Bulgaria by Exotik

For most foreign holidaymakers, Bulgaria’s main lure is its long, sandy Black Sea Coast – which still boasts swaths of stunning beaches and picturesque bays despite the expansive construction work – but there is so much more to this country, and so much of it remains largely untouched and unvisited by overseas tourists. Networks of well-maintained hiking trails and horse-riding routes allow you to discover Bulgaria’s lush mountainous and forested landscapes, especially around the Rila and Pirin Mountains, inhabited by bears, lynx, rare birds and other kinds of wildlife now becoming scarce elsewhere in Europe. Getting around the country is easy, with cheap and efficient public transport to ferry you between the cities and into the remoter, rural corners, where the traditional, slow pace of life continues much as it has done for centuries. The cities, too, are often overlooked highlights, from dynamic, cosmopolitan Sofia with its lovely parks, sociable alfresco bars and fascinating museums, to the National Revival architectural treasures and Roman remains of Plovdiv, and the youthful maritime cockiness of Varna.

Cities

Sofia

Bulgaria’s pleasingly laid-back capital is often overlooked by visitors heading straight to the coast or the ski resorts, but they’re missing something special. Sofia is no grand metropolis, but it’s a largely modern, youthful city, with a scattering of onion-domed churches, Ottoman mosques and stubborn Red Army monuments that lend an eclectic, exotic feel. Recent excavation work carried out during construction of the city’s metro unveiled a treasure trove of Roman ruins from nearly 2000 years ago, when the city was called ‘‘Serdica’’. Away from the buildings and boulevards, vast parks and manicured gardens offer a welcome respite, and the ski slopes and hiking trails of mighty Mount Vitosha are just a short bus ride from the city center. Home to many of Bulgaria’s finest museums, galleries, restaurants and clubs, Sofia may persuade you to stick around and explore further.

Plovdiv

With an easy grace, Plovdiv mingles invigorating nightlife among millennia-old ruins. Like Rome, Plovdiv straddles seven hills; but as Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited city, it’s far more ancient. Plovdiv is best loved for its romantic old town, packed with colorful and creaky 19th-century mansions that are now house-museums, galleries and guesthouses.

Veliko Tarnovo

Medieval history emanates from Veliko Tarnovo’s fortifed walls and cobbled lanes. One of Bulgaria’s oldest towns, Veliko Tarnovo has as its centerpiece the magnifcent restored Tsarevets Fortress, citadel of the Second Bulgarian Empire. Historic Tarnovo is tucked into the dramatic bends of the Yantra River, clasped by an amphitheater of forested hills. Bulgaria’s 19th-century National Revival splendor is easy to relive along historic lanes such as Gurko street; similarly evocative is handicraft market Samovodska Charshiya, which retains much the same atmosphere it had two centuries ago. Today’s Tarnovo has Bulgaria’s second-largest university and is home to a multicultural expat scene. Its location between Bucharest and Istanbul has made it a backpacker favorite, though it’s worth more than a stopover if you’re to see it from the heights of its fortress down to its tangle of ramshackle lanes.

Language

Bulgarian, Russian and English. Be careful! To say yes, Bulgarians shake their heads left and right. To say no, they tilt it back and forth.

Electricity

The electricity is 220 volts; therefore, an adapter and/or converter will be required.

Entry requirements

 Kindly make sure to have the proper documents required to enter the countries you are visiting. Please refer to www.travel.gc.ca for updated information. Regarding visas, you can refer to the link: www.travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories.
Failure to obtain these documents prior to travel can result in being denied entry or exit from the country. 

Communication

International access code (exit code in Europe): 00 International dialing code: 359 If you are calling from any other European country, the international dialing code 359 is only required to call Bulgaria from abroad. So it will be: 00 359 and local phone number. Concerning national calls made in Bulgaria, it is not necessary to dial the 359 country code. If you are calling from Canada, please dial 011, then 359 and finally the local phone number in Bulgaria.

Useful links