From Wikitravel

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.

[edit] Regions

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, Ruse, Shumen, Silistra, Sliven, Smolyan, Sofia (city), Sofia (province), Stara Zagora, Turgovishte (Targovishte), Varna, Veliko Turnovo, Vidin, Vratsa, Yambol

[edit] Cities

• Sofia (София) - The capital and a major point of interest in Bulgaria. It features nice parks, a nice town center, many bars, pubs, and disco clubs, over 250 historic landmarks and architectural monuments, and a great deal of cultural places of interest.

• Plovdiv (Пловдив) - The nation's second largest city. Boasts a lovely shopping promenade and many parks, an ancient city with a preserved amphitheater, and many "revival" style Bulgaria homes. Be sure also to take a side trip to Bachkovo Monastery which is about an hour away.

• Varna (Варна) - The nation's third largest city is a primary beach resort. The night life in Varna is notorious, especially during the summer season.

• Burgas (Бургас) - Known for its commercial port (Port of Burgas) and oil refinery. Picturesque waterside and nearby downtown and shopping area makes this city popular with tourists.

• Rousse (Русе) - More famous as the "Small Vienna", the city centre offers an unforgettable architectural ensemble that cannot be found any place else within Bulgaria. Present-day Rousse is the fifth largest Bulgarian city and is an important economic, financial and cultural hub. The city boasts various places of interest among which the Sexiginta Prista Roman Castle, The Theatre, The House of Caliopa, The Pantheon and so on.

• Vratsa (Враца) - one of the most picturesque cities in Bulgaria. The town is an important economic and administrative, tourist and cultural center. It is the biggest city in North-western Bulgaria.

• Shumen (Шумен) - consists mostly of new buildings, but there is a small area with nice older buildings. Half of the boulevard is pedestrian area with a lot of cafes and night life. In the surroundings: See the Madara Horseman carved into the cliff wall. It is one of Bulgaria's UNESCO world heritage sites. There are Thracian tombs and the two of the ancient capitals of the Bulgarian Kingdoms - Pliska and Preslav. South West of Shumen close to Kotel, there is a nice village, Medven, with old wooden houses, a nice little waterfall, and a good restaurant and hotel (30 leva for a double room).

• Veliko Turnovo (Велико Търново) - a beautiful city along a winding river, the former capital of Bulgaria in the middle ages. The original city castle and walls are reconstructed. Be sure also to visit nearby Arbanassi.

• Sliven (Сливен) - Well known for its permanent winds and blue rocks which can be observed from the city. A good place for quality golf at a reasonable price.

• Smolyan (Смолян) - Preferred destination for holiday makers and nature lovers, this municipality town is famous for its planetarium center, drama theater, historical museum. Several kilometers away is the ski resort of Pamporovo.

• Vidin (Видин) - A lovely city on the bank of Danube river situated in extreme North-west Bulgaria. Vidin used to be an important Bulgarian city, a bishop seat and capital of a large province later it became the most important port and fortress on Danube river within the Ottoman empire. Vidin's main landmark - The Baba Vida fortress, was built in the period from the 10th to the 14th century. Vidin boasts two well-preserved medieval fortresses, Baba Vida and Kaleto, as well as many old Orthodox churches such as St Pantaleimon, St Petka (both 17th century), and St Greatmartyr Demetrius (19th century), a Jewish synagogue (1894), a mosque and a library of Osman Pazvantoğlu (late 18th century), the cruciform barracks of 1798, and a number of old Renaissance buildings. A boat trip down the river or a walk along its banks is an unforgettable experience.

• Belogradchik (Белоградчик) - See the remnants of an old Roman outpost in the Bulgarian northwest. Interesting rock formations make it a popular destination for avid climbers, even if it is slightly off the beaten track.

• Kurdzhali (Кърджали) - The city is located below a huge dam, with many historical and ancient sites.

• Velingrad (Велинград) - The city is surrounded by the Rhodope Mountains. There are more than 70 mineral springs nearby, making it the city with the most mineral springs in a country rich with these vital waters.

• Gabrovo (Габрово) - A place to visit is the House of Humour and Satire. Be sure to visit also the museum in Etura - an open air museum that is actually an old-style Bulgarian village, displaying traditional crafts and food. The ethnographical village of Bozhenci is located near Gabrovo. There is a monument in honor of a battle for the liberation of Bulgaria visible from the city at Mount Shipka. Not far away is also Dryanovo Monastery, located in a beautiful canyon.

• Kazanluk (Казанлък) - see the famous Bulgarian rose oil being made - it is best to visit in May or June. There is Thracian tomb near Kazanlak which can be visited. In a village called Shipka near Kazanlak there is a very beautiful Russian church built in memory of the Russian soliders who fell in the battle of Shipka Pass.

• Asenovgrad (Асеновград) - a small city close to Plovdiv at one of the entrances of Rhodope Mountains, famous for its Pamid red wine. It is also the city with most churches per capita in the country. Be sure to visit the Castle of Asen and Bachkovo Monastery to the south of the city.

• Melnik (Мелник) - sample wonderful red wines from the region, see the sand pyramids, and take the long hike to Rozhen Monastery

• Nesebar (Несебър) - beautiful small town on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast a few hours south of Varna. Another one of Bulgaria's many UNESCO world heritage sites.

• Sozopol (Созопол) - together with Nesebur these are two sea towns with traditional houses and ancient dig sites. In the beginning of September the city hosts the well-known Apollonia festival of arts.

• Bansko (Банско) - a beautiful old town in the Pirin mountains with refurbished homes, stone wall, and cobblestone streets, but increasingly being overtaken by resort hotels, as Bansko is a major ski destination in South-East Europe. The highest peak of Pirin Mountain (Vihren - 2916m) is at a day's walk from the city. In the middle of August, the Bansko Jazz Festival is held here. Not far away from Bansko, there are hot-water mineral springs, located at the villages of Banya (Баня) and Ognianovo (Огняново).

• Semkovo (Семково) - a mountain resort 17 km to the north of the town of Belitsa. It’s situated south of the main ridges of the Rila Mountains, nestling in a wide field among pine forests.

• Yambol

Ports and harbors :

• Bourgas
• Lom
• Nesebur
• Rousse
• Varna
• Vidin

[edit] Other destinations

• Chiprovtsi (Чипровци) - A quaint mountain town in the Northwest that is famous for its carpets. Known locally as kilimi, the carpets are hand-woven on vertical looms. Relax and watch a weaving demonstration, participate in a weaving class, or enjoy a hike to the nearby Chiprovtsi Waterfall.

• Koprivshtitsa (Копривщица) - although this town's name might be difficult to pronounce for many foreigners, it is a beautiful old Bulgarian village - certainly a must to visit if you are in this area.

• Pamporovo (Пампорово) - one of the most famous winter resorts in south-eastern Europe, it should be visited during the summer due to the beauty of the Rhodope Mountains at that time of year. Pamporovo is a favoured destination for skiers, snowboarders, hikers, and all those who like holidays amid these beautiful mountains.

• Rila (Рила) - in the Rila mountains, is home to some of the most beautiful monasteries. The most famous one and a must see is the Rila Monastery. This is also the highest mountain in the Balkan pennisula with highest peak mount Musala (2925 m). A very beautiful site to visit is the region of the 7 Rila lakes, which is considered holy to the White Brotherhood and attracts pilgrims in Summer and on their "Days of the New Year" in August.

• Balkan (Балкан, Стара планина) - This is a mountain that separates Bulgaria's north from the south. The route runs from its mount Kom to the cape of Emine at the Black Sea. Near to its highest mount Botev is located the waterfall of Raiskoto praskalo (Paradise's shower).

• Obedinenie (село Обединение) - A small Bulgarian village near to Veliko Tarnovo (Велико Търново). For more information, please visit: Obedinenie.

• Hissar - an nice little town a bit north of Plovdiv, known ever since roman times because of it's mineral springs. The water is bottled under the labele XNCAP and you can visit the local spa for a hot bath too. The central parts of the town is surrownded by an imressive city wall from the roman times still in good shape. You can easily visit the Balcan mountain range and Koprivshtitsa from this base.

[edit] Understand

[edit] Currency

The 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, 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.

[edit] Climate

Temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

[edit] Terrain

Mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast

highest point 

Musala 2,925 m

[edit] History

A 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, 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.

[edit] Holidays

Baba 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.

Gergiov den (Гергьов ден), 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 Bogodoritsa, 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

[edit] Get in

[edit] Formalities

Citizens of the following countries may enter Bulgaria without a visa and stay for up to 90 days:

• All EU countries
• Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Brasil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Macau, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, San Marino, Singapore, Switzerland, Uruguay, USA, Venezuela

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.

[edit] By plane

There 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 flies directly between Sofia and London, Rome, Milan, Barcelona, Valencia, Brussels and Dortmund and has a seasonal service to Bourgas. Hemus Air flies to London Heathrow. EasyJet flies between Sofia and London Gatwick. MyAir flies to Sofia from Milan, Bari, Brussels and Bologna. Sky Europe 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.

[edit] By train

International 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 Ruse. 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 Ruse, approximately mid-trip. Check local train stations for updated information.

[edit] By car

If 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) and car disinfection costs (4 euros for a standard car). Make sure you get a receipt! Expect long queues on certain days.

[edit] By bus

Buses 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).

[edit] By boat

[edit] Get around

[edit] By bus

Certainly 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 could be found at http://www.bus.light-bg.com/english/input_engl.html); 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 Luxury bus services are available on http://www.carrental.bg/?go=bus, (Car Rental Bulgaria is official NATO contractor for Bulgaria and ensured the visit of the President of the US, George Bush in Bulgaria) and http://www.escadra.bg/?go=vip. There is another site for bus travel. Here you can find a lot of bus schedules: http://www.transportbg.info

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 and Biomet.

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.

[edit] By train

Travelling 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 [1]

[edit] By taxi

Most of the taxi drivers do not speak proper English. Taxi tariffs in Bulgaria are not standartized. It is important to compare prices of several cars, because there are speculators.

[edit] By car

If 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 http://www.fox333.com , http://www.toprentbg.com, http://www.rentcarbg.com, http://www.rentauto-bg.com, http://www.carrentalinbulgaria.net, http://www.Rentomobile.com are Bulgarian companies with reliable cars, Western-style service, and good prices. Avis also offer good rates. You can also hire a driver for about 50-75 Euro per day plus accommodation. Chauffeur services are also available on http://www.carrental.bg or http://www.escadra.bg.

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.

[edit] By bicycle

All roads in Bulgaria are paved. The ever present horse-drawn carts help to keep motor traffic calm. As host to the annual [SVS] 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.

[edit] By thumb

The '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 http://www.pass-europe.eu or http://3na100.com (you'll need to learn the alphabet first to view the second site).

[edit] Talk

Bulgarian 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 Bulgarian 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 and merci for thank you.

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.

Secondary languages, including Turkish and Romani, closely correspond to ethnic breakdown.

Most young Bulgarians have at least a basic knowledge of English or/and a second foreign language (usually Russian, 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.

[edit][add listing] 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.

[edit][add listing] Do

Bulgaria 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.

[edit][add listing] Buy

Generally, 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.

[edit][add listing] Eat

[edit] General

Bulgarian food is similar to Turkish and Greek cuisine, with lots of grilled meats and powerful stews; in addition, they have a large choice of salads available, usually based on tomatoes and cucumbers. Feta cheese is prevalent and can be used by a Bulgarian as a topping on virtually any food.

If you do not speak the language or understand the Cyrillic alphabet, a restaurant can still be easily located by looking for the "РЕСТОРАНТ" sign. Figuring out the menu will still be an adventure! In tourist areas you can expect to have an English version of the menu, but sometimes the translation is a bit rough and hard to decipher.

[edit] Cheese

In 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.

[edit] Yoghurt

The native Bulgarian yoghurt contains Lactobacilicus Bulgaricus, a bacterium which serves as the basis for active culture "plain" yoghurts in other countries. 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 "Ayrian" - a salty yoghurt-water mixture - is also very popular.

[edit] Fast-Food

Traditional 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.

[edit][add listing] Drink

There 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.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

There 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.

[edit] Learn

There are many organizations that provide courses in Bulgarian language among others (e.g. Orbis) and School in Plovdiv

Here is an unofficial list of institutions that offer international education in Bulgaria:

[edit] Universities

Most 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:

• American University in Bulgaria
• Master of Science in Information Systems - Joint Programme of Stevens Institute of Technology and Sofia University
• Master in Project Management - Joint Programme of La Salle University and New Bulgarian University
• City University - Bulgaria
• New Bulgarian University
• Sofia University
• Technical University of Sofia

The last one, Technical University of Sofia offers also german-language degrees. For more information please check the universities' websites and contact their admission offices

[edit] Secondary Education

• American College in Sofia
• First English Language School, Sofia
• Goethe-Gymnasium, Burgas (German)

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 is to be contacted for further information.

[edit] Work

There are many online agencies that offer jobs. See http://europa.eu.int/youth/working/finding_a_job/index_bg_en.html for an extensive list of job portals. Management, IT, finance, professional education, consulting and tourism areas are known for being well-paid.

[edit] Stay safe

Bulgaria 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 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 not a very sensitive one, so you can 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.

[edit] Stay healthy

Most 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.

[edit] Contact

In general the telephone system is extensive but antiquated, now being modernized.

• Domestic: more than two-thirds of the lines are residential; telephone service is available in most villages.

• Mobile: there are three mobile phone operators - MTel, Globul and Vivatel. MTel is the oldest one and for that reason they may offer better signal coverage in some areas. All the operators offer mobile internet via GPRS, and prepaid SIM cards.

Intrafonica offers mobile phones for rent.

• Internet: Internet cafés are almost everywhere, with affordable rates. Normally, the bigger internet cafés offer a good service and a fast connection.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!