Bulgarien

Top 5 Orte

1. Rila Monastery · Rila Mountains

   UNESCO-listed monastery with painted arcades, a day trip from Sofia.

2. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral · Sofia

   Gold-domed landmark and one of the largest Orthodox churches in the Balkans.

3. Plovdiv Old Town · Plovdiv

   Roman theatre and stadium plus colourful 19th century revival houses.

4. Veliko Tarnovo · Veliko Tarnovo

   Medieval capital with the Tsarevets fortress above a river gorge.

5. Nessebar · Nessebar

   UNESCO-listed old town on a Black Sea peninsula with Byzantine churches.

Unterwegs vor Ort

• Öffentlicher Nahverkehr

  Sofia public transport

  Metro, trams, trolleybuses and buses; tap a contactless card or phone, or buy paper tickets at kiosks. Inspectors check in groups and fine on the spot. Metro line 4 and bus 84 serve the airport.

• Taxi

  Licensed taxis (OK Supertrans, Yellow Taxi)

  Sofia taxis are yellow and cheap when metered. Check the rate sticker before getting in: fake look-alike taxis use very high rates. At the airport use the official taxi desk.

• Fahrdienst-App

  TaxiMe / Bolt

  TaxiMe is a local app for licensed taxis with card payment. Bolt operates in Sofia using licensed taxis (varies by city). Uber does not operate in Bulgaria.

• Busse

  Intercity buses

  Usually the fastest way between cities (Sofia, Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo, Varna, Burgas). Drivers may speak only Bulgarian or Russian.

• Züge

  BDZ trains

  State railway; cheap but slow and sometimes delayed. Scenic on some mountain routes.

• Mietwagen

  Car rental

  Useful for monasteries and mountains. An e-vignette is needed for national roads; keep valuables out of sight because of distraction thefts.

Geld und Bargeld

Währung: EUR · Euro

Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026, replacing the lev; some prices and older signs may still show leva. Cards and contactless work in Sofia (including the metro and buses), resorts and most hotels. Carry cash for villages, markets, small taxis and tips. Exchange offices with misleading rate boards are common in resorts; use bank ATMs instead and always pay in EUR.

Wechselkurs nach EUR prüfen

Trinkgeld

Tipping is customary in Bulgaria. About 10% at restaurants is normal for good service, and rounding up taxi fares is common.

Nützliche Sätze

• Сметката, моля. (Smetkata, molya.) The bill, please.
• Мога ли да платя с карта? (Moga li da platya s karta?) Can I pay by card?
• Задръжте рестото. (Zadrazhte restoto.) Keep the change.

Umgangsformen

• Bulgarians traditionally shake the head for 'yes' and nod for 'no'. Confirm with words (da = yes, ne = no).
• Dress modestly in churches and monasteries; shoulders and knees covered.
• Shake hands when meeting; address older people formally.
• Bring flowers in odd numbers (even numbers are for funerals) when invited to a home.
• Toast with 'Nazdrave' and look people in the eye.
• Bargaining is acceptable at markets but not in shops.

Maschen und wie du damit umgehst

• Nightclub overcharging

  Wo: Sofia, Bansko, Borovets, Sunny Beach

  So funktioniert’s: Clubs charge hundreds of pounds for drinks and may threaten customers who refuse to pay.

  So vermeidest du es: Check prices before ordering and avoid places recommended by touts.

• Fake or unlicensed taxis

  Wo: Sofia airport, Sofia central station, Sunny Beach

  So funktioniert’s: Look-alike taxis use very high rates on small print stickers; in Sunny Beach there are reports of robberies and threats by drivers.

  So vermeidest du es: Use the official airport taxi desk, call a known company or ask your hotel to book.

• Misleading exchange office rates

  Wo: Resorts and tourist streets

  So funktioniert’s: Boards show attractive rates that apply only to huge amounts or to selling, so you get much less.

  So vermeidest du es: Use bank ATMs, ask for the exact amount you will receive before handing over cash, and count it.

• Card fraud and PIN re-entry

  Wo: Bars, clubs, restaurants

  So funktioniert’s: Staff take cards out of sight or ask you to re-enter your PIN to make extra charges.

  So vermeidest du es: Pay in your presence and be wary of repeated PIN requests.

• Distraction theft from cars

  Wo: Roads, petrol stations, parking areas

  So funktioniert’s: Thieves puncture tyres or flag you down, then steal bags while you are distracted.

  So vermeidest du es: Lock doors and the boot and keep valuables out of sight.

• Pickpocketing and beach theft

  Wo: Tourist areas, buses and trains, beaches, Sunny Beach to Nessebar buses

  So funktioniert’s: Thieves target bags and phones in crowds and on beaches.

  So vermeidest du es: Keep valuables on you and do not leave bags unattended on the beach.

Sicherheit

• Street crime is more common in larger cities and late at night; watch for pickpockets on buses, trains and in tourist areas.
• Sunny Beach has frequent problems: hotel room burglaries, pickpocketing, club overcharging and taxi robberies.
• Avoid poorly lit roads at night in resorts.
• Keep car boots locked and do not leave luggage visible.
• Stray dogs may be seen in some areas; keep your distance.

Wie verbreitet Englisch ist

Good among younger people and in resorts and Sofia; older people more often speak Russian. Signs use Cyrillic, with Latin transliteration in many tourist spots.

Quellen

• GOV.UK Foreign travel advice: Bulgaria, safety and security
• Wikivoyage: Bulgaria
• Wikivoyage: Sofia

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