What you need to know before you pack!

You have finally decided to pack and make your way to Bulgaria but you don't know what to take or what to expect? Let me give you all the right tips and inside information you need to know to make the best of your trip!

The first thing to consider is what season of the year you want to visit, summer is a great time to visit the coast of the Black Sea Regions, while fall and winter are also great in the mountains and the capital city Sofia.

Packing is an important factor in every trip, pack wisely so you can travel with ease by avoiding extra weight from carrying things that you end up not using during your trip at all...

3 to 4 sets of clothing are enough to last you for a couple of weeks, most places have laundry facilities so that will not be a problem, if you visit during winter, male sure you bring a good winter coat, gloves, beannie and winter shoes. Remember, you want to be comfortable but practical.

Do I need a visa?

The last thing you want is to start your trip on the wrong foot right? So do make sure you are travelling with a valid passport that has at least two blank pages for visa stamps and is valid for at least 3 months from the date of your departure from Bulgaria, make sure you check if you are a national of one of the countries with VISA FREE access to Bulgaria, If you need a visa before arrival, make sure you go to the nearest embassy or consulate at your location and apply for it with enough time before your departure. If you are in the visa free regime you will get a visa on arrival valid for 90 days for most countries and it only allows TOURIST ACTIVITY.

Arriving in Bulgaria!

Once you arrive at the Bulgaria Airport, you will go thru passport control and customs very quickly, terminal 1 of the airport is the old original terminal which is very small. as you walk out of customs there will be a lot of taxi drivers trying to lure you into catching a ride with them, DO NOT DO THAT, they will scam you by charging you 3 times the normal rate on average, it happened to me in my first visit, I was so tired from travelling across the atlantic and I still needed to fly to Bourgas, so I decided to go to a nearby hotel to sleep a few hours to recover some energy, as tired as I was, my common sense had vanished so I followed the first cab driver that boarded me as I walked out of the airport only to pay 25 levas for a ride that normally is 5 to 6 levas (Leva is the currency in Bulgaria). If you are not being picked up, the best thing to do is to buy a taxi ticket at one of the booths inside the airport, I also recommend that you exchange some euros for levas in the exchange office, just 50 euros to get you to your hotel, the banks have a better exchange rate, also Crown exchange has a reputation of providing one of the best exchange rates and they are everywhere. If you are the adventurer solo traveller or couple then you can take the free shuttle to terminal 2 and then catch the metro into town, at this point you are probably hungry! What I usually do is take the metro into the Serdika II station and then walk 3 blocks down to FANSHAN Chinese restaurant, you can have a good sit down meal for 10 levas per person, very cheap, once done with your meal, if you are going to another destination by bus you can make your way to the CENTRAL BUS STATION which is only about a 10 min. walk. if you decide to take a taxi anywhere, make sure you agree on the amount you will pay rather than going by the meter, usually meters are rigged to rip you off, it is an unfortunate situation you will find in any country, so just keep an open mind and enjoy the ride, the rate is normally 1 leva per kilometer of road, look up your destination in google maps and calculate the amount based on the kilometers away from where you are. Make sure you exchange curreny for levas as you go.

Safety is normally not an issue in Bulgaria, but always be aware of your surroundings mainly to avoid pick pockets, keep your passport in a secure pouch or pocket prefferably located on your chest so it is always in sight, if you travel to the coastal locations like Sunny Beach or Varna, be careful with Roma children trying to scam you by giving you cherries to taste from a basket and then wanting to make you buy it at an expensive price because you ate from it, Roma children will also beg and sometimes follow you, just yell at them that you will call the police and they will go away.

In the next posts I will write in detail about the things to do and where to go for good food, etc. Please subscribe and stay tuned!

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Day trip to БУЗЛУДЖА communist UFO structure!

The day trip to BUZLUDZA is one of the main activities to do when you are in Veliko Tarnovo and you stay at HOSTEL MOSTEL, once in the hostel just check with Andy about the next trip, it usually leaves in the morning and we return around 5-6 pm, on the drive up to the UFO there is a stop at the Etara Museum, it is a beautiful museum type area which resembles life in the villages of Bulgaria back in the day, there are many interesting original handcrafts made on site like high quality knives, flutes, warm clothing and hats, and different types of souvenirs as well as a pastry shop making original Bulgarian pastries and bread, we walk around as Andy explains some of the highlights of the place while you can take some beautiful pictures, in the summer time the weather is really nice but there are a lot more tourists, so if you like it nice and quiet visiting around the month of October is ideal, from there we make our way up the mountain where Andy will show his 4 wheeling skills making the ride very fun and exciting as you can see in my video above, the next stop is the monument of Soviet Brotherhood, there we make a short stop to take pictures and stretch our legs, then we make the final drive up to the majestic UFO structure which used to be a communist reunion place for the Communist Party, it is a very unique and interesting structure as is its history which Andy will explain in great detail, make sure to take some great photos since this is one of those few places where not many people ever get the change to go.

 

On the drive back to Veliko we make another stop at the Dryanovo Monastery and then we drive over to the Andraka Restaurant where you will enjoy a delicious traditional Bulgarian dinner, I personally recommend the chicken hearts dish as an entree or main dish depending on your appetite, but I am sure you will find your dish delicious no matter what you choose, you can also try some Rakia which is the traditional drink in Bulgaria, and if you want to buy some home made Rakia just ask one of the vendors at the souvenir shops at the entrance of the monastery and you will be able to get some from 10 to 15 Levas depending on the bottle size, also the prices at the restaurant are very reasonable for the food quality and portion sizes served, as a courtesy we included a 10% tip on top of our check because we were very pleased with the food and service overall.

If you go in October or later into winter time, make sure you wear warm clothing and bring gloves and beannie because it gets quite windy and cold on top of the mountain, also make sure you bring cash Levas with you as the shops in the museum are old school and do not take cards, same for the restaurant. I hope you liked my video and the information provided so that you decide to make the trip, I guarantee you will not be disappointed!

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Day trip to Kapinovo waterfall!

This was a spontaneous day trip we organized to the Kapinovo waterfall, it is a beautiful place to go for a good swim and relax with friends, my friend Andy took us there in the Hostel van, it was 5 of us alltogether, we took some snacks and soft drinks to munch on and our swimwear of course, it is a short 20 min. drive from Veliko Tarnovo and the waterfall is located within the town of Velchovo.

We departed from Hostel Mostel around 13:00 hrs and spent about 3 hours there swimming, singing and having fun snce my roomate Chu took his guitar to animate the atmosphere, the water was about 12 degrees celcius, it was a record swim since it is the first time Andy takes people swimming at this time of the year, but it was very fun and we loved the quietness since most tourists are gone.

If you stay at Hostel Mostel, just ask for Andy and talk to him about organizing a trip to the Kapinovo waterfall and he will be more than happy to do it for you if you get a group o at least 4 people together, note that in the summer time Andy actually organizes tours to different spots on a regular basis, contact me for details and don't forget to subscribe and stay tuned!

What to do in Veliko Tarnovo!

VELIKO TARNOVO is located approximately 230 km from the capital city of Sofia, It is a very nice city that shows more of the interesting Bulgarian culture, if you do not like the big tourist crowds then visiting from the end of August into the fall and winter is the best time to explore it at your own pace in a more quiet setup, yet you can still find cultural tours operating at this time like the City Walking Tour, similar to the one in Sofia, this one operates everyday and starts at 11:00 hrs, it goes for about 2.5 to 3 hours, after you can eat some lunch at one of the restaurants along the way, the meeting point it the TOURIST INFORMATION CENTER in the heart of town.

 

Tsarevets or Fortress is the main attraction in Veliko Tarnovo, this structure is located at 206 meters above sea level and served as the Second Bulgarian Empire's main fortress and strongest bulwark from 1185 to 1393, the entire stronghold is girdled by thick walls more than 3 meters tall, you can do a guided tour or just pay your entry ticket which costs 6 Levas and explore it on your own. There is also a light and sound show organised sporadically which is very nice to see, check with the tourist information center or the receptionist at your place to find out when the next one is during your stay for you to enjoy!

  

The main Cathedral is another spot that you definitely want to explore, it has very peculiar and strange paintings inside worth taking some photos of. It was originally decorated with some very nice frescos, mosaic floors, multi-colored marble and precious gem stones like sapphire. However, time took its toll on the Church until it was finally reconstructed and decorated in the 20th century, during this reconstruction the Church got a very unusual remake with new paintings depicting Bulgarian history in a somewhat creepy style.

  

Check out the Asenevsti Monument which is one of the main symbols of Veliko Tarnovo. It was built in 1985 in celebration of the 800 year anniversary of Bulgaria's liberation from the Byzantine Empire, the uprising was orchestrated by brothers Asen and Petar whom after the revolt became rulers of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom.

Take a day trip to the town of Arbanazi which is located a few kilometers away from Veliko Tarnovo, you can go on an organized tour or you can make your way and explore on your own, a taxi ride will cost about 5 levas each way, there is also a bus that takes you there. The monastery is one of the mos beautiful in Bulgaria and it is of great importance because it displays the National Revival architecture as well as the Nativity of Jesus Christ.

If you are interested in communist history or just history in general, look at my full page post on the Day trip to Buzludzha and read all the details there. 

If you are looking for a place to stay, my personal recommendation is HOSTEL MOSTEL, located very near the city centre but in a very quiet section of town, you will really enjoy your stay there, it counts with mixed dorms and private rooms, full kitchen, laundry service, all you can eat breakfast and one dish dinner with a beer for a minimal fee, definitely a great place to stay and relax after your daily activities, you can book directly on their website just by clicking HERE!

Please contact me by filling out the contact form below if you have specific questions and I will gladly address them for you, also don't forget to subscribe and stay tuned for more fresh posts about Bulgaria coming soon!

What to do in Sofia!

Sofia is the capital city of Bulgaria, it is a city rich in history as much as the rest of the country, 3 to 5 days is plenty of time to explore and enjoy it. There are a number of interesting free tours everyday which I personally recommend, you might want to start with the Sofia City walking tour in which you will learn about the history of the foundation of Bulgaria and all the different important aspects of Bulgarian history, visit the SofiaTours website for schedules and languages available, you can get information from your group guide about the other tours available, there is a graffiti tour, a culinary tour, a communist tour and others which I am sure you will really like, most of these tours are free, however tips are appreciated at the end of every tour since the guides are all volunteers and most of them are students, there are other tours for a fee as well. If you want a great place to stay at a very reasonable price and with excellent installations, staff and service overall, I personally recommend HOSTEL MOSTEL in Sofia, they count with beds in mixed dorms as well as private rooms, booking just a few clicks away!

Sofia City Walking Tour Meeting Point

After the tours you can take a stroll to Vitosha Street which begins right at the meeting point of the tours, there you will find lots of bars and restaurants to sit down and have a coffee, a drink or a full meal altogether, there are also many shops and stores as well as exchange houses, for exchange I recommend the CROWN exchange, they give you the best rates and they will even exchange Euro coins for Levas.

If you want to get the best view of the city go to the tower restaurant which is located atop of an old government building, there you will enjoy good food and drinks at very reasonable prices and you will also have the opportunity to take some cool panoramic pictures, it is a popular place so if you are a party of more than 2 people you might have to wait a bit to get a table on the terrace, but believe me, it is definitely worth it!

For a night of party you might want to do the Sofia Pub Crawl Tour which will take you to some of Sofia’s unique hidden bars and pubs in the city for a fee of 21 Levas, during the weekdays you will be taken to some hidden cozy bars and pubs and during the weekend you will go to bigger places where you can dance the night away, the meeting point is at the Crystal Garden in the center of town.

The Sofia by Night Panoramic Show is another interesting activity, in this tour you will drive by some of the main sights in Sofia and then you will arrive at a typical Bulgarian restaurant where you will enjoy a delicious dinner and a Bulgarian folkloric show for a fee of 118 Levas, there is hotel pick up for any address within Sofia.

You can also take a hike up to Vitosha Mountain, this you can do in a guided tour or you can explore on your own, it is easy to get there by metro and bus.

Sofia is a very safe country, however common sense is always your best friend to prevent undesired situations, so whenever you are out partying at night, do not leave your drink unattended and avoid confrontation of any kind, it is not an everyday situation but drink spiking and arguments do happen once in a rare while, party wise, be safe and remember, good manners and behavior go a long way, always keep in mind that you are not at home and you are expected to be respectful and understanding of the local customs and culture. If you have any specific questions or want more detailed information about Sofia don’t forget to subscribe or contact me by filling out the contact form below and I will gladly address your questions.