Other

How to go on holiday to Bulgaria on your own. How much does an independent trip to Bulgaria cost?

3.0 out of 5 based on 1 vote.

Is it possible to travel to Bulgaria on your own? How to organize a trip to not only save money, but also enjoy your vacation.

Many people today are thinking about organizing a trip abroad on their own. They shovel, ask friends, count expenses, etc. Is it possible to travel to Bulgaria on your own? Is it worth organizing such a trip yourself in order to not only save money, but also get maximum pleasure from your vacation? – it is possible and necessary!

Meet Bulgaria!

Bulgaria is a country of roses, soap and bell peppers. One of the most large countries Balkan Peninsula, which occupies almost a quarter of its territory. On the Black Sea coast, the Mediterranean climate prevails in summer, and the beach season lasts from late May to late September. Since 2007, Bulgaria has been a member of the European Union, and its currency is the Lev. IN tourist regions people communicate freely in English, Russian and other languages.

Visa

To visit Bulgaria you will need a visa. It costs 35 euros if you apply for it yourself, and from 50 euros if the application is handled by a visa center or travel agency. It is worth noting that the Bulgarian visa provides for the possibility of transit through the territory of Romania for 5 days, so if you are planning to travel by car, you do not need to open a separate Romanian visa.

Rest place

Now we need to think about where to go on vacation. There are many Black Sea resorts in Bulgaria, and the choice depends on the company and vacation plans. Here you will also find the private resort of Albena, on the territory of which there is a huge children's camp"Brigantine", calm Sveti Vlas and Elenite, noisy youth Golden Sands. If you are attracted by historical sights, ancient Nessebar is suitable. If you bet on an active nightlife, choose Sunny Beach..

Choosing housing

Having decided on a resort, you can begin choosing housing. Usually, for this, people run to travel agencies, or use well-known online hotel booking portals. In addition, there is another option - accommodation in apartments, separate housing equipped with its own kitchen. This type of accommodation is very common in Bulgaria. You can rent good apartments on major housing booking portals, from Russian operators, one of them is www.evilla.ru, or directly on the websites of Bulgarian agencies or hosts. Experienced tourists know that there is no need to waste time searching, because almost every resort on the Bulgarian coast has available apartments or a hotel room. Good apartments in a complex near the sea for 3-4 people cost about 400-500 euros per week.

Until recently, Bulgarian resorts did not comply European standards. Now the situation has changed significantly, and resorts Black Sea coast differ little from resorts in other European countries. Although in modern complexes For apartments built according to Western standards, prices are much lower. For just 10 euros in Bulgaria you can have lunch with good wine.

As you can see, independent organization holidays in Bulgaria are not such a difficult thing. The main thing is desire and enthusiasm, and a trip to this hospitable country, even on your own, will not disappoint you.

Golden Sands in Bulgaria for Soviet citizens was practically the only option for a foreign resort holiday, but for modern Russians it is something like a rare and exotic idea - to fly to where their grandparents went. Moreover, it’s worth doing it yourself: unlike Egypt, Thailand and Turkey, the help of a tour operator in arranging a trip will only get in the way; it’s best to plan the trip yourself.

Instead of a charter tied to dates, buy an inexpensive ticket to Varna, and then from international airport getting to the resort area by regular bus will be both cheaper and more convenient. And all other organizational issues independent travel can be resolved quickly and without problems.

Visiting Bulgaria without the help of a tour operator

In order to organize an independent tour to Bulgaria, you need to follow a number of simple steps:

choose and book a hotel;
buy tickets for convenient flights;
apply for a visa.

The easiest way to book a hotel is through the online booking system, filtering the necessary parameters to suit your taste and budget. The online booking site will offer a huge selection of inexpensive hotels, taking into account a lot of personal wishes, such as distance from the sea, hotel style, star rating, availability excursion desk etc. You can pay for your reservation on the spot without bothering with a transfer via the Internet.

You can obtain a visa at the Bulgarian Embassy in Moscow or through a specialized visa center if getting to the capital is problematic. A list of documents can be found on the embassy website. It is important to remember that in order to obtain a visa, you must provide both a ticket reservation and insurance for each day of your planned stay in the country.

It is also worth knowing that during the registration period, confirmation of the reservation is usually not required, so you can safely print out the flight reservation sheet and go to the embassy with it. A ticket to Bulgaria is purchased and paid for after the visa has been approved and received. The cost of such a trip will be much lower than the price of a ready-made tour.

As you know, the financial crisis significantly derailed the vacation plans of many Russians in 2016. Instead of the usual Spain and Italy, many began to look for more budget options for travel. And in this situation, holidays in Bulgaria are extremely relevant: Russians are loved and welcomed in this country, prices are quite affordable even despite the collapse Russian ruble, and the level of service does not lag behind European standards.

In this article we will talk about how much an independent holiday in Bulgaria costs. The calculation of the cost of travel will be divided into several points:

Obtaining a visa;
Purchasing air tickets;
Cost of living;
Cost of food;
Cost of traveling within the country.

Obtaining a Bulgarian visa

It is very easy for a Russian to obtain a Bulgarian tourist visa. To do this, you need to collect the necessary set of documents and pay the consular fee. TO necessary documents include: a certificate from your employer about your income, an insurance policy, two color photographs, as well as copies of booked accommodation and round-trip plane tickets. In practice, some documents from this minimum may not be asked for. The cost of the consular fee is 35 euros. The visa processing time is a week, but you can request expedited processing. In this case, you will get a visa in one day, but the cost of the consular fee will double.

If you already have one, then you do not need to apply for a national Bulgarian visa, which means that you can save an extra 35 euros.

Purchasing air tickets

Every day, planes of domestic and Bulgarian airlines depart from Moscow and St. Petersburg to Sofia. In addition, if you are planning a vacation at the height of the season, then on a charter flight you can go directly to resort areas, for example, Varna or Burgas. The cost of a two-way flight will depend on the chosen air carrier. Economy class tickets can be purchased at a price of 15-17 thousand rubles in two directions. If you want to travel in comfort, then you will have to pay at least 10 thousand extra.

If you want to get the most out of your trip, then you can go to Bulgaria by train, which departs daily from Kievsky Station. True, the cost of train tickets is not much cheaper than an airplane, the level of comfort is lower, and travel time increases several times.

Cost of living in Bulgaria

In Bulgaria, three-star hotels are the most popular. The cost of an overnight stay in a similar hotel in Sofia is about 4 thousand rubles per person. You can also book a hostel, the level of comfort will be lower, but prices start from 1.5 thousand rubles. You can choose private apartments for overnight stay. In this case, the price will depend on the location of the apartment, renovation and other factors. Prices start from a thousand rubles and go up almost to infinity.

As for resort areas, the cost of living in them differs slightly to a lesser extent. And if you book your accommodation in advance, you can save a lot of money by booking a three-star hotel for only 2.5-3 thousand rubles per night.

Cost of food in Bulgaria

Fans of gastronomic tourism will feel like in paradise in Bulgaria. The local cuisine is extremely varied and very tasty, and it is also cheap. While in the resort area, you have the opportunity to have a hearty lunch or dinner, ordering a hot meat dish, salad, and a glass of good wine, paying only 5 euros. The cost of breakfast is even lower. In the capital of Bulgaria, prices are higher, but not by much.

If, while on vacation, you prefer to cook your own food, then trips to supermarkets are inevitable. On average, prices in local stores are slightly lower than in Russia, but the quality is individual products may be an order of magnitude higher. The freshest vegetables and fruits, seafood, as well as meat can be bought for very modest money, without doubting the quality of the products purchased.

Travel within the country

If you decide to travel around Bulgaria, then you should think about how this will happen: by rented car or by car. public transport. Of course, a car is much more comfortable, but also more expensive. The cost of daily car rental in Sofia is about 40-45 euros. In resort towns, the price tag drops almost twice. When traveling by car, do not forget that the car needs to be refueled periodically. The cost of fuel in Bulgaria is slightly lower than in most European countries and is about 1 euro for both gasoline and diesel. If you don’t know which car to choose: gasoline or diesel, you should choose a diesel one, because although the cost of fuel is the same, diesel engines more economical, which means fuel consumption will be lower. But there is a catch here: in some companies that provide car rental services, prices for diesel car rental are higher. In order not to overpay extra money, we recommend that you first plan your travel route in order to accurately determine the car for your trip.

If renting a car is a luxury for you, you can use a more economical option. Between all resort areas and major cities Inexpensive buses run. When traveling by bus, you can save a lot, but you can forget about comfort.

When planning a budget for a holiday in Bulgaria, it is always worth taking into account unforeseen circumstances. In this case, you should have several hundred euros in reserve, which you will spend only in emergency situation. Also, to make the trip memorable for a long time, it is worth bringing souvenirs from Bulgaria. You will also have to spend on them a certain amount. However, the exact amount you can set aside for shopping is up to you.

Having calculated all the expenses that await you on an independent holiday in Bulgaria, we can conclude that you can have a great rest, see the whole country, and also get a lot of emotions from the trip without spending several thousand euros on it.

An independent trip to Bulgaria is sometimes much cheaper than purchasing a tour, and is more profitable for those who want to purchase real estate. The possibility of traveling independently in Bulgaria is especially important when the buyer has already concluded a preliminary agreement.

If you have already concluded a preliminary agreement for the purchase and sale of real estate in Bulgaria and you need to go to conclude the main agreement (receive a notarial deed of ownership of real estate) - why do you need a hotel in this case, if you, in fact, are already going to your home and in a couple of days you will officially become the owner of the treasured square meters on the Black Sea coast?

After numerous requests from our clients to us for help in obtaining visas, purchasing air tickets, insurance, etc., we decided to create a special page and explain how to do everything yourself and who to turn to for help?

VISAS AND AIR TICKETS

Air tickets to Bulgaria for individual trips can be found and purchased through the search engine on this site (column on the left), which looks for the cheapest options. At connecting flights Look carefully at the date and time of the plane's arrival at the connecting airport so as not to wait too long. Sometimes it is more profitable to buy not the cheapest option!

Hot deals on air tickets at very low prices can also be found using our website by clicking on the corresponding banner in the left column.

Visas can be purchased from a travel agency in your city. If the travel agency does not provide such services without purchasing a tour, then you can contact VISA CENTERS or special companies that help in purchasing visas, of which there are many. Advice: to buy real estate, it is most profitable to take a 3-month, 2-entry visa. This is a little more expensive, but if you have to come to Bulgaria again to conclude a purchase and sale transaction and pick up the contract, there will be no unnecessary hassle.

Any travel agency will be happy to provide you with insurance (without which it is impossible to obtain a visa) for the duration of your trip. And if you want to save money, contact your local insurance company directly. True, it is better to know the nuances of insurance for those traveling abroad.

If you need a document confirming the rental of residential premises in Bulgaria for the duration of your trip or a document confirming the reservation of a hotel room (to obtain a visa), you can find a suitable hotel in the search engine on the website (left column) and book a room for free. Canceling a reservation is almost free, too.

We warn you in advance about a possible problem with air tickets. If you suddenly want to purchase an air ticket to fly to Burgas or Varna within 3 to 7 days during the high season (from June 15 to September 15), then there may not be tickets for charters or these tickets will cost through intermediaries 2 times more expensive.

If you do not want to overpay, then there are several options to solve the problem:

1. You can fly not from Moscow, but from St. Petersburg, where, as a rule, tour operators and intermediaries do not buy up all the seats on charters, and, accordingly, the likelihood of purchasing a cheap ticket is higher.

2. You can take a connecting (transit) flight through Europe. For example, through Munich. Let's say Moscow - Munich, Munich - Burgas. The price for such a ticket will be lower than a charter from Moscow to Burgas. However, instead of 2.5 hours, you will have to spend 5–6 hours on the road.

3. You can fly to Sofia on a regular flight. In summer, the price of air tickets to Sofia, as a rule, does not increase, and speculators are not interested in this direction. From Sofia to Burgas and Varna you can fly with a local Bulgarian airline (flight 30 - 40 minutes), and you can also get from Sofia by bus in 4 hours along the brand new highway or by train (6 - 8 hours).

You can get from Varna to Burgas and vice versa by bus or minibus, which depart at least 1 flight per hour (sometimes, at certain times of the day, flights every 15 - 30 minutes) from the central bus stations. The distance between Burgas and Varna is about 130 km, travel time is about 2 hours. It is important to know: the LAST regular bus leaves no later than 19:00. We didn’t have time - taxi!!!

Examples of typical misconceptions of buyers from Russia and Ukraine and differences in determining the areas of real estate can be read in the article “Nuances, nuances, nuances...” on home page. And ways to protect yourself from Bulgarian real estate scammers, information on taxes, tariffs and duties can be found in the “Good to know” section. We hope that this information will help you wisely invest your money abroad.

How to relax in Bulgaria on your own? We talk about obtaining a visa, ticket prices and accommodation. Which resorts to spend time at? What to see on your own or with a guided tour? Tips for tourists and a traveler's review.

Travel that we organize entirely ourselves leaves strong impressions and change our lives. Bulgaria has been and remains one of the popular destinations for independent travelers. Today we will talk about how to independently prepare for a holiday in Bulgaria and not forget anything, what to see and when is the best time to go.

You can also go to Bulgaria on a tour package - often a vacation on a tour costs less than an independent trip. Look at the prices and decide which is more profitable and convenient for you. Last minute tours search on the services and - they will find the best offers among different tour operators. Want to save money? Explore our.

- - - - - - - -

Visa to Bulgaria on your own

Contrary to popular belief, Bulgaria is not a visa-free country for Russians. There are several ways to enter the territory.

The Schengen agreement has been partially in force in Bulgaria since 2007. This means that with a multiple-entry Schengen visa (also called multi-Schengen), you can enter the country for up to 90 days within six months.
You can enter Bulgaria with a visa, and Romania.
The third option is a national visa.

Documents for a Schengen or national visa to Bulgaria:

A passport valid for at least 3 months after the end of the trip.
A copy of the first page of your passport (the page with your personal data).
One color photography size 3.5 x 4.5 cm - there are also certain requirements for the size of the face and the background of the photograph.
A questionnaire filled out by you personally. It is issued at the consulate or visa center. You can also download the application form for obtaining a visa to Bulgaria yourself, fill it out and print it on A4 sheets.
A certificate from work on company letterhead indicating your position, length of service and your salary - it is certified by the seal and signature of the manager.
Insurance.

(Photo © vic_burton / flickr.com / Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0)

When to go?

The swimming season in Bulgaria is from May to September, however, both May and September are not too hot. Our independent trip Our trip to Bulgaria fell at the end of August, we visited several cities - we experienced rain, wind, and cool nights. From December to March is the ski season.

Flights

You can fly to Bulgarian resorts from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Samara, Kazan, Yekaterinburg and several other large cities.

On average, the price of round-trip air tickets in summer starts from 7,000 rubles. But this expense item may be quite small. Prices for one-way tickets from Moscow start from 1,500 rubles. And sometimes one-way tickets to Bulgarian resorts can be bought - attention - for less than 2,000 rubles! This is usually charter flights, most often from Moscow and St. Petersburg, for which you can get a ticket even at the height of the season. Such prices are also found at Pobeda, Rossiya Airlines and some others.

(photo © passer8 / flickr.com)

Where to book a hotel in Bulgaria on your own

Housing prices in Bulgaria will pleasantly surprise you. In large popular resorts (Sunny Beach and Golden Sands), prices for apartments and small hotels start from 13 euros per night per room. In other cities (Varna, Burgas, Sofia) you can find housing for even 10 euros per day, especially if you live further from the sea. As a rule, these are hostels, apartments or mini-hotels. Hotels on the first line even here offer rooms from 20 euros per night.

There are also many interesting accommodation options on the Airbnb website. In addition to standard apartments, rooms and hotels, you will find private villas surrounded by greenery, authentic accommodation and modern equipped campsites. Prices start from 10 euros per night. Of course, tourists visiting Bulgaria on their own will like it more here.

During our trip to Bulgaria, we independently booked a studio apartment in an unremarkable high-rise building, a tent on a wild beach, a room in a small hostel and a room in a small hotel in a mountain village.

Where to relax on your own in Bulgaria

The most important thing in Bulgaria is the sea and golden sand, stretching for many kilometers. Along the Black Sea there are resort villages, port cities, popular and secluded beaches. People also come here for health reasons: there are plenty of sanatoriums, mud clinics and boarding houses here.

The most famous resorts Bulgaria:

Pomorie;
Sunny Beach;
Golden Sands;
Nessebar;
Balchik.

Besides this, there is also big cities, for example, Varna and Burgas. Here you can relax and swim (and save on housing).

Rentals on the beach:

sun lounger - 6-8 leva;
umbrella - 6-8 leva;
bedspread - 3 leva.

Each resort is a place with a varied infrastructure and plenty of entertainment for vacationers of all ages. Depending on the location of the beach, you can find a suitable type of active recreation: surfing on the beaches " Goldfish" and "Dunes", fishing and sailing on a yacht on the beaches of the Primorsko resort, paragliding on Albena beach.

You can simply sunbathe on the sand - Golden Sands and Sunny Beach are perfect for this. And if you get tired, outside the beach area there are amusement parks, shops, cathedrals and museums. In the evening you can go to a club or restaurant - there are a huge number of them at each resort.

Food prices in Bulgaria

Compared to others resort countries, you can eat in Bulgaria quite inexpensively.

Approximate prices in leva:

simple budget breakfast in a cafe - 6 leva;
lunch - 10 leva;
lunch in an inexpensive cafe - 15 leva;
lunch in a good restaurant - 40 leva;
have lunch at McDonald's - 8 leva;
0.5 liters of homemade beer - 2 leva;
cup of cappuccino standard size 2-2.5 leva;
bottle of water 0.33 l - 1 lev.

Transport and car rental

In cities and towns in Bulgaria you can use regular buses. They are quite inexpensive - about 1.5 leva. A tangible advantage of local buses is that almost all of them have open Wi-Fi.

Another good option- rent a car if you don’t want to spend your entire vacation in one place. We rented a car in Varna for two days. We were looking for a company via the Internet, and best price- 26 euros per day. Typically cars cost 40 euros per day or more.

Our review and advice for car rentals:

habitual right-hand traffic;
very good roads;
strict speed limit: on the highway - up to 60 km/h, very rarely - up to 90;
There are enough cameras on the roads;
never saw the police;
To rent a car, a Russian license is enough.

Rent a car- This best way travel! - reliable and convenient car rental service in Bulgaria. Choose a car to suit your taste and budget - there is a wide choice. The cost of renting a car is from 8 euros per day. Do you have any questions? The Russian-speaking support service will help you with everything.

Excursions in Bulgaria

Since Bulgaria is a country with a rich culture and history, popular excursions here include walks through ancient quarters, visits to museums and Orthodox shrines. Such excursions are available in Varna, Nessebar, Sofia and other cities. But the drive to Sofia is almost 400 km from the sea, so tourists often do not have time to visit here.

Eat large selection sea excursions and cruises - for one evening or several days. For those who like an unusual program, there is jeeping, a safari park, diving and visits to Bulgarian villages and villages with national music and dinners.

In summer, the Balkan National Park is attractive in Bulgaria. If you want to see Bulgaria on your own with different sides, be sure to visit the ecological trails, take a walk in the mountains. Live in small cozy villages, try real national food, practically not hearing Russian speech - we rested just like that and were delighted!

Bulgarian the language is not so simple, as it seems. Even though they use the Cyrillic alphabet, many words are incomprehensible in writing and even more so in hearing.

It's practically don't drink tea and coffee. When it comes to coffee, Bulgarians recognize only espresso (cappuccino is also found, but much less frequently; you can completely forget the words “mocha” and “glaze”). Tea is drunk only in winter, and teapots are rarely found in homes and hotels.

Don't be surprised by nudists, if you see them on the beach. This is a common phenomenon in Bulgaria, and there are many nudist beaches here!

Bulgaria is an uncomplicated and friendly country. A holiday in Bulgaria, organized independently or packaged by a travel agency, will definitely be remembered by you for its warmth, simplicity and affordable prices. Have a nice trip!