We at Balkan Holidays would like to wish you an enjoyable and memorable stay in the beautiful country of Bulgaria so we created this list especially for you to provide all the information you will need for a safe and pleasant holiday along with some interesting facts about your chosen destination.
ALPHABET
The Bulgarian alphabet was created by two brothers, Cyril and Methodious, and it is called Cyrillic, after one of them. Bulgaria is the only country in the world that has a national holiday celebrating their alphabet which is held on the 24th May each year.
BANKS
We
recommend that you use First Investment Bank for all your banking
needs. This is the safest place to exchange money at. A branch of
First Investment Bank can be found next to the main Balkan Holidays
Office in the centre of resort (next to Globus Hotel)
BATHROOMS
Bulgarian
bathrooms tend to be rather basic compared to western standards. It
is quiet common for showers not to have trays, but a hole in the
bathroom floor. Most hand basins are lacking a plug as it considered
unhygienic to wash in still water. Please request a foot towel or
bath mat if one is not in already in place.
CHANGING MONEY
Do
not change money on the street as this is illegal and there is a good
chance you will be cheated. Money should only be changed at reception
desks or banks in the resort. It is recommended that you check
commission rates beforehand. Most places will not accept Sterling
notes that are torn or written on. Scottish notes are generally not
accepted.
CREDIT CARDS
Please
do not rely on credit cards for local purchases. You can use your
credit cards for drawing cash from the ATM.
CURRENCY
The
monetary unit in Bulgaria is called a “lev” (Plural “leva”).
The coins are called “stotinki”. One lev comprises of 100
stotinki. Banknote denominations include 1,2,5,10,20, 50 and 100
leva.
CHEMISTS
All
major resort areas have a chemist in the central part of the
town/resort. It is possible to buy most kinds of foreign medicine
that you are used to, or sometimes you will be offered the local
equivalent, whichever is usually cheaper.
CIGARETTES &
SPIRITS
Bulgarian
cigarettes and the large selection of local spirits are of excellent
quality. Imported spirits are more expensive compared to the national
ones. Cigarettes are generally cheaper in Bulgaria than in the UK.
EXCURSIONS
All
excursions and activities can be purchases through the Balkan
Holidays representative and their ground handler (Balkan Holidays
Partners) who will confirm your purchase with the officially licensed
local provider. Rogue traders are known to operate in the resort
selling unofficial excursions and for your own peace of mind, we
recommend that you only purchase your excursions which are officially
licensed by the local authorities.
FOOD
Part
of the fun of being on holiday is trying local meals. Soon you will
find that Bulgarians consider it unhealthy to eat food piping hot.
Therefore, if you get served a meal that is not hot enough, the
easiest thing to do is to ask your waiter to heat it up so that it is
hot enough for your liking. Bulgarian cuisine is completely different
to yours and it is definitely worth trying!
GOLDEN SANDS
Golden Sands is Bulgaria's largest seaside resort on the Northern
coastline. It boasts an outstanding combination of a sunny beach and
mountainous terrain. Being suitable for younger holidaymakers, the
resort is situated only 20 minutes from the lively city of Varna.
GOOD
BUYS
Pottery, Carved Wood, Crystal, CD's, Leathers, Suede, Embroideries,
etc.
KHAN'S TENT
The best cabaret show in the resort of Sunny Beach with live music,
international dancers and acts enjoyed with a delicious four course
meal.
LINEN CHANGES
Usually in 2* and 3* hotels linen is changed on a weekly basis and
towels every 3 days. In 4* and 5* hotels, sheets are changed twice a
week and you receive fresh towels daily. Please check with the
reception of your hotel for more details.
MEDICAL ATTENTION
Medical services can be requested from the reception of your hotel 24
hours a day. Please note that medical services must be paid for,
therefore, make sure you keep all receipts if you wish to raise a
claim on your holiday insurance when you return home. If you have a
major medical emergency, please contact your Representative
immediately.
MOBILE
TELEPHONES
It is extremely expensive to use your mobile phones to make calls to
the UK. See "Phoning Home" further down for the cheaper options available.
NIGHT LIFE
There is a wide variety of traditional taverns, restaurants, bars and
disco clubs. Some of them charge a small entrance fee.
PASSPORT & FLIGHT TICKETS
Passports are kept at reception for 24 hours upon arrival for local
registration purposes. You will not need your passports or flight
tickets in resort so therefore we recommend that you keep them in the
safety deposit boxes available at your hotel.
PHONING
HOME
The international dialling code for the UK is 0044. You will then
need to omit the first 0 of the UK area code you are dialling (e.g.
0161 444 6666 becomes 0044 161 444 6666). Internet Calling Kiosks are
widely spread throughout the resort and are one of the least
expensive ways to make a phone call. Calling from your hotel room or
reception will cost significantly more.
POLICE
STATION
The police station is situated on the main traffic road of the
resort. In case of emergency, please contact the hotel reception and
they in turn will telephone the police for you. Please ensure you
notify your Balkan Holidays Representative as well.
POST
OFFICE
Situated in the very centre of resort, you can choose to either post
your letters and postcards from the post office or give them to your
hotel reception to post for you.
RESTAURANT OPENING TIMES
Please check the restaurant opening times with reception of your
hotel as they do vary slightly. Normal opening times are usually 7:30
– 10:00am and 18:00 – 21:00pm. Any additional drinks or extras
apart from your entitlement should be paid for at the end of each
meal.
SAFETY DEPOSIT BOXES
Please DO NOT leave valuables in your room or carry them around the
resort. Safety deposit boxes are available at reception at a small
charge per day.
SECURITY
Please always remember to lock your door when you go out and make
sure windows and balcony doors are securely shut. The management of
the hotel will also not take responsibility for items not kept in the
safety deposit boxes.
SOFIA
Sofia is the largest city in Bulgaria and has been the capital city
since April 1879. Is it one of the most ancient European cities.
Today there are many archaeological sights in Sofia that display the
city's diverse history – the castle gates, towers of Serdica and
public buildings and streets dating back thousands of years. Among
the attractions of the city are the Rotunda of St. George, which is
the city's oldest cultural monument. Other monuments to be found are
the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, St. Petka Church and the Russian
Church.
SUNNY
BEACH
The biggest and most popular seaside resort in Bulgaria. One of the
biggest attractions in coming to a beautiful resort such as Sunny
Beach is bathing on the 8km long beach in the glorious summer
sunshine!
TAP WATER
Tap water is perfectly safe to drink. Nevertheless, if you prefer the
taste of bottled mineral water, it is widely available at shops, bars
and restaurants.
TAXIS
Taxis are available in resort. Your hotel can book one for you if
required via reception. All the taxis should have an official meter
installed but we recommend you agree the price before you get in the
taxi and begin your journey.
TIPPING
Tipping is customary in Bulgaria. If you feel you have a received a
good service then 10% of the bill is considered normal. For
individual waiters, cleaners etc. tipping at the end of your stay is
welcomed if you wish. In restaurants, please check the menu to see if
a service charge is already included.
TOILET
TAX
In Bulgaria many public toilets will charge you a small amount for
using the facilities. If you travel further a field from the tourist
resorts the facilities do become more basic and we advise you to keep
some tissues with you at all times.
YES & NO
Bulgarians nod and shake their heads the opposite way. Try not to get
confused!
Thank you for taking the time to read through our A-Z list and we hope you have found the information provided helpful and interesting. Have a wonderful holiday!
Balkan Holidays Team
www.balkanholidays.co.uk
Thank you for taking the time to read through our A-Z list and we hope you have found the information provided helpful and interesting. Have a wonderful holiday!
Balkan Holidays Team
www.balkanholidays.co.uk
