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Sofia, Bulgaria
Europe

Traveling to Bulgaria

Having joined the eurozone on 1 January 2026, Bulgaria combines a Black Sea coastline, UNESCO-listed Orthodox monasteries and the Balkan mountain ranges. Sofia, Plovdiv and the seaside resorts of Varna and Burgas each show a very different side of the country. Here's what to know before you go.

Capital

Sofia

Population

6.4-6.8 M

2025 · Eurostat/CIA

Currency

Euro (EUR)

Since 1 January 2026, replacing the Bulgarian lev

Language

Bulgarian

UNESCO sites

10

7 cultural, 3 natural

Continent

Europe

Time zone

UTC+2 (EET)

UTC+3 in summer (EEST)

Airports covered

2

Already tracked by SniperAir

Black Sea coast, monasteries and the Balkan mountains

Rila Monastery

Founded in the 10th century and UNESCO-listed, a masterpiece of Bulgarian National Revival architecture.

Black Sea coast

Varna and Burgas, gateways to the Sunny Beach and Golden Sands resorts and the ancient city of Nessebar.

The Valley of Roses

Around Kazanlak, one of the world's most important rose-oil production regions, celebrated every spring.

The Rila and Pirin ranges

Mount Musala (2,925 m), the Balkans' highest peak, and the Bansko, Pamporovo and Borovets ski resorts.

Two airports covered by SniperAir

VAR

Varna

The main city on the northern coast, gateway to Golden Sands and Nessebar.

BOJ

Burgas

The country's second-busiest airport, gateway to Sunny Beach and Sozopol.

SniperAir already tracks prices to Bulgaria's two major Black Sea port cities.

Explore our destination pages

Sofia and Plovdiv will progressively join this list.

Frequently asked questions about Bulgaria

Does Bulgaria use the euro?

Yes, since 1 January 2026 — the euro replaced the Bulgarian lev (BGN) when the country joined the eurozone.

What's the best airport to arrive in Bulgaria?

Sofia (SOF) is the country's largest airport. SniperAir covers Varna (VAR) and Burgas (BOJ), the two gateways to the Black Sea coast.

What's the best time to visit Bulgaria?

The beach high season runs from June to September on the Black Sea; the ski season runs from December to March in the Rila and Pirin ranges.

Do I need a visa to visit Bulgaria?

Bulgaria has been an EU and Schengen member since March 2024: European travellers normally enter without a visa using an ID card or passport.

How do I get alerted when a flight to Bulgaria drops below my budget?

Create a SniperAir alert profile with your departure airport and your Bulgarian destination: we track prices for you and notify you the moment a deal matching your criteria appears.

Ready to track flight prices to Bulgaria?

Create an alert and let SniperAir do the rest.

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