Bulgaria

Capital City: Sofia

People: Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other 2% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian)

Religion: Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian 1.2%, other 4%

Language: Bulgarian 84.5%, Turkish 9.6%, Roma 4.1%, other and unspecified 1.8%

Currency: Bulgarian Lev

Electrical Voltage: 220 volts

How to get there:
By plane: There are four international airports: Sofia, Varna, Bourgas, and Plovdiv. While flights to Sofia are normally priced, there are a lot of charter and last-minute flight offers to the other two cities leaving from Western Europe (especially Germany and Great Britain). You can go from German airports to Varna or Bourgas and back for less than 100 Euro, if you are lucky.
Recently several low-cost airlines have also offered regular flights to Bulgaria.

By train: International trains provide a large number of routes to Bulgaria, notably Sofia and Varna, arriving from such places as Kiev, Istanbul, Vienna, and other common cities.
The primary trains from Bucharest to Sofia, and back, run twice daily through the border city of Ruse. For example, recent trains are scheduled from Bucharest to Sofia in the daytime departing 11:35/arriving 21:30 and a night train departing 19:35/arriving 06:10. Passport control and customs takes place in Ruse, approximately mid-trip. Check local train stations for updated information.

By bus: Buses to and from Sofia go to most major cities in Europe - while Bulgarian bus companies will be cheaper (and mostly offer less comfort), the tickets are hard to get by if you are traveling to Bulgaria, so you can always take Eurolines buses. Don't be surprised if an extra "border fee" is asked from each traveler by the bus driver - it makes your border passing quicker. Most buses from Western Europe will pass through Serbia, so be sure to check if you need a transit visa beforehand (Serbian visas for citizens of the EU have recently been abolished).

Weather: Temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers

Travel Documentation and Custom Duty: Most of the foreign citizens entering Bulgaria don’t need visa but they must carry their valid international passport. The list of the countries which citizens need visa, when entering Bulgaria, can be found at www.mfe.government.bg

Getting Around: Bus, Train, Taxi, Car
 
Tourism Website: http://www.bulgariatravel.org/eng/index.php

Medical Facilities:

Banks:

Emergency Numbers: Fire-brigade 160, First Aid 150, Police 166, Road assistance 146
Telephone information 144, Traffic police – car accidents +359 2/ 982 72 823, 866 50 60