Discover Bulgaria

Bulgaria is an attractive tourist destination with a most beautiful, scenic nature and friendly, hospitable people. Here is a land of mountains and hills, valleys and plains, forests and beaches, cities and villages, gardens and malls, rocks and rills, rivers and springs, towns and farms. All found within an area of just 111 thousand square meters, it barely seems possible there could be so many different places to explore and opportunities to enjoy.

In many ways, Bulgaria remains the unknown country of the Balkans. Less newsworthy than the former Yugoslavia, and less heavily touristed than neighbouring Greece and Turkey, it's a place that brings few distinct images to mind. Despite being the site of extensive Black Sea package resorts and the source of several good wines, it's all too often dismissed as the dour place it was before 1989, when it served as one of the Soviet Union's most loyal East European allies. As with many little-known destinations, however, there's a great deal to discover here: much of Bulgaria is like an open-air museum of Balkan culture, with beautifully decorated churches, fine mosques, wonderfully preserved rustic villages and a great deal of enduring folklore. The mountainous interior makes it one of the top hiking destinations of Europe, while over on the Black Sea coast, the white-sand beaches are just as magnificent in reality as they look in the tourist brochures.

Bulgaria is a country on the Balkan Peninsula of southeastern Europe. It is bordered by Romania on the north, Yugoslavia and Macedonia on the west, Greece and Turkey on the south, and the Black Sea on the east.
Mountains cover most of Bulgaria. Fertile valleys and plains separate the mountains in many areas.

Getting There

By Air
The national carrier Balkan Bulgarian Airlines, private Bulgarian airline companies, as well as many foreign airlines link the country to Europe, Africa, the Middle East and North America.

By Car
The country can be entered through any one of the many border checkpoints. Foreign driving licenses are valid on Bulgarian territory. Insurance is compulsory - it can either be taken out beforehand or on the Bulgarian border. The speed limit in the country is as follows: 60 km/h in populated areas, 80 km/h outside populated areas, 120 km/h on motorways. Petrol stations are located at every 30 to 50 km.

By Train
The main European railway routes pass through Bulgaria. International trains link Sofia with many European capital cities and the domestic rail network ensures access to all large settlements.