Northern Black Sea Coast

Clean and calm sea with shallow sloping sandy bottom, wide beaches with fine grain golden sand, venerable forest and numerous mineral springs. All these features makes the Northern Black Sea coast an atractive place for Bulgarian and foreign holiday makers.
	Even the most refined reqirements will be satisfied by the modern resorts of Zlatni Piassatsi (Golden Sands), Albena, Roussalka, Riviera, Slanchev Den (Sunny Day), St.Konstantin and Elena. The greatest fans of natural beauty and historical places can find peace in the Balchik Botanical Garden or the museum at Kaliakra horn.

Southern Black Sea Coast

Picturesque bays and whimsical rocks, spacious beaches with sand dunes and a warm sea typifies the Bulgarian Southern Black Sea coast. Wonderful nature in combination with modern construction - this is the magic of the holiday villages of Elenite, Sunny Beach, Nessebur and Sozopol. To the north the long and indented coast line is bordered by the farthest spurs of the Balkan range and to the south by the heights of the Strandzha Mountain.

Even nowadays the unique culture in Strandzha is a part of attitudes and habits of Ahtopol, Tsarevo, Kiten and Primorsko. In restaurants and bars foreign tourists are enchanted by the unique artistic atmosphere of the Strandzha fire-dances. History, culture and luxury combined together - this is the Bourgas Black Sea coast!

Bulgaria By Car - Distances to Bulgaria by road and travel advice.

By car you cross a number of countries. Up to Vienna there are no customs and visa formalities. It is more different crossing the countries of former Yugoslavia; it is recommended to use the route Vienna-Budapest-Belgrade-Sofia.

The roads are first class, most of them highways. The distance from Vienna to Sofia is about 1,300km. Insurance has to be made in advance or paid at the border. Cars (self-drive and chauffeur driven) may be rented at the border checkpoints and in all tourist offices throughout the country.

Driving in Bulgaria

The Speed limits are:
· 50 km/h in populated areas
· 90 km/h outside populated areas
· 120 km/h on highways.

To drive in Bulgaria you can use your national license accompanied by an international Driving Permit. Road signs follow international standards. On-the-spot fines are in operation for speeding, drink driving, not having the correct documents, etc. The current fines for speeding range from 5 Levs if 20 km/h over the speed limit to 50 Levs if driving at 50km/h over the speed limit.

If you leave your passport with a hotel reception ask for a copy (or the original) if intending to drive a rental car.

The permissible blood alcohol content when driving is 0.5 per 1,000. Drivers found to have a blood alcohol level in excess of this can expect a fine and licence suspension. For tested levels in excess of 1.2 per 1,000 there is a maximum prison sentence of one year in addition to a licence suspension for up to four years. The simple rule is DON'T DRINK and DRIVE. It is also an offence to allow your vehicle to be used by people with a blood alcohol level in excess of the permissible level.

The Road Assistance Service

The Road Assistance Service provides 24-hour technical assistance on the road. In case of malfunction or accident, call 146 (or cellular 048 146). Their Central Dispatch Office is located at 3 Pozitano St. in Sofia, Tel. 980 33 08 and is open 24 hours a day. The Road Assistance Service vehicle that is closest to your location will be dispatched and should reach you within 30 minutes of your call. You may also request the traffic police to make the call to the Road Assistance Service.

International Driving Permit

An International Driving Permit (IDP) is valid for 12 months from the date of issue.

Recognised internationally, it normally allows you to drive a private motor vehicle without further formality when accompanied by a valid UK driving licence. People staying for more than one year in Bulgaria should have their driving licenses replaced with Bulgarian national driving licenses. For more information about the international driving licence visit the AA website below.

Bulgaria by Plane - Air carriers to Bulgaria from the UK including links to their sites.

Both foreign, as well as several Bulgarian state-owned and private airline companies link the country with the five continents. Domestic services operate and charter flights are organized to resorts in summer and winter.

Air travelling times from:
London: 3 hours · Moscow: 2 hours · New York: 14 hours
· Paris: 3 hours · Rome: 2 hours · Tokyo: 23 hours · Zurich: 2 hours

The International Airports in Bulgaria are:

Sofia Airport – tel.: +359 2/ 937 22 12
Plovdiv Airport – tel.: +359 32/ 60 11 11
Varna Airport – tel.: +359 52/ 50 08 34, 50 08 40
Bourgas Airport – tel.: +359 56/ 87 02 48

Bulgaria by Train - Facts on travelling to Bulgaria by train including domestic timetable.

The main trans-European and trans-continental trains run through Bulgaria. Sofia is directly connected with Paris, Vienna, Munich and Berlin.

Fast and express trains link the capital with big towns countrywide. Sleeping cars are recommended for night travel to more remote destinations like Varna, Bourgas, Rousse, Dobrich. Tickets for all destinations and for sleeping cars can be bought in advance at the Comprehensive Transport Services Centre at the National Palace of Culture. First-class compartments and seat reservation is preferable. Tickets can also be bought from ticket-collectors in trains, but at a higher price. For information, dial Sofia Central Station, 31 111.