Guides and travel stories from Bulgaria.
73 articles

How to pick a base by your children's ages, the drive times that make or break a family trip, which caves and beaches actually work with young kids, and rainy-day fallbacks.

Shopska salad and rakia to open, banitsa from the bakery, the mixed grill, clay-pot stews and the fasting dishes that make the country quietly vegetarian-friendly.

Bulgaria's new digital nomad visa, the 10% flat tax, and how Sofia, Plovdiv and Bansko actually compare for remote work — internet, coworking, cost of living and community.

Master the art of layering for a country where temperatures can swing from a 30°C afternoon in Sofia to a freezing morning on Mount Musala. Includes plug types, monastery dress codes, the winter tyre law, and what you can buy locally.

Which Bulgarian network to pick, whether you need a SIM at all as an EU visitor, eSIM options, passport rules, and where coverage actually drops.

Bulgaria is a full Schengen member. Who needs a visa, how the 90/180 rule now applies, the biometric EES checks, and what ETIAS means for late 2026.

A complete guide to transfers from Burgas Airport (BOJ): Bus No. 15 to the city, direct Bus No. 10 to Sunny Beach and Nessebar, taxis, and fare details.

E-vignette prices, speed limits, winter tyre rules and rental gotchas — plus an honest answer on whether you need a car in Bulgaria at all.

How to get to Plovdiv: Plovdiv Airport (PDV) routes, train and bus options from Sofia, private transfers, costs, and travel times.

Metro in 20 minutes for €0.80, bus, or taxi from Sofia Airport. Terminal 1 vs Terminal 2, real fares, and how to avoid the taxi touts in arrivals.

Bus 409 reaches central Varna in 20 minutes for about €1 and Golden Sands in 50. Zoned fares, the two operators to tell apart, and taxi costs.

A guide to Bulgaria's greatest monasteries after Rila: Bachkovo in the Rhodopes, Troyan in the Balkan Mountains and Rozhen near Melnik — their history, frescoes, miraculous icons and how to visit each.
A travel guide to the Rusenski Lom valley south of Ruse: the UNESCO Ivanovo Rock-Hewn Churches and their medieval frescoes, the Cherven fortress, the working Basarbovo rock monastery, and how to combine all three in one day.

A travel guide to Ruse, Bulgaria's largest Danube port and 'Little Vienna': neo-Baroque architecture, Freedom Square, the Sexaginta Prista Roman fortress, and day trips to the Ivanovo rock churches, Cherven fortress and Basarbovo monastery.
The best day trips from Plovdiv: Bachkovo Monastery, Asen's Fortress, the Rose Valley, Buzludzha, Koprivshtitsa and more — with distances and how to go.

The best day trips from Sofia: Rila Monastery, the Seven Rila Lakes, Vitosha, Koprivshtitsa, Plovdiv and more — with distances, travel times and how to go.

A guide to the Buzludzha Monument: what it is, how to get there, whether you can go inside, the mosaics, and the best time to visit Bulgaria's UFO landmark.

A guide to the Belogradchik Rocks and Fortress: how to get there, what to see, the Magura Cave, parking, family tips, distances and where to stay.

A guide to Bulgaria's festivals and traditions: Kukeri mummers, Baba Marta martenitsi, the Kazanlak Rose Festival and Nestinarstvo fire dancing.

A complete guide to Bulgarian wine and Melnik: famous wine regions, local grape varieties, Melnik cellars, sandstone pyramids, and Rozhen Monastery.

Does Bulgaria use the euro? Yes — since January 2026. What changed, the fixed rate, old lev, cards and ATMs, and what it means for travelers.
A complete guide to getting around Bulgaria: all four international airports, intercity buses, BDŽ trains, car rentals, vignettes, and public transport.

How much does a trip to Bulgaria cost in 2026? Daily budgets, real prices, money tips, and what the switch to the euro means for travelers.

Is Bulgaria safe to visit? An honest 2026 guide to crime, scams, solo and female travel, taxis, driving, emergency numbers and practical safety tips.