep valuable belongings out of sight in cars.
Organized criminal groups are active in casinos and nightclubs and are involved in prostitution. Although rare, violent crime occurs, which includes bombings and shootouts generally attributed to turf wars between rival gangs.
Demonstrations, mainly to protest socio-economic conditions, occur and have the potential to suddenly turn violent. They can lead to significant disruptions to traffic and public transportation.
Daily anti-government demonstrations have been occurring since June 2013, particularly in Sofia's downtown, near Independence Square. There are calls for these protests to continue until the new government steps down.
Avoid all demonstrations and large gatherings, follow the advice of local authorities and monitor local media.
Driving can be hazardous due to poor road conditions and a lack of traffic signs and lane markings. Do not drive after dark and be very cautious in winter. Animals on roads are common in rural areas, posing a risk.
Confronting aggressive drivers is not recommended, as they may be armed.
Carjackings occur, and criminals have been known to pose as traffic officers in order to stop vehicles. These criminal operate especially on the Black Sea coast or on the road to Greece and Macedonia near Dupnitsa and Kyustendil.
Use only licensed taxis with meters. Verify the tariffs on the taxi’s window before boarding. At the Sofia Airport, there is a booth within the arrivals terminal that coordinates taxis at a fair rate.
Rail services are generally poor by Western standards, and it is therefore preferable to travel by inter-city buses, which are frequent, comfortable and relatively fast.
Most cities and larger towns have public transportation systems. There are regular bus services between most major towns in the country.
Consult our Transportation Safety page in order to verify if national airlines meet safety standards.
Never leave food or drinks unattended or in the care of strangers. Be wary of accepting snacks, beverages, gum or cigarettes from new acquaintances, as they may contain drugs that could put you at risk of sexual assault and robbery.
Exercise a high degree of caution. Ensure that your personal belongings, passports and other travel documents are secure at all times. Valuables and important documents should be stored in a hotel safe. Avoid showing signs of affluence and carrying large sums of cash.
Dial 112 for emergency assistance.
Be sure that your routine vaccines are up-to-date regardless of your travel destination.
You may be at risk for these vaccine-preventable diseases while travelling in this country. Talk to your travel health provider about which ones are right for you.
Hepatitis A is a disease of the liver spread by contaminated food or water. All those travelling to regions with a risk of hepatitis A infection should get vaccinated.
Hepatitis B is a disease of the liver spread through blood or other bodily fluids. Travellers who may be exposed (e.g., through sexual contact, medical treatment or occupational exposure) should get vaccinated.
Seasonal influenza occurs worldwide. The flu season usually runs from November to April in the northern hemisphere, between April and October in the southern hemisphere and year round in the tropics. Influenza (flu) is caused by a virus spread from person to person when they cough or sneeze or through personal contact with unwashed hands. Get the flu shot.
Measles occurs worldwide but is a common disease in developing countries, particularly in parts of Africa and Asia. Measles is a highly contagious disease. Be sure your vaccination against measles is up-to-date regardless of the travel destination.
Rabies is a disease that attacks the central nervous system spread to humans through a bite, scratch or lick from a rabid animal. Vaccination should be considered for travellers going to areas where rabies exists and who have a high risk of exposure (i.e., close contact with animals, occupational risk, and children).
Tick-borne encephalitis is a viral disease that can cause swelling of the brain. It is spread to humans by the bite of an infected tick. Vaccination should be considered for those who may be exposed to tick bites (e.g., those spending time outdoors in wooded areas) while travelling in regions with risk of tick-borne encephalitis.
Yellow fever is a disease caused by the bite of an infected mosquito.
Travellers get vaccinated either because it is required to enter a country or because it is recommended for their protection.
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Travellers to any destination in the world can develop travellers' diarrhea from consuming contaminated water or food.
In some areas in Eastern Europe, food and water can also carry diseases like hepatitis A. Practise safe food and water precautions while travelling in Eastern Europe. When in doubt, remember…boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it!
In some areas in Eastern Europe, certain insects carry and spread diseases like Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, leishmaniasis, Lyme disease, tick-borne encephalitis, and West Nile virus.
Travellers are advised to take precautions against bites.
Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever is a viral disease that typically causes fever, bleeding under the skin, and pain. Risk is generally low for most travellers. It is spread to humans though contact with infected animal blood or bodily fluids, or from a tick bite. Protect yourself from tick bites and avoid animals. There is no vaccine available for Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever.
There is no risk of malaria in this country.
Travellers are cautioned to avoid contact with animals, including dogs, snakes, rodents, and bats. Certain infections found in Eastern Europe, like rabies, can be shared between humans and animals.
Crowded conditions can increase your risk of certain illnesses. Remember to wash your hands often and practice proper cough and sneeze etiquette to avoid colds, the flu and other illnesses.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV are spread through blood and bodily fluids; practise safer sex.
Medical care is not up to Western standards. Private hospitals and clinics are generally well equipped. Physicians and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services.
The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety.
Be prepared. Do not expect medical services to be the same as in Canada. Pack a travel health kit, especially if you will be travelling away from major city centres.
You are subject to local laws. Consult our Arrest and Detention page for more information.
Canada and Bulgaria are signatories to the European Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. This enables a Canadian imprisoned in Bulgaria to request a transfer to a Canadian prison to complete a sentence. The transfer requires the agreement of both Canadian and Bulgarian authorities.
Carry adequate identification at all times. Keep a photocopy of your passport in case of loss or seizure.
Penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are strict. Convicted offenders can expect jail sentences and heavy fines.
Photography of military installations is prohibited.
Homosexuality is not widely accepted in Bulgaria.
You can drive with a Canadian driver’s licence up to 90 days from your arrival in the country. An International Driving Permit is recommended for longer stays. Carry all related documents, such as ownership, registration and proof of Bulgarian car insurance.
A highway permit (“vignette”) is required to travel on Bulgarian roads. You can purchase this vignette at ports, border points, post offices and large gas stations.
The use of a cellular telephone while driving is prohibited, unless it is fitted with a hands-free device.
Penalties for drinking and driving are strict; the legal blood alcohol limit is 0.05 percent. Follow speed limits on all roads. Police conduct frequent checks.
The currency is the Bulgarian lev (BGN).
The economy is primarily cash-based. U.S. dollars and euros are accepted. Automated banking machines (ABMs) are widely available and credit cards are widely accepted. Major hotels accept foreign-currency traveller’s cheques. The United Bulgarian Bank in Sofia can process money transfers from abroad.
When crossing one of the external border control points of the European Union (EU), you must make a declaration to customs upon entry or exit if you have at least €10,000 or the equivalent in other currencies. The sum can be in cash, cheques, money orders, traveller’s cheques or any other convertible assets. This does not apply if you are travelling within the EU or in transit to a non-EU country. For more information on the EU legislation and links to EU countries’ sites, visit the web page of the European Commission on cash controls.
Bulgaria is located in an active seismic zone.
There is a risk of avalanches in mountainous regions due to the rapidly warming temperatures following a particularly harsh winter. Exercise caution, monitor local news and weather reports and follow the advice of local authorities.