Overview
With our latest trip, Bulgaria became a country I've visited eight times total, practically a second homeland at this point.
The young population has almost entirely emigrated to Western Europe. Particularly in central Bulgaria, village populations are very low. Coming from a crowded country like ours, this emptiness is incredibly appealing, though the trajectory is bad for the country. Still, many young people send their earnings back and invest domestically, resulting in visible improvements in some areas.
With Bulgaria's full entry into the Schengen zone, I expect a bigger tourism push in coming years. Particularly for winter/spring nature vacation routes and wine routes, I think we'll be hearing the name Bulgaria a lot more.
Getting There
There are three border crossings from Turkey. If you're heading toward the Plovdiv-Sofia route, Kapikule is the most logical entry point. For the Burgas-Varna direction, Hamzabeyli or Derekoy make much more sense. If you're traveling to places closer to the Greek border like Pamporovo or Gotse Delchev, it's actually smarter to cross through the Ipsala border crossing with Greece and approach from that side.
To use the country's motorways, you need to register with the vignette system (vinetka), similar to our HGS toll system but reads directly from your license plate, no need to top up a balance. Just register for the duration of your stay. It can now be done online at vinetki.bg.
Tips & Advice
The anti-Turkish hostility that older generations talk about is no longer present at the level described. You'd certainly encounter some racism living here full-time, as everywhere, but during tourist visits I haven't had a single negative experience. The population has generally adapted to living alongside Turks, and since the Turks living here share much of their culture, there isn't the sharp divide you see in Germany.
Budget
As of 2024, the country is very enjoyable to visit from Turkey. While Turkey was arguably one of the cheapest travel destinations in the world a couple of years ago, our current USD-basis expensiveness now makes vacationing in Bulgaria quite sensible. The portion sizes, meat quality, wine value, and overall gastronomy make it stand out even from a food perspective alone. In tourist cities like Plovdiv and Sofia there's no language barrier, though you may struggle in rural areas. Having internet access for translation apps is quite important.
Nature in many areas is still pristine. Mountains, lakes, views, all superb. Perfect for a spring nature getaway.