BULGARIA
17394
page-template-default,page,page-id-17394,page-child,parent-pageid-17385,tribe-no-js,,qode-theme-ver-7.5,wpb-js-composer js-comp-ver-5.1.1,vc_responsive
 

BULGARIA

  • Capital: Sofia
  • Form of government: Republic
  • Area: 110,993.6 km2
  • Religion: Orthodox
  • Phone number: +359
  • Language: Bulgarian
  • Time difference: 0
  • Population: 6,916,548 (2020)
  • Currency: Bulgarian Lev (BGN)

lentokone

There are four international airports in Bulgaria: Sofia, Varna, Burgas and Plovdiv. Norwegian offers flights from Helsinki to Burgas during the holiday season. Many German and British low-cost airlines fly from Helsinki to Varna and Burgas.

bussi

Buses are the best way to get around the country. They operate to all major cities. Timetables in English: avtogari.info and BGrazpisanie.com.

embajada

Embassy of Finland, Sofia Address: 26-28, Bacho Kiro 5th fl, 1000 Sofia – Tel. +359 2 810 2110 Email: sanomat.sof@formin.fi – Website: www.finland.bg

  • Travel bulletin from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs: A fairly safe EU country to travel. The European Health Insurance Card provides first aid, but comprehensive travel insurance is still required. Read more
Istanbul the capital of Turkey, eastern tourist city.

Sofia (Capital)

 

Sofia is no grand metropolis, but it’s a modern, youthful city, with a scattering of onion-domed churches, Ottoman mosques and stubborn Red Army monuments that lend an eclectic, exotic feel. Home to many of Bulgaria’s finest museums, galleries, restaurants and clubs, Sofia may persuade you to stick around and explore further.

St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in the center of Sofia, capital of Bulgaria against the blue morning sky with colorful clouds

St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Address: pl. “Sveti Aleksandar Nevski”, 1000 Sofia Center, Sofia, Bulgaria

 

The St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is a Bulgarian Orthodox cathedral in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. Built in Neo-Byzantine style, it serves as the cathedral church of the Patriarch of Bulgaria and it is believed to be one of the 50 largest Christian church buildings by volume in the world.

General view of Nessebar, ancient city on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria. Panoramic aerial view.

Nessebar (UNESCO 1983)

Location: Nessebar. Nearest airport is Burgas

 

Nessebar, a town close to the Black Sea and the Sunny Beach resort, is known as ”Bulgaria’s Dubrovnik”, and is one of the most beautiful towns in Bulgaria. It is well known for its multiple churches and the town’s oldest part, connected to the mainland with a narrow artificial isthmus. This area offers a great view into the variety of the different civilisations that have existed in the area. Because of this abundance, UNESCO included Nessebar in its list of World Heritage Sites, in 1983.

Inside of a beautiful colourful cave. Flowstones, stalactites and stalagmites lighted in different vivid colours.

Yagodinska Cave

Address: 4835 Yagodina, Bulgaria

 

This remarkable cave complex is situated near the village of Yagodina. It contains 3 floors and is about 10 kilometres in length. The top and the walls of the cave are covered in magnificent stone formations and beautiful cave pearls.  Travellers can take a guided tour through the caves between 9 AM and 4 PM for 5 Bulgarian leva.

The Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila or  Rila Monastery is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria.

Rila Monastery

Address: 2643, Bulgaria

 

This Eastern Orthodox monastery was built in the 10th century and it has served as a cultural and spiritual centre of the Bulgarian national consciousness throughout difficult times. The 8,800 m² rectangular area around the monastery offers a great space for mindfulness slowing down. It consists of the monastery church, an interesting monastery museum, the residential part with four chapels and the abbot’s room. It is famous for its beautiful frescos on the walls.

Sunny Beach, Bulgaria - September 1, 2015: Panoramic view of Water park Action in Sunny Beach with number of slides and swimming pools for children and adults.

Action Aquapark

Address: Sunny Beach Resort Main Road, Sunny Beach (Slăntšev Brjag Bulgaria)

 

Water park with slides, pools, a lazy river, concessions & a mini zoo with farm animals & birds that is very suitable for all ages.

Stunning aerial drone view over the sea garden in Burgas, Bulgaria ultra wide shot. The scene is situated outdoors near sunset in Burgas, Bulgaria on the Black Sea shores. The photo is taken with DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone.

Sea Garden

Address: 8000 Burgas, Bulgaria

 

The Sea Garden is the Bulgarian port city of Burgas’ largest and best known public park. It is located along the city’s coast on the Black Sea and it is an important tourist attraction and a national monument of landscape architecture on the Balkans.

Aerial view of the beach and hotels in Golden Sands, Zlatni Piasaci. Popular summer resort near Varna, Bulgaria

Sunny Beach

Location: Approx. 35 km north of Burgas in the Nessebar Municipality.

 

Sunny Beach is a major seaside resort in Bulgaria and the shiny sands of the Black Sea coddle millions of visitors each year. Culture seeking tourists in need of shade should check out the nearby town of Nessebar, with its many historic sights. There are a lot of hotels along the kilometers long beach between Sveti Vlas and Nessebar. There are also two aqua parks near the resort. A great place for a beach vacation for the whole family.

Aerial view of The Cathedral of the Assumption in Varna

Varna

Location: Varna Province on the Black Sea coast.

 

Varna, with a population of approx. 336 000, is the third-largest city in Bulgaria and the center of the Black Sea coast, administratively and culturally. Its main sights include the Varna Archaeological Museum, The Seaside Garden park, the Nicolaus Copernicus Observatory and the Piccadilly Park shopping plaza.

Albena resort, at Black Sea, near Varna, Bulgaria. Panoramic view.

Albena

Location: 30 km from Varna on the Black Sea coast.

 

This beach resort is a remarkable site with its 6-km long beach, 43 hotels and two spa-and-wellness centers. The nearby Baltata National Reserve serves as a green oasis for trips when one has had enough sun-bathing. Starting from the main road Kranevo – Albena, it continues behind the hotels in the resort and reaches the seacoast.

More information about Bulgaria

Srebarna Nature Reserve in Bulgaria - A UNESCO World Heritage Site

Srebarna Nature Reserve (UNESCO 1983)

Location: Silistra Province, Bulgaria

 

This nature reserve consists of 6 km² of protected Bulgarian in the region of Lake Srebarna. It is located on the Via Pontica, a bird migration route between Europe and Africa. The reserve is home to 139 plant species, 179 bird species and 29 species of mammals. The rich biodiversity makes the reserve a great place for eco-tourists and ornithologists.  A visitor can spot e.g. the Dalmatian pelican, the marsh harrier or various herons. The reserve also has a scientific museum that showcases the nature of the area.

towers of Baba Vida medieval fortress in Vidin, Bulgaria

Baba Vida Fortress

Address: парк, 3703 Kraydunavski, Vidin, Bulgaria

 

This charming fortress lies on the bank of the river Danube, in north Vidin. Excavation of the fortress began in 1956, and it uncovered ruins of structures from a variety of cultures, including the Romans, the Byzantine, the Ottomans as well as both early and late Bulgarian cultures. Parts of the Baba Vida were opened to visitors in 1958 and a museum was arranged in the fortress. Between its nine corners and towers there is a lot of history to explore. Two of the towers are accessible to visitors. The fortress stilt houses cannons that are in good shape, close to the gallows. The fortress also houses the summer theatre of Vidin where concerts, theater performances and other shows are conducted.

Amazing landscape near Malyovitsa peak and Malyoviska river, Rila Mountain, Bulgaria

Rila National Park

 

Rila is the largest national park in Bulgaria. Its location in the mountain range makes it suitable for hiking. The relaxing nature and the majestic views bring in tourists every year. For those who want to stay the night in the area, the park offers 17 chalets and 4 lodges with a capacity of 1,500 beds. Five species of fish, 20 species of amphibians and reptiles, 48 species of mammals, and 99 species of birds can be found in this area and a traveller can spot e.g. the rock partridge, the brown bear, the chamois or the European ground squirrel. Rila is a beautiful place for those who want to experience nature at its finest.