Golden Sands in Bulgaria for Soviet citizens there were practically the only option abroad resort vacation, and for modern Russians it’s something of a rare and exotic idea - to fly to where our grandparents went. Moreover do it stands on its own: in difference from Egypt, Thailand and Turkey, the help of a tour operator in arranging a trip will only get in the way; it is best to plan the trip yourself.

Instead of a charter tied to the dates purchase inexpensive ticket to Varna, and already from international airport get to the resort area by regular by bus - it will be cheaper and more convenient. And all other organizational issues independent travel can be resolved quickly and without problems.

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 get a visa at embassy Bulgaria 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. Important Remember that to obtain a visa it is necessary must be provided and ticket reservations and insurance for each day of your planned stay in the country.

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

If you have already concluded a preliminary agreement purchase and sale of real estate in Bulgaria and you need to go to conclude the main agreement(receiving a notarial deed property for real estate) - why is it needed, in this case, hotel, 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 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?

Bulgaria- a wonderful country for rest with children: no sharp climate change, long flights and at reasonable prices.

There is something to see in Bulgaria: attractions. beautiful mountain nature. landscapes. It is best to rent a car and ourselves go around everything. It is also worth noting that Bulgaria enough interesting country from the point of view of history, traditions, culture and kitchens.

Insurance (without which impossible apply for a visa) with pleasure will issue for the duration of your trip at any travel agency. And if you want to save, then contact directly to the local insurance company. 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.

Bulgaria is one of those countries, where when applying for a visa, the consulate does not require payment for hotels or faxes of invitations, as, say, Slovenia requires. That is, formal requirement exists, but in practice, a simple, unpaid reservation from www.booking.com is quite enough. But it’s best, before applying for a visa, to call the consulate and clarify, since the rules are always are changing.

So you took the risk of organizing a holiday in Bulgaria on your own, and rightly so! This the right decision! Why pay more when you can save on choosing your own vacation spot, route, transport and housing. And the money you save is better spent on yourself and get more pleasure and benefits for the same amount.

Bulgaria, namely Bulgaria, because it loves Russian tourists and gives them a pleasant, interesting vacation with low prices and high quality. In Bulgaria, everything is as clear as home, the locals have a familiar mentality, they are hospitable and welcoming, have clear thinking and familiar jokes. Bulgaria is not Asia, it’s very difficult to get confused.

Today, almost everyone has an international passport, but each country has its own requirements for the validity of a foreign passport. To travel to Bulgaria, the validity period must be at least 3 months (180 days) from the date of departure from the country. To avoid troubles at customs, in case of extending your pleasant holiday, it would be better to increase the validity of your passport to 6 months.

IN lately There are rumors on the Internet that you do not need a visa to Bulgaria, you can get it upon arrival at the airport. Unfortunately, this information remained only at the level of rumors. A visa to Bulgaria is required.

A visa to Bulgaria can be obtained in two ways:
Method 1. Contact a travel agency, in this case everything is yours headache becomes a headache for the travel agency, but you have to pay for it.
Method 2. Apply for a visa yourself.

Since you have decided to organize your own holiday to Bulgaria, it means that you will be interested in method number two. In this case, you need to prepare documents, prepare consular and service fees, and submit all this to one of the following authorities:
1 Visa Application Center
2 Visa department of the embassy
3 Consulate General of Bulgaria in St. Petersburg or in Moscow

When applying for a visa to Bulgaria on your own, you need to keep in mind that the following types of visas are suitable for tourism purposes: guest, tourist, multiple-entry, or Schengen categories C or D.

If you are visiting Bulgaria on a Schengen visa, you should know the pleasant thing that the days you spend in Bulgaria on a Schengen visa are not counted in the number of days allotted for Schengen.

You can also get a free visa to Bulgaria, but in this case you will need serious reason. A free visa to Bulgaria is issued only if the applicant travels to Bulgaria for language courses.

How to get to Bulgaria. There are many options to get to Bulgaria: plane, train, bus, your own transport, a ship on the Black Sea, hitchhiking or a mix of different types transport.

Of course the fastest, most comfortable and convenient plane. The flight from Moscow to Bulgaria is only 2 hours. Agree that this is a significant advantage when temporarily limiting vacation.

Most quick way getting to Bulgaria is a plane

For those who are thinking of making their trip to Bulgaria by train, you need to keep in mind that not only will you have a tiring 4-day train trip, you will also lose 4 days of your tourist visa. Those. If you received a visa to Bulgaria for 12 days, then taking into account traveling back and forth by train, the time spent in the carriage will be longer than the holiday in Bulgaria itself. You will also have to cross several borders with all the delights of customs, purchase a transit visa to Romania and travel in a trailer carriage.

For extreme sports enthusiasts – bus lovers. You can get from Moscow to Burgas in 2 days, travel through five countries, getting an unforgettable experience of communicating with a huge crowd of border guards from five countries (those who have passed this test say that this is truly an unforgettable “pleasure”)

Bus to Bulgaria, only for extreme sports and not for the faint of heart

Currency in Bulgaria. The main currency in Bulgaria is Lev (BGL), equal to 100 stotinki. The approximate exchange rate of the Bulgarian lion to the dollar today is 100 Bulgarian lions equal to 66 American dollars.

Import of Bulgarian and foreign currency not limited. If the amount of imported currency exceeds 8,000 leva or the equivalent of this amount in another currency, then it is necessary to fill out a customs declaration.

You can exchange currency at exchange offices Exchange, Change, ATMs, banks, hotels. Banks are closed on weekends. IN weekdays work according to a standard schedule (from 9:00 to 17:00 with a lunch break from 12:00 to 13:00)

The national currency of Bulgaria is Lev

Currency in Bulgaria is best kept in dollars or euros. Russian rubles are exchanged only in exchange offices and at a very unfavorable rate.

Currency exchange fees should be included in the exchange rate difference. If you have any suspicions of fraud, you can call the tax office; video recording is carried out in exchange offices. Claims for exchange are accepted only before the extended cash receipt is signed, so before the exchange, it is best to clarify how much you will receive in your hands, think about it and only then change. Sometimes the rate at which your currency will be changed is very different from the rate you see on the billboard.

You need to keep in mind that the reverse exchange of local currency into dollars is possible only upon departure and only if you have a receipt for the exchange of dollars for lions. Those. If you brought Bulgarian lions with you, then you should not expect that you will be able to exchange them in Bulgaria for dollars, this is prohibited by law.

As for credit cards, they are accepted only in major tourist centers. If there is a problem with credit cards in Bulgaria there are 24-hour telephone numbers of the “Borika” service

Holiday accommodation in Bulgaria. There are always a lot of vacationing tourists in Bulgaria, on the beaches in summer and in the mountains in winter. Types of housing in Bulgaria:
- hotels
- villas
- apartments
- private sector
- house by the sea

How pleasant it is to relax in a house made of white stone under tiles, among greenery and a sea of ​​flowers! To do this, you need to sit at the computer and look at the prices, and then select a city based on the prices, depending on the season and level of comfort. For example, in the city of Aheloy, ten meters from the sea, an apartment can be rented for 20 euros per day, and a villa in Varna, five hundred meters from the sea, for 250 euros per day. Early booking reduces prices up to 25%. On average, prices for apartments start from 20 euros per day and depend on the popularity and fame of the resort. You can find accommodation for your vacation in advance yourself, or you can contact agents, they will do all the nasty and tedious work for you, unless you have to fork out for it, pleasure costs money.

For lovers of a luxurious holiday, there are a lot of five-star hotels, among which it is worth noting:
- Marina Royal Palace
- Helena Park
- Riviera Beach
- Grand Hotel Primorsko
- Grand Hotel London
- Royal Palace Helena Sands

Five-star Marina Royal Palace Hotel

You will never have problems in hotels in Bulgaria, since many speak Russian and understand almost everything. Moreover, if you wish, you can always understand each other, sign language is clear to everyone, and a piece of paper with a pen at hand can generally become the most convenient translator, especially when clarifying the price.

Just when using sign language, you must not forget that gestures, yes - no, are the other way around in Bulgaria. Nod “no” - chin down, “yes” - turn your head from side to side.

Resorts and attractions of Bulgaria. Resorts in Bulgaria are divided into winter, summer, balneological, spa resorts, children's and youth camps.

Golden Sands and Sunny Beach, the best of Bulgaria's Black Sea resorts, are oriented to the East. According to legend, a very, very long time ago, on the coast near the city of Varna, sea ​​pirates They hid a huge treasure of gold, but when they returned they found sand instead of gold. Old-timers say that if you look hard enough, you can still find small gold nuggets today. Entrance to the beach is free, but you have to pay for a sunbed and umbrella.

Sunny Beach is one of the most best beaches Bulgaria

11 beaches in Bulgaria have been awarded the EU Blue Flag. Among them are Golden Sands, Sunny Beach, Albena, Riviera, St. Constantine and Elena….

Fans of alpine skiing and snowboarding among winter resorts prefer Bansko, Borovets and Pamrovo, since these resorts are considered the best winter resorts in Bulgaria.

Among the most popular attractions are the National Art Gallery, the Aqua Paradise water park, the Aquapolis amusement park, the archaeological museum in the city of forty churches of Nessebar, and the Bani Bashi mosque. In total, there are more than 500 attractions worthy of attention and frequently visited by tourists - these are the Albotinsky rock monastery, the Alexander Tomb, unique nature reserves and much more that need to be seen.

Transport in Bulgaria. To have time to see and see as much as possible during your vacation, you need to use transport. The most popular form of transport in Bulgaria is the bus. The fare is 0.5 euros. Tickets are sold at kiosks, and if you want to save money, you can purchase a one-day, five-day or monthly pass.

In addition to buses, there are minibuses, trolleybuses, trams and one meter line in Sofia. Public transport in the resort area operates from 05:30 to 20:00.

Taxis in Bulgaria are always a pleasant yellow color

You can call a taxi by phone or pick it up at the parking lot. Basically, a taxi is paid according to the following scheme: the amount for boarding + the amount for each kilometer driven + the amount for each minute of waiting + the amount for an additional piece of luggage. At night there is a double rate. Sometimes you can find taxis whose drivers offer negotiated prices.

By rail you can reach all major cities. You can only rent a car after you are twenty-one years old. There is a special road tax for foreign tourist drivers

National characteristics and local customs of Bulgaria. In this country, it is customary to tip for service, usually 5% of the bill and depends on the quality of service. (How much you can give to a waiter in a restaurant or a maid in a hotel is your personal choice). There are nudist beaches in Bulgaria, although they are not registered in official naturist directories. They are located away from crowded places or on the edge of the beach. On an ordinary beach you can sunbathe topless without any problems; there will be no problems with the police or vacationers. In Bulgaria, naturists are treated tolerantly and favorably.

The opening hours of museums in Bulgaria are convenient for visitors. Many museums are closed on Mondays, and some on Tuesdays.

Wine connoisseurs believe that red wine should only be drunk in months with the letter “R” in the name, and white wine in the rest. Therefore, it is better for red wine lovers to relax in the winter, otherwise, according to the rules, they will have to drink white in the summer. At the beginning of spring, a wine festival is held in Plovdiv with mandatory tasting. For gourmets and true wine connoisseurs, snow wine is prepared from overripe, slightly frostbitten grapes.

Instructions

Select a resort. The cost of accommodation and meals at different resorts in Bulgaria varies. On the most popular ones, such as Albena or Golden Sands, prices are approximately twice as high as on little-known ones. At resorts located north of Burgas, payments for all types of services will be an order of magnitude higher than at those located south of this city. One of best places, where it is worth going is Primorsko. This is an inland resort. Mostly Europeans also vacation here. There are very few Russians here.

Choose an inexpensive hotel. The cost of living in different resort towns depends on the hotel’s proximity to the sea and level of comfort. In Primorsko you can choose a hotel located just 30 meters from the beach. There is a smooth descent to the sea, which is undoubtedly convenient for parents with small children. The room usually has a TV with Russian channels, air conditioning, shower, toilet, and refrigerator. Half of the rooms have sea views. During the season, such a double room costs 25 euros per day. And, for example, the cost of the same room in Golden Sands will cost you 100 euros per day.

To save on food, it is better to go eat in inexpensive cafes, of which there are plenty at the resorts. Even during peak season, you will spend 10-15 euros on a family dinner, if you do not overdo it with expensive wines. You won't remain hungry, because... The portions of side dishes and salads are huge. Dinner for one adult at the hotel is about 7 euros.

You can get to your destination in different ways: by train, by plane, by your own car. But if we're talking about O inexpensive holiday, preference should be given to the bus. For 24 hours of moving you will pay about 75 euros. If you decide to fly from Moscow to Varna, Burgas or Sofia, you can fly on Bulgaria Air and Aeroflot flights, the flight duration is 2 hours 55 minutes. Aeroflot offers flights 6 times a week, and Bulgaria Air - 7 times. Average price tickets are $400, but there are special offers. If you travel by train, the trip will cost you approximately 200 euros.

There are things that you should take with you so that you don’t have to pay extra money for them later. Take a boiler. It will be very useful to you. If you smoke, then buy in advance and take with you a carton of cigarettes (depending on how long you are going on vacation). In Bulgaria, cigarettes are very expensive, so think about this point in advance. And don't forget to take a first aid kit and water with you. Moments of acclimatization may be difficult for you, so everything needs to be taken into account. Bring your camera with you. It’s better to capture your vacation yourself than to pay for the services of private photographers.

Related article

Sources:

• where to relax cheaply in Bulgaria

For several decades now, holidays in Bulgaria have been very popular among Russian tourists. The wonderful mild climate of this country allows us to call it a real health resort of Eastern Europe. Why is Bulgaria so attractive? Golden Sands, Sunny Beach: these names are already familiar to many tourists. After all, there you can not only improve your health, but also take a break from the noisy city and everyday bustle. Bulgaria conceals a lot of new and unknown things, and every tourist can make some discoveries for himself by visiting cultural and historical monuments and mountain ranges. Great opportunities for recreation and developed infrastructure make Bulgaria an excellent place for a holiday with the whole family or alone. Moreover, the absence of a language barrier and low prices significantly distinguish holidays in Bulgaria from other countries. You will have positive impressions of your holiday in this country not only in summer, but also in winter, as you can visit many well-equipped ski slopes and admire the winter forests. What places will undoubtedly leave a lot positive emotions from a visit to Bulgaria? Here are some of them.

Instructions

A magnificent city located on south coast Bulgaria, considered one of the oldest in Europe. It arose from a small one founded by the Thracians in the 2nd century AD. Nessebar is divided into two parts: Old, located on the peninsula, and New. New Nessebar is the embodiment modern world: many restaurants, bars, comfortable hotels, discos.
Old Nessebar, located on a peninsula, is connected to the mainland by a long narrow isthmus (only 10 meters). The Old Eastern Gate with pentagonal towers adorns the entrance to Nessebar. The city is rich in beautiful churches, but the most indelible impression on tourists is St. Stephen's Cathedral. The architecture of the churches combines Slavic and Orthodox Greek traditions. Nessebar, without a doubt, can be called a museum city.

Varna is a wonderful city, an ideal place for the whole family. A widely known resort, famous for its sandy beaches and surprisingly calm Varna Bay, where even children will be safe to swim. Along the beach line stretches the famous Seaside Park with many museums, a wonderful aquarium and a dolphinarium. The rich history and culture of Varna are evidenced by numerous monuments: Roman baths built in the 2nd century AD, “Asporukhov Bridge” - the largest Balkan Peninsula, Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
Varna is not only a wonderful city for relaxation, but also useful. Thermal springs, which operate in Varna and its surroundings, provide everything necessary for effective treatment.

Albena resort takes pride of place among best resorts Bulgaria. You will be captivated by the amazing combination of rich nature and the calm water surface of the sea. There are many different complexes concentrated here, where you can combine treatment with a pleasant holiday and enjoy spa treatments.
If we talk about attractions, we cannot fail to mention the Palace of Queen Mary, which is of great cultural and historical interest. In this residence, the Romanian queen received guests from different parts of the world. A unique place in the palace is the garden, which surprises with its design and diversity of flora. We can confidently say that a visit to the royal palace will delight everyone.
Albena is perhaps the most interesting and most suitable resort for families with children. There is absolutely everything for them here: from special children's clubs, playgrounds, swimming pools designed especially for children, ending with Luna Park, which, after visiting, children are incredibly delighted!
Adults will also find activities for themselves. Lovers of horses and equestrian sports will be able to visit the equestrian base. And for lovers of active recreation, tennis courts and football fields are open.
Having visited Albena only once, you want to come back here again and again!

Video on the topic

The Bulgarian resort of Golden Sands attracts tourists from Eastern Europe, Germany and Russia with its mild climate and high prices. To go there, you can purchase a ready-made voucher from travel companies or plan a trip yourself.

Instructions

Make sure that all travelers' passports are valid for at least another 6 months from the date of their intended departure from Bulgaria.

Book a hotel, apartment or villa on a specialized website. Select your arrival and departure dates. Choose the one that suits you best in terms of distance and price category option. You can also read vacationers about a particular place of residence. Enter information about all travelers and make payment using a plastic card. Some sites allow you to deposit a small part of the amount; the rest must be paid in cash to the property owner upon arrival. Receive confirmation of your apartment or hotel reservation by email.

Buy air tickets to Bulgaria. The most convenient way to get to the resort of Varna. Non-stop flights from Moscow are operated by Siberia Airlines (S7 Airlines) and Bulgaria Air. There is a shuttle from the airport to Golden Sands, you can also use the services of taxi drivers, it is 18 km away.

Issue health insurance policies for everyone traveling to Bulgaria for the entire period of stay in the country. To do this, you must contact an insurance company licensed to provide this type of insurance.

Get a visa to Bulgaria. The list of documents required to obtain a visa can be found on the official website of the embassy of the republic in Moscow.

Buy Bulgarian currency (Leva) at sufficient quantity to cover your expenses during the trip. In addition to cash, large retail outlets and restaurants accept payment by plastic card, but in souvenir shops, small points catering She won’t be able to pay in small shops either.

Go to the airport when check-in for your flight opens; for international flights, it starts three hours before.

Video on the topic

Sources:

• Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria, official website

Instructions

When going to Bulgaria, do not try to purchase an all-inclusive tour. In this country, literally at every step there are cafes and restaurants for every budget and taste. Most of them offer very reasonable prices, and in some you can eat for almost pennies. True, as everywhere else: the closer to the sea, the more expensive the prices. Having visited Bulgaria, you should definitely try “gyuvech” - stewed meat with potatoes and vegetables and local wines: “Kadarku”, “Melnik”, “Mavrud”.

Hotels do not have their own beaches; all beaches in Bulgaria are municipal, but at the same time they are well-groomed and clean, with many cheap shops and bars. Golden Sands and Sunny Beach are large resorts with water parks and many other attractions, but with higher prices. If you don't want to overpay and love relaxing holiday, go to the Obzor or St. Constantine and Helena resorts.

The most economical holiday option in Bulgaria is a trip "". Book a room in a private hotel in a small village in advance. Prices for food and all services there are much lower than at big resorts. By the way, you can also rent an apartment upon arrival - you will see signs about housing for rent on every corner.

To make air travel cheaper, try to purchase tickets for a charter flight, both there and back. You will also have to apply for a visa yourself. Bulgaria is not part of the Schengen zone, but a multi-Schengen visa is valid on its territory. If you are traveling only to Bulgaria, and your plans do not include visiting other EU countries, you just need to get a Bulgarian visa. All the details of its design can be clarified on the website bulgariavac.ru.

It is quite possible to create an excursion program yourself. To do this, arm yourself with a map and get to attractions by rented car or public transport. If you love history, ancient cities with unique architecture and narrow streets await you - Sozopl and Nessebar.

Related article

Tip 5: What to see in Varna while traveling around Bulgaria?

Bulgaria is a country that is great for summer holiday on the sea coast. One of the largest seaside cities in Bulgaria is “beautiful sunny Varna,” as locals call it. It is here that numerous tourists come during their voyage to the resorts to get new impressions, to plunge into local life with its national flavor, and at the same time buy souvenirs and cheap sheepskin coats. What to see in Varna so that you can get an idea about it and enjoy it in one day?

Tired of sunbathing on the beach? Let's find out what Varna has to offer to vacationers. People come to this city from neighboring resorts for one day or deliberately choose it as a place to stay during their vacation. At first glance, Varna may seem quite boring. Especially if you drive through it and go further to other cities. Meanwhile, the most interesting things await you in its historical center, in an area called Odessos, and a walking tour is more in keeping with the spirit ancient city, which dates back about two thousand years.

So where should you go first in Varna? Start with the Cathedral - business card cities. It can be seen from afar, and any resident of the city will immediately show you how to find it. Walk around the cathedral, go inside, and see its magnificent paintings.

Then, with your back to the main entrance to the cathedral, cross the road along the underground passage and go to Independence Square, in the middle of which you will see a large fountain, and on the right - the magnificent building of the Opera House. The walking part of the city intended for tourists begins here. When you reach the New Yorker store, turn left and explore the shops and cafes, as well as the architecture of this part of Varna. Turning right from McDonald's, you will reach the main entrance to the Seaside Garden.

This is a large coastal park where you can spend the whole day. In the summer, exhibitions, concerts and festivals are constantly held here, cafeterias, bicycle rentals and other services are open from morning to evening. vehicles, as well as an amusement park. There are also several play areas for children, and a mini-train will take you along the entire perimeter of the park. The Primorsky Garden has a zoo, a Naval Museum and an Aquarium, and there is an equipped area for roller skating. You can explore all corners of this park for a long time, and then go down to the sea. The city beach is quite suitable for swimming, and on the coast there are restaurants open 24 hours a day, where you can dance all night, and on weekends there are concerts of popular youth performers.

Another park where you can have a good time is “Asparukhovsky”. It is located at the foot of the Asparuhovsky Bridge, which in itself is a landmark of Varna. In the park itself there are children's playgrounds, cafeterias and the entertainment and historical complex "Phanagoria" with a show program that clearly demonstrates how the ancient Bulgarians lived, worked and fought.

By the way, opposite the Cathedral there is another interesting place: before reaching Independence Square, you can turn right and get to the souvenir market, where silver jewelry, beautiful shells, magnets and mugs with the symbols of Bulgaria and Varna, as well as tablecloths and famous cosmetics are sold every day of roses - the pride of this country.

Among other things, Varna has many museums, among which the largest is the Archaeological Museum. Guests of the city are impressed by the Roman Baths - an open museum in the historical center of the city. These are the preserved remains of Roman buildings, which are impressive in their scale and antiquity.

During the season, Varna lives a busy life, active life both at night and during the day, and if you wish, you can find many ways to have fun in this seaside town in Bulgaria.

First of all, you need to take care of your visa. It should be remembered that you can enter Bulgaria with a Schengen visa or, if you do not have such a visa, you need to get a Bulgarian tourist visa. The cheapest way is to apply for a visa yourself through the Bulgarian Embassy, ​​which is located in Moscow on Mosfilmovskaya Street. You should plan your vacation in advance, then you can significantly reduce costs. When choosing a travel date, you need to take into account that Bulgaria has several seasons: low season (May, early June, late August, early September), high season (late June, July, early August). Accommodation prices are cheaper in low season. For accommodation you should rent an apartment. The price for a studio is 35 euros, for an apartment with one bedroom - 40 euros per day, 150 meters from the beach. All apartments have kitchens, so you can save a lot on breakfast and possibly dinner, and sometimes lunch. From personal experience, it is better to rent apartments from Russia in advance. Closer to the season, it is almost impossible to find good apartments at a low price. Having chosen an apartment and decided on a trip, you need to take care of travel. There are several options: get there by train, plane. If you are traveling for more than two to three weeks and there are more than two of you, you can choose to travel by car. If your trip is short, it is better to choose a plane. On charter flights. You can buy such tickets on travel websites and from travel agencies. Having planned your trip, you need to go to the insurance company and take out medical insurance, as well as car insurance or "". Medical care quite expensive in Bulgaria. When leaving, exchange rubles for euros. Although in Bulgaria they willingly exchange rubles for the local currency, the Bulgarian lev, the exchange rate is quite unfavorable, especially during the season.

Victor Pashinsky

You can go to Bulgaria on your own in your own car or fly in by purchasing tickets from.

In this article we will try to describe in as much detail as possible the process of independently organizing a holiday in Bulgaria and highlight the main ways to save on a hotel, tickets, insurance or visa.

Do you need a visa to Bulgaria, how much does it cost and how to get it?

To Bulgaria indeed need a visa, but it's very easy to get. To get a visa to Bulgaria, you will need:

• Bank statement— account balance at least 70 Euro per person, statement less than a month. Done at your bank.
• Certificate from place of work(on letterhead) - you must indicate your position and salary. The certificate is also no more than 30 days old.
• International passport- when you leave Bulgaria, there must be at least 91 days left until your passport expires.
• Regular passport- must be valid.
• Your photo– 2 copies of photo for a European visa
• Medical insurance- for a minimum amount of 30,000 Euro.
• Hotel and flight reservations— issued immediately after their purchase.
• Payment of consular fee- 35 Euro regular (per week) 70 Euro - urgent (per day).

In fact, a visa to Bulgaria is issued very simply. For example, we did not submit either a bank account statement or a certificate of employment. And nothing, we got everything fine (however, tourist visas for Ukraine follow a simplified scheme). You can get a visa yourself at the embassy - it will be cheaper than through an agency.

If all this is difficult for you, we advise you to use it - everything is described in detail there. All you have to do is consult, collect necessary documents and the visa will be delivered directly to your home. This simplified visa service costs approximately 2,500 rubles including delivery.

Travel insurance for a trip to Bulgaria - where to get it cheaply and quickly?

To obtain a visa to Bulgaria, you must purchase health insurance. For example, we bought a trip through an agency and our insurance didn’t include anything: even insurance against rain and hurricanes. Seriously. It’s scary to imagine how much we overpaid for all this happiness.

The minimum insurance amount of medical insurance for obtaining a visa to Bulgaria is 30,000 Euro. It’s up to us to choose the ideal insurance - he compares the prices of reliable insurance companies that will really help if something happens. We use it ourselves and recommend it to you. By the way, if you add a couple of additional options to your insurance, the price often increases very slightly.

Prices for package tours to Bulgaria in 2016

It's no secret that package tours to Bulgaria on the Internet can cost less than from travel agencies - their markup is about 10%, but on the Internet it can be only 1-3% due to reduced costs.

When searching for tours, we use a service that automatically searches for the most profitable options among the largest tour operators and offers them to you at reduced prices (less commission).

But this is not even the main advantage. At an agency, you usually choose from 2-3 options, but here you are offered a choice among dozens of offers.

How much will you have to spend on air tickets to Bulgaria?

The most profitable way to buy tickets to Bulgaria is from Moscow to the airport. If you do not have a clear connection to the departure dates, we advise you to look for tickets to neighboring dates. This often results in savings of about 20-30% of the flight cost.

It is quite difficult to search for tickets on airline websites (although sometimes there are exclusive offers, and sometimes the same flights are more expensive), we recommend using the low price calendar from Aviasales:

You need to select the city of departure and arrival (it’s worth looking for both Burgas and Varna), indicate the number of people, select the month in which you want to fly and evaluate the minimum ticket prices by day of the week.

How to choose hotels in Bulgaria at the lowest price

To search for hotels, we usually use . It allows you to automatically compare the price in different systems booking and choose the cheapest option.

The key advantage of the service is the ability to quickly sort hotels by the desired number of stars and price, go to the map and choose a hotel near the sea and away from the noisy center.

It is also very important to be able to see prices in different months and book a room with a sea view in just 15-20 minutes.

Of course, each hotel is accompanied by a photo, description and list of services and a rating with reviews from guests.

On Sunny Beach, for example, it is very good choice hotels

Many of them are in no way inferior to the best 4* and 5* hotels in Turkey and Egypt

There are, of course, cheaper options, which you can easily book using the button below.

Prices for renting apartments and rooms in Bulgaria

If you want to live not in a popular resort like , but in a normal city, we advise you to stay not in a hotel, but in rented apartment. In our experience, the price turns out to be almost the same, and living in own apartment much nicer than in a hotel.

We usually search for and rent housing through the popular rental service AirBnB. It is quite convenient, very fast and very reliable. As they say, we use it ourselves and recommend it to you.

Pomorie is divided into a new and an old part. The new one is being actively built up, while the old one is mainly used for renting out apartments that are several decades old.

General information

Hundreds of millions of years ago, the territory of the Bohemian Paradise was a seabed covered with volcanoes. Over time, under the influence of the sun and wind, a unique landscape has formed here, consisting of deep gorges, bizarre rocks, intricate caves, crystal clear lakes, dense forests and flowering meadows. People also had a hand in this splendor - they built castles, fortresses, citadels and founded cities.

The modern panorama of the Czech Paradise is a uniquely beautiful spectacle, representing a harmonious combination of the greatness of nature and man-made masterpieces. The reserve is home to many species of animals and plants: eagle owls, herons, bats, mouflons, roe deer and so on. The geological structure of the region is of great interest: there are deposits of rare minerals and precious stones here.

Czech paradise– an ideal place for active tourism. There are hundreds of walking and cycling routes in the reserve. Having overcome a difficult path through rock labyrinths and staircases carved into stone, you can reach one of observation platforms and enjoy the unique view, and then refresh yourself in Lake Macha and relax on its beach. There are a lot of ecological entertainment centers in the reserve, including children's ones.

Rocks of the Bohemian Paradise Nature Reserve

Among natural resources Of the Czech paradise, one should especially highlight the rocky cities, which are characterized by the nobility of the Gothic, the frivolity of the Baroque, and the pretentiousness of the Rococo.

The main attraction of the region is the Prahov Rocks - an ancient sandstone platform dissected by canyons, valleys and cliffs. Here you can find many pillar-shaped rocks with corners, crevices and peaks, as well as dozens of viewing platforms. Parezh Castle is carved into one of the rocks.

Another popular tourist attraction is the Rough Rocks, a group of stone columns more than 50 meters high that are interspersed with steep canyons and picturesque valleys. Some clusters of rocks have their own names: “Sahara”, “Lighthouse”, “Mouse Hole” and so on. The sandstone pillars “growing” out of the lake look very unusual.

The pearl of the Bohemian Paradise is the Small Rocks, the Dry Rocks and the Vranov Ridge, formed from the remains of an ice block. No less attractive are the Beseditsky rocks with labyrinths and the Bozhkov caves with the largest underground lake in the country. The Boretsk rocks with unusual stone gates and windows, as well as dozens of other natural phenomena, are also impressive.

Architectural landmarks

The Czech Paradise is worth visiting not only for lovers of ecotourism, but also for connoisseurs of architectural beauty. There are a large number of historical structures located in the local cliffs and towns.

The ruins of the Troski fortress, located near the town of Rivne-pod-Troski, are considered a generally recognized symbol of the region. This original structure, dating back to the 14th century, consisted of two towers called “Baba” and “Virgin”, erected on the peaks of two tall rocks and united by a fortress wall. Today, as a result of fires and war, only ruins remain, from the tops of which a stunning view of the Bohemian Paradise opens.

Not far from Jicin you can see another famous attraction of the reserve - the stone gothic castle Coast built in the 14th century. Over the several centuries of its existence, this impregnable stronghold practically did not lend itself to reconstruction, thanks to which it has been preserved to this day in its original form. Nowadays there is a museum in the castle and festivals are held.

In addition, in the Bohemian Paradise you can visit the Hrubá Skala castle, built on the top of a mountain, the former nest of robbers - Wallštejn Castle, the oval hunting castle of Gumprecht, Hrubý Rogozes - a castle in Turnov, with rich interiors and an unusual park, baroque palaces in Jicin and Mnikhovo. Hradiste, as well as many, many other interesting places.

How to get there

You can get to the Bohemian Paradise from Prague by bus from the Cerny Most metro station to Turnov, or by train from the main railway station to Turnov, the journey will take about 2 hours (about 100 kilometers). By car from Prague on direct road number E65 (the journey is less than an hour and a half).