- Important points
- Choosing wings
- Hotel or apartment
- Transport subtleties
- Nightingales are not fed with fables
- Forewarned is forearmed
- Perfect travel to Bulgaria
A trip to a summer vacation to Golden Sands or Sunny Beach … This is how the cherished vacation plans of any Soviet citizen looked like a few decades ago. To be abroad, even if not far away, to see another country with your own eyes, to acquire a bronze tan and a pair of real Rila jeans - a trip to Bulgaria made it possible to taste a bit of Western life while on vacation. Since then, a lot of water has flowed from the Danube River, but the popularity of the Bulgarian resorts among the Russian traveler remains invariably strong.
Important points
- A resident of Russia can visit Bulgaria only after applying for a national visa. Holders of "Schengen", as well as valid visas of Cyprus and Romania have the right to use the cherished stickers in their passports and cross the Bulgarian border with them.
- Having saved the currency exchange certificate, you can easily convert the remaining leva when leaving the country into dollars or euros.
- Most cafes, restaurants, shops and hotels in Bulgaria accept credit cards, but in the provinces, in markets and in very small souvenir shops, you will have to pay in cash.
- The official exchange rate of the Bulgarian lev against the euro is always stable. One unit of European currency is equivalent to 1, 95 leva.
Choosing wings
Of the four international airports in Bulgaria, Varna and Burgas are especially popular in the summer season. Direct flights have also been established between the capitals of Russia and Bulgaria and from Moscow to Plovdiv:
- Bulgaria Air and Aeroflot offer direct flights Moscow - Sofia, which last a little over three hours. The ticket price ranges from $ 280 to $ 300.
- With connections to the capital of Bulgaria, you can get on the wings of Lufthansa, Swiss, Serbian and Turkish airlines. The price of the issue is from $ 250.
- S7 planes fly to Varna from Domodedovo. Their passengers spend about 3, 5 hours on the way, and the cost of tickets is from $ 180.
- The Russian capital and Burgas are connected by flights of the same S7. For 3, 5 hours and $ 230, tourists will be able to find themselves on the golden beaches in the area of the famous Black Sea resort.
Trains from Moscow to Sofia leave from the Belorussky railway station. On the road, travel lovers will have to spend a little over two days to the sound of wheels, and a ticket in a compartment will cost about $ 250 one way.
Hotel or apartment
The hotel fund in Bulgaria will suit travelers of any income. Firstly, the country annually surrenders and renews "fives" and "fours" of modern European quality. Secondly, hotels have survived since the days of friendship between our peoples, where you can feel nostalgic about a bygone era and pay very inexpensively. The newly opened hostels attract young people and the most economical tourists, and the sanatoriums offer not only a roof over their heads, but also high-quality and healthy regular meals and services for wellness and treatment.
A small room with all the necessary amenities in a 3 * hotel in Sofia will cost $ 30 per night. The hotel will be located right in the center of the capital, close to public transport stops. But the "five" and in Bulgaria are traditionally expensive, and for a day in a room in such a hotel will have to pay from $ 120.
On the Black Sea Riviera, a night in 3 * with free breakfast, internet and a 15-minute walk to the sea will cost $ 30. A similar hotel, but closer to the beach, will cost more and you will have to pay from $ 40 to $ 50 per day.
Bulgarians willingly rent out their own apartments or rooms to visitors to travelers. To become the owner of the keys to a separate one-bedroom apartment, you will have to pay the owner an amount ranging from $ 20 to $ 50 per day, and a room in the capital will cost an average of $ 15 -20 $.
In the resort area, private apartments are in great demand, and therefore an apartment in Varna or Burgas should be booked in advance. A room a short walk from the beach will cost from $ 15 per day, and for renting a separate apartment they will ask from $ 20 to $ 40.
Transport subtleties
It is convenient to travel between Bulgarian cities and resorts by trains and buses. Prices for railway transport depend not only on the distance of travel, but also on the class of the selected carriage. So the road from Burgas to Sofia will take about 8 hours and will cost about $ 12 in a first class compartment.
The cost of a bus ticket also depends on the distance, and for every 100 km of the journey, you will have to pay about $ 5.
A single ticket for trips in public city transport is purchased from the driver, and the price of a travel document ranges from $ 0.25 to $ 0.55.
Nightingales are not fed with fables
Traditional family restaurants in Bulgaria are called "mehana" and it is in them that you can feel the real national atmosphere and taste the local cuisine from the true Bulgarian chefs. The menu in such establishments amazes with its variety in an amicable way, portions - in size, and service - with amazing care and warmth.
The average bill for a dinner for two in Varna or Golden Sands in a mehan will be $ 15 if you do not order wine or beer. Drinks will cost $ 1-2 for a glass of wine and $ 1 for a beer.
Inexpensive desserts in restaurants in Bulgaria will make the end of the meal especially pleasant, and a huge portion of freshly squeezed juice for only $ 1 will turn an ordinary breakfast into a healthy and enjoyable procedure.
Forewarned is forearmed
- You can save money on getting around the city by using public transport passes. They are purchased at special kiosks or from drivers and will cost $ 1 and $ 9 per day or week, respectively.
- At night, the price of taxi services increases by about a quarter.
- When renting a car, do not forget to purchase a special sticker for your windshield that gives you the right to drive on the roads. The price of the issue is from $ 5 for seven days to $ 15 - for a month.
- It is advisable to change currency at banks or official points. Attempts to buy leva from hands often end up with problems that a tourist has with old or counterfeit banknotes.
Perfect travel to Bulgaria
The Balkan Republic offers all types of recreation, and therefore not only fans of the sea and the sun fly here, but also skiers, snowboarders, adherents of educational excursions and lovers of measured resort life in balneological resorts.
In summer, the seaside resorts of Bulgaria have ideal weather for a beach holiday. The air temperature already at the end of May rises to + 25 ° C and + 21 ° C in the air and water, respectively, allowing the beginning of the swimming season. At the height of summer, thermometers often cross the 30-degree mark even in the shade, and the most persistent tourists dive into the Black Sea until the end of October.
At ski resorts, the first swallows sweep along the slopes in early December, and by the beginning of spring the slopes are no longer very suitable for skiing: the mountains in Bulgaria are not high and the warm sun drowns snow more actively than in the Alps. A distinctive feature of the weather in the ski resorts of Bulgaria is the relatively warm air even in the middle of January, which makes skiing especially comfortable. Combined with the favorable prices for ski passes and hotel accommodations, this has made Pamporovo and Borovets popular family winter resorts.
