Planning a Road Trip in Bulgaria

 Are you planning to visit Bulgaria soon? Bulgaria is at its best behaviour during October and November, and one of the best ways to see the country is to plan a road trip in Bulgaria. But before you do that, have you booked your flight to Sofia Bulgaria from Dublin Ireland yet?

Driving in Bulgaria is a lot of fun and is the most convenient way to travel to the best destinations in the country. Many of the sites in Bulgaria are only accessible by car. So it is important to do your research much in advance so that you can reach your destination on time.

We are going to talk about the best places to visit in Bulgaria, but first, a few tips on driving in Bulgaria.

#1: Don’t expect the roads to be up to first world standards.

Roads in Bulgaria are not bad and are improving fast, but you cannot compare them to the roads in Ireland or the UK. They are just not up to first world standards. Bulgaria is a middle-income country which has only recently taken to free market capitalism. So it will take time before the infrastructure in Bulgaria becomes world class.

#2: Driving in the countryside.

The roads in the cities are okay, but in the countryside, they can be quite bumpy. The surface of the roads in the countryside is made from poor quality asphalt, and may have many missing markings. Drive slowly and carefully on such surfaces and pay attention to the bumps and potholes – particularly at night. It’s better to get a car insurance so that you can stay protected against financial losses resulting from accidents or vehicle breakdowns.

 #3: Stop at Zebras

It may shock you that not all cars in Bulgaria stop at the Zebras to wait for the pedestrians to cross the road. This is changing fast and the police fines those who fail to stop at Zebras heavily. You must stop on the walkways so that pedestrians can pass through. The first priority should always be given to pedestrians.

#4: Make allowance for mistakes by other drivers

One of the most unfortunate things about driving in Bulgaria is that drivers here can be pretty reckless. It could be because of many reasons – lack of driving experience, lack of ethics and may be because of lack of education. Whatever it is, you must make an allowance for the fact that some Bulgarians are liable to make mistakes while driving. So this means maintaining a distance of at least 5 feet between yourself and the vehicle ahead of you; being extra careful at turns and sideways, and driving at a steady speed.

 #5: Don’t hesitate to approach the authorities.

If you get into an accident or into a confrontation with another driver, don’t wait too long to contact the authorities. Bulgarian authorities are very strict about violations of road rules and they take swift action against reckless drivers.

You will enjoy driving to the following places in Bulgaria:

Ø The Buzludzha monument 

Ø The 7 Rila Lakes 

Ø The Rila Monastery   

Ø The Rhodope region 

Ø Sunny Beach

 That’s it from us! Have fun in Bulgaria!