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Why are the flights in and out of Varna during winter months non existant apart from Wizz Air.

I agree about the Black Sea. I cannot go until September/October this year because I'm doing a Euro road trip. We just need better infrastructure to get out there. I love the northern Black Sea coast, but I really dislike the Sofia/Varna road that isn't highway. I've learned to travel at offtimes when there isn't so much traffic to get to Balchik.

Yes, you would have to be an idiot expat to get an all exclusive package after living in BG for some time. Of all my hotel stays in Bulgaria, there was only one time [...]

Read the full comment when they charged two 7 leva ham sandwiches to my friend's room, who is vegetarian. We had a 11 people, paid a huge bill(over 1,400 leva) for the weekend with massages and rooms for the spa, but somehow they didn't believe one of the clerks made a mistake because no one ate the ham sandwiches at the pool, lol. Other than that, it has been a great experience staying in hotels in Bulgaria. :)

I remember when spain was the cheapest look at it now its in the euro, broke.

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This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained foul, abusive or discriminating language

" ... i've heard a blow job goes for 5 leva outside Stara Zagora station if you ask in Turkish its even cheaper!"



Were you inquiring for particular reason or is that kind of stuff common knowledge amongst you people?

It makes sense - logical place for Turks to look for love in BG - right "outside Stara Zagora" as you say - it's fine, the Gipsies need to eat too, and obviously they are your people if you understand each other, so why not;)

I wonder where bulgaria would be in the european league for fleshpots?....probably cheapest i've heard a blow job goes for 5 leva outside Stara Zagora station if you ask in Turkish its even cheaper!

"You know what they say none of us are so rich to be able to afford cheap,"

That's an old proverb referring to cheaply made goods that didn't last that long, not to un-quantifiables like service. The idea is that for the same time you'd own one pair of expensive shoes, you'd have to change 5 pairs of cheap ones and in a long run buying cheap may end up more expensive.

How in a world would a Bulgarian mind apply it to service is an enigma... just because your service isn't [...]

Read the full comment good, you still pay the same, which is little in BG. There is very little expensive in Sunny Beach, and where there is service is great (unless you consider $100 a night expensive). Dinner for 4 in an OK restaurant for 50 Euros is crazy - it will be at least 300 in any other EU country, OK may be with a nicer smile - thank you very much...

This is a typical Bulgarian trait - "if something is worth expressing, we think it's worth expressing it to an extreme".. Never accuse a Bulgarian in attempting to denigrate his own country, moderately;)

You know what they say none of us are so rich to be able to afford cheap, and sunny beach and just about every other bulgarian resort proves this, the problem is even when its expensive you still get the same shit service and utter lack customer care, to such an extent that you have to ask do these words exist in the bulgarian dictionary

That sounds like a super vacation Valeri. We haven't been to Spain yet, but are really wanting to go. In addition to BG touring later this summer, we're also wanting to do a few weeks traveling around Europe in September. I agree, comparing places is just crazy. Personally, we travel to see places that are different.

I imagine Miami will go some way in replacing the Black Sea but there's that freedom in BG that's hard to replicate.

Also the prices.. people bitch but last time I was in Canada in the city of Vancouver there was almost under normal under $3-400 a night in a way of hotels...
That's 4 nights in a reasonably nice hotel anywhere in BG's Black Sea and granted Vancouver is more of a business destination but my guess is that the resort destinations are even more expensive...

Enjoy your new [...]

Read the full comment life!

Valeri, Enjoy your holiday, it sounds like it's going to be fun. I also agree with you about the Black Sea, it is something that grows on you over time. I've been going for the past 8yrs and this will be my first year not going and I'm not happy about it. In fact I've moved out of Bulgaria totally to expect a position at the University Of Miami here in the states but I'll be back in Sofia to visit my future wife's parents and Babo, so I look forward to these day's.
Enjoy your trip, [...]

Read the full comment be safe.

I cant believe people pay so much for flights I fly into Sofia and pay £135 for us both by booking in advance with wizz air ive been here since 16th June and going home today its a far cleaner country than the UK although doesnt have the funds to maintain the infastructure as it is a poor country so you need to have realistic expectations they pay a tax of just over a hundred pounds in line with an average wage of between £200-£400 per month as we pay over £1200 tax in the UK so it should be [...]

Read the full comment better

I am off to the south of France in August.
As a history buff, I just have to trace some of Caesar's battlefields (I know slightly dorky) and the kids will enjoy the sea and stuff...
Driving from Italy to Spain and then up north to Lyon Dijon and Baden Baden. Will see how far we get, in Spain but there are a few sites that I HAVE to visit.

We'll have to leave the Black Sea for September. I still can't go a whole year without spending time there. I guess [...]

Read the full comment I am addicted. Love most things about it, would love it if people make an effort to pick up after themselves, but over all the BG Black Sea is great fun.
Like you say - comparing places is illogical..

I know Valeri. :) We've actually found a super travel agent in Sofia and they find us amazing deals (not all inclusive, I've never trusted those) in and out of BG and they have some of the best customer service I've seen anywhere. We really haven't had any of these nightmares people talk about in BG. In fact, can't wait to do some touring around a bit later this summer.

As far as a rat in the room, be lucky it wasn't something that can kill you! We've been to some places where far more treacherous [...]

Read the full comment creatures can visit your room! Haha!!

OK Expat,
lets examine:
Peter signs up for "all inclusive" deal (what moron would do that, first and then they CANNOT be Bulgarian) and then he drives in BG enough to be familiar with "suicide sections" in another tread.
It reeks FYROM nian to me, and people here - you never know who they are - there many with ethnic issues...
No westerner living in BG long enough to be not only driving, but familiar with the roads, would sign up for "all inclusive"...
You see it right?

I gotta ask, where are people going on vacation in BG that they are having such a hard time? Perhaps we've just been lucky (I doubt it). I have personally found most people to be pretty friendly.

As far as the conditions in the country, be realistic, there is not a magic money tree which people can just use to build brand new roads, hospitals, etc. There is not a huge population to begin with and the tax base is even smaller. And well, corruption is everywhere.

If people expect every place [...]

Read the full comment to look the same, or have some uniform standard, they should just stay home. That's part of the fun of traveling.

Wow Peter,
is this like a FYROM - ian thing? This cat - like agility?
Curious, how did you do it?
What did you do with the unfortunate creature? Did you kill it?

Do share...

Bulgaria is a bargain to holiday at, I always find the people very nice.

Just one comment. I was staying at an "all inclusive" hotel and actually caught a rat in my room!!! No apology from management though!

Why would someone want to stay a week in Sofia?

I assume the photo is Brighton - certainly cant be Sofia.

and you get exactly what you pay for, less then polite service, depending on where you choose to eat, you could be eating horse meat or if your at a finer hotel then you get the good stuff. I will say that the people are friendly or at least make a sincere attempt to be welcoming. The Police are rude and not helpful at all, in anyway, shape or form. The roads are a mess and I can't believe that the people are not outraged at the conditions of the infrustructure of the roads, the potholes are the size of [...]

Read the full comment small lakes. The service industry is less then perfect, that's not to say without some effort in some places. Some just don't care about the image of Bulgaria or have no stake in it, the healthcare industry is just shameful, not just the lack of funds but the lack of education of the Dr's and Nurses. Medicine is not a learn as you go industry, there needs to be more done about the proper training of Dr's in Bulgaria and the Nurses. Dr's are doing jobs that would otherwise be left for nurses in the UK or the USA because they are far better trained. With that said, the salary's of Dr's and nurses is an insult. They are expected to work many hours and do there jobs perfectly and yet not get a fair wage for the sacrifices that they do make. There lack of education is not the fault of the Dr's it is the fault of the Ministry of Health and Education that should demand more years of basic collage education and then 4 yrs of only medical school with a 2 yrs training period as an intern or resident Dr. until they have proven that have the basic skills to perform there duties.
Corruption remains to be rampant in Bulgaria but then again it wouldn't be Bulgaria without it, it's what makes it Bulgaria. Some take great pride in this fact sadly. But the problems that are systemic in this Country won't go away without corruption. It is what almost makes it survive. But it is only availale on a large scale to those that already have connections. The little guy cannot get rich doing anything illegal no matter how hard they try.
But it is still a great place to visit and as I said before, the people are really just wonderful. Even if they elect people like a Boyko to be there fearless leader.

So, there's much place for the prices t ostill be going up?

Try flying from Scotland at £109 for 2 weeks. About time they dropped the price of flights. Long may this continue, but there are more expensive flights.

It's a shame that the same cannot be said for Bulgaria when flights are included as the cost of flights to Varna this year are extortionate, at around £300 each. This soon adds another £1,200 to the holiday cost.