Introduction to Visiting Bulgaria

Everything about Bulgaria

Everything about the rest in Bulgaria – a description of the resorts and beaches, sample prices and the list of attractions

While working on a website about Bulgaria we have accumulated a large number of useful articles about the beaches and attractions of this country. There are even excellent selections of photos from Bulgaria and tips for travelers, who are going to have their holidays here.

It is clear that finding all the useful and relevant information about Bulgaria on the Internet can be difficult. Search engine are, too often, putting on the first places to offers of travels agencies which otherwise lack sufficient information — only a slight description in a few sentences, prices and a couple of photos.

Photos of Bulgaria: sights, cities and resorts on photos

The first stage of acquaintance with any country – to view the photos. You can write anything on the site. Videos usually cost a lot of money and shooting them is purely for advertising purposes. And photos, made by tourists themselves, are usually fair – they are not edited in any way to make them looking more attractive.

Such photos can be viewed on our blog. We do not use beautiful and “over-glossed” stock photos from the Internet. Nor we edited our photos. All the photos you see are the photos we themselves captured during our holiday in 2015 and 2016.

These are just examples of articles with lots of photos. In fact, in almost any our article can you can see 5 to 10 photos.

Is it comfortable to go for a vacation in Bulgaria? Everything about the language, the nature and the culture of the country

Just like having a holiday in any other country, vacationing in Bulgaria has its own pros and cons. Generally though, it is comfortable vacationing here. The people are mostly friendly and always willing to help, especially if you’re not relaxing in Sunny Beach.

Bulgarian language is not understandable for a lot of English and non-Bulgarian speakers. Many Bulgarians understand Russian, but only the younger generation speak English –  we have not encountered any problems.

The nature of Bulgaria is very beautiful, even in the city you can find a lot of picturesque places.

In contrast to many exotic countries, particularly Asian, the culture of Bulgaria is very close to Slavic. Their traditions, customs and festivals are partially similar to our own and do not cause surprise. That is only one difference, the head nod in Bulgaria means “no” – it is confusing everyone.

Prices in Bulgaria: the cost of tickets, visa, tours and meals?

Prices for vacation, souvenirs, foods and other things in Bulgaria are not high, and the quality is at the level.

Bulgarian currency is lev. We strongly advise you to change the currency in banks because there is a high probability of cheating when you change your own currency at exchange offices.

Taxis in Bulgaria are very expensive, from  1.5 to 5 levs  per kilometer, depending on the resort. But public transport is cheap, accessible and runs regularly — we highly recommend it.

The average price of sunbeds and sunshades on the beach – 8 levs . At almost every beach there is a free zone.

Excursions in Bulgaria are quite expensive — good enough options will already cost you about 80-100 levs .

Have a rest maximally cheap is possible, if to organize your holiday by yourself .

We recommend to read these helpful articles:

Beaches in Bulgaria – what is the difference and which we recommend to visit?

Beaches in Bulgaria are mainly sandy. Almost at every beach there is a paid zone, where a sunshade or a lounger costs from  6 to 12 levs . Nearby, sometimes 15 meters away from the sea, you can find a free zone for those who prefer to rest on a towel.

You might as well be interested to check out a related link: a description Bulgarian beaches, a description and photos of the sea in Bulgaria

The cleanliness of water at the beaches of Bulgaria

You may have encountered several review sites and forums, and most of them say that the beaches and waters in Bulgaria are very dirty. Nothing can be further from the truth. We themselves witnessed that the waters were actually clean.

Bulgaria occupies the 6th place of the sea water cleanliness in Europe. And we can even prove it – it is enough to see our analysis of the cleanliness of water in Bulgaria

Summer in Bulgaria: the sea and the nature

Bulgaria is perfect for summer vacation – experience the soft, comfortable climate, and the sun is not as hot as in southern countries. You may not believe it, but for 2 weeks of rest in 2015 we did not turn on an air conditioning.

Most of the resorts of Bulgaria are adorned with palm trees and flowers. At the same time, you can be assured of the safety in their meals and fruits, so you do not have to adapt and do not need to be afraid of poisoning.

The sea in Bulgaria is very clean, warm and clear. The seabed is sandy and, in most places, very shallow – it’s comfortable for families with children, but it creates some difficulties to parents (you have to come into water for a long time). Another disadvantage that you should take notice of — the water in the Black Sea is not as salty, as in the case of other popular sea resorts. Because of this, it is harder to swim in it, the smell of the sea is not so strongly felt, and sometimes you may find lots of algae in the water.

Which city or resort should you choose for a comfortable and inexpensive vacation in Bulgaria?

Most of the popular countries for beach holidays offer a hotel vacation. It is when you live in a hotel almost in the wilderness, and move out of its territory purely for the excursion. A vacation in Bulgaria is a resort rest. You will get to live in a beautiful small town close to the locals, walk along small shops and stand in queues for foods close to Bulgarians.

That is why, depending on the chosen resort , you will get a completely different vacation. We prefer a cheap holiday in the small towns that have not become too “touristy.” This makes for a more interesting and unforgettable holiday experience.

But each of us has his or her own preferences, and so we have tried to divide resorts for a cheaper and more comfortable stay.

Resorts for a cheap holiday in Bulgaria

If you’re looking for cheap thrills in Bulgaria, you may have to be a little more creative and resourceful.

You will walk in the same city, rest in a five-star hotel, swim in exactly the same sea and attend the same excursions. Then, what for to pay 5 times more? Instead of choosing the “all-inclusive” holiday trips, you can easily afford to have dinners at the best restaurants, each time choosing a new place which suits your mood. Well, we would advise to go on a wild beach instead of the pool – it’s cheaper and much more interesting!

Bulgarian resorts that are ideal for budget holidays:

  • Pomorie – our favorite resort in Bulgaria. Low prices, picturesque landscapes, an excellent set of attractions and a very positive attitude of local residents. No wonder, a lot of Russians and other Europeans make their own residences here.
  • Burgas – a major trading and port city, Burgas is a really interesting place to take a walk, go for a shopping and swim in the sea. By the way, the sea is clean, and the beaches there are not so crowded. In fact, they are almost empty, it feels like you almost own the beaches to yourself.
  • Varna – the largest city at the Bulgarian coast. In Varna there are a lot of parks, interesting attractions and even a dolphinarium. The city is perfect for shopping. But the sea here is dirty – not the best variant.
  • Obzor – a pretty small town, with a long stretch of beautiful golden sand beaches.
  • Balchik – one of the most northernmost resorts on the Bulgarian coast. It is famous for its fantastic botanical garden so don’t forget to check it out.
  • Ravda – small and actively developing resort near Nessebar. In Ravda there are almost no attractions, but the beaches are very good and picturesque. If you find information and some pictures on the forums about the tons of mud and algae in Ravda – forget them, they are outdated many years ago. The beaches here are now clean and quite “swimmable.”
  • Sozopol – a small town, which is not actively recommended in the Internet. One of the most ancient cities on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, it offers no major advantages but you can find hidden delights there — such as the charming Old Town and lots of delectable local street food. But if you are looking for a place to drink and be merry, Sozopol is not a “party place” — go to Varna or Burgas instead.

lighthouse-port-burgas-bulgaria

Resorts for a comfortable stay in Bulgaria

For many tourists, a comfortable vacation is one of the main indicators. Many people want to live in a comfortable and safe hotel with all-inclusive meals, lie down on a lounge by the pool, relax and not worry about anything. If a person has a money to spend on them, why not?

Recommended resorts to maximize your comfortable stay:

  • Sunny Beach – the most expensive and comfortable resort in Bulgaria. There are many five-star hotels, most of which are in no way inferior to the best hotels of Turkey or Egypt. Special attention is given to 15 kilometers of beaches in Sunny Beach. And it is a paradise for fans of discos and parties – night life is alive and seems to be unstoppable. The cost of having a holiday in Sunny Beach is way beyond what the masses could afford: prices here are 3-4 times higher than in Pomorie .
  • Golden Sands – the second most popular resort in Bulgaria. About its beaches and hotels, their quality is somewhat inferior to those in Sunny Beach. However, the paid zones here are bigger. And, because of the mountains that do not allow the wind go down, it is very hot in Golden Sands.
  • Nessebar – a very good and interesting resort. Unfortunately, there are no five-star hotels. However, there are a lot of attractions, great beaches and beautiful landscapes.

Of course, on the basis of a brief selections, it is very difficult to choose among the resorts. Therefore, we recommend you to check out a few articles which will help you to decide which of any of these resorts will be the best for you:

The most interesting sights of Bulgaria – what is really worth seeing?

Bulgaria has a lot of interesting sights. They are easily accessible by public transport for an affordable fare — public transportation in Bulgaria is working quite well. You can also choose from a varied selection of tours, but they are quite expensive.

Traveling by yourself or buy a tour – it’s your choice. We can only advise to combine these two ways to see the country. Along the coast it is better to ride on your own, but deep into the country we advise to visit with an excursion – it’s easier and cheaper.

Articles about Bulgaria sights with photos and description:

It is also worth noting that the site has a lot of articles with reviews of attractions in a particular city:

Visiting Bulgaria by yourself – our tips for vacation at the lowest prices

It is still most advantageous to go to Bulgaria on your own, choosing the best option of air travel and hotel, buying insurance and opening visa. So you can save about 20-30% of the cost of the tour.

In perspective, we plan to develop the theme of self-tourism in Bulgaria: to talk about the routes and timetables of public transport, the subtleties of hotel reservations, the rules of renting an apartment or a car, choosing the right insurance.

Also read: How to go to Bulgaria on your own and most cheaply?