There are three mobile operators in Bulgaria, covering the better part of the
country’s territory. The three companies also offer prepaid services: MTel –
Prima packages and Globul – b-connect IM cards and last Bulgarian
GSM Company Vivatel IM cards.
You can buy them at newspaper stands or mobile phone stores.
There are Internet clubs in all major Bulgarian cities and towns and the fees are affordable. Almost all hotels offer Internet access.
There are post offices in most villages, in all towns and tourist resorts. Standard working hours are from 9 AM till 5 PM, Monday to Friday.
Tap water is good for drinking across the country – its taste differs depending on the region (mountain or seaside). There is a wide variety of tasty and cheap bottled mineral water in Bulgaria in bottles of 0.5 and 1.5 l. Some of the best brands are from Bankya, Velingrad, Gorna Banya, Devin and Hissar.
In the tourist regions, most of the tourist signs as well as the restaurant menus have been translated into English. The staff at hotels, restaurants and cafes also speak foreign languages. Road signs in the countryside, sometimes even in cities are usually in the Cyrillic alphabet and passersby may find it difficult to understand your questions. It may be worth learning some basic phrases in Bulgarian or at least being able to decipher some of the Cyrillic signs.
Pharmacies in large cities are well stocked. You can find just about anything you may need before leaving for smaller towns or remote rural regions. All towns and villages have highly qualified physicians. Check whether your insurance covers accidents!
The Lev is the national currency; 1 Lev has 100 stotinki. The coins are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 stotinki and 1 Lev. The bills in circulation are 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 Levs.
You can find ATM in all Bulgarian towns – most European and North American
debit cards are accepted. Money can be exchanged safely in banks and authorized
exchange bureaux, but banks are recommended.
Exchange bureaux are not allowed to charge additional commission. Always read
the exchange instruction at the bureau – it is their obligation to display the
exact exchange rate where it can be clearly seen. The currency exchange rate is
fixed on a daily basis. Never exchange money in the street!
Most hotels, shops and restaurants in Sofia accept credit cards, but this is not so in the country and in smaller towns. Cash is the most widespread form of payment, so be prepared.
As of January 1, 2005, Bulgarian restaurants, cafes, nightclubs etc., have
zones for smokers and for non-smokers.
There is no smoking in public places.
Do not feel obliged to leave a tip, if you do not think the service you have been offered has been good enough. Some restaurants include a service percentage in the bill. The standard tip is around 10%.
Foreign nationals must have a valid travel passport and a visa in order to enter the country. Visas are issued by the consular services at the Bulgarian embassies around the world, as well as by the consulates of the Republic of Bulgaria. Citizens of the European Union, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Israel and other countries Bulgaria has bilateral agreements with, may sojourn in the country for up to 30 days without a visa, just with a valid travel passport.
See Also
