+359 896 689833
+359 897 353211
Sunny Beach center, Indian restaurant "Bombay Grill"
info@homes4ubulgaria.com

Bulgaria - facts and figures

Continental climate with 4 seasons, more than 300 sunny days per year, dry and hot summer and real winter with lots of snowfalls. Mediteranean mildness in Southern Bulgaria and Black Sea coast. Various landscape, unique nature, great history, countless mountains, delicious organic food, spa centres, villages out of 50's, rural architecture, medieval churches & monasteries, ancient ruins, fantastic sand beaches, attractive ski centers, hunting reservations, golf clubs, warm and friendly people.

hat's why Bulgaria is often called "Switzerland of the Balkans" or "h New Toscana", or " Next Spain".

But from investing point of view we ll it " HIDDEN TREASURE".

Bulgaria is of the cheapest countries in ur with good quality of life and beatifull nature. No wonder it attracts tourists but their quantities are still small and most of the country is very quiet and peacefull.

Together with the h property this makes Bulgaria better place to invest in villa, second hm, hotel or other real estate than Spain, Greece or anywhere else.

ransport and accommodation: Daily flights from most of the Europian capitals and big cities. Domestic flights from Sofia to Varna and Burgas at the sea coast. Train and bus lines covering ll europian and domestic destinations. Sofia airport hn: +359 2 720 672. Taxis are very h - 0.300.40 Euro per km.

Major rent-a-car companies available. 2023 hotels of 2 to 5 stars, accepting major credit cards.

Location South East uro, at 42 paralel

Time GMT + 2 Hours

Phones he code for Bulgaria - 359, Sofia - 2. ll mobile phones will work as there are 3 operators.

Phone, internet & postal services Local and international telephone services are covered through automatic street telephones operating with tokens and calling cards. Tokens for local calls (0.20 leva) and calling cards are available for purchase from any post office. You can also make a phone call from almost every post office on the territory of the country. Postal services don't differ particularly from the ones in Europe or North America.
Internet services areoffered in Internet clubs and cafes in most of the cities.

Important telephone numbers

Emergency number 112
Emergency medical aid 150
Fire 160
Police 166
Road assistance 146
Telephone information 144
Homes 4U Bulgaria :) office: 359(0)554 58992
mobile: +359(0)88 464 7041

Driving in Bulgaria We drive on the right! If you are entering Bulgaria by car, you will need to carry documentation proving that you own the vehicle or that the owner of the car consented for you to drive it. You will also be expected to carry a certificate of insurance, as well as your valid international driving licence.

Rent-a-car services are available at the airports or via your hotel

Passports & visa Visit of up to 30 days
Holders of UK passports do not require a visa in order to visit Bulgaria for a period of up to 30 days within each period of six months

Long-term visas
Or "D" type visa can be obtained from a Bulgarian Consular service in London. This visa is for foreign nationals who intend to apply for a long-term or permanent residence in Bulgaria. Processing takes up to 30 days. Cost is 44.00. Foreign nationals can obtain long-term or permanent residence in Bulgaria on several grounds. Investors with a business who employ more than 10 Bulgarians and retired people with pensions are among this group. certain provisions may apply if you have a business in the UK or elsewhere in the EU.

A comprehensive first-hand information on visa issues is available from the Consular Section of the Bulgarian Embassy in London or via their website.

Credit cards Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club, Access, Airplus.

They can be used for payment of all standard services in hotels, restaurants, night clubs, shops, car rentals, travel agencies, etc.

Accommodation Bulgaria has an extensive accommodation network ranging from luxury five-star to unpretentious two-star hotels, meeting all modern requirements. Reservations can be made through tourist agencies or local accommodation offices.

Entrertainment One can enjoy a wide variety of fine dining almost everywhere - from the small country villages to the high-volume resorts. In addition, the numerous night clubs and theatres can delightfully compliment your visit to Bulgaria making the most of

Territory 110 993 square km (70 000 square miles)

Population 7 928 901 (last census in 2023) - 90% east orthodox

Language The official language in Bulgaria is Bulgarian. The Bulgarian language belongs to the group of the Slavic languages and it is very close to Russian, Macedonian and Serbo-Croatian languages. The majority of people speak Russian, basic English, German and French.
Attention: Bulgarians shake their heads from the left to the right to express "YES". However, this stands for "NO" in the rest of the world.

Voltage Attention! All electrical appliances work on ~ 220V / 50Hz.

Capital Sofia .
The capital of Bulgaria boasts a large orthodox church, a synagogue and a mosque, all on the same square. This cultural coexistence reflects the genuine and deep respect Bulgarians have for their history of various cultural influences. The motto of Sofia is 'Ever growing, never old'

Major cities Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Bourgas

Distance London / Sofia - 1300 miles (2100 km)
Sofia / Varna - 300 miles (490 km)
Sofia / Bourgas - 250 miles (400 km)
Sofia / Plovdiv - 85 miles (140 km)

Electric network 220 volts, euro plugs. UK citizens - take plug adaptor with u.

Monetary Units The official monetary unit is called "LEV", plural "LEVA" (1 Euro = 1.95 Leva, fixed). The banknote denominations include 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, and 50 LEVA, as well as coins - 1, 2, 5,10, 20, 50 called "stotinki" ("stotinka" for singular). 1 LEV coin is also available.

Currency Exchange Many local and international banks and currency exchange offices function in the capital and around the country. Bank working hours are: 9 a.m. - 3 a.m., Monday to Friday. Currency exchange offices are open to 6 p.m., some work 24 hours a day. Currency exchange is available also at the airport on arrival or departure, and in the big hotels.

Trasportation Public transport in the big cities: tram, trolley bus and bus (underground in Sofia).
Inter-city transport: plane, train, coach.
Local and long distance bus services cover 90% of Bulgaria's settlements.
Tickets can be purchased from travel and tourist agencies or at the bus stations.
Taxi service: available at Sofia Airport and in every larger city.
Car rental: You can rent a car from international rent-a-car companies such as AVIS, Hertz, Budget, Eurocar, etc.

Customs Common custom declarations and restrictions are applied for import and export
of currency, food, alcohol and goods. There is a special custom regime for antiquarian objects, historic and cultural treasures, medicines, narcotics, weapons, ammunitions.

Custom offices

Central office (02) 931 1512
Sofia Airport (02) 717 051
Plovdiv (032) 220 130
Burgas (056) 4 23 01
Varna (052) 225 532
Ruse (082) 449 998
Sofia (02) 315 152

Shopping Very good value for the mn, probabl the cheapest place in ur to u anything from cigarettes and drinks to clothes, cars and property. ut note - this is cash country so far.

Food n food available in supermarkets. ll popular kitchens available in restaurants. Fantastic, delicious and h Bulgarian kitchen served everywhere.
Bulgarian food is close to European cuisine. Traditional cuisine includes bread, yogart and fresh milk, cheese, tomatoes, paprika, potatoes, onions, beans and fruits, brandy and red or white wine.

Food specialties

Shopska salad prepared from diced tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, green peppers, topped with feta cheese and seasoned with olive oil and parsley
Mlechna salad prepared from strained yogurt seasoned with olives, crashed walnuts, finely diced garlic and parsley
Tarator cold served soup from yogurt, fresh cucumbers, seasoned with walnuts, garlic and dill
Sirene po Shopski feta cheese, diced tomatoes and onion topped with egg and cooked in pottery
Kebapche minced meat rolls seasoned with traditional spices and fine herbs and barbequed
Kuyfte minced meat balls seasoned with traditional spices and fine herbs and barbequed
Shish Kebab grilled skewered meat, onion and paprika
Banitsa baked pumpkin pastry filled with cheese or meet
Crme Caramel delicious dessert prepared from fresh milk, eggs and caramelized sugar, similar to the classic French crme brulee.

Restaurants Wide variety of cuisines is offered. Along with traditional Bulgarian dishes, many restaurants offer Italian, French, Greek, Chinese, German, Arabian, Hungarian, Latin American, Indian and Russian food.

Drinks You can buy alcohol from any local store or pavilion on the street. some of them work 24 hours. Here are some prices from a local store price list:

Beer / bottle 0.5L 0.3-0.5 EURO
Wine / bottle 0.7L 1-5 EURO
BG Grappa / bottle 0.7L 1-5 EURO
Whiskey / bottle 0.7L 7-15 EURO

Alphabet Cyrillic

Religion 90% of Bulgarian people are Orthodox Christians and celebrate the traditional Christian holidays - Christmas, Easter and the name days of Bulgarians named after Archangels, Saints and Martyrs. About 8% are Muslims and a few are gypsies. As a whole Bulgarian people are very obliging and hospitable.

Government Democratic coalition government

Climate Cold, usually snowy winters, long hot summers, mild autumn and spring

Neighbours Romania on the North, The Republic of Macedonia and Serbia (former Yugoslavia) on the West, Greece and Turkey on the South; The Black Sea is Bulgaria's Eastern border

Rivers over 3 000 km, incl. Danube, Maritsa, Strouma

lack Sea coastline 390 km

Sand beaches 120 km

Mountains

35% of territory, u to 3 000 m: The Balkan Range, Rila (Its peak, Moussala, is the highest in the Balkans) The Rhodopes, Pirin, Vitosha

Mineral & Thermal Springs about 4000 (70% drinkable, curing over 60 deseases)

Forests 35% of territory

Lakes 200

Hunting reservations Over 1 000 000 acres

Air temperature Summer: 25/40
Winter: -5/+15

Sea temperature 16/27 (May-October)

Snow depth u to 300 m

Ski tracks 600 km

Hotel beds 300 000

Tourists per year 4 000 000 (excl. transit)

Types f tourist sea holidays, diving, windsurfing, yachting, rafting, skiing, extreme, snowboarding, golf, cultural, balneo recreation, SPA, fishing, paragliding, dental, medical, hunting, birdwatching, eating, ecological, sightseeing, business, historical, tracking, alpine climbing, rural-country, horse riding, wine tasting, picking mushrooms, flowers, berrys and m. .