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Bulgaria is situated in southeast Europe, on the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. It borders with Greece and Turkey to the south, former Yugoslavia to the west and Romania to the north.
Recent membership into the EU and a steady increase of budget flights have put Bulgaria firmly on the map for many people who are now making this wonderful country their second home and this is very evident from the vast amount of property sales.
Bulgaria is a country that has stunning natural landscapes with a fantastic range of mountains, all having their own characteristic appearance with rugged snow-capped peaks and soft green slopes which run down to forests carrying the aroma of herbs and wild fruit. You will also find loads of good fishing rivers and crystal-clear blue lakes within easy touch of small picturesque villages.
Bulgarian cuisine
The country offers a cuisine which is simple, yet one of the best in Europe, and every region has its own local speciality. The restaurants and hotels also offer a wide variety from a wide range of nationalities.
Traditions
Bulgaria has retained many of its traditional celebrations with folklore, music festivals or religious events taking place on a weekly basis somewhere in the country, while cultural events are held throughout the year as well. Full of beauty, colour and a healthy love of life, the Bulgarian festivals and customs date back to ancient times. It has 5 different wine regions and nine UNESCO World Heritage sites, but above all it offers many friendly and welcoming people.
Coast line and activities
Bulgaria has endless, sandy beaches along the Black Sea, the majority of which have been awarded the EU Blue Flag for their environmental excellence. These beaches offer clean and calm waters, without any tides. The sandy sea bottom slopes gently, making bathing and swimming safe for even the youngest holidaymakers. The deep-cutting coves and rugged shores, wooded hills and romantic peninsulas, vineyards and orchards, fishing towns and secluded campsites lend a unique fascination to the
Bulgarian Black Sea coast.
It is also renowned as a winter wonderland, with snow-laden mountains and pine forests stretching out as far as the eye can see making a holiday in the Bulgarian ski resorts a genuine hit for skiers where the fun in the snow lasts for 180 days a year. It is without doubt a land of unspoilt natural beauty, interesting and an experience for everyone.
Accommodation
Holiday-makers have a huge selection of accommodation on offer in any part of Bulgaria, depending on your budget and the kind of holiday you are interested in. From luxury five-star hotels to small guesthouses, holiday villages and even camp sites all with modern facilities and within reach of old capitals and traditional lifestyle. Prices like every where else tend to rise in peak times, however you can still find a bargain from renting privately.
Language
The official language is Bulgarian, however Russian, English, German and French is also widely spoken. A shake of the head from the left to the right means YES, in the rest of the world this means NO.
Official holidays
January 1 - New Year
March 3 - Bulgaria's Liberation from Ottoman rule - the National Day
Easter - one week after the Catholic Easter
May 1 - Labour Day
May 6 - Bulgarian Army Day
May 24 - Day of Bulgarian Enlightenment and Culture and the Slav Script
September 6 - Bulgaria's Unification
September 22 - Independence Day
December 25-26 – Christmas
Weather
A Mediterranean influence is felt in the country's southern regions with water temperatures between 17°C and 25°C.There are more than 240 hours of sunshine in May and September, and more than 300 in July and August.
The average annual temperature is approx 12c
Spring 5 to 15 C
Summer 15 to 30 C
Autumn 8 to 20 C
Winter - 4 to + 4
Transport
Approx 90% of Bulgaria has a bus service, however transport in the cities and most resorts consist of trains, buses, trams and taxis. These services are reliable with minimum waiting time and cheap. Car hire is also available in these areas.
Bulgarian currency
The currency is called the leva (BGL).
Leva notes are available in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50.
Stotinki coins in use are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50
Bank hours are, 9 a.m. - 3 a.m., Monday to Friday. Exchange offices are open 24 hours a day.
Telephone Services
You will find a direct dialling service to approx 36 different countries. To make a direct international call, place 00 in front of the country code you are dialling. If direct dialing isn’t possible, please call the operator on, 0123. Local and international calls can be made from street telephones in most resorts where you just pay for the call after use, it is a very handy system as you can watch the little screen and see exactly what you are spending, you can also use tokens and calling cards which can be purchased from any post office. You can make a call from most post offices in the country as well.
- 0123 - operator for international calls
- 1286, 983 308 - Road Assistance
- 75 361 - Institute for Treatment of Foreign Citizens
- 798 035 - Sofia Airport - International Flights
- 722 414 - Sofia Airport - Domestic Flights
- 121 - operator for long-distance calls within the country
- 140 - sending of telegrams
- 144 - telephone information service for office phone numbers
- 145 - telephone information service for home numbers
- 146 - Emergency Road Service
- 150 - Emergency Medical Aid
- 160 Fire- Brigade
- 166 - Police/Road patrols
- 175 - weather forecast
- 180 - exact time ("speaking" clock)
Mobile Phones.
If you have to use your mobile in Bulgaria you would be wise to buy an Mtel SIM card, your normal net work that you would use at home will be pretty expensive. The cards are available at most mobile phone shops, quite cheap and reliable. You will receive a Bulgarian number allowing you to make and receive calls as well as text messages.
Voltage.
Two pin plugs are used and the voltage is 220 V, however most people on holiday bring your own adapters just in case.
Time Zone.
Bulgaria's time zone lies Two hours ahead of Greenwich Meridian Time (GMT). Summer Time is Three hours ahead and starts from the last Sunday in May to the Saturday, before the last Sunday in September.
Tipping
A courtesy expected by staff in the restaurants, and bars etc. Taxi drivers expect the same, however a tip for you is, always agree a price for the journey before you hire a taxi.
Driving in Bulgaria.
Bulgarian roads are not the best, but big improvements are on the way thanks to EU funding. You may use your National license while driving as long as it complies with the international standards.
Modern petrol stations offer toilet and refreshment facilities. Fuel in Bulgaria is not cheap. Seat Belts must be worn by all passengers in the car and Mobile phones can only be used with the hands free kit. Drinking and driving? Just don’t drink.
Minimum age for driving license is 18yrs.
Minimum age for most car hire firms is 23 yrs
National speed limit on the highway – 120 km/h (75 mph)
Speed limit for normal roads - 90 km/h (55 mph)
Speed limits in towns/city - 50 km/h (30 mph)
Minimum fine for speeding is 50 Bulgarian Leva (approx. 25 Euro).
Parking your car is only allowed in areas clearly signed, CAR PARK. There are heavy fines for this as your car may be towed away.
You must carry your valid driving license, car log book, Third Party Liability Policy and technical inspection paper in the car.
The law states each vehicle must be equipped with first aid kit, fire extinguisher, spare wheel, jack and wheel brace, spanners, tug rim and triangle plus National emergency free phone numbers. Please check for these items while hiring a car. As you can see traffic laws are strict and there are on the spot fines for those who don’t obey the rules, so PLEASE drive with care.
Religion.
Bulgarian people are very warm and hospitable, approx 90% are Orthodox Christians and approx 8% are Muslims.
Passport and Visa.
A visa is not required from many different nationalities entering Bulgaria, however like all other countries in the world today you do need a valid passport to enter Bulgaria. Please check with your local Passport office well before departure.
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