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- Destinations
- Europe
- Bulgaria
- Black Sea Coast
Black Sea Coast
The Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, stretching for 236 miles (380km),
is a popular destination for thousands of Bulgarians as well as
foreign visitors every summer, with warm sea temperatures, a sunny
climate, picture-perfect white sand beaches, modern resorts and a
favourable exchange rate.
Although the coast has long been associated with large
characterless complexes catering to European package tourists that
are far removed from the reality of Bulgaria, there are plenty of
little hotels with private beaches and holiday villages offering a
villa-style Mediterranean holiday. Seaside towns invite a more
independent vacation with plenty of family-run guesthouses and a
wealth of bars and restaurants that add local flavour and
character. The coast is also one of the best spa regions in the
country and resorts offer the added attraction of mineral baths,
mud treatments and thermal springs.
Clean beaches, safe swimming and wide sandy beaches characterise
the northern Black Sea Coast with the lively town of Varna a good
base from which to explore the surrounds. To the south lie
picturesque bays and unusual rock formations, and the trawler port
of Bourgas flanked by the old Greek fishing villages of Sozopol and
Nessebur.
Information & Facts
Climate
The Maritime climate along the coast is characterised by warm,
sunny days from May to October with mid-summer air temperatures
averaging 83°F (28°C) and sea temperatures ranging from 73-77°F
(23-25°C). The wettest months are June, October and December.
Winter is cold, although milder than the interior of the country
where the snow falls heavily, and many of the resorts shut down for
the season.
Language
Bulgarian is the official language, which uses the
Cyrillic alphabet, but English, German and French is spoken in
resorts, hotels and restaurants.
Money
The official currency is the Lev (BGN), which is divided into
100 stotinki. The Lev is tied to the Euro at a fixed rate of EUR1 =
1.955 lev. Bulgaria has strict currency regulations. If you enter
Bulgaria with cash of any currency amounting to the equivalent of
8, 000 leva or more, you must declare it to customs officials.
Foreign currency may be exchanged in banks, hotels or at one of the
numerous bureaux de change, however due to a common practice of
misleading rates of exchange it is better to go to banks or hotels
to change money. A receipt called a
bordereauxis issued when exchanging currency, indicating
the amount that will be given, and it must be kept until departure.
Not all banks accept travellers cheques and those that do usually
charge a 5% commission. Major international credit cards are
increasingly becoming accepted by tourist hotels, upmarket shops
and restaurants, travel agents and car rental agents, but Bulgaria
is still largely a cash economy. There are ATMs in the main cities
and at Black Sea resorts.
Time
Local time is GMT +2 (GMT +3 from last Sunday in March to
last Sunday in October).