The official name is the Republic of Bulgaria. One of the most accessible countries for recreation for Russians. Throughout history, Bulgaria has been and remains a friendly country to Russia, so compatriots feel quite comfortable there. Due to the fact that the Bulgarian language is part of the Slavic group, communication between the local population and Russian-speaking tourists is not very difficult. The Bulgarian mentality is distinguished by kindness, responsiveness and the absence of European snobbery, which is close to the average Russian. The country is attractive in terms of pension investments for a number of reasons: favorable climate and ecology, beautiful nature, the Black Sea coast, Mediterranean cuisine, closeness of language and mentality, numerous resorts, high-quality medical services, affordable housing,
Geography of Bulgaria
According to Smber, the state is located in southeastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula, from the east it is washed by the Black Sea. In the north it borders with Romania, in the south with Greece and Turkey, in the west with Serbia and Macedonia. Most of the country is made up of mountain ranges, among which there are a large number of valleys and deep gorges. The highest point of the Balkans is Mount Musala (2.925 m). Capital Sofia. The largest cities: Sofia, Varna, Burgas, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Ruse, Pleven, Dobrich, Sliven, Shumen.
Area
The area of the country is 111,000 km².
Population
About 7.35 million people live on the territory of Bulgaria.
Currency
The official currency is the Lev (BGN).
Language
Official language – Bulgarian
Visa
Must be obtained from consulates, 36 hours of stay in the country on a Schengen visa
Climate
Bulgaria is located in the Mediterranean and continental climatic zones. Due to the mountain ranges, the change of climatic zones, even at relatively short distances, can be pronounced. The amount of precipitation is 630 mm per year on average for the country, on the Black Sea coast – a little less, summers are often dry. In Sofia, the average temperature in winter is about 0C, in summer – about +22C. The best time to visit Bulgaria is the middle of summer.
Sights of Bulgaria
The most popular tourist destination in Bulgaria is beach tourism. The bulk of tourists are residents of Eastern and Western Europe and Russians. The main beach resorts: Albena, Golden Sands, Riviera, St. Constantine and Elena, Sunny Beach, Sozopol, Lalov Egrek, Pomorie, Cape Kaliakra, Dunes, Varna, Balchig, Mermaid, Nessebar. Sozopol and Nessebar are distinguished by architectural sights of historical significance. Balneological resorts: Velingrad, Hissar and Sandanski. Ski resorts: Borovets, Pamporovo and Bansko. It should be noted that work is currently underway to upgrade the infrastructure of ski resorts.
Kitchen
Bulgarian cuisine has much in common with Armenian, Georgian, Greek and Turkish. The most widespread meat dishes (lamb, veal, pork, whole and minced chickens): steaks, chops, kebabs, steaks, fillets, shish kebabs, stews, gouvechi, zrazy, kharcho, piti, basturma. Vegetables are widely used in the preparation of meat and fish dishes. A characteristic feature of Bulgarian cuisine is the use of sour-milk products (brynza, curdled milk, kashkavala sheep cheese). The most common soups are: pork soup with apples, kharcho, pickle, chorba, squash soup, a variety of vegetable puree soups and cold soup with sour milk tarator. The dishes are served with an assortment of spices and seasonings. For dessert – cakes and ice cream, hot coffee. The traditional table drink is wine.
Transport
Airports in Bulgaria are located in Sofia and Varna. Intercity bus service is well organized, the only drawback of which is low speed. The main mode of transport in Sofia is trams, buses and trolleybuses (you can purchase a single ticket). The taxi service is well developed (landing 0.3-0.4 lev, per kilometer 0.27-0.4 lev). It is possible to rent a car. Usually this requires an international driver’s license, but for Russian citizens, national driving licenses are valid. The country has international rental offices Avis, Hertz and Eurocar (Sofia, Varna and Plovdiv). Rentals are available to persons 21 years of age or older. OSAGO is included in the rental price, but for accident insurance you will have to pay an extra $10.
Currency exchange
It is advisable to bring US dollars or euros into the country. The exchange rate of rubles is strongly underestimated. You can exchange currency at banks, exchange offices and hotels. The most favorable exchange rate in exchange offices (Exchange, Change). In resort areas, the course is usually underestimated. When exchanging, pay attention to the terms of the exchange. A number of exchange offices impose a large commission on the transaction (up to 20%) when exchanging small amounts, which will be an unpleasant surprise for an inattentive tourist. Thus, before the exchange, you should ask how much cash you will receive on hand when exchanging a specific amount. Banks and exchange offices are open from Monday to Friday, opening hours from 09.00 to 16.00, lunch break from 12.00 to 13.00. In case of fraud when exchanging currency, you should contact the police. Never use the services of black money changers who trade at exchange offices. In Bulgaria, the main types of bank cards are accepted for payment (Maestro, MasterCard, Visa, Visa Electron). There are ATMs almost everywhere. If there are any problems when withdrawing cash from an ATM (non-issuance of cash, card retention, etc.), you should contact the BORIKA service by local numbers 02-9712461, 02-9707603.
Electricity
220V/50Hz, euro plug type C.
Religion
82.6% of the population are Orthodox Christians, 12.2% of the inhabitants profess Islam, 1.7% Catholics, 1.6% Protestants and 0.8% profess Judaism.
Security
Bulgaria is one of the safest countries in the world. In relation to the Slavic peoples, and especially to the Russians, the Bulgarians have warm feelings. However, outside of tourist places, you should not emphasize your status as a tourist and overspend, this can cause class dislike (there are quite a lot of poor people in Bulgaria). Packs of stray dogs can pose a danger. In the summer, it is advisable to use mosquito and tick repellants. When boarding a taxi, make sure that the taxi driver turns on the meter, or negotiate the price of the trip in advance, otherwise, at the end of the trip, you may be unpleasantly surprised by the cost. Be careful when exchanging currency and traveler’s checks at exchange offices (see the “Currency Fraud” section above). It must be remembered that among the Bulgarians, a nod of the head means “no”, and shaking the head from side to side or swaying it, followed by a clatter means “yes”. But in some tourist places, hotel staff use the usual European standards, which can confuse the interlocutor.
Health
If the tourist does not have health insurance, then you should know that calling an ambulance and first medical aid in Bulgaria are free, but you will have to pay for subsequent services. Medical offices are available in most hotels. Pharmacies have a wide range of medicines. It should be noted that the names of medicines may not coincide with Russian counterparts, but the pharmacist will be able to determine exactly what you need from the reference book. In the summer, it is advisable to use mosquito and tick repellants. You can also use the services of balneological resorts, mineral springs and mud baths.
