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- Destinations
- Europe
- Bulgaria
- Mountains
Mountains
The natural beauty of Bulgaria is specially striking to first
time visitors, and in particular it is the dominance of its
magnificent mountains, ranging from sharp snow-covered peaks and
icy blue lakes to cool forests, bio-reserves and varied flora and
fauna that really impresses the traveller. Among the heights are
large ski resorts and mineral spas, quaint traditional villages,
monasteries, and many opportunities for hiking, cave exploration
and ecotourism.
More than half of Bulgaria is hilly or mountainous; the average
elevation is about 1,575ft (480m). The Balkan Mountains in the
central region cross the country from west to east, while the
irregular Rhodope Mountains form the southeastern border with
Greece, with the Rila and Pirin Mountains at their western end.
Every mountain has its own characteristic appearance and
fascinating prospects. The Rila Mountains are the most majestic and
boast the country's highest peak, Moussala (9,596ft/2,925m),
Bulgaria's most famous monastery, Rila, and the country's oldest
ski resort at Borovets. The greenest and prettiest mountain range
is the Rhodopes, which is home to Pamporovo, the largest ski
resort, as well as plenty of culture and folklore centred on the
town of Momchilovtsi, which is the most popular place for
ecotourism. Museum villages in the Balkan Range also offer
excellent possibilities for ecotourism and are a showcase for the
hospitality and warmth of the Bulgarian people. With hundreds of
lakes, deep valleys and rugged peaks, the Pirin Mountains are
probably the most beautiful and are home to a variety of rare
plants protected within the Pirin National Park. The most
frequented mountain is Vitosha, with the capital city Sofia at its
foot, and is popular for winter holidays and skiing.
Information & Facts
Climate
Winters are cold with heavy snowfall in the mountains with
average January temperatures of 23°F (-5°C) in the valleys and ski
resorts, and up to -4°F (-20°C) on the high peaks. Snow cover
usually lasts for five or six months (December to April) on the
north slopes of higher mountains, or until the end of February, and
is over five feet (1.5m) thick. Summer temperatures vary from 57 to
66°F (14 to 19°C).
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).