The Republic of Bulgaria is situated in South-Eastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. For a small country, Bulgaria has many things to share with its tourists. Its old and unique history, warm and sandy beaches, amazing nature landscapes are just a few of the things that Bulgaria can offer.

Area	111,000 sq km
Capital	Sofia (1.2 million population)
Population	8 million
Official language	Bulgarian
Government	Parliamentary democracy
Prime Minister	Boyko Borisov
President	Georgi Parvanov

Time zone

Standard Time = GMT+2

You can visit this site for more information about time zone conversion:
http://www.timezoneconverter.com/cgi-bin/tzc.tzc

Currency

Bulgaria's currency is called Lev (BGN), plural: Leva . Coins with smaller denomination are called stotinki (100 stotinki = 1 Lev).
There are banknotes of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 Leva and coins of 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 stotinki. There is a coin of 1 Lev as well.

1 EUR = 1.95583 BGN

Climate

The country enjoys four very distinct seasons. Summers are long and hot (around 25-40°C.), winters cold and snowy (around zero). Spring and autumn are spectacular seasons and the mild temperatures make them ideal for any kind of active break.

You can visit this site for more information about the weather forecast:
http://weather.digsys.bg

Culture

One has to see the magnificent Thracian treasures, the monumental but beautiful work of the Greek and Roman cities in order to understand why Bulgaria became the cradle of Slav culture. Bulgaria is the birthplace of the Cyrillic alphabet, the second most widely used alphabet in the world. A number of ancient civilizations, most notably the Thracians, Greeks, Romans and Bulgars have left their mark on the culture, history and heritage of Bulgaria. The country has nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Of these, two are Thracian tombs (one in Sveshtari and one in Kazanlak, three are monuments of medieval Bulgarian culture (the Boyana Church, the Rila Monastery and the Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo), while the Pirin National Park and the Srebarna Nature Reserve represent the country's natural beauty. This magnificent country is also well-known for its rich folklore, distinctive traditional music, rituals and tales.

http://www.imagesfrombulgaria.com/v/The_Bulgarian_History/

http://www.imagesfrombulgaria.com/v/Black-sea/

http://www.imagesfrombulgaria.com/v/Rila/

http://www.imagesfrombulgaria.com/v/traditional-bulgarian-house/

Food

Many of the Bulgarian products and dishes (like the Bulgarian yoghourt) are well known in the the world. Bulgarian food is not only tasty but nourishing and healthy as well. Most of the Bulgarian dishes are related with a certain myth, belief or ritual (like the "Stuffed Cabbage Leaves" and "Banitza" which are cooked for Christmas Eve). Some of the well-known Bulgarian dishes are Tarator (cold summertime soup), Shopska Salad (Mixed Vegetable Salad in the Shopp Style) and Kebapcheta (Grilled "Meat Sticks"). And of course the wonderful Bulgarian traditional drinks like Boza (Millet-Ale), Rakia (A hard liquor similar to brandy and vodka, made by distillation of fermented fruits, popular throughout the Balkans) and Bulgarian wine with its pure natural taste and fascinating bouquet.

http://www.imagesfrombulgaria.com/v/bulgarian-food/

People

You'll rarely find a people as open to outsiders as Bulgarians. They have an innate Bulgarian hospitality and are really inquisitive about the outside world and dying to know what brings someone to their country. They're proud to show visitors the best of what they have. Bulgarians are great lovers of tradition and animals and are great friends once you get to know them.

Important Phone Numbers

Please remember the following telephone numbers for emergencies

• 112 - Emergency number
• 166 - Police
• 150 - Ambulance
• 160 - Fire brigade