Bulgaria
A Balkan country where a capital city, mountain monasteries, ancient gold and Black Sea beaches fit into one trip.
Bulgaria is a country in Southeast Europe on the eastern Balkans, with the Black Sea along its eastern edge. Romania lies across the Danube to the north, and Greece and Turkey sit to the south. Sofia, the capital and largest city, is the main air travel hub. Plovdiv, Varna and Burgas are other major cities, and Musala, at 2,925 metres in the Rila mountains, is the highest point in the country.
Visitors come for old monasteries, mountain hiking, ski resorts and Black Sea beaches. Bulgaria has nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Rila Monastery, founded by Saint John of Rila, the country's patron saint. Veliko Tarnovo was the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, and the Varna necropolis holds some of the world's oldest worked gold, about 6,000 years old. The country suits people who want history and nature in one itinerary. Late spring to early autumn suits most regions, while winter suits skiing in Bansko and Borovets. Allow about a week for Sofia and one other region.
Five things to know before Bulgaria
- Expect EES registration at your first entry
Bulgaria's Schengen entry came in stages: air and sea borders on 31 March 2024, land checks with Romania on 1 January 2025. The EES has been fully operational since 10 April 2026, and your days count toward 90 in 180. EES explained
- Pay in euros, not leva
Bulgaria joined the euro area on 1 January 2026. The ECB says lev cash could be used beside the euro for one month, and the Bulgarian National Bank exchanges lev notes and coins free of charge with no deadline. Money
- Anchor the first days in Sofia
Sofia suits two days. A third goes to Rila Monastery, about 120 km south on the tourism portal's figure, or to Plovdiv, about three hours by direct BDZ train on the 3 October 2026 timetable. Sofia travel guide
- Pick one stretch of the Black Sea coast
Varna and Burgas lie about 130 km apart. Golden Sands and Aladzha are near Varna; Sunny Beach, Nessebar and Sozopol are near Burgas, so one trip rarely covers both stretches well. Black Sea Coast
- Buy a digital vignette before you drive
The German Foreign Office says every vehicle except motorcycles needs a digital vignette on Bulgarian national roads, sold online at BGToll, at fuel stations and at border crossings. Getting around
Bulgaria travel guides
Practical guides from writers who live there.
Serdika, Boyana Church and the Rila day trip
Read the guidePlovdiv travel guideRoman theatre and Old Town, by train from Sofia
Read the guideBlack Sea CoastVarna to Burgas, Nessebar and Sozopol
Read the guideRuse travel guideThe Danube city, a night on the way to Romania
Read the guideVisa checkerCheck the rule for your passport
Read the guideEES at the borderFingerprints and a photo on your first Schengen entry
Read the guideMoney and costsThe euro, cards, cash and ATMs
Read the guideGetting aroundTrains, buses and driving with a vignette
Read the guide
When to go
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Best
- JanuaryPartly cloudy9 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh4°Low-3°Cold, ski seasonJanuaryPartly cloudy
- High
- 4°
- Low
- -3°
- Precipitation
- 66 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 3
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, ski season
- FebruaryPartly cloudy8 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh8°Low-1°Cold, ski seasonFebruaryPartly cloudy
- High
- 8°
- Low
- -1°
- Precipitation
- 40 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 2
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, ski season
- MarchPartly cloudy12 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh11°Low2°Cool, early springMarchPartly cloudy
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 2°
- Precipitation
- 72 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, early spring
- AprilPartly cloudy11 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh16°Low5°Mild, springAprilPartly cloudy
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 79 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, spring
- MayRain15 rainy daysHigh20°Low9°Warm, greenMayRain
Best
- High
- 20°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 99 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, green
- JuneRain13 rainy daysHigh25°Low14°Warm, rosesJuneRain
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 14°
- Precipitation
- 100 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, roses
- JulyClear7 rainy daysHigh28°Low16°Hot, beach timeJulyClear
- High
- 28°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 53 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, beach time
- AugustClear7 rainy daysHigh29°Low16°Hot, busy coastAugustClear
- High
- 29°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 47 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, busy coast
- SeptemberClear6 rainy daysHigh24°Low12°Warm, harvestSeptemberClear
Best
- High
- 24°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 38 mm
- Rainy days
- 6
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, harvest
- OctoberClear7 rainy daysHigh18°Low7°Autumn colorOctoberClear
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 67 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Autumn color
- NovemberPartly cloudy9 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh11°Low3°Cool, greyNovemberPartly cloudy
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 65 mm
- Rainy days
- 9
- Snowy days
- 2
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, grey
- DecemberPartly cloudy10 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh6°Low-1°Cold, ski opensDecemberPartly cloudy
- High
- 6°
- Low
- -1°
- Precipitation
- 64 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 2
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, ski opens
Average daily high and low in Sofia, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Bulgaria
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
6
- Feels like
- 5°
- Humidity
- 95%
- Wind
- 9 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 95%
Sofia
01:23 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today9°7°95%Tuesday: Rain. High 9°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 95%.
- Wed9°7°60%Wednesday: Rain. High 9°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 60%.
- Thu9°5°40%Thursday: Rain. High 9°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 40%.
- Fri9°3°8%Friday: Fog. High 9°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 8%.
- Sat8°0°0%Saturday: Fog. High 8°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Sun9°1°6%Sunday: Rain. High 9°, Low 1°. Chance of rain 6%.
Updated 12:48 AM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
NovemberSalzburg Christkindlmarkt
NovemberNuremberg Christkindlesmarkt
NovemberStrasbourg Christmas marketFestivals by month
- JanSurvaSofia
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
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- Jul
- Aug
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Before you go to Bulgaria
Bulgaria FAQ
Is Bulgaria in Schengen?
Yes. Bulgaria joined at its air and sea borders on 31 March 2024 and ended checks at its land borders with Romania on 1 January 2025, according to the Bulgarian foreign ministry. Days here count toward your 90 in any 180.
What currency does Bulgaria use?
The euro, since 1 January 2026. Cards work in most hotels and banks, and the German Foreign Office advises carrying cash in rural areas. Leftover lev can be exchanged at the Bulgarian National Bank, which the ECB says has no deadline.
Do I need a visa for Bulgaria?
Not for short stays on most Western passports: US, UK, Canadian and Australian citizens get 90 days in any 180 across the Schengen area. You register in the EES at the border. The EU states: "ETIAS is currently not in operation and no applications for travel authorisations are collected at this point."
How many days do I need in Bulgaria?
A week covers Sofia, Rila Monastery or the Seven Rila Lakes, and Plovdiv. Add four or five days for one stretch of the Black Sea coast, or a night in Ruse on the way to or from Romania.
When is the best time to visit Bulgaria?
May, June and September suit cities and hiking, July and August suit the coast, and Vitosha above Sofia has two ski centers in winter. The Sofia and coast guides give the month-by-month detail.