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Bulgaria
Bulgaria (България) is a country in Eastern Europe on the western side of the Black Sea. It is surrounded by Romania to the north, Serbia to the northwest, the Republic of Macedonia to the southwest, Greece to the south, and Turkey to the southeast. Being located close to the Turkish Straits means the key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia pass through Bulgaria. Regions Map of Bulgaria Administrative divisions: 28 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast) each of which is named after its provincial capital, with the national capital itself forming a separate province: Blagoevgrad, Burgas, Dobrich, Gabrovo, Khaskovo (Haskovo), Kurdzhali, Kyustendil, Lovech, Montana, Pazardzhik, Pernik, Pleven, Plovdiv, Razgrad, Rousse, Shumen, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofia (city), Sofia Province, Stara Zagora, Turgovishte (Targovishte), Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol Cities
Ports and harbors : Other destinations
UnderstandCurrencyThe Bulgarian unit of currency is the Lev (лев, abbreviated "лв", plural: Leva), comprised of one hundred Stotinki. The Lev is pegged to the Euro at 1.95583 Lev for one Euro. 1 Lev is roughly US$ 0.75 and UK£ 0.34. Shopkeepers and other businesses in Bulgaria will usually not accept foreign money. Bulgaria remains a largely cash economy - credit cards and other methods of payment are rare. 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. It is much safer to exchange your money at a bank. Banks apply little or no commissions, and generally offer good rates. 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, as well as in all other major cities and resorts. The national credit/debit card circuit BORICA [5], 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. ClimateTemperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers TerrainMostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
HistoryA branch of the Slavs merged with the local Proto-Bulgarians, a Central Asian tribe, in the late 7th century to form the first Bulgarian state in the Balkans. In succeeding centuries, Bulgarian and the Byzantine Empires dominated South-East Europe, but by the end of the 14th century the region was overrun by the Ottoman Turks. Bulgaria regained its independence in 1878 largely due to the intervention of Russia and Romania, who clipped the wings of the declining Ottoman Empire in Bulgaria and elsewhere, and installed a minor German prince as a ruler of the newly independent country. The country's iconic heroes were all freedom fighters to a man: whether Rakovsky (Раковски), who mixed revolution and literature, Vassil Levski (Васил Левски) - the Apostle of Freedom, or Hristo Botev (Христо Ботев), poet and fighter. After a series of bloody and brutal Balkan wars, Bulgaria had the further misfortune to be occupied by the losing side in both World Wars, and fell within the Soviet sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946. Communist domination was brought to a swift, but for many people illusory end in 1989; though Bulgaria went on to hold its first multi-party election since World War II, essentially socialist policies were pursued until hyperinflation and economic meltdown drove the old guard out of power in 1997. Today, reforms and democratization have brought Bulgaria into the NATO fold, with EU accession celebrated in 2007. During Communist times, the Black Sea was a favorite destination for travelors behind the Iron Curtain. Now, increasing numbers of western Europeans travel throughout the country and many have bought vacation houses near the Black Sea or in picturesque villages. HolidaysBaba Marta (Баба Марта) (Grandma Marta), March 1. A very old Bulgarian holiday. People give each martenitsa (мартеница), a type of white-red yarn, as a symbol of health. March 3 (Трети март). The day Bulgaria celebrates its Russian-aided liberation from 500 years of Ottoman domination (1393-1878). 20th of April - 20 April 1876 is the official start day the greatest uprising of the Bulgarian people against the Ottoman rule. Gergiovden (Гергьовден), May 6. St. George and official holiday of the Bulgarian Аrmy. Ss. Cyril and Methodius Day (Ден на Кирил и Методий), May 24. The day of St. Cyril (827-869), and St. Methodius (826-884), who created the Cyrillic alphabet. A beautiful holiday - with lots of flowers, music, and joy. Assumption Day - Golyama Bogoroditsa, August 15. There are big celebrations, especially in the main monasteries, with icons being paraded by the monks. Reunification Day (Ден на съединението), September 6. The day the two parts of Bulgaria, the independent North and East Rumelia (autonomous in the Ottoman Empire) were reunited, pejoni Get inFormalitiesCitizens of the following countries may enter Bulgaria without a visa and stay for up to 90 days:
Foreigners (except for EU citizens) have to register at the police within 72 hours. If you have booked with a travel agency, this will be taken care of. If not, usually your hotel will handle the necessary paperwork (ask). If you do not stay in a hotel, you will need to go to the police and take the tedious task of registering on your own. Bulgarian authorities are really cracking down on this. Failure to register might mean a 2000 Leva fine. Also unless you are an EU citizen take care that you have an entry stamp in your passport, otherwise your exit could be quite troublesome. By planeThere are four international airports: Sofia, Varna, Bourgas, and Plovdiv. There are a lot of charter and last-minute flight offers to Varna or Bourgas leaving from Western Europe (especially Germany and Great Britain). You can go from German airports to Bulgaria and back for less than 100 Euro, if you are lucky. Recently, several low-cost airlines have also started offering regular flights to Bulgaria. Wizz Air [6] flies directly between Sofia and London, Rome, Milan, Barcelona, Valencia, Brussels and Dortmund and has a seasonal service to Bourgas. Hemus Air [7] flies to London Heathrow. EasyJet [8] flies between Sofia and London Gatwick. MyAir [9] flies to Sofia from Milan, Bari, Brussels and Bologna. Sky Europe [10] flies from Bratislava to Sofia, Varna, and Bourgas. The government is planning to open a new airport near Veliko Turnovo (Велико Търново) in the next 5 years. By trainInternational trains provide a large number of routes to Bulgaria, notably Sofia and Varna, arriving from such places as Kiev, Istanbul, Vienna, and other common cities. The primary trains from Bucharest to Sofia, and back, run twice daily through the border city of Rousse. For example, recent trains are scheduled from Bucharest to Sofia in the daytime departing 11:35/arriving 21:30 and a night train departing 19:35/arriving 06:10. Passport control and customs takes place in Rousse approximately mid-trip. Check local train stations for updated information. By carIf you want to reach Bulgaria from Western Europe by car, you either can take a ferry from Italy to Greece, or you will have to pass through either Serbia (make sure you took a green card from your national insurance company) or Romania. Travelling from Greece you have to go from Thessaloniki towards Serres and then to Promahonas. In Bulgaria you have to pay road tax at the border (around 5 euros for 7 days). You will get a special sticker that you have to place on your car. There are no tolls on Bulgarian roads. Besides the sticker, you may need to pay the Bulgarian authorities health insurance (2 euros per person for 3 days, slightly more for more days). Make sure you get a receipt! Expect long queues on certain days. By busBuses 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 get by if you are travelling to Bulgaria, so you can always take Eurolines buses. 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 recently been abolished). By boatGet aroundBy busCertainly the cheapest and fastest way to travel around the country is by bus. Buses go from and to every bigger city (you might have to ask or be driven by taxi to the bus station) quite frequently (exact timetables information in Bulgarian can be found at [11]); however, 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 [12]. There is another site for bus travel. Here you can find a lot of bus schedules: [13] Traveling from Sofia to major cities in Bulgaria by bus is a good value. A one way ticket to the Black Sea from Sofia is around EUR 12-15. Several companies operate regular routes serviced by new and modern busses. Timetables and prices in English for couple of the major companies can be found at GRUP Plus [14] and Biomet [15]. There are other bus stations in Sofia and also some private buses depart from their own personal station, but for travelers just looking to get out of town with the least amount of confusion - using the New Central Bus Station may be easiest. Buses and Minibuses go from Varna and Bourgas along the coastline, passing or going to all Bulgarian Black Sea tourist resorts. By trainTravelling by train is inexpensive, but also slower than by bus, and you should mostly use it when trying to reach a city along the two major train routes (Sofia - Varna and Sofia - Bourgas; you can travel both routes overnight). Travel by train is not recommended as the trains are invariably in poor condition and are rarely maintained. You can look up train schedules and prices on the Bulgarian State Railways website [16] By taxiMost of the taxi drivers do not speak proper English. Taxi tariffs in Bulgaria are not standardized. It is important to compare prices of several cars, because there are speculators. By carIf traveling by car, it would be helpful if you can read the Cyrillic alphabet at least a bit. Most signs have the direction shown in Latin letters, but some don't. For rentals, Bulgarian companies with reliable cars, Western-style service, and good prices:
You can also hire a driver for about 50-75 Euro per day plus accommodation. Chauffeur services are also available on [25] or [26]. Luxury car services are available on [27], and [28]. Driving in Bulgaria can be a bit precarious - many roads do not have defined lanes, are not well marked, and are in poor conditions. Locals often do not observe speed limits and do not signal when changing lanes. When travelling on the road Sofia-Greece, be very careful. There is extensive road reconstruction and you can meet some really dangerous drivers. From Sofia to Plovdiv, Chirpan and Dimitrovgrad, there is a highway with 2 or 3 lanes per direction. 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. Never ever drink and drive in Bulgaria! This is always dangerous, and your first offence will result in a long prison sentence. The once-common practice of bribing a police officer to get out of a speeding or parking ticket is becoming the exception. 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 leva a day to 2 leva 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 leva a month. Most hotels have their own parking, and even at private lodgings it is often possible to park the car in the garden or so, just ask. By bicycleAll roads in Bulgaria are paved. The ever present horse-drawn carts help to keep motor traffic calm. As host to the annual SVS [29] long-distance bicycle ride, Bulgaria is accustomed and well suited to cross-country bicycle travel. Still be careful if you go away from the main arteries, because the roads can turn quickly into some very bad and depleted pseudo-arteries. Plentiful roadside cafés can provide the cyclists' fuel and numerous roadside springs (pipes driven in to the sides of mountains or hills) provide a ready source of clean, cool water. Learning the Cyrllic alphabet is strongly encouraged, as many road signs and maps do not include the Latin equivalent. Hostels and tent-camping are good options overnight accommodations. By thumbThe 'problem' with hitchhiking in Bulgaria is that there are few major roads, so it is not possible to cover longer distances this way. Also communication in English might be rather cumbersome. Have your German, Russian or French on standby. In general hitchhiking goes well in Bulgaria. If you want to be on the safe side, just go to [30] or [31] (you'll need to learn the alphabet first to view the second site). TalkBulgarian is a southern Slavic language, closely related to Serbo-Croatian, Russian, Polish, etc...; so if you know any of these (or another Slavic language), you shouldn't have much problem getting by. As a matter of fact, ancient Bulgarian (also known as Church Slavonic) is considered the "Latin" or mother language of the Balto-Slavs. Some words or/and phrases might even be understood by Westerners since Bulgarian has a number of loans from other languages (most notably French, German, Turkish, Italian and increasingly English). Modern Bulgarian is difficult to Westerners, especially English-speakers, as it has three genders, no infinitive, and articles are appended to the end of either the noun (if no attribute is present) or the first attribute (example: kuche = dog, kucheto = the dog, dobro kuche = good dog, dobroto kuche = the good dog). However it is actually easier than the other Slavic tongues as the other Slavs almost never use articles nor prepositions, but have noun cases instead, which makes them more difficult. It takes a short while getting used to the Cyrillic alphabet, an writing system of which the Bulgarians are justifiably proud (it having been invented by two monks,Cyril and Methodius). Be sure to be in Bulgaria for the celebrations of the "Den na Bukvata" ("Day of the Alphabet"). The Russian/East Slavic version of the alphabet is almost identical to the Bulgarian one. 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. Bulgarians often use ciao for good-bye (instead of "Dovijdane") and merci for thank you (instead of "Blagodarya"). Be careful when you bring up the subject of Macedonian language; many Bulgarians insist that it is a dialect of their own language, which has some merit: spoken Macedonian sounds very similar to Bulgarian. They view Macedonian as merely a political classification made by Yugoslav leader Tito after 1944 which is not true in any sence. Secondary languages, including Turkish and Romani, and also Macedonian closely correspond to ethnic breakdown. Most young Bulgarians have at least a basic knowledge of English or/and a second foreign language (usually Russian(as beeing members of the Eastern blok), but German, French or Spanish can also be heard) and will often even take up a third one. Those born before the mid-1980s are most likely to speak Russian, German (because of ties with East Germany) or/and Serbo-Croatian and Slovene and usually have a limited or no knowledge of English at all. See
 Bulgaria is a very green country. The Black Sea is a good summer destination, and the mountains (Balkan, Rila, Pirin and Rodopa) are a winter destination, but are worth visiting during the summer as well. Go to the capital Sofia and see all the tourist attractions, e.g. St. Alexander Nevski, the parliament, the central universal shop (CUM). Plovdiv is a legendary city and the second biggest after Sofia, visit the old and rich of history part of Plovdiv, and drop by the Roman theater. Every tourist going to Bulgaria has to see the Rila monastery, it is a must. All of the above are located in the southern part of Bulgaria, but if you cross the Balkans you will find the more agricultural region of Bulgaria. In north Bulgaria you can see the old Bulgarian capital Veliko Tarnovo, also a must. DoBulgaria offers tourist attractions all around the year. Summer seaside resorts, along the entire Black Sea coastline, are the most popular. These tourist towns are dominated by Bulgarian, German and Russian tourists. During the winter, numerous ski resorts are there to attract tourists. There are many spa, trekking and historical destinations that offer an incredibly rich variety of experiences. Cave tourism is also attracting many fans. Among the most attractive cities are Sofia and Veliko Turnovo, the old capital of Bulgaria, a must see. Around Veliko Tarnovo there are nice rural towns like Elena and Rodina, where you can travel in a relaxed way. Many people from the UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands are buying nice countryside houses in this fantastic region for nature lovers. BuyGenerally, prices in Bulgaria are at least twice lower than in Western Europe, and good bargains are to be had on shoes and leather goods as well as other clothing. EatGeneralIf you do not speak the language or understand the Cyrillic alphabet, a restaurant can still be easily located by looking for the "Р.СТОРАНT" sign. Figuring out the menu will still be an adventure! In tourist areas you can expect to have an English version of the menu, and even pictures, but sometimes the translation is a bit rough and hard to decipher. Bulgarian food is similar to Turkish and Greek cuisine: lots of grilled meats, cheese, olives, red peppers, and powerful stews. A large choice of salads is available, usually based on tomatoes and cucumbers. Two cheeses are especially prevalent, сирене/sirene and кашкавал/kashkaval. They can be used by a Bulgarian as a topping on virtually any food. It can be difficult to find vegetarian food; most dishes have meat, typically pork. Three vegetarian dishes that are commonly available are боб чорба/bob chorba (warm minty bean soup), таратор/tarator (cold cucumber yogurt soup), and Шопска салата/Shopska salad. American vegetarians may be surprised to find meat inside innocent-looking breakfast pastries. Americans will probably be surprised by 'American sauce', which is a combination of ketchup and mayonnaise, placed on many unlikely dishes. 'American pizza' has corn, which sounds strange, but in fact it works out. Pizza is very popular as a street take-away for a few Leva. CheeseIn Bulgaria, 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. Originally made from sheep milk, it is available from cow or goat milk, or mixed. "Sirene" is also the general word for "cheese" in Bulgarian, so it is used to refer to foreign cheeses too. The word Kashkaval is derived from Caciocavallo, an Italian provolone-style cheese. YoghurtThe native Bulgarian yoghurt contains Lactobacilicus Bulgaricus, a bacterium which serves as the basis for active culture "plain" yoghurts in other countries. This "Kiselo mlyako" is the "mother" of yoghurt. 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 Tarator (Таратор), a cold soup made from yoghurt, water and cucumbers. A drink called "Ayran" - a yoghurt-water mixture - is also very popular. Fast-FoodTraditional bakeries prepare different kinds of pastry products. Banitsa and mekitsa are the favorites. Pizza, dyuner (Döner) or hamburgers are also very easy to be found at the streets. There are also many local and international fast-food chains. DrinkThere are more than six hundred mineral water springs around the country, so this is something you'd better taste and drink. Ayrian (yogurt, water and salt) and boza (millet ale) are two traditional Balkan non-alcoholic beverages. A powerful (40% vol), clear grape brandy, rakia (Ракия), is the Bulgarian national drink and is served neat, usually at the beginning of a meal with salads. Especially in the smaller cities, some families still distill their rakia at home; it is then usually much stronger (>50% vol). Another quite popular drink is Mastika (Мастика) (47% vol), a drink closely related to Greek Ouzo and Turkish Raki. It is usually drink with ice, with water in a 1:1 mixture or with peppermint liqueur, called Oblak (cloud). Bulgaria has several well known local wine varietals. These include Melnik, Mavrud, Pamid, Gamza (Гъмза) (red dry), Kadarka (red sweet) and Keratsuda (white dry). Local lagers like Zagorka, Kamenitza and Shumensko are very good, inexpensive, widely available and drunk in copious amounts. SleepThere are hostels in Sofia and Plovdiv. Inexpensive hotels can be found in all cities. Luxury hotels are available in large cities. There are many "Mountain Huts" 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. Following are several official resources for tourism and lodging in Bulgaria. LearnThere are many organizations that provide courses in Bulgarian language among others (e.g. Orbis [32]) and School in Plovdiv [33] Here is an unofficial list of institutions that offer international education in Bulgaria: UniversitiesMost Bulgarian universities offer admission to international students willing to study in Bulgarian language. These are mainly residents of other Balkan or Slavic countries. Some of these offer parallel supervision in English. However here are some institutions that offer education entirely in English:
The last one, Technical University of Sofia [45] offers also german-language degrees. For more information please check the universities' websites and contact their admission offices Secondary Education
There are many more state language schools in most major cities, which admit international students and issue degrees compliant with the corresponding country's educational system. However many of these do not have separate websites, so the Bulgarian embassies or Ministry of Education and Science [49] is to be contacted for further information. WorkThere are many online agencies that offer jobs. See [50] for an extensive list of job portals. Management, IT, finance, professional education, consulting and tourism areas are known for being well-paid. Stay safeBulgaria is generally a 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. Unlike a number of people from other former Eastern Bloc countries, Bulgarians do not feel anger or resentment towards Russians. Ask as many questions as you like. Bulgarians are a very patriotic people and tend to be very positive towards all their Slavic brothers.Most of all they hate Serbs and Macedonians,and this is a very sensitive subject. Most Bulgarians refuse to acknowledge the existence of a Macedonian nation, and they will insist that Macedonians are actually Bulgarians, and their language is a dialect of Bulgarian. However, Bulgarians do not show any hostility towards Macedonians, and the issue is a very sensitive one, so you can't ask people about it as much as you want. However, any traveller will notice that Bulgarians are incredibly friendly and seem very interested in talking to foreigners. Engaging in dialogue with these people is much advised and worthwhile. Certain beaches in Bulgaria may be off limits due to packs of wild dogs. These are relatively common all over Bulgaria, and are usually little more than a nuisance. However, they have been responsible for several deaths, so it is best to keep your distance. Corruption and organized crime are serious issues in Bulgaria, however they usually do not affect the tourist areas. Gunfights between criminals do rarely occur in Sofia and other big cities. Car theft is another problem confronting tourists. If you drive an expensive car, do not leave it in unguarded parking lots or on the streets. Stay healthyMost food is quite safe to eat. Of course, try to avoid eating at places that are obviously not too clean. The water in Bulgaria is safe to drink from the tap. However, natural mineral water is cheap and widely available. Since Bulgaria is a mountainous country, natural springs are quite abundant and many villages have one or more mineral springs. ContactIn general the telephone system is extensive but antiquated, now being modernized.
[54] offers mobile phones for rent.
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