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Bulgaria

Bulgaria Travel Guide

Bulgaria is a Balkan country bordering Turkey, Greece, Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia, and the Black Sea. When we arrived in Bulgaria after two months in Istanbul, I (Sabrina) immediately asked: why did we leave Istanbul? The thing is Bulgaria has a rough and charmless exterior. However, if you can get past the initial gruffness, you’ll come to know that Bulgaria has a lot to offer. Travel in Bulgaria isn’t neatly packaged for tourists. But, once you dig in and spend some time, you’ll likely have a very rewarding experience. After our trip, we were indeed glad we came.

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Bulgaria Travel Guide

Bulgaria Travel Guide Overview

  • Bulgaria Travel Basics
  • Where to Go in Bulgaria (Map)
  • What to Experience in Bulgaria
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Old Town of Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Bulgaria Travel Basics

Official Name: Republic of Bulgaria

Capital: Sofia

Government: Parliamentary Republic 

Regions: Bulgaria is divided into 28 provinces. 

Population: 7.1 million 

Language: Bulgarian

Currency: Bulgarian Lev (BGN)

Payment Culture: Cash, though we were able to use our credit cards in Sofia and Plovdiv almost everywhere.

Tipping Etiquette: 10%

Water Quality: In Sofia, tap water is generally safe to drink. However, as you travel beyond the capital, we recommend only drinking filtered water.

Something Interesting: The Cyrillic alphabet was invented by two monks (Cyril and Methodius) in the First Bulgarian Empire in the 10th century. Cyrillic is used in Russia and in other Balkan and Slavic nations. 

 
Sofia Roman Ruins, Bulgaria

Where to Go in Bulgaria

Click the dots to explore specific destinations
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Гузен негонен бяга

 

 

 

 

 

Bulgarian Saying

A guilty person runs when he isn’t chased.

What to Experience in Bulgaria

Our favorite things to see and do
St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Bulgaria
St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Sofia

The capital of Bulgaria feels like a living and breathing history book – one that you can walk right into. In a single day, you can discover Sofia’s ancient Greek, Roman, medieval, Ottoman-era, and communist past.

At the Serdika Metro Station, you can walk on an ancient Roman street, gaze at a communist-era building complex (the Largo), and see an Ottoman-style mosque (Banya Bashi). History aside, Sofia is an amazing destination for food and wine.

Look for accommodation in Sofia.

Here’s a perfect Sofia One Day Itinerary

 
Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Plovdiv

Plovdiv

Bulgaria’s second largest city is a fascinating destination for travelers who love history, wine and offbeat places. It’s also considered the oldest continuously inhabited city in Europe. It was the ancient Thracians, a collection of Indo-European tribes, who originally settled in Plovdiv.

You can easily visit Plovdiv as a day trip from Sofia, or even better as a 2-day trip.

Look for accommodation in Plovdiv.

Learn about how to spend a wine-themed day in Plovdiv.

 
Sofia Saint George Rotunda, Sofia, Bulgaria
@moonhoneytravelers
  • What a trip to Kotor, Montenegro, looks like. 🇲🇪😄📷
👉Follow @moonhoneytravelers for more travel tips.
#montenegro #montenegro🇲🇪 #montenegrotravel #montenegrotrip #visitkotor #oldtownofkotor #kotormontenegro #bayofkotor #bokabay #kotorbay #kotoroldtown #kotortravel #balkans #balkanstravel #europetraveldestinations #europetravel #europetrip
  • Our favorite places eat and drink in Kotor, Montenegro:
1. Boutique Hotel Hippocampus for a slow and delicious Montenegrin breakfast @hippocampushotel
2. Restaurant Galion for fish @galion_restaurant
3. Platanus Kotor for their “Montenegro platter” with Njeguški pršut (dry-cured ham) and Njeguški sir (cheese from Njeguši) @platanus_kotor
4. Moritz Eis for their gelato @moritzeis
5. The Nitrox Pub & Eatery for craft beer @nitroxpub
6. BBQ Tanjga in Kotor for kebab skewers, grilled meats and vegetables @bbq_tanjga
7. Little Bay for their salads @little_bay_restaurant
8.Pekaras AS near the River Gate for their Börek
9. “Ladovina" Kitchen & Wine Bar for their wines @kotorskaladovina
🇲🇪 Save this post for future reference. 
#kotor #kotormontenegro #bayofkotor #kotortravel #kotortravelguide #kotorrestaurants #kotoreatanddrink #kotorfoodandwine #bokabay #kotorvisit #kotoroldtown #visitkotor #visitmontenegro #montenegrotravel
  • Best hikes in Kotor, Montenegro 🇲🇪 
1. Vrmac Ridge Trail
2. Ladder of Kotor
3. Pestingrad Peak
4. Kotor Fortress (Kotor City Walls)
👉Follow @moonhoneytravelers for more hiking tips.
#montenegro #kotor #kotorbay #bokabay #bayofkotor #dinaricalps #montenegrohiking #montenegrotravel #kotorhiking #kotorhikingtrail #kotorfortress #travel #hiking #europetravel #europedestinations #hikingmontenegro #adriaticsea
  • The most popular thing to do in Kotor is hike up to the Kotor Fortress.
The Kotor Fortress stands on the San Giovanni Hill (St. John Hill) at 260 meters above sea level, overlooking the Old Town of Kotor and the Bay of Kotor.
The Kotor Fortress is part of a medieval fortification system that encircles the Old Town as well as the adjacent hillside. These fortifications consist of gates, bastions, towers, and defensive walls (ramparts). 
It takes 45 minutes - 1 hour to hike up the 1350 steps to the fortress (aka St. John’s Fortress / San Giovanni Fortress).
There are two entry points within the Old Town of Kotor. The easiest one to find is close to the River Gate/North Gate. 
Entrance Fee: 8 EUR
#kotor #kotormontenegro #montenegro🇲🇪 #bayofkotor #bokabay #montenegrotravel #montenegrotrip #kotortravel #visitkotor #kotorfortress #kotorcitywalls #afarmag #tlpicks
  • Pestingrad summit view of the Bay of Kotor and Vrmac in Montenegro 🇲🇪
@moonhoneytravelers 
Trailhead: Etno Selo Sveti Georgije, Krstac 
Distance: 5.7 km out-and-back
Time Needed: 2:30 hours
Elevation Gain/Loss: 243 meters
Difficulty: Difficult
Minimum Elevation: 927 meters
Maximum Elevation: 1027 meters
#montenegro🇲🇪 #montenegro #visitmontenegro #montenegrotravel #montenegrotrip #visitkotor #kotorbay #kotor #bokabay #dinaricalps #pestingrad #montenegrohiking #kotorhiking #kotorhike #bayofkotor #hikingblog #hikingblogger
  • Five years ago, we traveled to Montenegro for the very first time. We rented a car and spent two weeks hiking in the mountains and exploring the coast. 
To date, it was one of the best and most seamless trips we’ve ever taken. Ever since, we’ve been longing to return to Crna Gora and specifically Kotor Bay. 
This May, we finally returned to Kotor. We spent 5 nights in Kotor and 2 nights in Perast. It was slow, unhurried trip, which made us fall in love with Montenegro all over again.
In the next days, I’ll be sharing our favorite hikes, restaurants, and experiences. 
I’ll also update our 2 week road trip itinerary with new tips and insights.
The biggest disappointment of the trip was Budva. In the last years, huge tasteless developments have mushroomed all around the coastal town. According to our Kotor walking tour guide, the former Mayor of Budva (now in jail) illegally distributed permits to Russian developers. It’s atrocious! 
The Budva Riviera is still beautiful south of Budva’s immediate vicinity.
#montenegro🇲🇪 #montenegro #visitmontenegro #montenegrotravel #montenegrotrip #visitkotor #kotorbay #kotor #bokabay #dinaricalps #vrmac #tlpicks #afarmag