Bulgaria has 4 distinct seasons and generally temperate conditions. Summers tend to be hot and dry, but with low humidity, while winter weather is cold but not necessarily bitter.

Temperatures in summer average at 24 degrees celsius (75 degrees fahrenheit). In winter this is about 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit). Northern Bulgaria has a moderate continental climate, while in the south it is intermediate continental, tending to Mediterranean.

The regions around the coast are milder in winter and cooler in summer than the more central parts of the country due to Mediterranean influences. The country's mountain ranges (including the Balkans) tend to cause regional variations also.

Click on this Weather link to view the current conditions in Bulgaria, then select the city/region you wish to view.

Telephone Services - Phone calls can be made from the hotel room, post office or public phones (with phone cards which can be bought at shops, news-stands, kiosks or post offices for Mobika-blue & Bulfon-orange) by dialling the number directly (for local calls) or the code of the country & town respectively when abroad. The international dialling code for Bulgaria is +359, then for:

Sofia - 2
Varna - 52
Bourgas - 56
Plovdiv - 32

There are also 3 mobile telephone operators:

MTel - GSM (088...)
Globul - GSM (089...)
Vivatel - GSM (087...)

Emergency Numbers:
Fire Dept. - 160
Ambulance - 150
Police - 166
Road Assistance - 146
Traffic Police - 165 or (02) 9882225 in Sofia.

Post Offices: Available in all resort complexes, which usually work from 08:00 to 21:00h. Post cards and letters can be left on the hotel reception or can be dropped in the post boxes in the resorts. Stamps can be bought from the hotel reception or at the post office.

Internet: Internet cafes are available in the major cities (Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna), however may be hard to find in other regional parts of the country.

The official monetary unit in Bulgaria is the LEV (BGN), plural: LEVA, which consists of 100 stotinki. There are banknotes of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 leva nominal and coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 stotinki and 1 lev. There are exchange offices in all banks, hotels, airports, railway stations and border checkpoints, as well as along the trade streets and downtown area of major cities. VAT in Bulgaria is 20%.

To view the current Bulgarian exchange rate, view the following link from OANDA.com - The Currency Site.

The usage of credit cards in Bulgaria is not of general practice. Most shops prefer cash payment. Credit Cards are mainly accepted in larger hotels, trade centres and car rental offices. Information for which credit cards are accepted can be received from the window stickers, where payment with credit cards is available. Most popular types are: Visa, MasterCard, JCB and Diners Club. American Express Travellers' cheques must be cashed at banks and most charge commission.

Banks usually work from Monday to Friday from 0900 to 1600 and sometimes on Saturdays - from 0900 to 1300h. In the tourist resorts, banks work from Monday to Saturday with working time from 0800 to 2000h. The exchange offices usually work non-stop or from 0900 to 1700. There are also 'bankomates' (ATM) on the streets of larger cities, some of the larger hotels and most banks.

Tipping - In most restaurants and bars it is not necessary to pay extra for the service, but the custom is to leave 5-10% from the value of the order. In the restaurants where the tip is included in the bill, its percentage is mentioned in the menu. Tips can also be given to the chambermaid, the errand-boy, the taxi drivers, and the petrol station staff.

Voltage in Bulgaria is 220V, and the frequency is 50 Hz.

Outlets in Bulgaria generally accept 1 type of plug, shown here, and have 2 round pins.

If your appliance/s plug has a different shape, you may need a plug adapter

Population: 7.3 million people
Total Area: 110,910 square kilometres
Capital: Sofia (1.1 million people)
Time Zone: GMT +2 hours (October through March) or GMT +1 hours at other times.

To view the current time in Sofia, click on this link to TimeAndDate.com.

The official language is Bulgarian, using the Cyrillic alphabet. It belongs to the group of Slavic languages and is closely related to Russian and Serbian. Russian, previously a required subject in school, is also widely spoken. English is now the most widely studied second language, followed by German, French and Italian. Some common phrases include:

YES - dah
NO - neh
HELLO - zdravéi
EXCUSE ME - izvinéte
THANK YOU - blagodaryə
GOOD-BYE - dovízhdane

2008

1 Jan - New Year's Day.
3 Mar - National Day (Day of Liberation).
23-24 Mar - Easter.
1 May - Labour Day.
6 May - St George's Day (Day of Bulgarian Army).
24 May - St Cyril and Methodius Day (Day of Culture and Literacy).
6 Sep - The Unification of Bulgaria.
22 Sep - Independence Day.
1 Nov - Day of the Bulgarian Revival Leaders.
24-25 Dec - Christmas.
31 Dec - New Year's Eve.

Click here for a full list of Bulgarian Public and Bank Holidays.

The main religion is Orthodox Christianity (85%). But there are also followers of the Catholic, Islamic (13%), Baptist, Methodist and Jewish faith. The Communist regime frowned upon religion, however religious expression has now been allowed, meaning that religious holidays are celebrated openly .

Entering the country is only possible with a valid international passport. The citizens EU and EFTA member states do not need an entry visa. Citizens of other countries need an entry or transit visa, which is issued by the embassies and consulates of the Republic of Bulgaria abroad. No visas are required of CIS citizens for a stay of 1 month, provided they are in the possession of a valid passport, a voucher for pre-paid tourist services or if they pay the sum of 40 USD for each day of their stay in the country.

It is recommended you check all information regarding Bulgarian visa and passport conditions, as well as entry requirements with your relevant embassy prior to travel.

To view a map of Bulgaria, view this link from WorldAtlas.com

Bulgaria's restaurants offer a wide range of different cuisines. As well as traditional and local dishes, there are also strong influences from Asian and other European countries. Most establishments are open from around 10-11am until late. For more information, check out our Bulgaria Restaurant Guide.

Detailed information for car rental services - offices, prices and conditions of payment can be received at every hotel reception or tourist information offices /centres. Major international car rental companies with offices in Bulgaria: Hertz, Sixt, Europcar, Avis and Budget. Local car rental companies offer much lower rates but operate older cars.

The best in Bulgaria is the H-98 octane "Super/Unleaded", with prices per litre of about 2.10 BGN (1.07 EUR). The fuel most commonly used is the H-95 (Regular/ Unleaded), with price of about 1.96 BGN (1.00 EUR), and Diesel - price about 1.90 lev (0.96 EUR). Petrol stations are conveniently situated throughout the country - in every town and almost every larger village. LPG is also available at about 1.10 leva per litre (0.56 EUR).

Yachting is a sport, which now is starting to develop in Bulgaria. There are ports in Balchik, Golden Sands Resort, St. Constantine & Helena Resort and Varna to the North, and at Nessebar, Bourgas, Kiten and Tsarevo to the South. Conditions for usage of the yacht ports can be found from tour operators and the tourist information centres.