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General Information
Full name: Republic of Bulgaria
Area: total: 110, 993.6 sq km
Population: 7.93 million
Capital: Sofia (pop 1.1 million)
Official Language: Bulgarian
Religion: 86% Bulgarian Orthodox, 13% Muslim
Political system: Parliament Republic
 

Local Time
Wintertime: GMT +2 hours (October through March).
Summertime: GMT +3 hours (April through September)

Language
The official language is Bulgarian - the earliest written Slavic language. It dates back to the creation of the old Bulgarian alphabet - Glagolitsa in 862 by the brothers Cyril and Methodius which was gradually replaced by the Cyrillic alphabet /Kirilitsa. It is very close to Russian, Macedonian and Serbo-Croatian languages. To facilitate tourists, road and direction signs in populated areas, resorts, railway stations, airports and along the main motorways are also spelled in Roman letters. English.  German, French, Russian and other languages are spoken in some areas of the country.

Money & Exchange
Currency : The official monetary unit is called "LEV" (plural "LEVA"). The banknote denominations include 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 LEVA, as well as coins - 1, 2, 5,10, 20, 50 called "stotinki" ("stotinka" for singular). 1 LEV coin is also available. The Bulgarian lev is pegged to the Euro at rate 1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN. (variable)

You may exchange cash at banks and exchange bureaus. Banks are usually open Monday to Friday, from 09:00 a.m. to 05:00 p.m. It is best to have your passport with you for you may need it when exchanging currency or cashing cheques. There are also a lot of ATMs ( Automatic Teller Machines ). The exchange bureaus display on large boards the daily rates of the main international currencies. Not all offices are reliable - some offer much lower rates than the official figures announced by the Bulgarian National Bank, so make sure to be informed in advance about the official exchange rates. These can be found in any daily newspaper.

Payments
The most commonly accepted credit cards include Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club, Access, Airplus. They can be used for the payment of all standard services in hotels, restaurants, night clubs, shops, car rentals, plane tickets, travel agencies etc. although you will find in more remote areas that traders will only deal in cash.

Accommodation
All accommodation places in Bulgaria have been categorised according to the 5-star international system. Privatisation has had a favourable impact and today the country is proud of hotels and restaurants that meet the modern world standard. Reservations can be made online and very often either paid by credit card in advance via credit/debit card or on arrival.

Transportation
There is an extensive network of air, road and train services in Bulgaria. Two-way daily flights link Sofia to Varna and Bourgas. During the summer season there are more daily flights in both directions. Local and long distance bus services cover 90% of Bulgaria's settlements. The main highways are well maintained and link Sofia to all major towns and cities, however they are not lit at night and quite often travel through mountainous areas, therefore not for the fainthearted. The rail network is extensive and connects most cities and villages and is quite cheap, if basic. Public transport in the big cities - tram, trolley bus and bus.  A taxi service is available at Sofia Airport but care must be taken to use one of the designated yellow taxis supplied currently by OK Trans, as these are properly regulated and metered, thus avoiding the risk of getting into an illegal taxi with no proper insurance cover and an unregulated driver. You can also rent a car from international rent-a-car companies such as AVIS, Hertz, Budget , Eurocar, etc. although many do not operate after 6 pm, so always wise to check the operating times of these companies online before booking. We can offer a collection from the airport, where Lyubcho will wait for you with a name-boad for yourself and you will be supplied with his mobile telephone number so that all goes smoothly. He can then either take you directly to a hotel in Sofia of your choice, or transport straight to the area where you will be viewing and staying, depending on the time of your flight arrival. In this case transfer from the airport to a hotel in Sofia would be free. Costs for further accompanied driving will be 75 euros per day and will include assistance with banks, lawyers, police registration etc.

Food & Drinks
Since ancient times Bulgarians have gathered a lot of secrets for the preparation of  healthy and delicious food as well as wine. They cook their food with great care and love because to Bulgarians food is a symbol of labour. Bulgarians largely use natural products in their cooking.
They pay greatest attention even to the  utensils used for cooking. Pottery is largely used as it keeps the fragrance and vitamins of the food contained.
Bulgarians are reported to have discovered the secret of preparing yoghurt and Bulgarian yoghurt is famous all over the world for its taste and wholesomeness. Much salad is eaten as a starter and many menus will contain a vast selection of various kinds of salad which are commonly eaten with the local 'raikia', a strong distilled grape spirit , or some othm of spirits such as whisky or brandy. The main meal which follows and is usually meat based is accompanied by either wine or beer. Then of course  delicious pancakes  'palachinki' with fruits or conserves can be chosen or mouth-watering ice-cream gateau.
Hardly anyone could resist the temptation of trying Bulgarian food.

Of all of the Eastern European wine-producing countries there can be doubt that Bulgaria has been the most successful. This is due to the fine quality of the vines and the rich fertile soils which produce a wide variety of fine red and white wines.Original local red grapes Mavrud and Melnik are grown in Bulgaria and are very sought after by wine connoisseurs.

Entertainment & Nightlife
You can enjoy a wide variety of fine restaurants almost everywhere - from the small country villages to the high-quality resorts. You should definitely check out some traditional Bulgarian folk taverns. In addition, there are numerous nightclubs cinemas and theatres.

Important Telephone Numbers
Emergency medical aid - 150;
Fire brigade - 160;
Police - 166;
Road assistance - 146;
Telephone information - 144.

Others
Public Holidays:
January 1 - New Year
March 3 - National day of the Liberation from Ottoman Domination
Easter - Two days (Sunday and Monday) according to the Orthodox calendar
May 6 - St. George's Day
May 24 - the Day of Bulgarian Enlightenment and Culture and Slav Script
September 6 - National Day of Bulgaria's Reunion in the year of 1885
September 22 - Independence Day
November 1 - Day of the Bulgarian Revival Leaders
December 24-26 - Christmas Eve and Christmas
December 31 - New Year's Eve
How can we help?
Bulgaria is situated in Southeast Europe, occupying the northeastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. To the West, Bulgaria borders on Serbia and Montenegro and on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The Danube, Europe's second-longest river, forms a 280 mile long section on its border with Romania. To the South, Greece and Turkey are the country's neighbours. The Black Sea Coast on its East border which links it also to Russia, Ukraine, and Georgia is famous for its fine sanded beaches, and perfect temperatures of water and air. The Black Sea borderline stretches for some 378 km (240 miles). Despite its relatively small territory - 111 000 sq. km (43 000 sq. miles), the country has an extremely diverse landscape, featuring huge mountains covered in forestation, valleys with rivers and lakes and vast plains which are cultivated in sunflowers, wheat and other cereals and in some areas there is dairy farming and breeding plus huge flocks of sheep and goats. But here you will see the traditional cow herd or shepherd looking after the herds as the land is largely unfenced. The wild life in Bulgaria is rich and diverse with wild boar roaming the forests, wild horses, bears in the more remote areas and one can see eagles and hawks soar here. The lands along the Danube are renowned for the variety of birds which visit and breed and the diversity of fish in the rivers, plus every village has it's stork nests on top of chimneys and poles where the birds come every spring to breed and raise their young.
With sprawling mountain ranges, rives and lakes nestling in secluded valleys, nature reserves, huge plains, spectacular caves and lovely little traditional villages and traditional historical towns Bulgaria is a land of beauty and interest. Here you can visit the Valley of the Roses where oil is derived from the flowers to be marketed in the perfume industry world wide, or walk with the monks in some of the secluded monasteries with their unique and pretty churches. Bulgaria has served as a major crossroads between different cultures since ancient times and there are numerous well-preserved historical monuments of different ages, where can one can still see the influence of the Turkish occupancy.
Eating out is easy in Bulgaria, many cafe's, restaurants and bars offer an excellent service with a wide variety of Bulgarian traditional and more westernised menus using the plentiful fresh produce and organically raised meats available. Almost every petrol station has its own eating area and will offer food from the most basic sandwiches to hot soup and various other hot items as well as the usual well stocked shop and bathroom facilities, thereby making travelling comfortable and pleasant
Bulgaria is a country where Renaissance crafts and traditions are still alive and thriving. The country is a vibrant cultural centre rich in artistic traditions, especially in music, dance, fine art and literature. In Bulgaria traditional crafts such as weaving, rug-making, leather and metal work still exist in their original form and where the cultural heritage is still preserved in its most vibrant and rich forms.
This country is a cross between a modern and thriving cultural society in the larger cities and a slower paced tradionally rural lifestyle in the countryside, something for everyone.