Bulgaria is a small country, yet has a unique nature and many sights to see. With the combination of sea and mountains and the variety of landscapes, it is a great tourist destination both in the winter and summer seasons and is getting more and more popular.

Tips

Advice for travellers visiting Bulgaria

• Make sure you have a visa if you need one. Check with the Bulgarian embassy in your country.
• Make sure you have travel and health insurance.
• Always have ID/passport with you.
• Try traditional Bulgarian dishes – Moussaka, Tarator, Banitsa, Shopska salad, Snow white salad, Turshiya, Kyopolou, Sarma
• Try Bulgarian yoghurt – the yoghurt originally comes from Bulgaria. Ask for “Kiselo mlyako”
• Try the local alcoholic drink Rakia. But be careful – it is very strong.
• Always have sun cream with higher protection factor with you – sometimes in the summer it gets up to 40°
• Drink a lot of water during the hot days
• Exchange your money. Hotels, restaurants, taxi drivers and shops accept payments in Bulgarian currency (leva, BGN) only. (€ 5 = 9.78 lv)
• Always have cash, preferably small notes when travelling outside the bigger cities. In the smaller cities, being able to pay by card is not always possible.
• Carry all valuables close to your body, or leave them in a hotel safe. Pickpocketing is quite frequent, especially in the public transport.
• Bear in mind that unlike the other nationalities, Bulgarians nod for “No” and shake heads side-to-side for “Yes”. It can lead to a big confusion and misunderstanding, so watch out.
• Don’t expect everyone to be speaking English. If you need directions, better get a map.
• In restaurants, cafes and bars it’s expected from you to leave 10% tip.
• If you need a taxi, take one from a taxi queue and watch the tariff. Normally it’s around 0.89lv/km. There are a lot of fake ones that charge a lot of money, especially foreigners.
• Bring warm clothes. The winter in the mountains is extremely cold.