BPG_Bulgaria

Accommodation

Almost every town, city and resort has a wide choice of accommodation. The Black Sea coast and ski resorts offer the widest range, though Sofia, which has a number of five-star establishments, is catching up fast. In other cities you may be hard pushed to find top-class hotels, but there is always somewhere comfortable and fairly luxurious on offer. Even the lowliest bed-and-breakfast will offer satellite or cable television, and internet access is also standard.

Note that hotels on the Black Sea and in ski resorts are much cheaper if booked online in advance. During the peak beach and ski season many places will insist on a minimum stay, usually three nights.

I’d like a... Bi iskal…

single room edinichna staya

double room dvoina staya

with a bath sbanya

with a shower sdush

What’s the rate per day? Kolko struva stayata?

I have a reservation. Rezerviral sem staya.

Do you have any vacancies? Imate li svobodna staya?

Airports

Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna and Bourgas have international airports. Sofia’s airport (Code SOF) – the country’s largest and busiest – is a modern, efficient facility. Baggage usually arrives promptly and the only queues – which can be long at peak times – are at passport control. Metro line M2 runs to the city centre from Terminal 2. Tickets cost 1.60 leva and the journey takes 20 minutes. Yellow, metered taxis wait outside and should cover the 15km (10-mile) journey to the town centre for around 20 leva.

Plovdiv (Code PDV) is served by an airport 12km (7 miles) southeast of the city. Taxi is the only viable option for getting into the city as buses are irregular. Expect to pay 10−15 leva.

Varna (Code VAR) is Bulgaria’s best airport, usually served by two flights a day from the capital as well as numerous flights from abroad during the summer. It is some way from the city centre, but cheap taxis abound; the fare to the centre is about 20 leva.

Bourgas airport (Code BOJ) is 12km (7 miles) from the city centre. Bus No. 15 stops outside and runs to the city’s main bus station every 30 minutes. Tickets cost 1 leva and can be bought direct from the driver.

I need a taxi at the airport. Iskam taksi v letishte.

How much? Kolko?

That’s too much! Mnogo e skarpo!

Does this bus go to… Tozi li e avtobusart za...?

Bicycle Hire

Almost unheard of a decade ago, cycling is now huge in Bulgaria. In mountain resorts, such as Vitosha/Aleko, Bansko, Pamporovo and Borovets, you can hire mountain bikes at all major hotels for around 20 leva a day, leaving a credit card as deposit. Big hotels in main Black Sea resorts also hire bicycles. See www.motoroads.com/bulgaria-motorcycle-rental-bike-rent.html to hire a motorbike.

Budgeting for your Trip

Still remarkably cheap by Western standards, prices in Bulgaria are nevertheless increasing fast.

Transport. A standard cross-city taxi ride should not cost more than 20 leva, while bus tickets cost 1 leva in most cities. A one-way flight from Sofia to Varna costs 100–150 leva depending on the day of departure and time of the year.

Eating out. Good cheap cuisine is not hard to find, but in Sofia and on the coast especially, you can easily spend a fortune. A top-class dinner in one of Sofia’s five-star hotels will cost at least 100 leva per head, but a standard Bulgarian restaurant off Boulevard Vitosha will serve hearty portions of local fare for under 10 leva per head.

Museums and attractions. You need to pay for entry to all Bulgaria’s museums, but prices are incredibly cheap. In smaller towns and cities, you can usually purchase one ticket valid for entry to all museums and galleries.

Car Hire

To get the best out of Bulgaria, hiring a car for a day or two is essential, but it is relatively expensive, with daily rates starting at around 120 leva. Petrol is cheap, though. All the major companies have offices throughout the country, including Sofia, Plovdiv, Bourgas and Varna airports, and cars can be hired at most big hotels. You need to be 18 to drive a car in Bulgaria, but few hire companies will rent to anyone under 21. You will need a credit card. Many secondary roads are in poor condition; driving at night can be hazardous (for more information, click here).

Avis Sofia Airport Terminal 2, tel: (02) 945 92 24, www.avis.bg

Europcar Sofia Airport Terminal 2, tel: (02) 2 981 46 26, www.europcar.bg

Hertz 53A bul. Nikolai Vapstarov, Sofia, tel: (02) 439 02 22, www.hertz.bg

Sixt Sofia Airport Terminal 1, tel: (02) 816 95 75, https://www.sixt.global/

Climate

In general, Bulgaria’s winters are bitterly cold, while summers range from warm to very hot. Spring and autumn tend to be very short and very wet. There are many regional variations. Along the Black Sea coast, winters are more moderate than in Sofia, and summer temperatures can reach Mediterranean heights. The mountains receive large amounts of snow, which may remain until June in some areas. The Danube plain is the country’s driest region.

The average January temperature range in Sofia is -4–2°C (25–36°F) and July temperatures range from 16–27°C (61–81°F). Along the Black Sea, average January temperature range is -1–6°C (30–43°F); July temperatures range from 19–30°C (66–86°F).

Clothing

Expect rain at any time of year. Bulgarians have few hang-ups about clothing, but note that most local women cover their heads before entering churches and cathedrals; visitors are under no obligation to do the same, however. If invited into a Bulgarian home you should remove – or at least offer to remove – your footwear.

Crime and Safety

Bulgaria is a safe country. Beggars can be pushy in major tourist areas, especially in Sofia around the Grand Balkan Hotel and TZUM department store, but they are rarely aggressive. Keep your valuables safe, however, especially on public transport. Tram routes to and from Sofia station are notorious for pickpockets, as are buses on the coast. The Black Sea’s busiest beaches are also a haven for thieves. Stray dogs carrying rabies pose a threat to travellers in many cities. Call 166 for the police, 150 for an ambulance.

Where is the police station? Kade e naybliskiyat politseyski uchastek?

My ... has been stolen. Otkradnaha mi…

passport/handbag/wallet passport/chantata/portfela.

Stop thief! Spri! Krazhba!

Help! Pomisht!

Disabled Travellers

Bulgaria is making giant strides towards better accommodating disabled travellers, but getting around remains difficult. Sofia is leading the way, installing rudimentary wheelchair ramps in many public squares, museums, tourist attractions and metro stations. The Black Sea coast is rich in hotels that can accommodate disabled guests. The mountain resorts and other cities are less accessible.

Driving

Bulgarians drive on the right, though in the countryside such rules are often seen as being loose, at best. If you bring your car to Bulgaria make sure you have your national driving licence and proof of international insurance cover (a green card). Those who forget can buy insurance at the border. You need to buy a road tax vignette at the border: the cost is €8 per week. Otherwise there are no tolls on any Bulgarian roads.

Driving in major cities is no better or worse than in any other country, but things are very different outside the cities. There are only a couple of motorways: from Sofia to Bourgas and the Turkish border, Sofia to Blagoevgrad and Varna to Shumen. Most other inter-urban roads are single-lane and often packed with lorries. Progress can be slow. Roads in general are poorly signposted, so bring a good map or GPS device. Road surfaces can be poor off main roads, and few highways have lights, so be careful at night. Be wary of random horse-drawn carts and stray animals when passing through villages. The speed limit is 50kmh (31mph) in cities, 90kmh (56mph) on the open road, 130kmh (81mph) on the motorways. Winter tyres are compulsory from November to March. If you should breakdown, call 146.

petrol/diesel benzin/dizel

Full tank, please. Napelnete dogore, molya.

My car has broken down. Stana avariya.

There’s been an accident. Stana katastrofa.

Can I park here? Moga li da ostavya kolata si tuk?

Electricity

200 volts AC. Visitors from the US will need an adaptor.

Embassies and Consulates

Australia (consulate): 37 ul Trakia, Sofia, tel: (02) 946 13 34.

Canada 7 ul Volga, Sofia, tel: (02) 969 97 10.

South Africa 7 ul Shipka, Sofia, tel: (02) 983 35 05.

UK 9 ul Moskovska, Sofia, tel: (02) 933 92 22.

US 16 ul Kozyak, tel: (02) 937 51 00.

Emergencies

Ambulance/Police/Fire Brigade: 112 or Ambulance 150, Police 166, Fire Brigade 160.

Fire! Pozhar!

Help! Pomisht!

Call the... Molya, povikayte…

police/ambulance/fire brigade politsiya/lineyka/pozharnata

I want to contact my embassy. Iskam da napravia vruska smoeto posolstvo.

Getting There

Served by a wide variety of airlines, Bulgaria is cheap and easy to reach. Flying remains the quickest way, but romantics may like to take the train, and an improving road infrastructure means driving to and from Bulgaria is not the arduous activity it once was.

By air. The country is dotted with airports, of which the busiest are Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna and Bourgas. All are served by scheduled flights from most European capitals, operated by a wide variety of airlines, from national flag carrier Bulgaria Air (www.air.bg) to low-cost airlines Easy Jet, Ryan Air and Wizz Air. Prices are cheap if you book well in advance. Note that most flights to Varna and Bourgas are seasonal, operating in summer only. In winter, scheduled flights are supplemented by charters to Plovdiv (serving the ski resorts). There are currently no direct flights from North America to Bulgaria.

By train. You can enter Bulgaria by train from Romania (at Ruse from Bucharest); from Greece (at Kulata, from Athens and Salonika); from Turkey (at Kapitan Andreevo, from Istanbul). There is also a daily train to Sofia from Budapest that runs via Belgrade.

By road. There are numerous land crossings into Bulgaria from Romania, Turkey, Greece, Macedonia and Serbia. The busiest, and those most likely to be used by western visitors, are at Ruse (from Romania), Kapitan Andreevo (from Turkey), Kulata and Makaza (from Greece) and Kalotina (from Serbia-Montenegro). Borders can be very busy during the summer, especially those crossing into Greece. You should always allow plenty of time and expect delays.

Health and Medical Care

There are no specific health risks, but you should take out adequate health insurance cover or have a valid EHIC before departing. General standards of health care are fine. In an emergency call 112 or 150 for an ambulance. Emergency medical treatment is free, but you may have to pay for some medicines, and you should tip the doctor and nurses. If you want private medical care, head for IMC Medical in Sofia, at 28 ul Gogol, tel: (02) 944 93 26.

Tap water is safe to drink, though the low cost of the bottled variety means that very few people actually do. Mosquitoes are a problem all over the country during summer, so insect repellent is essential. Stray dogs can be a problem in many cities; bites are more common in summer than winter. Though outbreaks of rabies are rare, should you be bitten, go to a hospital immediately for a rabies injection. Pharmacies are ubiquitous: look out for green crosses. Most stay open late, many 24 hours, even in smaller towns.

chemist apteka

dentist zubolekar

doctor lekar

I need a doctor who speaks English. Iskam lekar s angliyski ezik.

Language

Bulgarian is a Slavic language, closely related to Serbian, Croatian and Slovene, and resembles Russian due to its use of the Cyrillic script, which can appear impenetrable to the visitor. We advise you to spend an hour or two learning the Cyrillic characters, as few signs – even in Sofia and on the coast – appear in Latin script, and knowledge of the alphabet will save both time and stress. To assist with navigation, we have included the Cyrillic for main locations in the Where to Go chapter.

English is widely spoken along the Black Sea coast and in the ski resorts, less so in urban areas (even Sofia) and not at all in the countryside. German will get you further, while Russian, though spoken to an extent by most Bulgarians of a certain age, is met with derision.

Some useful words

yes/no da/ne

please molya

thank you mersi

excuse me izvinete me

good morning dobro utro

good afternoon dobar dan

good night dobar vecher

goodbye dovizdhanay

Days of the week

Monday ponedelnik

Tuesday vtornik

Wednesday sryada

Thursday chetvurtek

Friday petak

Saturday sobota

Sunday nedelya

Numbers

one edin

two dva

three tri

four chetiri

five pet

six shest

seven sedem

eight osem

nine devet

ten deset

eleven edinayset

twelve dvanayset

thirteen trinayset

fourteen chetirinayset

fifteen petnayset

sixteen shestnayset

seventeen sedemnayset

eighteen osemnayset

nineteen devetnayset

twenty dvayset

twenty-one dvayset i edin

twenty-two dvayset i dva

twenty-three dvayset i tri

thirty triyset

forty chetiriyset

fifty pedeset

sixty shestdeset

seventy sedemdeset

eighty osemdest

ninety devetdeset

one hundred sto

one thousand hilyada

LGBTQ

Same-sex sexual activity has in practice been legal in Bulgaria since 1968. However, although attitudes towards members of the LGBTA community are changing slowly, civil partnerships and same-sex marriages are still not recognised. There is a small gay scene in Sofia but travellers should beware of making any public shows of same-sex affection.

Maps

Most hotel concierges will be able to provide you with a free city or town map, usually with a guide to the city’s sights. The best country map, produced by Kartografiya Eood, can be found at most international travel bookshops. This company also produces excellent maps to the Pirin, Rila and Balkan mountain ranges, with routes and cabins well marked. These are essential for serious hiking trips.

Media

In Sofia and Plovdiv, the English-language listings magazine In Your Pocket is a useful free resource: find it in most hotels and at tourist information offices. There are no English-language newspapers, but the excellent website Novinite (The News; www.novinite.com) provides Bulgarian news in English, including weather and travel information, and is updated several times per day. Most hotels and apartments offer BBC News, CNN and Euronews as part of their TV packages.

Money

Bulgaria’s currency is the lev, plural leva. Banknotes come in denominations of 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1. You will also find 1 and 2 leva coins. The lev is divided into 100 stotinki, which come in denominations of 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1.

Many services, especially taxis, can unofficially be paid for in euros – notes only, and do not expect change.

Changing money or traveller’s cheques is best done inside a bank. Never change money on the street. ATMs are ubiquitous, and Visa/MasterCard credit cards are accepted in hotels, restaurants and shops. American Express and Diners Club cards are less welcome.

Where is the nearest bank? Znaete li kade tuk ima banka?

I want to change… Iskam da smenya…

some money liri

some traveller’s cheques tozi patnicheski chek

The ATM has swallowed my card Bankomatet ne vrushta kartata mi

Opening Hours

Government offices and banks open Mon–Fri 8.30am–3pm, later in bigger cities. Museum hours vary but are often 10am–6pm. Most museums close on Monday, some on Sunday and, particularly in the countryside, they close for lunch. Shops and supermarkets open Mon–Sat 9am–6pm, but many stay open later, and most shops in Sofia open on Sunday.

Police

Police are usually helpful and friendly, though in most cases do not speak English. The police force shows little interest in foreign tourists, so unless you go looking for trouble or decide to drive at excessive speeds, you will have little to do with them. Should you need them in an emergency, shout loudly or dial 112.

Where’s the police station? Kade e nay bliskiyat politseyski uchastek?

I’ve lost my... Zagubi si…

passport/luggage pasport/bagash

Post Offices

Post offices can be found in most cities and towns, though if you are posting something abroad, it is best to do it from Sofia or Varna, or else your intended recipient could be waiting for some time. The central post office in Sofia is at 6 ul Gurko, behind the Radisson Hotel, and is open Mon–Sat 7.30am–8pm. In Varna the main post office is at 36 bul Saborni, opposite the Cathedral of the Assumption, and is open Mon–Fri 7.30am–8pm, Sat 7.30am–1pm. Post boxes are yellow and have a trumpet painted on them.

For urgent letters and packets DHL have offices in most major cities (open Mon–Sat). Call 0700 17 700 for DHL in Sofia.

I want to send this by... Molya, tova pismo da bede…

airmail svezdushna poshta

express serza poshta

Public Holidays

The biggest public holiday is Easter. The date of Orthodox Easter, set using the old Julian calendar, usually falls a week or more after Catholic and Protestant Easter, and sometimes after 1 May. Only Easter Sunday and Monday are considered holidays. Good Friday is a normal working day. Unlike in the UK, if a holiday falls on a weekend, the next working day is not substituted.

1 January New Year’s Day

April/May Orthodox Easter

1 May Labour Day

3 May Liberation Day

6 May Army Day

24 May Education Day (in honour of Sts Cyril and Methodius)

6 September Reunion Day

22 September Independence Day

24, 25, 26 December Christmas

For more details on local religious and other festivals, click here.

Religion

The vast majority of the Bulgarian population is Eastern Orthodox, similar in most ways to the Orthodoxy practised in Russia, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia, though somewhat different from (and frequently at odds with) Greek Orthodoxy. There are also Muslim, Jewish and Catholic minorities – around 700,000 ethnic Turks remain in Bulgaria, and around 5,000 Jews.

Telephones

The country code for Bulgaria is +359. The city code for Sofia is 02, and for Varna 052. Other important city codes include: Blagoevgrad 073, Bourgas 056, Plovdiv 032, Veliko Tarnovo 062. However, many telephone operators now have their own codes. In all cases, the first 0 in the city code is dropped when making an international call to Bulgaria. When dialling within Bulgaria the city code is used in. To dial out of Bulgaria, dial 00, the country and city code, then the number.

You can dial internationally from most hotel rooms (at an extravagant cost) and most public phones also permit direct dialling. All public phones require a phonecard, available from newsstands and kiosks.

Bulgaria is well covered by four mobile phone networks, and only the most remote areas suffer from a lack of coverage. EU citizens who have roaming enabled you will be able to use their phones as at home.

Time Differences

Bulgaria is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. Like the UK, it uses daylight saving time in summer. The chart below shows the times in Sofia and various other cities.

New York London Jo’burg Sofia Sydney Auckland

5am 10am noon noon 9pm 11pm

Tipping

You should tip restaurant staff (but check your bill to ensure that service is not already included), domestic hotel staff and doormen. In these cases a 10 percent tip is seen as obligatory, regardless of whether you have been happy with the service. Taxi drivers do not expect to be tipped, and you should do so only if you have taken a particularly short journey, in order to make the ride worth the driver’s time and trouble. Tip all health staff.

Toilets

There are few decent public toilets in Bulgaria. In Sofia the only ones we would recommend are in the city’s shopping malls and the basement of the Halite. In the mountains even restaurant and mountain retreat toilets may leave a lot to be desired, and many are of the common squat variety. You should bring your own toilet paper.

Where are the toilets? Kadye e toaletnata?

Tourist Information

Though Bulgaria no longer has an established tourist information office network abroad but has instead developed a good internal network of tourist information offices. Most towns and cities now have some kind of information office. Bulgaria’s excellent official tourist information website is www.bulgariatravel.org.

Bansko: pl Nikola Vapstarov 1, tel: (0749) 88 580

Plovdiv: pl Tsentralen 1, tel: (032) 62 02 29

Sofia: 1 pl Sv Nedelya, tel: (02) 933 58 26

Varna: pl Sveti Sveti Kiril I Metodiy, tel: (052) 82 06 90

Veliko Tarnovo: 5 ul. Hristo Botev, tel: (088) 765 98 29

tourist information office touristicheska informaciya

Do you have a map of Sofia? Imate li karta na Sofia?

Are there any tours of the city? Provezhdat li se obikolki iz grada?

Transport

Taxis. Taxis in Bulgaria were once unregulated rip-offs. Now, thanks to legislation, all are metered, must provide all clients with a receipt, and in Sofia at least all have to be yellow. That is not to say that visitors are never fooled into paying too much; some are. But if you keep your wits about you and always use a taxi that clearly displays the name of the company it belongs to (Yellow Taxi 02-911 19; EuroTaxi 02-910 33; Sofia Taxi 02-974 47 47; OK Supertrans 02-973 21 21 in Sofia) you will find taxis astonishingly cheap. Don’t expect drivers to speak English, however, and you may like to ask your hotel concierge or restaurant waiter to order one for you.

Take me to this address. Kam [address], molya.

Please stop here. Mozhe li da sprete tuk?

Trains. The railway network is extensive, cheap and generally reliable, though somewhat slow. Even the optimistically named InterCity and Expres trains are gruelling. The quickest of the five daily trains from Sofia to Varna takes almost eight and a half hours. If you do wish to travel cross-country by train, it is best to do so at night, on a sleeper (spalen), which offers good value and allows you to pass the hours unconscious. Buying tickets can be a laborious process; expect no help from ticket staff. Fortunately, the Bulgarian Railways website (www.bdz.bg/en) is very good and most tickets can now be bought online, at least 24 hours in advance.

How much is the fare to…? Kolko shte struva do…?

I want a ticket to... Iskam edin bilet za…

single (one way) ednoposochen bilet

return (round trip) dvuposochen bilet

first/second class perva klasa/ftora klasa

Aeroplanes. Bulgaria has three internal air routes, between Sofia, Varna and Bourgas, operated by both the national carrier Bulgaria Air and Wizz Air. Tickets for domestic routes sell for around 120−150 leva each way, but can be even cheaper if booked far enough In advance.

Visas and Entry Requirements

Citizens of the EU and EEA countries (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland) may enter Bulgaria visa-free. Americans, Australians, Canadians and New Zealanders may enter visa-free, but are limited to stays of 30 days. Passports must be valid for at least three months after entry. Citizens of almost all other countries, including South Africa, need a visa from a Bulgarian Embassy abroad before travelling – they cannot be purchased at the border. For a list of Bulgarian consulates and visa requirements, visit the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry’s website (www.mfa.bg).

Customs regulations are standard, and duty-free allowances follow international norms: two bottles of alcohol, 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 25g of tobacco are personal limits. Bulgaria belongs to the EU so there are no limits for those travelling to and from EU countries. Cash in excess of €10,000 must be declared on entry.

Websites and Internet Access

www.bulgariatravel.org/en Bulgaria’s official tourism website

www.novinite.com English-language Bulgarian news website

www.inyourpocket.com Free guides and smartphone apps for a number of Bulgarian cities

http://www.bdz.bg/en/ Bulgarian railways, complete with timetables and online ticket sales

www.visitsofia.bg/en Official tourism website for the capital Sofia

http://www.visitplovdiv.com/ Plovdiv’s excellent official website

visit.varna.bg/en Event listings for Varna and much of the Bulgarian coastal resorts

Youth Hostels

Bulgaria is packed with good, cheap hostels, all offering beds in shared dorms for around 20 leva or even less. Most offer private rooms for 10 leva or so more. The best places get busy in high season and booking is advised. Both www.hostelbookers.com and www.hostelworld.com have a wide selection to choose from.