If you’re travelling to Bulgaria for the first time, we highly recommend that you read this simple primer to Bulgaria. Bulgaria is a beautiful country, but not much is known about it. We will tell you all the important things you need to know. But first, did you book your hotel in Bulgaria online as yet?

Bulgaria – An Introduction

Bulgaria is a tiny country in Eastern Europe. It was once a communist state and behind the Iron Curtain. But today, Bulgaria is an open democracy with a free market capitalist economy. It has a very low cost of living and is generally safe to visit.  Bulgaria has a great climate and gets a plenty of sun. But it does have a biting cold winter, which you should be prepared for.

 How to Get To Bulgaria?

There are flights to Bulgaria from virtually every major city in Europe. You won’t find it difficult to catch a flight to Bulgaria from London, Dublin or other important cities. There are cruise ships and passenger boat services that take you to Bulgaria as well. Bulgaria is also connected by train to Romania, Serbia, Turkey, and Greece. There are four important airports in Bulgaria, Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas.  

 The Bulgarian Currency

“Lev” is the Bulgarian currency. Currently, 1 Bulgarian Lev equals 0.51 Eur. Do check the internet for the latest currency exchange rates. The Euro is widely used in Bulgaria as well, especially in tourist hotspots such as Sunny Beach.

Cost of Living in Bulgaria

Bulgaria has a very low cost of living compared to the rest of Europe. Of course, it’s more expensive than most countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, so don’t expect it to be too cheap. Still, you can get a meal at a fancy restaurant here for €10, beer for €1 – 2 and fast food such as hamburger, kebab, and meatballs for €1 – 5.

The Bulgarian People

The Bulgarian people are like people from any other country in the world. They are friendly and helpful and go the extra distance to help out a foreign tourist who is lost or in some kind of distress. They are generally polite and quick to make friends.

Communication in Bulgaria

Bulgarian is not an easy language to learn, but since most people here have a reasonable knowledge of English you should be fine. Of course, it would help to learn some of the simplest words in Bulgarian for “thank you”, “I”, “You”, “left” and “right”. This would take only a couple of hours of your time on YouTube. Bulgarians speak Russian very well though, so if you know Russian, you will do very well in Bulgaria.

Finding a Hotel in Bulgaria

If you are looking for an affordable and yet quality accommodation in Bulgaria, look no further than the Irish owned, Clara Hotel in Sarafovo Village, close to the Bourgas Airport. Click here to book a hotel room in Bulgaria online at Clara Hotel. You are guaranteed first class Irish entertainment with great food and customer service. You will have access to swimming pools, pool tables, bar, kids’ entertainment and more. There’s a spa next door as well.