Capital: Sofia
Time: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).
Tel. Code: 00 359 .
Official Language: Bulgarian is the official language and the Cyrillic alphabet is used. Turkish and Macedonian are amongst the minority languages. English, German, French and Russian are spoken in major tourist resorts and hotels.
Currency: Lev (Lv) = 100 stotinki. Notes are in denominations of Lv50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1. Coins are in denominations of 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 stotinki.
Note: (a) The Lev is tied to the Euro at a fixed rate; €1 = Lv1.955.
(b) Notes dated 1997 and earlier are now out of circulation.
Electricity: 230 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are two-pin.
Religion: The majority of the population are Christian, the main denomination being Bulgarian Orthodox Church with a membership of 80 per cent of the population. Eastern Orthodox Chrisitianity is considered to be the traditional religion in Bulgaria. There is also a significant Muslim minority (9 per cent) and a small Jewish community.

Climate: Varies according to altitude. Summers are warmest with some rainfall, with the south feeling the influence of the Mediterranean. Winters are cold with snow. It rains frequently during spring and autumn.
Required clothing: Mediumweights most of the year; warmer outdoor wear necessary in winter.

Sofia (SOF) is 10km (6 miles) east of the city (travel time – 20 minutes).
Varna (VAR) is 9km (5.5 miles) from the city.
Bourgas (BOJ) is 13km (8 miles) from the city.
Departure tax: None except for US nationals who will be charged US$20.