Introduction
An enigmatic country at a very important crossroads in its history. Images of cheap and nasty plonk downed at student house parties, budget ski holidays and umbrella-wielding Cold War assassins were once among the popular stereotypes, but Bulgaria today is a vastly different country from what it was even ten years ago - as more travellers than ever are discovering.
For most visitors, Bulgaria's main lure is its long sandy coastline, with its stunning beaches and bays - but there is so much more to see. Well-maintained hiking and horse-riding trails allow you to discover Bulgaria's lush landscapes, inhabited by wildlife now becoming scarcer elsewhere in Europe.
Geography:
Bulgaria covers just under 111,000 sq km (43,000 sq mi) at the heart of the Balkan Peninsula, and in that relatively small area encompasses an amazing variety of landscapes and landforms. About one-third of Bulgaria's terrain is mountainous and the country boasts seven distinct mountain ranges, each with a unique range of flora and fauna, and all covered with well-marked walking trails. From the northern border with Romania, a windswept fertile plain gradually slopes south as far as the Stara Planina mountains, the longest mountain range in the Balkans, which virtually splits the country in half. To the south, the Sredna Gora mountains are separated from the main range by a fault in which the Valley of Roses lies. Mt Musala (2925m/9595ft) in the rugged and floriferous Rila Mountains, south of Sofia, is almost equalled by Mt Vihren (2914m/9560ft) in the wild Pirin Mountains further south. The Rila Mountains' sharply glaciated massifs, with their bare rocky peaks, steep forested valleys and glacial lakes are the geographical core of the Balkans and a paradise for hikers (and, in parts, skiers). The Rodopi Mountains stretch along the Greek border east of the Rila and Pirin Mountains and spill over into Greece. The fascinating Yagodina and Trigrad caves are geological must-sees in the Rodopis, while Melnik's dramatic and unique sand pyramids are one of the more unusual highlights of the Pirin region. The Thracian plain opens onto the Black Sea coast. The 378km-long (235mi) coast is lined with beaches and also features coastal lakes near Burgas, spectacular cliffs near Kaliakra and several gaping bays. In addition to the mighty Danube, which forms much of the border with Romania, the major rivers include the Yantra, which meanders its way through the town of Veliko T â rnovo; the Isk â r, which stretches from south of Samokov to the Danube, past Sofia; and the Maritsa, which crawls through Plovdiv.
Destination Facts
Capital: Sofia
President: Georgi Purvanov
Prime Minister: Sergei Stanishev
Government: parliamentary democracy
Time zone: GMT +2
Area: 110910
Population: 7330000
People: Bulgarian (85%), Turkish (9%), Roma (4.5%), Armenian, Russian and other (1.5%)
Languages: A South Slavonic language closely related to Macedonian. It became the official language in 1879. Bulgarian Orthodox (83%), Muslim (12%), other (Jewish, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Armenian)
Currency: Bulgarian LEV (Lv)
Major industries: Food processing, machinery and equipment, electronics, rose oil production, chemicals, textiles, construction
Major Trading Partners: Italy, Germany, Turkey, Greece, France, USA
Daylight Saving: From last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October
Country Dialing Code: 359
Getting there
Bulgaria has a temperate climate, with cold damp winters and hot dry summers. Spring (particularly April to mid-June) is an excellent time to visit. The days are getting longer, the weather is good, the theatres and other cultural venues are in full swing, off-season rates still generally apply, and locals are not yet jaded by waves of summertime visitors. Summer (mid-June to early September) is ideal for hiking and festivals, but is the peak season for travellers from elsewhere in Europe. Temperatures can be very high during this period, the beaches on the Black Sea coast can get insanely crowded, and accommodation and camping grounds in coastal resorts tend to fill up. September is perhaps one of the best months to see Bulgaria. The autumn trees are glorious, fruit and vegetables are plentiful, shoulder-season tariffs are in effect, the tourist hordes have returned home, and you can still swim and sunbathe at the Black Sea. The ski season begins in mid-December and can last until April.
Getting there and away
Bulgaria Air (www.air.bg) took over as national carrier from the thankfully defunct Balkan Airlines in November 2002, merging with Hemus Air in 2007. It has flights to most major European capitals but as yet there are no direct flights linking Sofia with the major Asian hubs or North America. Travellers from Australasia will usually have to connect through more popular European destinations. Buses and trains are the easiest way to get to Bulgaria from Europe and Turkey, with frequent services from Greece, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania, Istanbul, Prague and Western Europe. The only Romania connection is a scrappy maxi-taxi service from Ruse, Bulgaria (on the Danube River) to Bucharest. The train from Greece is usually a hassle (take the bus). The website for Sofia's Central Bus Station is very informative (with a handy English language option): www.centralnaavtogara.bg. When you enter Bulgaria by car you must state which border crossing you'll be using when you leave and pay a road tax accordingly. There's also a 'disinfection fee' for your vehicle. Route restrictions apply if you're only in transit through Bulgaria. A regular car ferry crosses the Danube from Vidin to Calafat in Romania. Crossing the 'Friendship Bridge' from Romania to Ruse in Bulgaria is painfully slow, though outbound travellers are not usually delayed. Bus services to Istanbul usually reach the border in the middle of the night, when Turkish customs go through every bag vigorously.
Getting around
Buses link all cities and major towns and connect villages with the nearest transport hub. In some places, buses are run by the government. These buses are old, uncomfortable (when compared with city buses) and slow. Newer, quicker and more commodious private buses often operate in larger towns and cities, and normally cost little more than the fare on a ramshackle public bus.There are also numerous private companies running services all across the country, the biggest of which are Etap-Grup (tel: 02 945 3939; www.etapgroup.com) and Biomet (tel: 02 963 1366; www.biomet-bg.com), which operate from Sofia and link up with most major towns and cities. All timetables are listed (in Cyrillic) inside the bus stations and all buses have destination signs (in Cyrillic) in the front window. For a public bus, you normally buy a ticket from the counter marked kasa (каса) inside the station. This way you're guaranteed a seat and you know the correct departure time and platform number. However, in some cases the cashier will tell you to buy a ticket on the bus.
Visa:
Citizens of other EU member states, plus Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and the USA can stay in Bulgaria visa-free for up to 90 days. Citizens of other countries should check the current requirements with their nearest Bulgarian embassy or consulate before their departure. Visas cannot be obtained at border crossings.
Weather
Bulgaria's climate is a distinct case of Mediterranean-meets-eastern-Europe. Summers have a few more wet days than the start of the year and are pleasantly hot and sunny, mostly sitting in the low 30 ° Cs (high 80 ° Fs) and slightly fresher at higher altitudes. Winters are your typical European affair, little sunshine and days averaging between -4 ° C and 6 ° C (25-42 ° F). The Black Sea moderates temperatures in the east of the country. Rainfall is highest in the mountains, and in winter life throughout Bulgaria is sometimes disrupted by heavy snowfalls.
Places of Interest
Images of cheap and nasty plonk downed at student house parties, budget ski holidays and umbrella-wielding Cold War assassins were once among the popular stereotypes, but Bulgaria today is a vastly different country from what it was even ten years ago - as more travellers than ever are discovering. For most visitors, Bulgaria's main lure is its long sandy coastline, with its stunning beaches and bays - but there is so much more to see. Well-maintained hiking and horse-riding trails allow you to discover Bulgaria's lush landscapes, inhabited by wildlife now becoming scarcer elsewhere in Europe.
Events
Public holidays include New Year (1 and 2 January), Liberation Day (3 March), Orthodox Easter Sunday and Monday (March/April, one week after Catholic/Protestant Easter), Cyrillic Alphabet Day (24 May) and Christmas (25 and 26 December). The reason for the two Christmas days is that religious Bulgarians were forbidden to practise during the Communist era, so they invented a secular - and suspiciously Christmas-like - celebration on the following day. Since the collapse of Communism, the original Christmas Day has been celebrated as before, but the invented holiday has been sensibly retained. Bulgarians observe a number of traditional customs. Trifon Zarezan on 14 February is the ancient festival of the wine growers. Vines are pruned and sprinkled with wine to ensure a bounteous harvest. On 1 March Bulgarians give one another martenitsi, red and white tasselled threads which are worn for health and happiness at the coming of spring. When wearers see their first stork of the season, the martenitsa is tied to the nearest tree. At the Koprivshtitsa International Folk Festival, which is held every five years, some 4000 finalists compete for awards. There is a biennial festival in Pernik at which participants, wearing traditional masks and costumes, perform ancient dances to drive away evil spirits and ask the good spirits for a plentiful harvest. Held as winter turns into spring, Kukeri is another festival, most avidly celebrated in the Rodopi Mountains. The Festival of Roses is celebrated with folk songs and dances at Kazanl â k and Karlovo on the first Sunday in June.
An enigmatic country at a very important crossroads in its history. Images of cheap and nasty plonk downed at student house parties, budget ski holidays and umbrella-wielding Cold War assassins were once among the popular stereotypes, but Bulgaria today is a vastly different country from what it was even ten years ago - as more travellers than ever are discovering.
For most visitors, Bulgaria's main lure is its long sandy coastline, with its stunning beaches and bays - but there is so much more to see. Well-maintained hiking and horse-riding trails allow you to discover Bulgaria's lush landscapes, inhabited by wildlife now becoming scarcer elsewhere in Europe.
Geography:
Bulgaria covers just under 111,000 sq km (43,000 sq mi) at the heart of the Balkan Peninsula, and in that relatively small area encompasses an amazing variety of landscapes and landforms. About one-third of Bulgaria's terrain is mountainous and the country boasts seven distinct mountain ranges, each with a unique range of flora and fauna, and all covered with well-marked walking trails. From the northern border with Romania, a windswept fertile plain gradually slopes south as far as the Stara Planina mountains, the longest mountain range in the Balkans, which virtually splits the country in half. To the south, the Sredna Gora mountains are separated from the main range by a fault in which the Valley of Roses lies. Mt Musala (2925m/9595ft) in the rugged and floriferous Rila Mountains, south of Sofia, is almost equalled by Mt Vihren (2914m/9560ft) in the wild Pirin Mountains further south. The Rila Mountains' sharply glaciated massifs, with their bare rocky peaks, steep forested valleys and glacial lakes are the geographical core of the Balkans and a paradise for hikers (and, in parts, skiers). The Rodopi Mountains stretch along the Greek border east of the Rila and Pirin Mountains and spill over into Greece. The fascinating Yagodina and Trigrad caves are geological must-sees in the Rodopis, while Melnik's dramatic and unique sand pyramids are one of the more unusual highlights of the Pirin region. The Thracian plain opens onto the Black Sea coast. The 378km-long (235mi) coast is lined with beaches and also features coastal lakes near Burgas, spectacular cliffs near Kaliakra and several gaping bays. In addition to the mighty Danube, which forms much of the border with Romania, the major rivers include the Yantra, which meanders its way through the town of Veliko T â rnovo; the Isk â r, which stretches from south of Samokov to the Danube, past Sofia; and the Maritsa, which crawls through Plovdiv.
Destination Facts
Capital: Sofia
President: Georgi Purvanov
Prime Minister: Sergei Stanishev
Government: parliamentary democracy
Time zone: GMT +2
Area: 110910
Population: 7330000
People: Bulgarian (85%), Turkish (9%), Roma (4.5%), Armenian, Russian and other (1.5%)
Languages: A South Slavonic language closely related to Macedonian. It became the official language in 1879. Bulgarian Orthodox (83%), Muslim (12%), other (Jewish, Roman Catholic, Protestant, Armenian)
Currency: Bulgarian LEV (Lv)
Major industries: Food processing, machinery and equipment, electronics, rose oil production, chemicals, textiles, construction
Major Trading Partners: Italy, Germany, Turkey, Greece, France, USA
Daylight Saving: From last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October
Country Dialing Code: 359
Getting there
Bulgaria has a temperate climate, with cold damp winters and hot dry summers. Spring (particularly April to mid-June) is an excellent time to visit. The days are getting longer, the weather is good, the theatres and other cultural venues are in full swing, off-season rates still generally apply, and locals are not yet jaded by waves of summertime visitors. Summer (mid-June to early September) is ideal for hiking and festivals, but is the peak season for travellers from elsewhere in Europe. Temperatures can be very high during this period, the beaches on the Black Sea coast can get insanely crowded, and accommodation and camping grounds in coastal resorts tend to fill up. September is perhaps one of the best months to see Bulgaria. The autumn trees are glorious, fruit and vegetables are plentiful, shoulder-season tariffs are in effect, the tourist hordes have returned home, and you can still swim and sunbathe at the Black Sea. The ski season begins in mid-December and can last until April.
Getting there and away
Bulgaria Air (www.air.bg) took over as national carrier from the thankfully defunct Balkan Airlines in November 2002, merging with Hemus Air in 2007. It has flights to most major European capitals but as yet there are no direct flights linking Sofia with the major Asian hubs or North America. Travellers from Australasia will usually have to connect through more popular European destinations. Buses and trains are the easiest way to get to Bulgaria from Europe and Turkey, with frequent services from Greece, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania, Istanbul, Prague and Western Europe. The only Romania connection is a scrappy maxi-taxi service from Ruse, Bulgaria (on the Danube River) to Bucharest. The train from Greece is usually a hassle (take the bus). The website for Sofia's Central Bus Station is very informative (with a handy English language option): www.centralnaavtogara.bg. When you enter Bulgaria by car you must state which border crossing you'll be using when you leave and pay a road tax accordingly. There's also a 'disinfection fee' for your vehicle. Route restrictions apply if you're only in transit through Bulgaria. A regular car ferry crosses the Danube from Vidin to Calafat in Romania. Crossing the 'Friendship Bridge' from Romania to Ruse in Bulgaria is painfully slow, though outbound travellers are not usually delayed. Bus services to Istanbul usually reach the border in the middle of the night, when Turkish customs go through every bag vigorously.
Getting around
Buses link all cities and major towns and connect villages with the nearest transport hub. In some places, buses are run by the government. These buses are old, uncomfortable (when compared with city buses) and slow. Newer, quicker and more commodious private buses often operate in larger towns and cities, and normally cost little more than the fare on a ramshackle public bus.There are also numerous private companies running services all across the country, the biggest of which are Etap-Grup (tel: 02 945 3939; www.etapgroup.com) and Biomet (tel: 02 963 1366; www.biomet-bg.com), which operate from Sofia and link up with most major towns and cities. All timetables are listed (in Cyrillic) inside the bus stations and all buses have destination signs (in Cyrillic) in the front window. For a public bus, you normally buy a ticket from the counter marked kasa (каса) inside the station. This way you're guaranteed a seat and you know the correct departure time and platform number. However, in some cases the cashier will tell you to buy a ticket on the bus.
Visa:
Citizens of other EU member states, plus Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and the USA can stay in Bulgaria visa-free for up to 90 days. Citizens of other countries should check the current requirements with their nearest Bulgarian embassy or consulate before their departure. Visas cannot be obtained at border crossings.
Weather
Bulgaria's climate is a distinct case of Mediterranean-meets-eastern-Europe. Summers have a few more wet days than the start of the year and are pleasantly hot and sunny, mostly sitting in the low 30 ° Cs (high 80 ° Fs) and slightly fresher at higher altitudes. Winters are your typical European affair, little sunshine and days averaging between -4 ° C and 6 ° C (25-42 ° F). The Black Sea moderates temperatures in the east of the country. Rainfall is highest in the mountains, and in winter life throughout Bulgaria is sometimes disrupted by heavy snowfalls.
Places of Interest
Images of cheap and nasty plonk downed at student house parties, budget ski holidays and umbrella-wielding Cold War assassins were once among the popular stereotypes, but Bulgaria today is a vastly different country from what it was even ten years ago - as more travellers than ever are discovering. For most visitors, Bulgaria's main lure is its long sandy coastline, with its stunning beaches and bays - but there is so much more to see. Well-maintained hiking and horse-riding trails allow you to discover Bulgaria's lush landscapes, inhabited by wildlife now becoming scarcer elsewhere in Europe.
Events
Public holidays include New Year (1 and 2 January), Liberation Day (3 March), Orthodox Easter Sunday and Monday (March/April, one week after Catholic/Protestant Easter), Cyrillic Alphabet Day (24 May) and Christmas (25 and 26 December). The reason for the two Christmas days is that religious Bulgarians were forbidden to practise during the Communist era, so they invented a secular - and suspiciously Christmas-like - celebration on the following day. Since the collapse of Communism, the original Christmas Day has been celebrated as before, but the invented holiday has been sensibly retained. Bulgarians observe a number of traditional customs. Trifon Zarezan on 14 February is the ancient festival of the wine growers. Vines are pruned and sprinkled with wine to ensure a bounteous harvest. On 1 March Bulgarians give one another martenitsi, red and white tasselled threads which are worn for health and happiness at the coming of spring. When wearers see their first stork of the season, the martenitsa is tied to the nearest tree. At the Koprivshtitsa International Folk Festival, which is held every five years, some 4000 finalists compete for awards. There is a biennial festival in Pernik at which participants, wearing traditional masks and costumes, perform ancient dances to drive away evil spirits and ask the good spirits for a plentiful harvest. Held as winter turns into spring, Kukeri is another festival, most avidly celebrated in the Rodopi Mountains. The Festival of Roses is celebrated with folk songs and dances at Kazanl â k and Karlovo on the first Sunday in June.
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