Expatriates Forums in Bulgaria

NIGHTLIFE IN BULGARIA / BULGARIA NIGHTLIFE GUIDE

Bulgaria Info — Wed May 16, 2007 10:44 am

Author: Bulgaria Info

Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 10:44 am

NIGHTLIFE IN BULGARIA

GENERAL

Some restaurants have folk dancing and music. Opera is performed at the State Opera House in Sofia; other classical concerts include the National Folk Ensemble. Other classical concerts include the National Folk Ensemble. In addition, an increasing number of international pop, rock and jazz musicians are including Sofia in their tour schedules, giving the Bulgarian capital an added veneer of showbiz glamour.

There are nightclubs with floor shows and dancing in Sofia, as well as in most major towns and all the resorts. Sofia is simply swarming with quirky watering holes, cool designer bars and dance-till-you-disintegrate clubs. Just try not to get carried away.

PLACES TO UNWIND IN SOFIA

Bitburger
ul. Stefan Karadzha 20,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 981-9665
Fax: +359 2 980-8799
Email: bitburger@einet.bg
Website: www.bitburgerclub.com

By The Way
ul. Rakovski 166,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 980-3836
Email: bytheway@faria.bg

Cabaret
ul. Hristo Belchev 12,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 981-6088
Website: www.club-cabaret.net

Irish Harp
ul. Sveta Sofia 7,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 989-9226

J. J. Murphy's
ul. Kurnigradska 6,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 980-2870
Fax: +359 2 980-0860
Email: info@jjmurphys.net
Website: www.jjmurphys-sofia.com

Motto
ul. Aksakov 18,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 987-2723
Email: motto_bg@hotmail.com
Website: www.motto-bg.com

Nero
bul. Vitosha 180,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 953-1001
Fax: +359 2 952-0439
Email: nero@nerosofia.com
Website: www.nerosofia.com

Opera
ul. Rakovski 113,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 988-2141
Email: opera@mail.bg
Website: www.opera-bg.info

PR
ul. Cherkovna 87,
Sofia
Tel: +359 895 500-500
Website: www.prclub-bg.com

Upstairs
bul. Vitosha 18,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 989-9696

FOOD & DINING IN BULGARIA / BULGARIA DINING GUIDE

Bulgaria Info — Wed May 16, 2007 8:33 am

Author: Bulgaria Info

Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 8:33 am

FOOD & DINING IN BULGARIA

GENERAL

The main meal is eaten in the middle of the day. Dinner is a social occasion, with dancing in many restaurants. Food is spicy, hearty and good. A lot of meals include meat, potatoes and cheese. Fruit is particularly good and cheap throughout the year. There is a wide variety of national dishes, as well as Western European standard dishes, which can be chosen on the spot at any restaurant. All good hotels have restaurants and there are many attractive folk-style restaurants and cafes throughout the country.

New restaurants are opening all the time in Sofia, but there aren’t enough good chefs to go round and standards tend to yo-yo as a result. Service is traditionally on the slow side, but things are picking up in this department.

National specialties

• Tarator (cold soup made from cucumber, walnuts and yogurt.).

• Kavarma (individual casseroles of pork or veal, onions and mushrooms).

• Shishkebab (stuffed vine or cabbage leaves and moussaka).

• Kebapcheta (small, strongly spiced, minced meat rolls).

• Banitsa (pastry stuffed with fruit or cheese).

National drinks

• Coffee, heavily sweetened, is particularly popular.

• Drinks made from infusions of mountain herbs and dried leaves, particularly lime.

• White wines include Evksinograde, Karlouski Misket and Tamianka.

• Heavy red wines include Mavroud and Trakia.

• Liquors include mastika and rakia.

Tipping: Until recently not applicable but some restaurants now include a 10-12 per cent service charge.

PLACES TO DINE IN SOFIA

Before & After
ul. Hristo Belchev 12,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 981-6088
Website: www.ba.club-cabaret.net

Cactus
ul. Hristo Belchev 20,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 986-7431
Website: www.restaurant-cactus.com

Checkpoint Charly
ul. Ivan Vazov 12,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 988-0370

Da Vidi
ul. Han Asparuh 36,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 980-6746

Hadzhidraganovite kushti
ul. Kozlodui 75,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 931-3148
Email: info@kashtite.com
Website: www.kashtite.com

L’Etranger
ul. Tsar Simeon 78,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 983-1417/ 88 752-3376
Email: bistrot_letranger@hotmail.com

Moderato
ul. Atanas Dalchev 6,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 970-0111

Otvud aleyata zad shkafa
ul. Budapeshta 31,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 983-5545

Trikrakoto pile
ul. Denkoglu 3,
Sofia
Tel: 359 2 986-2653
Email: trikrakotopile@abv.bg

Uno Enoteca
bul. Vasil Levski 45,
Sofia
Tel: +359 2 981-4372
Email: enoteca@uno-sofia.com
Website: www.uno-sofia.com

SHOPPING IN BULGARIA / BULGARIA SHOPPING GUIDE

Bulgaria Info — Wed May 16, 2007 8:08 am

Author: Bulgaria Info

Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 8:08 am

SHOPPING IN BULGARIA

General

Sofia’s smartest shops – including any number of international designer outlets - jostle for attention along either side of bul. Vitosha, the city’s main north-south artery. Mainstream clothes, domestic and electrical stores can also be found in abundance along consumer-clogged streets like ul. Graf Ignatiev and ul. Pirotska.

Other interesting purchases are handicrafts, wines, spirits and confectionery. Ploshtad Aleksandur Nevski is an open-air bric-a-brac market offering communist-era medals, stamps, postcards, junk from granny’s attic, and some genuine antiques. Lace-makers and embroiderers sell their wares at the eastern end of the strip on the corner of pl. Aleksandur Nevski and ul. 11 August.

Shopping hours

Shops and stores are generally open Mon-Fri 1000-2000, Sat 1000-1400.

Banking hours

Mon-Fri 0900-1600.

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.

Notes:
(a) The Lev is tied to the Euro at a fixed rate; &Euro;1 = Lv1.955.
(b) Notes dated 1997 and earlier are now out of circulation.

Currency exchange

A bordereaux receipt indicating the amount of currency exchanged will be given, and must be kept until departure. Visitors are advised to exchange money at banks and at large hotels. Travellers should not change currency on the black market, and they should exercise caution when exchanging money in bureaux de change since some have been known to dupe customers with misleading rates of exchange. No store, bank or change bureau will accept mutilated, torn or excessively dirty foreign currency. ATMs are widespread, although it is best to check with the relevant bank/card provider prior to travel.

Credit & debit cards

American Express, Diners Club, Mastercard and Visa are accepted in large cities, in larger hotels and car hire offices, and in some restaurants and shops, mainly in Sofia. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services that may be available. However, Bulgaria is still a country that operates mainly on currency, rather than credit cards.

Travellers cheques

Accepted in major hotels and restaurants. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling.

Currency restrictions

The import and export of local currency is prohibited. The import of foreign currency is unlimited, provided declared on arrival. The export of foreign currency is limited to the amount declared on arrival. Local currency can be exchanged at the airport on production of a bordereaux.

Note: Travellers should check the currency regulations just prior to departure, as they may change.