Bulgaria - Advice Needed

EMPTY_PURSE_5

Hi,

Going to bulgaria 30 May for 1 week all inclusive @ RIU Property and looking for any advice on how much spending money we would have to take for 2 adults and teenager .

How much is it for the odd coffee, beer, juice in cafe etc.

What is there to buy ?

And what is Bulgaria like ???

All help would be appreciated.

Millie xxx

Trix

Don't know which area you are going to - we went to Golden Sands about 4 years ago so I'm not sure how much has changed since then. Our most expensive meal was at a Chinese restaurant - for 4 adults and 2 kids each having starters, main courses (which we ordered one for each person not realising that one serving would feed about for people :eek:), desserts, soft drinks, coffees, wine and spirits it cost around £40 :T

The wine and vodka were only about £1.50 a bottle - which was about the same price as the bottles of coke

Take plenty of packets of tissues and keep plenty of small change on you because all toilets along beach fronts and in restaurants charge a few 'stotinkis' to use them and the man/woman/child working there will hand you a few sheets of toilet paper in exchange - if it's not enough for your needs, it may be a bit embarrassing to ask for more

There's a whole load of 'copy' label clothes, sunglasses etc to buy. We met a few people who went every year and only took a few items of clothes because the clothes (not just copy labels) were so cheap to buy so they just kitted themselves out once there (I wouldn't be brave enough to risk it though). Bulgaria is known as the 'valley of roses' so there are loads of rose products - probably the cheapest you will ever buy rose oil (although still in a carrier oil). Saffron is really cheap there as well (if you're into cooking or taking a gift back for someone who is).

The buses (or Dolmus) are great - they are like little mini buses, are really clean, really cheap, and go past stops every five or ten minutes. If one comes and it is full - they radio for another one to hurry there. When you pay your fare, you pass the money down the bus from wherever you are to the other passengers who then give it to the driver, who then passes your change back the same way My OH got on a bus on market day and sat next to a guy with a live chicken which he found really weird but no-one else seemed to :rotfl:It's worth just having one trip on these things for the experience!

Now for some 'not so good' things to prepare for:

You are hassled virtually all the time from people wanting to sell you things (including the lifeguards on the beach selling cigarettes!) whether on a stall, outside a shop or in the middle of the street or beach. And you soon get sick of politely saying no to all the people handing out leaflets for various clubs and attractions every few paces :mad:

The worst thing we saw were people begging - either little kids or people in wheelchairs. We did witness some kids with what we assumed was their mother who was working at the hotel, change from their 'smart' designer type clothes to rough looking clothes before going onto the streets though, so felt it was a bit of a scam in some cases at least.

But these were about the only downsides we found. On the whole it was hot, cheap and friendly. Hope you have fun!

madfrenchgirl

i went there with my parents about 10 years ago and i agree with Trix... things are very cheap over there.

I would recommend you do not stay in places like the Golden Sands: they are nothing like the real country, they are just resorts cut out from the real world.

Go into the country, it is very good! You can buy a round of spirits (double the size of the shots) for 10 people for 1 quid.

However, I would warn you that as a nation we all found that they were quite grumpy and resentful at us for having a better buying power. i dont know if mentalities ahave changed mcuh since then but we got that impression from the locals.

Also, try to stay away from western hotels and clubs for going out. Food is just too continental to be enjoyable, you might end up woith always the same thing (raw tomatoes as starter, feta cheese as cheese, far from ripe melonwater at evry meal we had). Prices of branded alcohols in the hotels are just a rip-off. Get out and you get a better choice for cheaper.

In terms of safety, well it is the same thing around the rest of the world. Watch out for your valuables, dont linger in places that dont feel right, etc...

for further info, you can go to https://www.virtualtourist.com

Enjoy!

HKP_2

Bulgaria used to be communist rule. They really havent moved on much in the last 20 years really. Except tourism. In the last couple of years prices have doubled in resorts. A coffee cost 50p one year and £1 the next. Still dirt cheap for a holiday resort, but the locals have graped the concept of western capitalism now. Things out of resort are pretty basic and there is a lot of poverty. Smart investors are snapping up holiday homes, so property prices are rocketing. Bulgaria is a beautiful country. Great for Skiing and Sun holidays.
Have fun.

EMPTY_PURSE_5

Thank you all.

Would thank you personally but cant find the thank button to click ..

Help with that would be appreciated too xx

Millie xxxxx

Trix

RE: The thanks button, see HERE