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About Bulgaria
Bulgaria In Key Facts & Figures
Demographic
• Population: 7.8m
• Population growth: -0.92%
• Life expectancy: 71.75 years
• Ethnic groups: 83.9% Bulgarian, 9.4% Turks, 4.7% Roma
• Religions: 82.6% Orthodox Christian, 12.2% Muslim, 1.7% Roman Catholic
• Literacy: 98.6%
Economic
• Real GDP growth: 6.0% (est. 2004)
• GDP per capita: $7600 (est. 2003 using PPP)
• Population below poverty line: 13.4% (est. 2002). Note: UK= 17% (est. 2002)
• Unemployment: 14.3% (2003)
• Local currency: Bulgarian Lev (fixed exchange rate with Euro, 1.95 Leva for 1 Euro)
Political
• Government type: Parliamentary Democracy
• Capital: Sofia
• Independence: 22 September 1908 from Ottoman Empire
• Legal system: Civil and criminal law based on Roman law
Geography
• Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania, Greece and Turkey
• Area: 110,910 sq km
• Coastline: 354km
• Terrain: Mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast
• Elevation extremes: Low- Black Sea 0m High- Musala 2925m
Bulgaria’s untapped potential
Bulgaria is a country of immense variety, both geographically and culturally. As a destination, the country has only received widespread recognition within the last couple of years. Many locations have yet to be discovered by international tourism.
The full potential of Bulgaria has yet to be recognised or achieved. With the economy growing at 6% per year and unemployment falling fast (just 12% currently), Bulgaria’s economy is quickly integrating into the EU prior to its 2007 membership. Inward investment continues apace with international organisations predicting continued economic prosperity for the foreseeable future.
International interest in the property market was initially concentrated in the coastal beach resorts of the Black Sea. As the market has developed and matured an ever increasing variety of property has become available catering to the differing interest and needs of international buyers. Prospective buyers can now choose between mountain ski resorts, historic villages, luxury apartments in the capital or coastal villas.
With in depth knowledge of the property market in Bulgaria, we help our clients choose the appropriate property that meets their aspirations. Our clients achieve early access to new developing areas due to our specialist contacts within Bulgaria.
Weather and Climate
Bulgaria benefits from a temperate climate. With cold winters (particularly in mountainous regions) and long hot summers, the country offers the possibility of both winter and summer holidays and activities.
Language and Currency
Language
The official language of Bulgaria is Bulgarian which is spoken by all the population. Bulgarian uses the Cyrillic alphabet as oppose to the Latin alphabet commonly used in Western Europe. The written Bulgarian language therefore loosely resembles the more commonly known Russian language although there are significant differences to the two languages.
With EU membership it is a requirement that all public signage is displayed in the Latin alphabet as well as the local Cyrillic. Foreigners visiting Bulgaria will therefore experience limited problems navigating and interpreting signs.
In addition to Bulgarian, the younger generation in Bulgaria all learn English in school. Visitors to Bulgaria will therefore find the English language is widely spoken by the local population. In tourist areas almost all the local population will speak fluent English, additionally many menus, forms etc. will also be translated due to the number of visitors to these areas.
Due to its history and similarity, Russian is widely understood and spoken by Bulgarians, particularly amongst the older generation. Other languages that are common include French, Greek, Serbian and Turkish.
Currency
The official currency of Bulgaria is the Lev. The Lev exchange is now fixed against the Euro (1 Euro = 1.95 Leva) as part of the EU membership process. After EU membership in 2007, Bulgaria will adopt the Euro currency and the Bulgarian Lev will be phased out completely, this process is expected to take place in 2009 or 2010.
Since the fixed exchange rate was introduced, many more expensive items have been priced in the more widely recognised Euro currency. This includes but is not limited to property, cars, white goods and even some salaries.
Food and drink
Bulgaria still retains the fresh local fruit and vegetables that much of the rest of Europe has now lost to the emergence of mass market supermarkets. It is this more than anything that gives Bulgarian cuisine its unique fresh flavours.
The cuisine itself shares many characteristics of northern Greek cooking with which many may already be more familiar. In addition the time under the Ottoman Empire has added a Turkish influence to many menus.
Bulgarian cooking still has strong regional characteristics with many dishes being traditional and more prominent in particular areas of the country. Cooking is integral to the many traditional festivals still celebrated regularly in Bulgaria with special lamb and pork dishes being popular.
Vegetarians will find that despite the lack of a strong vegetarian movement within Bulgaria, much of the local dishes are in fact vegetarian. From the multitude of salads to traditional stuffed peppers, vegetarians will generally have no problems when visiting Bulgaria finding a good choice of meals to eat.
In the coastal regions and the mountains, fish also plays a significant role in the diet. Don’t miss the river trout available grilled throughout Bulgaria.
The cost of eating and drinking in Bulgaria remains a fraction of that of many other European countries, even in the tourist hotspots. A typical three course meal will generally cost no more than €15/£10 each in holiday resorts with a cost of nearer €8/£5 in less popular areas.
Attractions
As Bulgaria continues to attract more and more visitors, the list of activities available continues to grow. We have therefore listed some of the more popular types of pursuits for visitors to Bulgaria.
Mountain Sports
Bulgaria has no less than four different mountain ranges, the Stara Planina, the Rhodope, the Rila and the Pirin mountains. After receiving major investment from the EU Bulgaria now boasts three international quality ski resorts, Pamporovo, Borovets and Bansko. These resorts offer piste up to 2715m above ski level with ski runs totalling up to 75km.
In summer the mountains continue to attract a large number of visitors with some of the best hiking in Europe available. Mountain bikers and horse riders are also beginning to discover the attractions of Bulgaria.
The area around Sopot in the Stara Planina also boasts some of the best handgliding and paragliding conditions in Europe.
Beach Resorts
With a coastline of 354km along the Black Sea, Bulgaria attracts many hundreds of thousands of holiday makers every summer. The commercial season runs from May through to October every year with most beach resorts remaining shut outside of this main holiday period.
The coastline boasts a number of world class beaches offering deep, fine golden sand. The area of the Black Sea around Bulgaria also has sea temperatures in the summer months that are actually higher than the Mediterranean. With little or no tide and very small waves, swimming in the Black Sea is very safe for both young and old.
Health Spas
In the coastal regions many areas offer special mud treatments from the coastal lakes. These have become famous for their healing and youth giving qualities attracting many tourists all year around.
In the mountain regions, Bulgaria has literally hundreds of natural mineral water springs. A great many of these are thermal with temperatures up to 60 degrees and with a wide variety of mineralisations. Towns such as Bania (near Bansko) and Velingrad offer traditional spas (some dating back to Roman times) where bathing and other health treatments are available. As with most activities in Bulgaria, these health spas cost around 20-30% of the price of similar locations in Western Europe.
Cultural Attractions
Bulgaria has a rich history. Many visitors find time to journey to many of the cultural sites dotted throughout Bulgaria. Some of the most important archaeological sites in Europe are located within Bulgaria’s borders with new discoveries still being made. Combined with the rich religious heritage of the region, there is no shortage of sites to visit. In recognition of the importance and unique nature of many of these locations, some have now been given UNESCO World Heritage status.
Unlike many other parts of the world, Bulgaria has retained a great number of traditional folk and religious celebrations. Almost every week in Bulgaria there is a celebration taking place in one of its many regions. From the orthodox Easter to the Valley of the Roses celebrations, visitors should find the time to explore at least some of these events.
Why Bulgaria
Macroeconomic stability:
• Political and economic stability
• Sustained GDP growth of 4.7-4.9 % per year
• NATO membership achieved in 2004
• EU membership set for 1 January 2007
• Very competitive labour cost compared to the rest of Europe
• Very competitive tax regime - 15% corporate profit tax as of 1 January 2005
• Well educated, highly trained English speaking workforce
• Strategic geographic location
• Full national treatment of foreign investment
Top tourist destination:
• Bulgaria voted No. 4 tourist destination worldwide by The Washington Post
• 22% average annual growth of tourist arrivals for 2002 – 2004
• 43% year-on-year increase in British tourists for 2003
• Well developed and constantly improving summer resorts
• Excellent skiing opportunities with guaranteed winter snowfall
• Unbeatable prices guaranteeing best value for money holidays
• 1600 thermal mineral water springs
• Rich historical and cultural heritage
• Easy access from Europe
Booming real estate sector:
• 25% price growth in the last 12 months
• Still lowest real estate prices in Europe
• Strong year round corporate letting market in Sofia
• Dramatic increase in demand for quality accommodation at Bulgarian resorts
• Strong drive for property purchase from Bulgarians living abroad
• Bulgaria on the agenda of top European real estate investment funds
And:
• Bulgaria is a country that not only has weather comparable to Spain and other top holiday destinations, but also property prices that are less than a quarter of their Spanish counterparts.
• Over 150 days of sunshine a year, with average summer temperatures of 26°C (79°F) and occasionally climbing to a sizzling 35°C (95°F).
• Beautiful Blue flag beaches for the summer holidaymakers and top ski resorts for winter holidaymakers only a few hours away.
• Flights are only two and a half to three hours from the UK or Ireland. Low-cost airlines are entering the market and the number of direct flights is increasing.
• Bulgaria is fastest growing holiday destination in the world. Major tour operators such as Thompson and First choice have recently added Bulgaria to their brochures and site it as one of their top sellers.
• The cost of living is significantly lower than other European countries, with a dinner for two costing about 7 Euros (5 pounds sterling) and a pint for 0.70 Euros (50p).
• Bulgaria is a full member of NATO and is due to join the EU in 2007.
• The currency (Lev) is pegged to the Euro(1 Euro = 1.95 Leva), making it stable and less volatile. Most property can be bought and sold in Euros.
• Bulgaria is politically stable, with government bonds being of investment grade.
• Land prices are flying, with the average cost of land on the Black Sea Coast at 150 Euros per square meter, which is predicted to rise to over 400 Euros in the next three years.
• In the last two years property prices have risen by over 50% in some regions and is expected to grow at the same rate as has seen with the recent boom in the Spanish market.
• Highly profitable rental returns are achieved through holiday rentals.
Useful Advice when in Bulgaria
Arriving in the country: British citizens holding full 10 year British passport and entering Bulgaria on pre-booked arrangements and staying 3 months or less do not need a visa. This does not apply to third country nationals residing permanently in the UK. If you plan to stay in Bulgaria for a longer period of time and apply for a long-term residence, you need to obtain a visa D from the Bulgarian Embassy in the UK. If you are traveling with a child and the child is registered in the passport of one of the parents, please bear in mind that the child can travel in the country and leave the country only accompanied by the same parent unless the other parent is given power of attorney.
Airport: Although international and very busy in the summer season, Varna Airport is only small compared to the UK airports. Arrivals lounge is only small with 2 luggage carousels. There you can also find a Duty-free shop, which is only small and does not offer a big choice; an exchange desk (please note that usually exchange rates at airports are not always favorable).
Customs: Import and export of all kinds of narcotic drugs and substances, firearms, explosives and ammunitions in the Republic of Bulgaria is prohibited.
Export of objects with artistic, historical or cultural value out of the country is allowed only with the special permission of the ministry of Culture.
Duty-free allowance per adult:
1 liter of spirits 200 cigarettes
2 liters of wine 50ml of perfume
Drinks: In local pubs and restaurants spirits are served in amounts of 50 grammes (this is the standard small drink in Bulgaria) and 100 grammes. The national alcohol drink is called “Rakia” and can be produced of grapes, plums or other fruits. It is quite strong and usually goes with a salad or a starter.
There are very good selections of locally produced beers and wines at fraction of the UK prices – certainly worth trying!
The British used to having their favorite cup of tea a few times a day will find that Bulgarian cafes and restaurants do not offer the same kind of drink. What is offered is usually Black tea, fruit flavored tea or herbs that are not very correctly called tea by all Bulgarians – in most cases not the kind of tea the British like.
Coffee is a drink that the Bulgarians love strong and full of taste. If you order coffee in a bar or a restaurant, you will most probably get a small cup of very strong black coffee or ‘Turkish coffee' as you may call it. When you order, make sure you tell the waiter you want a long coffee with hot milk – this will be more similar to the taste most British prefer.
Eating out: Bulgarian cuisine is delicious and full of taste. You will find plenty of restaurants and fast food places in the cities. In a lot of them you can try typical local dishes and international cuisine. In Bulgaria you will find that food is usually served warm rather than piping hot, as it is considered healthier. In many eating out places you will find that food is served when it is ready regardless of the way it is ordered. That means that one person may have their first or even second course while the other is still looking at an empty plate. Therefore, always make clear when you would like to have your food and point it out to the waiter. Only very few restaurants (not to say almost none) offer non-smoking areas. Nevertheless you can still ask the manager of the place for non-smoking table and show that there is a demand for it. Tips should be roughly 10% of the bill. It shows your satisfaction from the service and you are free to leave the respective amount. When handing the money over to the waiter, do not say ‘Thank you' unless you want the waiter to keep all of it. In Bulgaria when you say ‘Thank you' to the waiter it means ‘You can keep the change'. You can either wait till they bring your change and decide how much to leave as a tip or round up the bill and leave the exact amount of money.
Electricity: Bulgaria operates on 220 volt. The standard continental two-pin plug is used.
Measures: Bulgaria uses the metric system for weights and measures:
Linear measures
1 inch = 2.54 cm 1 yard = 91.44 cm
1 foot = 30.48 cm 1 mile = 1.609 km
Capacity measures
1 pint = 0.5683 dm3 1 gallon (UK) = 4.546 dm3
Weight
1 ounce = 28.35 g 1 stone = 6.350 kg
1 pound = 0.4536 kg
Temperature
° Fahrenheit = (9/5 x ° C) + 32 ° Centigrade = (5/9) ( ° F – 32)
Money: The Bulgarian monetary unit is called Lev (plural Leva). Its official abbreviation is BGN.
1 Lev = 100 stotinki
You can find the following coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 stotinki and 1 lev
You can find the following notes: 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 leva
We strongly advise you to exchange money in banks or reputable exchange offices. Changing money on the street is illegal and you will definitely be cheated. You will end up with out of date, foreign or forged notes. The best thing to do is to avoid and completely ignore all the accidental people that might approach you and ask you to change money on the street. Some exchange offices do have quite unfair way of advertising their rates and what you see on their boards is not what you'll get in the end.
We advise you to use ATM machines that are located at banks or big shopping malls. Credit cards are not widely acceptable in Bulgaria. You can use them in some high-class hotels, restaurants and supermarkets. Please do not rely on credit cards for local purchases especially in small towns and villages.
Postal services: Post offices can be found throughout the country in most towns and villages. You can buy stamps and send mail in smaller offices.
Safety: Avoid carrying large amounts of money with you. When you are staying in a hotel, it's always advisable to keep your money, valuables, jewelry and passports in a safety deposit box in the hotel.
Never exchange money in the street – you can easily become a victim of criminals. Be aware of pickpockets – especially in crowded places, markets or buses. If you lose your ID documents, notify the nearest police station immediately. Contact the embassy or the consular mission of your country.
Telephones: Cheapest way to phone abroad is to use the phone boxes in Post offices or some special Phone kiosks offering bargain prices. You can also use the public pay phones. They are either orange Bulfon or blue Mobika prepaid card phones. Cards are available from kiosks, some shops and some hotel receptions.
Currently Bulgaria has 3 Mobile operators – M-Tel, Globul and Vivatel. All offer prepaid cards.
Important telephone numbers:
150 Ambulance
160 Fire brigade
166 Police
The above telephone numbers are dialed free of charge from all types of telephones – landlines, mobile phones and street phones
Transport: Public transport in Bulgaria is cheap but you will often find it's overcrowded, not very clean and old. It is often a favorite place for the pickpockets, so be aware. Avoid using a rucksack and having your wallet in your back pocket.
Taxis are a good option if you use a reputable company. Please always check the taxi rates before you go in the car, or make sure you and the driver agree on the same price. Avoid getting into an argument with the taxi driver even if you know he is cheating you, or at least be sure to get yourself and your belongings out of the car.
Trains are a cheap way to travel to each part of the country but we would not recommend them because of the cleanliness standards in most of them. |
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