Practical information Bulgaria

For a tourist stay of less than 90 days, no visa is required for French, Belgian, Swiss and Luxembourg nationals. Bulgaria joined the Schengen area for air and maritime borders on 31 March 2024, which further simplifies arrivals at Sofia, Varna or Burgas airports. A valid national identity card is sufficient for French citizens, or a passport valid until at least the end of your stay. For other nationalities, check the requirements with the Bulgarian consulate in your country. Children must have their own identity document. For stays beyond 90 days, a residence permit becomes necessary, a procedure we do not assist with in a tourist context.

No vaccines are mandatory to enter Bulgaria. Our team in Sofia recommends checking that universal vaccinations are up to date: diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis and whooping cough. Hepatitis A and typhoid are advised for long stays or in rural areas, particularly in the Rhodopes or remote villages. Hepatitis B is justified for extended stays. If you plan to hike in forests between April and October, the tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) vaccine is worth discussing with your doctor, as ticks are present in Rila, Pirin and Strandja. No malaria risk. A consultation at an international vaccination centre remains the reference point four to six weeks before departure.

Bulgaria remains one of Europe's most affordable destinations. Excluding international flights, budget 70 to 110 euros per day and per person for a comfortable stay in a double room, breakfast included, two restaurant meals and a few visits. For a simpler version, such as a family guesthouse and local dining, 50 to 70 euros suffice. Conversely, a luxury trip with boutique hotels in Plovdiv or Sofia and a private driver runs to 180-250 euros. Concrete benchmarks: a coffee at 2 leva (1 euro), a main course between 15 and 25 leva, a litre of petrol around 2.60 leva, a night in a guesthouse in Veliko Tarnovo between 50 and 80 euros, a bottle of Melnik wine from the estate between 8 and 12 euros.

The ideal season runs from May to mid-October. May and June offer lush nature, the roses of the Kazanlak Valley in full bloom, and mild temperatures between 20 and 26°C. July and August are hot, up to 32°C in Plovdiv, perfect for the Black Sea but crowded on the coast. September is our preferred period: stable skies, grape harvest, fewer crowds, water still at 23°C. October suits the Rhodopes and central Balkan for autumn colours. Winter, from December to March, is ideal for skiing in Bansko, Borovets or Pamporovo, with reliable snow above 1500 m. April remains unpredictable, alternating between rain and fine days.

A rental car is the most flexible solution for getting out of major cities and accessing monasteries, Rhodope villages and mountain ranges. Budget 25 to 45 euros per day for a compact category. Main roads are good, secondary roads are slow and winding, allow for an average of 60 km/h in mountainous areas. The railway network covers Sofia, Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo, Varna and Bourgas—slow but scenic and very affordable. Long-distance coaches, operated by Union Ivkoni or Biomet, connect all medium-sized towns. Domestic flights are virtually non-existent given the distances. In Sofia, the metro and trams work well. Our team also organizes transfers with an English-speaking driver if you prefer not to drive.

Bulgaria is generally safe, with crime rates below the European average. Standard urban travel precautions apply: watch out for pickpockets in Sofia's metro, around Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and at Plovdiv markets. Avoid unofficial taxis at the airport; use OK Supertrans or Yellow Taxi instead. Local driving requires caution, with sometimes aggressive overtaking on secondary roads. No area of the country is advised against by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the mountains, inform us of your hiking itinerary as weather changes quickly above 2,000 m. Our team in Sofia remains available 7 days a week throughout your stay if needed.