 
Bulgaria
is
situated in Southeast Europe and occupies an area of 111 000 sq.km in
the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. The average altitude is 470
m. Although but small in area, the country’s territory is greatly varied
with high and medium-high mountains, Population - about nine million. Capital - Sofia, population over one million A CITY WITH THE NAME OF WISDOM, A CROSSPOINT OF CIVILIZATIONS, A FOCUS OF CULTURES! Sofia is one of the oldest settlements in Europe. "Ever Growing, Never Ageing" is the motto on Sofia's coat of arms. For over 7000 years Sofia has been a meeting place of the four directions of the world. Tribes
and peoples came and went, civilizations flourished and declined but
the city stayed forever. Over 250 archaeological, historical and cultural monuments that the Thracians, Romans, Byzantines, Slavs, Proto-Bulgarians and Turks created are part of the cityscape of a capital with a population of million. Today Sofia is a modern and busy capital and a centre of Bulgaria's political, economic and cultural life. The
harmony between the past and the present day lends the city its unique
charm.
Religion-
predominantly Eastern Orthodox. The Bulgarian
Church is Language -the official language is Bulgarian and uses only the Cirillic alphabet. To facilitate tourists, road and direction signs in populated areas, resorts, railway stations, airports and along the main motorways are also spelled in Roman letters. English, German, country.French, Russian and other languages are spoken in the Time difference. -Winter time: GMT + 2 hours( October through March) Summer time: GMT + 3 hours (April through September). Official holidays: January 1 - New Year; March 3 - Bulgaria’s Liberation; Easter; May 1 - Labour day; May 24 - Enlightenment and the Day of Bulgarian Culture and Slav Script; December 25 - Christmas. Working hours: State institutions and banks usually work from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Most shops are open from 9 a.m. and to 7 p.m. Mainly stores selling food beverages, as well as catering establishments, work round the clock. Important telephone numbers. In all populated areas: 0123 - operator for international calls (if no direct phone call is possible) 120 - wake up call 121 - operator for long-distance calls within the country 140 - sending of telegrams 144 - telephone information service for office phone numbers 145 - telephone information service for home numbers 146 - Emergency Road Service 150 - Emergency Medical Aid 166 - Police/Road patrols 175 - weather forecast 180
- exact time ("speaking" clock)
Monetary unit and currency exchange - the national monetary unit is the LEV. Banknote 1, 2, 5, 20, 50 leva. The exchange of currency is unrestricted and there is no compulsory exchange. Upon departure from the country any unused Bulgarian currency may be changed back into the respective national currency at the border. Credit cards - American Express, Diners Club, Bankamericard Visa, Access, Eurocard, Mastercard and Carte Bulgaria. Blanche, among others, are accepted in They can be used for the payment of all standard services:hotel accommodation , restaurants, night spots, shopping, car rentals, plane tickets, etc. How to reach Bulgaria? By air - both foreign, as well as several Bulgarian state-owned and private airline companies link the country with the operate and five continents. Domestic services charter flights are organised to resorts in summer and winter. By train - the main trains - European and trans-continental trains run through Bulgaria. International trains link Sofia with the many European capital cities and inland rail network provides access to all larger settlements. By boat - there are sea an river connections via the Black Sea and the Danube. The majority are tourist cruises rather than regular boat links. By car - there are numerous border checkpoint for entry into the country. National driving licenses are valid in Bulgaria. advance or paid at Insurance has to be made in the border. Cars ( self-drive and chauffeur driven) may be rented at the border checkpoint and in all tourist offices throughout the country. Speed
limit: 50
km/h in populated areas, 90 km/h outside populated area, 120 km/h on
motorways. Passports and visas I. Visa-free regime 1.
The citizens of Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,
Great Britain, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg,
Malta, Norway, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and Sweden
may enter the country without a visa for a period of 30 days with a
normal valid passport or ID. 2. The citizens of Cuba, Croatia, Czech Republic Estonia, Hungary, the Republic of Korea, Lithuania, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia and Montenegro and Tunisia may enter the country without a visa for a period of 30 days with a normal valid passport. 3. US citizens may enter the country without a visa for a period of 30 days with a normal valid passport, after paying a border fee of 20 USD. 4.
The citizens of Bosnia-Herzegovina and the CIS (with the exception of
Uzbekistan) may enter the country without a visa for a period of 30
days with a normal valid passport. They must fill out a border control
card and certify the possession of funds to the amount of 40 USD per
day for every day of their sojourn or present a package holiday voucher.
The voucher (family or individual) of the travel company must be filled
out in three copies and addressed to a licensed Bulgarian tour operator.
It must show the number and license of the settlement and hotel which
provides the services. The three copies of the voucher are stamped at
the border, the third copy being kept by the tourist. II. Visa regime The
citizens of all other countries, visiting the Republic of Bulgaria for
the purposes of tourism, may enter the country with a valid passport
and entry visa, issued by a diplomatic or consular representation of
the Republic of Bulgaria, and a package holiday voucher.
III. Vessels All yachts entering the territorial waters of the Republic of Bulgaria are subjected to an "entry" and "exit" inspection at the following sea and river ports: Danube:
Vidin, Oryahovo, Svishtov, Rousse and Silistra; Black Sea: Balchik,
Varna, Bourgas, Nessebur, Pomorie The following fees are collected at border checkpoints for entering or transiting the Republic of Bulgaria: Cars
- 10 USD; A disinfection fee is also collected at border checkpoints as follows: Cars
- 2 USD or 3 DM; No compulsory immunizations are required of foreign citizens arriving in the Republic of Bulgaria. Customs Formalities and Restrictions Currency Regulations Upon entry and departure from the country foreign nationals are obliged to fill out declarations according to a specimen, approved by the Minister of Finance, about the following currency valuables carried by them: 1.Bulgarian
banknotes and coins in circulation in excess of 10,000 leva. Amounts
over and above this figure may only be taken in and out of the country
with a permission by the BNB, valid for a period of 90 days after the
date of issue; The export of objects, including coins made of gold, silver or platinum of historic, archaeological, artistic or numismatic value is prohibited, except with a permission by the Minister of Culture. The
respective value of the objects and coins is determined by the Ministry
of Culture and the Bulgarian National Bank. Import of Goods Prior to the customs check travellers, i.e. foreign natural persons, are presented with an instruction leaflet, containing information about customs regulations in the country in one of the internationally accepted languages for the verbal declaration of objects subject to declaration. Persons aged below 16 are acquainted with the obligations for declaration by foreign nationals by the adult persons accompanying them. The instruction leaflet is signed by the foreign nationals in confirmation of their being acquainted with their obligations for declaration. Travellers are obliged to declare verbally: expensive objects, subject to return (cassette players, TV sets, photo, video and film cameras, musical instruments, lap-top computers, etc.); objects in excess of the set limits for duty-free import; objects of a commercial nature in kind and quantity; objects prohibited for import and export from the country or which are subject to licensing requirements: weapons, ammunition, narcotics, psychotropic substances, protected animals and plants, objects of historic, archaeological, artistic or other value. The value of the objects, subject to declaration, is declared according to purchase prices. Information regarding import regulations for hunting weapons: Weapons may be imported by groups of individual or organized tourists arriving for the purpose of hunting tourism with package tour vouchers, the permission applying to hunting weapons and hunting carbines, together with the necessary instruments and ammunition. The import of short-range weapons (pistols and revolvers) is prohibited. It takes place under a different procedure, established by the Ministry of the Interior. Travellers
who fail to declare any objects, subject to declaration, are liable
under the Customs Act and the Penal Code. Duty-Free Iimport Travellers have the right to import the following without paying any duty or import charges: articles
for personal use: articles needed by foreign nationals during their
stay in the country, corres and profession; consumer goods:
The
transit transport of goods in commercial quantities on the territory
of the Republic of Bulgaria is only permitted in containers which can
be sealed. Insurance Drivers of motor vehicles with foreign registration, entering and staying in the country, must have Civil Liability insurance. If they do not, they are obliged to take it out at the border checkpoint. Optional insurance: medical
expenses for foreign citizens residing temporarily in the country or
transiting it; civil liability for environmental damage for the transport
of goods by road on the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria.
Tourist Services Tourists
can book hotels or other accommodation facilities in the tourist service
offices of Tourist Information and Reservations EAD at border checkpoints.
Package services, currency exchange, sale of phonecards, telephone services,
etc., are offered. Traffic Rules Traffic rules in Bulgaria are the same as in all other European countries. The permitted speed limit (km/h) for different types of motor vehicles in the country is as follows:
Drivers of motor vehicles who exceed the permitted speed limit without causing an immediate danger to traffic are fined. In case of accident, the person driving a motor vehicle with a foreign registration, is obliged to remain on the scene of the accident until the arrival of the competent authorities (traffic police). Driving is prohibited after alcohol consumption (over 0.5 per mill in the blood) or under the influence of drugs. Petrol
stations sell 91 and 98 octane petrol, 95H unleaded petrol and diesel
fuel. There are petrol stations in all border checkpoints, on international
motorways, in populated areas and along second-class roads.
This site is designed by:Dimitar
Dimitrov
|
Informations
from Bulgaria
