Discover Bulgaria
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
--------------------
BULGARIA IS LOCATED IN THE BALKAN PENINSULA, SOUTH EAST EUROPE.
IT IS SEPARATED FROM ROMANIA ON THE NORTHERN BORDER BY THE DANUBE RIVER,
AND BORDERED ON THE WESTERN REGION BY YUGOSLAVIA, TO THE SOUTH BY GREECE
AND ON THE EAST BY THE BLACKSEA.
LAND VARIES A LOT WITH LARGE PLAINS, RIVERS, VALLEYS AND MOUNTAIN RANGES.
ALONG THE COAST OF THE BLACKSEA, BULGARIA BOASTS BEAUTIFUL, CLEAN,
GOLDEN SAND BEACHES. TO THE NORTH THE DANUBIAN PLAIN IS SITUATED,
THIS IS A FERTILE VALLEY, WITH ROLLING HILLS, AND LIES OVER AT LEAST A THIRD OF
THE COUNTRY.
BULGARIA IS ALSO QUITE RICH, IN MOUNTAIN AREA, WITH THE LOWEST MOUNTAIN REACHING 210M AND THE HIGHEST MUSALA PEAK REACHING 2,925M. THESE MOUNTAIN AREAS ARE RICH WITH LAKES. THE DANUBE, THE TUNDZHA AND THE MARITSA ALONG WITH THE ARDA RIVERS
IN THE SOUTH ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR RIVERS IN THE COUNTRY.
CLIMATE
--------------------
MODERATELY CONTINENTAL CLIMATE WITH A MEDITERRANEAN INFLUENCE IN THE SOUTH.
THE BLACK SEA BRINGS A MILD CLIMATE TO EASTERN PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
THE HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL FEEL QUITE PLEASANT BUT THE COOLING SEA BREEZES
MAY DECEIVE YOU, BECAUSE THE SUN IS STRONGER THAN IT MAY SEEM.
DISTINCTIVE SPRING, SUMMER, AUTUMN AND WINTER. SUMMERS ARE GENERALLY DRY AND HOT AND WINTERS TEND TO BE MILD. THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL OCCURS IN SPRING AND AUTUMN.
CLOTHING : ALL YEAR ROUND YOU WOULD BE ADVISED TO BRING MEDIUM WEIGHT CLOTHING ALONG WITH A HEAVY OVERCOAT AND WARM SHOES FOR THE WINTER.
QUICKFACTS
--------------------
NAME : BULGARIA ISO CODE : BG
CAPITAL : SOFIA
CURRENCY : LEV - LEVA CODE : BGN
SUB-UNIT : 1 LEV = 100 STOTINKA
NOTES : BGL: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 , 100
COINS : STOTINKA: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50
EMERGENCY: AMBULANCE 150 - SOFIA INTL CODE: 359
FIRE 160 - SOFIA POLICE 166 - SOFIA
LANGUAGES: BULGARIAN, RUSSIAN, ENGLISH, FRENCH
VOLTAGE : 220/250 AC
DRIVING : VALID COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LICENCE HELD FOR AT LAST ONE YEAR
HOURS: -
BANKS : 09:00 - 16:00 MON - FRI
SHOPS : 10:00 - 20:00 MON - FRI & 10:00 - 14:00 SAT
OFFICES : 09:00 - 17:30 MON - FRI
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
--------------------
JAN : 01 - NEW YEAR'S DAY
14 - ORTHODOX NEW YEAR
MAR : 03 - NATIONAL DAY
25 - ANNUNCIATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN
APR : 09 - GOOD FRIDAY
12 - EASTER MONDAY
MAY : 01 - LABOUR DAY
06 - ARMY DAY
24 - BULGARIAN ALPHABET AND CULTURE DAY
AUG : 15 - ASSUMPTION DAY
SEP : 06 - UNION DAY
22 - INDEPENDENCE DAY
NOV : 01 - DAY OF THE LEADERS OF THE BULGARIAN NATIONAL REVIVAL
DEC : 25 - CHRISTMAS DAY
TIPPING
--------
TIPPING IS NOT ENCOURAGED IN THE RECENT TIME. BUT NOW
IT IS CUSTOMARY. WAITERS, PORTERS, ETC EXPECTS A SMALL
TIP OF 10 - 12 PER CENT.
