BULGARIA
Located
in the Eastern Part of the Balkan Peninsula, in South Eastern Europe. Bordered by the new states of former Yugoslavia, Greece, Turkey, the Danube (the border with Romania) and the Black Sea.
Population is about 7,700,000
Area 70,000 square miles
Capital: Sofia (1.1 mln), Major cities: Plovdiv, Varna and Bourgas
Money, Currency Exchange, Banks
The official monetary unit in Bulgaria is called "LEV" (plural "LEVA"). The banknote denominations include 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 LEVA, as well as coins - 1, 2, 5,10, 20, 50 called "stotinki" ("stotinka" for singular).
Exchange rate is not fixed and fluctuates within 3-5%. Please, note that old or marked notes and coins are not accepted. Travellers’ cheques carry higher commission. Check the current exchange rate on Yahoo! Finance Converter.
Please, do not rely on credit cards for local purchases. Access and Visa are not generally accepted. Cash machines are available in bigger cities and resorts.
Meals and Drinks
Your holiday invoice will state whether the arrangement is based on accommodation only (AO), self catering (SC), bed and breakfast (BB), half board (HB) or all inclusive (AI).
Bulgarian food is close to the traditional European cuisine. Traditional Bulgarian menu includes bread, yogurt and fresh milk, cheese, tomatoes, paprika, potatoes, onions, beans and fruits, brandy and red or white wine.
Some typical Bulgarian specialties and meals:
- Shopska salad - prepared from diced tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, green peppers, topped with feta cheese and seasoned with olive oil and parsley
- Mlechna salad - prepared from strained yogurt seasoned with olives, crashed walnuts, finely diced garlic and parsley
- Tarator - cold served soup from yogurt, fresh cucumbers, seasoned with walnuts, garlic and dill
- Sirene po Shopski - feta cheese, diced tomatoes and onion topped with egg and cooked in pottery
- Kebapche - minced meat rolls seasoned with traditional spices and fine herbs and barbequed
- Kuyfte - minced meat balls seasoned with traditional spices and fine herbs and barbequed
Shish Kebab - grilled skewered meat, onion and paprika
- Banitsa - baked pumpkin pastry filled with cheese or meet
- Creme Caramel - delicious dessert prepared from fresh milk, eggs and caramelized sugar, similar to the classic French creme Brule.
- Restaurants: Wide variety of cuisines is offered. Along with traditional Bulgarian dishes, many restaurants offer Italian, French, Greek, Chinese, German, Arabian, Hungarian, Latin American, Indian and Russian food.
- Drinks and prices: You can buy alcohol from any local store or pavilion on the street. Some of them work 24 hours.
Hotel and Resort Facilities
All hotel and resort facilities which are open to the general public (swimming pools, discos, nightclubs health centres, saunas, etc.) are chargeable on the spot - even for residents of the hotel - unless otherwise specified in the brochure/web site. There is also a small charge for the use of all public toilets, even in hotels.Voltage
For electric razors, etc. 220-240 AC is the local voltage, and a continental adapter is required.
Religious Information
86.6% of the population are Orthodox Christians, 13% are Muslims. The Bulgarian Church is
autonomous and headed by a Patriarch.
Medical Attention
There is a polyclinic in each resort where tourists can receive medical attention. There is a charge for these services which varies from resort to resort, but costs are generally low. Please, keep all receipt for insurance claims, but be aware that most policies have an excess. You must always contact your Insurance company DIRECT on your return.
Car Hire
There are Car hire office in Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Bourgas, and some major resortssuch as Sunny Beach, Nessebur, Golden Sands, Albena and St. Konstantine.
Safety Deposit Boxes
Most hotels have the facilities to hold small valuable i
tems at the reception or in the room, for you during your holiday. Usually this service is paid locally and costs 2-4 BGN per day. In some hotels the use of SDB can be free of charge and this will be mention in the hotel's description.
Linen Change
In the hotels, bed linen is normally changed weekly and towels every 3-4 days. Pleaseinform your rep if linen change is less frequent.
will have list of times when your representative will be available in person
Cots hire & Baby supplies
Cots can be hired from hotels reception from approximately 9 BGN per day, subject to availability. We recommend that parents take supply of baby food, powdered milk and nappies with them as it is sometimes difficult to obtain these locally.
Skiing, Skis and Lift Passes
Skis (either hired or your own) should not be left unattended at any time.
Ski-lift passes must be looked after very carefully. If they are lost, they can not be re-issued locally except at a much higher price then the first cost, so try not to loose your pass.
Important Telephone Numbers
Any problems should be reported to our representatives in the holiday centers immediately so that they can be dealt with whenever possible on the spot. Your hotel
Frequency used distances
| point of departure |
point of arrive |
distance |
approximately transfer time |
| |
|
|
|
| Airoport of Varna |
St. Constantin & Elena |
15 km |
0:30 h |
| |
Sunny Day |
16 km |
0:35 h |
| |
Riviera |
24 km |
0:40 h |
| |
Golden Sands |
25 km |
0:40 h |
| |
Albena |
40 km |
0:55 h |
| |
Sunny Beach |
100 km |
2:00 h |
| |
Bourgas |
130 km |
2:30 h |
| |
|
|
|
| Rail station of Varna |
St. Constantin & Elena |
9 km |
0:25 h |
| |
Sunny Day |
10 km |
0:30 h |
| |
Riviera |
18 km |
0:35 h |
| |
Golden Sands |
19 km |
0:35 h |
| |
Albena |
33 km |
0:50 h |
| |
Sunny Beach |
95 km |
2:00 h |
| |
Bourgas |
125 km |
2:30 h |
| |
|
|
|
| Airoport of Burgas |
Sunny Beach |
30 km |
0:30 h |
| |
Nessebar |
28 km |
0:25 h |
| |
Elenite |
40 km |
0:40 h |
| |
Varna |
125 km |
2:30 h |
| |
St. Constantin & Elena |
134 km |
2:50 h |
| |
Sunny Day |
135 km |
2:50 h |
| |
Riviera |
143 km |
2:50 h |
| |
Golden Sands |
144 km |
2:50 h |
| |
Albena |
158 km |
3:00 h |
| |
|
|
|
| Rail station of Burgas |
Sunny Beach |
43 km |
0:45 h |
| |
Nessebar |
41 km |
0:40 h |
| |
Elenite |
53 km |
0:55 h |
| |
Varna |
138 km |
3:00 h |
| |
St. Constantin & Elena |
147 km |
3:00 h |
| |
Sunny Day |
148 km |
3:00 h |
| |
Riviera |
156 km |
3:00 h |
| |
Golden Sands |
157 km |
3:00 h |
| |
Albena |
171 km |
3:10 h |
| |
|
|
|
| Airoport of Sofia |
Borovets |
70 km |
1:30 h |
| |
Bansko |
160 km |
3:00 h |
| |
Pamporovo |
215 km |
3:00 h |
| |
|
|
|
| Rail station of Sofia |
Borovets |
80 km |
1:40 h |
| |
Bansko |
155 km |
2:50 h |
| |
Pamporovo |
225 km |
3:00 h |
| |
|
|
|
| Airoport of Plovdiv |
Pamporovo |
75 km |
1:30 h |
| |
Borovets |
130 km |
2:30 h |
| |
Bansko |
160 km |
3:30 h |
| |
|
|
|
| Sofia |
Varna |
450 km |
6:00 h |
| Sofia |
Plovdiv |
130 km |
1:30 h |
| Sofia |
Rila Monastery |
120 km |
1:30 h |
| Varna |
Plovdiv |
350 km |
4:00h |