|
Time Difference
Winter time: GMT +2
hours (October through
March).
Summer time: GMT +3
hours (April through
September)
Voltage
220 V only
Monetary Units
The Bulgarian currency
is called LEV and 1 LEV
consists of 100
stotinki. Banknote
denominations include 1,
2, 5, 10, 20 and 50
leva, as well as coins
of smaller
denominations.
It is advisable to
exchange foreign
currency at exchange
bureaus or banks. It is
possible to do it at the
hotel or at the airports
as well. The exchange
rate is 1 LEV =
approximately 1.95583
EUR.
Working Hours
offices - 9.00 a.m. to
5.00 p.m. (Monday to
Friday)
banks - 9.00 a.m. to
3.00 p.m. (Monday to
Friday)
shops - 10.00 a.m. to
8.00 pm. (Monday to
Friday, Saturday until
noon)
Banks
Banks are usually open
Monday to Friday, from
09:00 a.m. to 04:00 p.m.
It is best to have your
passport with you for
you may need it when
exchanging currency or
cashing cheques. There
are also ATMs (Automatic
Teller Machines) at some
of the hotels.
Credit cards
You can use the main
international credit
cards at the big hotels,
the car hire offices,
some restaurants and
shopping centres.
Meals
The most popular
Bulgarian salads: tarator
(cold yoghurt and
cucumber soup) dishes:
kavarma (meat and
vegetable stew usually
served in individual
pots),
kebapcheta (spicy
mince meat, sausage
shaped and grilled),
Worth noting:
- Bulgaria
offers excellent,
world-famous red and
white wines, as well as
grape and plum brandy
(rakia in Bulgarian). -
You will find the prices
surprisingly low.
- Bulgarians tend to
serve food warm, rather
than piping hot.
- When ordering a main
course in a restaurant,
check if it comes with
"garnitura" - usually
you have to order you
side dishes extra.
Important phone numbers
123
- operator for
international calls (if
no direct phone call is
possible)
120 - wake up call
121 - operator for
long-distance calls
within the country
140 - sending of
telegrams
144 - telephone
information service for
office phone numbers
145 - telephone
information service for
home numbers
146 - Emergency Road
Service
150 - Emergency
Medical Aid
166 - Police/Road
patrols
175 - weather
forecast
180 - exact time
("speaking" cloc |
