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Travel tips to European Countries: Bulgaria
About the county
Officially known as the Republic of Bulgaria or Bulgarian Republic, Bulgaria is a beautiful mountainous country lying in Balkan Peninsula in Southern Europe bordering the Black Sea to the east, Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, Romania to the north, Greece and Turkey to the south. Bulgaria also borders Turkey, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, and Georgia along the sea. The largest and the capital city is Sofia. The country may be very small in area but it is rich in ancient culture, picturesque locales, down to earth and friendly people who provide the warmth and hospitality of old days. Bulgaria is known as “Land of Roses” due to the largest production of roses here. Although Bulgaria is known mostly for its sea resorts much of the actual country can be explored in great mountain regions, with many ski resorts a perfect destination for skiers. With unique customs, spectacular crafts, colorful festivals, folklore and so on Bulgaria has it all to take the imagination of visitors by surprise and excitement.
Population & Languages
The population of Bulgaria is roughly 7.4 million and the official language being spoken is Bulgarian. Turkish and Roma are also spoken by considerable percentage of the population.
Electricity
The voltage is 230 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. The types of plugs used are Round pin attachment plug and “Schuko” plug and receptacle with side grounding contacts.
Geographic Location
It lies in Balkan Peninsula in Southern Europe bordering the Black Sea to the east, Serbia and the Republic of Macedonia to the west, Romania to the north, Greece and Turkey to the south. Bulgaria also borders Turkey, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, and Georgia along the sea. Bulgaria is strategically located near Turkish Straits making it the control point of key land routes connecting Europe to Middle East and Asia.
Climate
The climate of Bulgaria can be termed as temperate with hot and dry summers and cold and damp winters. Summer temperatures average around 75°F (24°C) and winter temperatures average about 32°F (0°C). The ideal time to visit Bulgaria is summer.
Local Customs
Like any other country Bulgaria has its own customs too and normal courtesies should be followed. Handshaking is customary. Dress should be conservative but can be casual. Souvenirs from home country are appreciated if invited to home. Here is Bulgaria, a nod of the head means ‘no’ and a shake of the head means ‘yes’. Tipping up to 10 to 12 percent is customary for all services including restaurants, bars, clubs, taxis etc.
Attractions
Sofia
St. Sofia Church
St. George Rotunda
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
National Ethnographic Museum
Mountains
Village of Momchilovtsi
Pirin National Park
Rila Monastery
Travel
By Air – The national airline of Bulgaria is Bulgaria Air. Other international airlines operating from Bulgaria include Bulgaria include Aeroflot, Air France, Alitalia, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, El Al Israel Airlines, KLM, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, MALEV Hungarian Airlines, Olympic Airlines and Swiss Air. Sofia International Airport EAD (SOF) is the biggest airport which is like six miles east of Sofia. Other international airport is Varna International Airport (VAR) located in the western outskirts of the city about five miles from Varna.
Sea – The important international ports are Bourgas and Varna along the Black Sea.
River – Ferries can cross into Romania from Vidin to Calafat.
By Rail – Sofia is connected to Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest, Thessaloniki, Paris, Vienna, Munich and Berlin through frequent services of trains.
Duty Free Items
200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco
1 liter of spirits and 2 liter of wine; 50g of perfume and 100g of eau de toilette
Gifts and personal use items.
Prohibited Items
Un-canned goods, meat or dairy products, Narcotics, pornography, firearms, ammunition, weapons, eggs, plants, endangered species, fireworks and alcoholic beverages that contain more than sixty per cent alcohol.
Want a cheap trip to Bulgaria
A holiday to greece or just a cruise in the carribean, Family Holidays book here.
The ancient European nation of Bulgaria is becoming better known on the travel circuit and in this article we introduce for you the delights of the coastal region of the nation…
The beautiful and historically fascinating European nation of Bulgaria which became a fully fledged member of the EU in January 2007 is fast becoming a popular destination for international tourists.
Bulgaria is now easily and cheaply accessible from across Europe and the UK and therefore the long summer season from the beginning of May to the end of October becomes seaside holiday season in Bulgaria and from November to March there are plenty of winter sports to enjoy.
If you’re thinking of visiting this fascinating nation you need to know where to begin so that you get the very most out of your visit – for example, you might want a city break in which case you’d be best advised to go to the capital of Bulgaria which is Sofia and to travel there in the spring or summer. If you’re planning a winter ski trip or even a spring or summer hiking and biking adventure instead then you’d be best off visiting the mountainous interior…but the most commonly held opinion is that if you want to see the nation at its best you’ll head for Bulgaria’s beautiful Black Sea coastline in the summertime.
Bulgaria’s coastline is home to everything from private islets to package holiday resorts, from ancient port towns to breathtaking cliff-top views – and a great place to begin an exploration of the best bits of the coastline is in a small town by the name of Sozopol.
Sozopol is reputed to be one the most ancient towns in the entire nation with a settlement recorded on the same spot dating as far back as the Bronze Age. Extensive underwater exploration has revealed anchors and relics dating back as far as the second and first millennia BC and to this day some of the best highlights of Sozopol are its ancient buildings, fort and relics.
Sozopol is also a bustling summertime seaside resort because it has pristine soft sandy beaches and because the waters of the Black Sea on this part of Bulgaria’s coastline are warm and clean. There are also bars, restaurants, shops and plenty of exciting things to do and see in Sozopol making it a great location for all the family to enjoy a holiday.
Every year in September the town plays host to an international art and culture festival which showcases the very best in new talent as well as introducing famous names from the worlds of literature, film, theatre and dance for example. The Apollina Festival of Arts as it is known is taking place this year between the 31st of August and the 9th of September and the whole town of Sozopol comes to life.
If you fancy combining a trip to the festival with an exploration of Bulgaria’s national parks and nature reserves you can also do so as Sozopol is within a short distance of the world famous Strandja National Park and Nature Reserve which is well worth a visit…this means you can have a two centre holiday and get to see and experience so much of the wealth of amazing sights, sounds and flavours that Bulgaria is becoming increasingly famous for.
Rhiannon Williamson writes about living in Bulgaria and living abroad in locations as diverse as France and Belize or Australia and Canada for example. So if you’re thinking of visiting Bulgaria or you’re looking for an overseas nation that you would like to live in, her resource ShelterOffshore.com has all the information that you could possibly need.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rhiannon_Williamson
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