Bulgaria Travel Guide A Vagabond Life
Bulgaria Travel Guide
Bulgaria is a wonderful country in the Balkans with the Black Sea on its western border with beautiful mountains and stunning beaches. Sofia, the countries capital is a busy lively city with excellent restaurants and things to see and do.
Bulgaria Travel Guide
Bulgaria Travel Guide
Five Quick Facts About Travelling In Bulgaria
- Bulgaria is a relatively safe, cheap and easy to travel in however normal safety precautions should be taken.
- Bulgaria Visa policy aligns with the Schengen Visa Policy. See the VISA tab for further information.
- English is spoken widely especially in main cities and tourist areas. It is recommended (and polite) to learn a few basic words.
- There are a large number of stray and abandoned dogs in the country, it is advised to avoid contact with these dogs to avoid the risk of rabies.
- If hiking in remote mountains and forests be aware of bears and wolves.
Bulgaria Climate
Continental in the interior; cold, damp winters with snow in the higher elevations; hot and humid summers.
Temperate on the coast; mild autumns, cool winters, mild springs and warm and breezy summers.
Bulgarian currency is the Lev which is pegged to the Euro. ATMs can be widely found throughout Bulgaria and it is advisable to always carry a small amount of cash in the local currency as not everywhere accepts card payment.
Bulgaria Visa Policy
While not part of the Schengen Area Bulgaria has a Visa Policy based on that of the Schengnen Area Visa Policy.
Nationals / Citizens from Schengen States have right of movement and entry without a visa but will need a passport as proof of identity.
The policy applies to the Schengen Area which is 22 E.U member states and 4 non E.U states which are part of the EFTA – Iceland, Liechenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia and Romania are not part of the Schengen Area but have visa policies based on Schengen acquis.
Schengen Area Visa Policy
| Schengen Area | |
| Other EU member states outside the Schengen Area but bound by the same visa policy and legally obliged to join the Area when they meet the criteria, and special territories of Schengen member states (freedom of movement in the Schengen Area) | |
| Members of the EU single market with independent visa policies (freedom of movement in the Schengen Area) | |
| Visa-free access to the Schengen states for short stays, usually 90 days in any 180-day period ( | |
| Visa required to enter the Schengen states, and to transit some Schengen states in some circumstance | |
| Visa required to transit any Schengen state | |
| Travel documents not accepted |
Schengen Area
| Member state | |
| Countries de facto participating | |
| Members of the EU legally obliged to join the Schengen area, but not yet members |
Source: Wikipedia
Packing List
Clothing
1 pair jeans – I know they are heavy and take ages to dry but I wear them constantly and find them comfortable
1 pair black travel type pants – Black pants are little smarter than jeans so good if going somewhere a little dressier. Mine is the lightweight fabric in the style of jean,
2 x pair of shorts. 1 denim and one lightweight travel fabric
2 x singlets – good for layering and sleeping in
4 x short sleeve cotton shirts, lightweight and breathable
1 x long sleeve sloppy joe.
1 x zip-up shell jacket
1 x lightweight raincoat – packable version that packs down into a small bag.
5 x socks
5 x underpants
2 x bras
Shoes
1 x pair walking or hiking shoes.
1 x pair slip on flats
1 x pair flip flops (great for hostel showers)
Toiletries
Shampoo & Conditioner
Bar of Soap
Deodorant
Razor
Tweezers
Brush / Comb
Hair Ties
Electronics
1 x Earbud headphones.Light and small,
1 x IPad
1 x 6S iPhone
Charging leads for above
2 x USB
1 x power bank
1 x Cable organiser which keeps everything tidy
1 x 14” laptop – we run a business so this is essential for us.
Photography
1 x GoPro Hero 5
2 x Spare GoPro Batteries
1 x Canon DSLR with 1 x 8-16mm wide angle lense & 1 x 17 – 50mm lense.
Spare micro SD Cards
Other Stuff
1 x padlock
1 x headlight or torch
1 x Swiss knife
1 x medical kit
Ziplock bags
The Balkan Express
The Balkan Express is a train that runs from Sofia in Bulgaria to Belgrade in Serbia.
This train was the dirtiest, slowest most uncomfortable train I have ever been on. It took over 12 hours to complete the 392 KM journey arriving 3 hours later than scheduled.
If travelling from Sofia to Belgrade either fly or get a bus.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria Bukgaris – Our journey from Romania took us down from the mountains into Bucharest and then a change of trains and on to the