8 Things You Should NOT Do In Bulgaria

 Is this your first visit to Bulgaria? You will have a great time, we are certain of that, as long as you don’t make the mistakes that a lot of tourists do, during their first visit in Bulgaria. Hence a list of 8 things you should NOT do in Bulgaria.

It’s nothing serious, just a bit of light hearted fun. But yes, you will do well to take notes. Meanwhile, have you booked a hotel in Bulgaria yet? You may want to try us at Clara Hotel, the best Irish run family hotel in Bulgaria, located in Sarafovo, just at a 5 minute drive from the Bourgas International Airport.

Okay, here are the mistakes to avoid in Bulgaria. 8 Things Not to do in Bulgaria...

#1: Don’t poke fun at Bulgarians – Bulgarians love making self-deprecatory jokes, but they don’t like it too much when a foreigner laughs at them or their country. This is seen as a major affront and a national insult. So don’t even attempt it!

#2: Bulgarians take football very seriously. Never say anything bad about their national football team – You can make fun of Wayne Rooney and Jose Mourinho for being overrated, but never make fun of Bulgaria’s most popular football club, Ludogorets. Similarly, never ask a Bulgarian why their national team doesn’t seem to win anything.

#3: Never discuss politics in Bulgaria – Bulgarians are very passionate about politics. The two leading political parties here are GERB and BSP. Don’t say anything good about BSP when you’re with someone from GERB, and vice versa. Better still, never talk about Bulgarian politics.

#4: Never criticise Bulgarian food – Bulgarians love their food and they think they have the best cuisine in the world. It’s true to an extent, their food is really great. But there are some people who don’t like it. If you fall into that club, don’t mention it. Stay quiet and never say anything critical about their food.

#5: Never indulge in conspiracy theories that involves Bulgaria – Bulgarians love conspiracy theories. They talk for hours about the big global problems of the day, such as who is responsible for the recent refugee crisis in Europe, why Donald Trump is doing so well in the U.S. Presidential Race and so on. But that doesn’t mean you should tell your Bulgarian friend or acquaintance about a conspiracy theory you read in a British tabloid about Bulgarians in the UK. Just avoid such talk, it won’t go well. It never does.

 #6: Never say the Sofia Metro isn’t world class – Well, to be fair, the Sofia Metro is very good, and it is one of the cheapest forms of public transport out there. But it is by no means world class. Just don’t tell your Bulgarian friends that. They might not send you a birthday gift next time!

 #7: Don’t mock Bulgarian politicians – Really, Bulgarians mock their politicians all the time. But they have the right to. They don’t like it when people from other countries mock their politicians. So don’t do it. Bulgarian politicians may be corrupt, but you don’t have to mention that.

#8: Don’t say anything positive about Turkey – Turkey is generally blamed for all the problems in Bulgaria, dating back to the history of the Ottoman Empire. Now, unless you want to start World War 3, don’t say anything nice about Turkey in Bulgaria!