Information about Bulgaria

Bulgaria is a place of extraordinary beauty.Our country provides nature,space and a richness of flora and fauna.Whether it is the rolling hills of the Danuve valley,the mountain ranges of the Rila and Rhodope Mountains or the sandy coastline of the Black Sea coast,most visitors are struck by the natural beauty of Bulgaria.People enjoy long hot summers and snowy winters. Bulgaria is ideal combination of beach,outdoor life and winter skiing.It is also intruiging experience for those who enjoy cultural and historical monumnets and want to taste the unique folklore.
In short something for everyone - small and elder adventurous in spirit, but not wanting to stay too far from the center of Europe.
Capital: Sofia (population approx 1.5 million)
Large Cities: Plovdiv, Varna, Rousse, Bourgas, Blagoevgrad, Veliko Turnovo, Pleven, Vratsa, etc.

LOCATION

Bulgaria is situated in Southeast Europe and occupies the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. To the north it borders with Romania, to the west with Macedonia and Serbia, to the east with the Black Sea, to the southwest with Greece and to the southeast with Turkey.
 
Its land area is: 111.000 sq km.
 
PASSPORTS AND VISAS

All European Union citizens need a valid identity card upon entry of the Republic of Bulgaria. All other visitors require a passport and visa. EEC residents do not require a visa for short stays.
If you are considering settling for a longer period then you will require a visa.
 
BULGARIA CLIMATE

Bulgaria has long hot summers with temperatures reaching 40C in July and August.Winters can be bitterly cold with several feet of snow except along the coast. The climate is continental with clearly marked four seasons.
 
LANGUAGES

•    Bulgarian
•    English
Resorts personnel is also likely to speak German,Russian or French.
 
POPULATION

•    Approx 7.5 million people

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

RELIGION

60% of the population is Eastern Orthodox, 28% Christian. The Bulgarian Church is autonomous and headed by a Patriarch. The Orthodox makes for a later celebration of Christmas as the normal in Bulgaria.
 
STATE GOVERNMENT

Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic
 
CREDIT CARDS, BANKING AND CURRENCY EXCHANGE

The currency in Bulgaria is Lev euqal to 0.512 Euros.The euro and American dollar are also acceptable in some places.Visa, MasterCard,Diners Club, American Express can be used for payment in bigger hotels, restaurants,shopping malls and so on. However, cash is still the most common method for payment. Please note that cheques are only accepted in banks in Bulgaria.
There are numerous banks,cash machines and exchange offices in the capital and all big cities.
Note: loans for property purchases from foreigners are available from certain banks, however the interest rates are a bit high and the length of borrowing period short. So best to shop around and consult with your local bank back at home.
 
MEDICAL SERVICE

First Aid in the national hospitals is free in Bulgaria. If you use the services of private hospitals charges vary dramatically. In all cases it is advisable that you make an adequate holiday insurance. You may also check with NHS for overseas countries offering reciprocal medical agreements. At present Bulgaria is offering this arrangement so bring your medical insuarnce card.
 
WORKING HOURS

•    Offices - 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. (Monday to Friday)
•    Banks - 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. (Monday to Friday)
•    Shopping Malls - 10.00 a.m. to 10.00 pm. (everyday)

TRANSPORT

Public transport in bigger cities is rather cheap.Most common types of transportation are trams, trolley-buses, buses. In the capital Sofia you need to purchase tickets prior to getting on the bus.You can also buy a combined ticket for the metro and the bus system.
Taxis in Bulgaria are always yellow with a taxi sign on top.Txi rates vary from company to company but are roughly 0.70-0.80 levs per km.
Rent-a-car companies are also wide spread.You can see offices of International companies like AVIS, Hertz, Europcar and Budget.Usually Bulgarian companies give better rates but still do your homework before booking.

TIME DIFFERENCE

Winter time: GMT +2 hours (October through March)
Summer time: GMT +3 hours (April through September)
 
VOLTAGE

220 V 50Hz only. You will need an appropriate adapter if your country's standards are different.
 
Beach Resorts in Bulgaria
 
The eastern Bulgarian border is washed by the Black Sea - a 380 km stretch of sandy beaches, clear water, holiday villages and campsites.The average air temperature in the summer is 28 degrees and the water temperature is 25.There are more than 1400 hours of sunshine from May through September.The Black Sea coast has been the subject of staggering amount of development in recent years and has attracted a vast amount of “sun and see” lovers.There are two main cities along the coast - Varna on the north and Bourgas on the South. Both of them have International airports offering quick access to any of the beach resorts around them.

Ski Resorts in Bulgaria

The mountains of Bulgaria are quintessential to the character and history of the entire Balkan Peninsula. Bulgaria has four major mountain ranges each with its own character and indigenous culture: Stara Planina in the center and the Rhodope, Pirin and Rila on the south.There are three main ski resorts and further 13 smaller in the pipeline. Most are in nature reserves or national parks in the southern mountains.When we talk about good ski facilities we actually have in mind: Bansko in the Pirin Mountains, Pamporovo in the Rhodope Mountains and Borovets in the Rila Mountains.

Golf courses in Bulgaria

The golf as a sport has recently been introduced to our country. One of the oldest sports in the world became available in Bulgaria just 8 years ago. It is the logical continuation of the boosting tourism and holiday property market.In just a couple of year golf developments started popping everywhere in the country - from the coast to the ski slopes. The unique combination of climate and scenery makes Bulgaria an ideal destination for development of this high-class sport.