Poms Downunder Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 Hi all We're a 50-ish couple originally from Essex now living in Adelaide, South Australia, and we've hired a motorhome (with bikes) next June to tour Bulgaria for a couple of weeks. At the moment after many hours or research (when I should have been working - oops!) our itinerary looks like Sofia - Rila - Melnik - Rhodopi Mtns - Plovdiv - Shipka - Veliko Tarnovo - Varna - Ruse - Krushuna Waterfalls - Sofia over 16 nights. Have been using Park4Night to look up overnight spots in and around each, mostly wildcamping with a couple of campsites thrown in along the way. We did a similar thing in Slovenia this year, and Germany last. Looking forward to hearing from anyone who has been to any of these places. Diane and Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtravel Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 I've never been to Bulgaria but I'm planning the trip, probably for next summer. Below my rough itinerary. Coming from North-West in and out will be from/to Serbia (in at Zajecar, out from Dragoman). Zajecar (Bulgarian Border) Vidin Magura cave Belogradchik Montana Sofia Koprivshtitsa Karlovo Kazanlak Memorial Church and Shipka Monument Gabrovo Bozhentsi Dryanovo Veliko Tarnovo Arbanasi Monastery of the Transfiguration Veliko Tarnovo Ivanovo Madara Nessebar Plovdiv Plovdiv Asenovgrad Bachkovo Monastery Separeva Banja Rila Rozhen Monastery Rila Monastery Dragoman / Serbian Border) Some sites I've collected: Even if discontinued www.campings-in-bulgarije.com provides information. Other on https://camping.bg/en/ or https://www.myguidebulgaria.com/accommodation/campsites. Max p.s. I live in Italy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 Poms Downunder - 2019-12-11 1:35 AM Hi all We're a 50-ish couple originally from Essex now living in Adelaide, South Australia, and we've hired a motorhome (with bikes) next June to tour Bulgaria for a couple of weeks. At the moment after many hours or research (when I should have been working - oops!) our itinerary looks like Sofia - Rila - Melnik - Rhodopi Mtns - Plovdiv - Shipka - Veliko Tarnovo - Varna - Ruse - Krushuna Waterfalls - Sofia over 16 nights. Have been using Park4Night to look up overnight spots in and around each, mostly wildcamping with a couple of campsites thrown in along the way. We did a similar thing in Slovenia this year, and Germany last. Looking forward to hearing from anyone who has been to any of these places. Diane and Ian Re wild camping, have you checked that this is acceptable in Bulgaria? I ask, because several of the ex eastern bloc countries do not accept it, and it is necessary to use sites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtravel Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 Brian Kirby - 2019-12-11 3:38 PM Re wild camping, have you checked that this is acceptable in Bulgaria? I ask, because several of the ex eastern bloc countries do not accept it, and it is necessary to use sites. To my knowledge the only Countries strictly not allowing wild camping are Slovenia and Croatia. Said that, some rest areas exist, usually managed by restaurants. Bulgaria seems to have recently adopted a similar law, therefore a preliminary check is highly recommended. I still don't know Bulgaria but for instance in Romania you can spend the night at quite frequent "pensiune", sort of motel/inn/small hotel. I remember wild camping nights in Arad, Lacul Rosu ans Sinaia. Max p.s. Eastern Countries: With the exception of Bulgaria and few former Yugoslavia Countries I visited almost all ex Eastern Countries, Baltic States included. Even if in summertime we usually stay at campsites, I never found signals forbidding wild camping (aka UK no-overnight or no-sleeping). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 This reasonably recent (July 2017) blog may be of interest https://followourmotorhome.co.uk/2017/07/25/the-bulgarian-experience-our-top-tips-for-visiting-in-a-motorhome/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poms Downunder Posted December 13, 2019 Author Share Posted December 13, 2019 Brian Kirby - 2019-12-12 2:38 AM Re wild camping, have you checked that this is acceptable in Bulgaria? I ask, because several of the ex eastern bloc countries do not accept it, and it is necessary to use sites. Looking on Park4Night, and from information I've had through a question on TripAdvisor, it does seem to be ok to park up overnight in all sorts of places, as long as you don't set up a whole load of outside camping paraphernalia :-D I'm trying to learn some Bulgarian phrases at the moment and "mozhem li da ostanem tuk edna nosht" (Can we stay here overnight?) is on my list! I've also set up a blog which includes some details of my planning so far https://winingpoms.travel.blog/2019/12/11/example-post/ but obviously there's some stuff you only find out when you're actually there :-D I see you have a Knaus - the motorhome we are hiring is a Knaus too - previously we've hired an Adria and a Dethleffs. (Edited to fix your link - Keithl) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poms Downunder Posted December 13, 2019 Author Share Posted December 13, 2019 Derek Uzzell - 2019-12-13 2:21 AM This reasonably recent (July 2017) blog may be of interest https://followourmotorhome.co.uk/2017/07/25/the-bulgarian-experience-our-top-tips-for-visiting-in-a-motorhome/ Thank you. Yes, that one is very useful - particularly their top tips. I was wondering where to fill up water, empty tanks etc if not on sites with facilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulletguy Posted December 16, 2019 Share Posted December 16, 2019 Poms Downunder - 2019-12-13 12:06 AM Derek Uzzell - 2019-12-13 2:21 AM This reasonably recent (July 2017) blog may be of interest https://followourmotorhome.co.uk/2017/07/25/the-bulgarian-experience-our-top-tips-for-visiting-in-a-motorhome/ Thank you. Yes, that one is very useful - particularly their top tips. I was wondering where to fill up water, empty tanks etc if not on sites with facilities. That link Derek posted is very good and water is easily available in vlllages, towns, laybys. and service stations. Though the blog mentions the Vignette it's worth stressing the importance to get one as soon as possible after crossing the border as police regularly carry out roadside checks looking for the unsuspecting tourist......and fines are 'on the spot' and very high, around 400€, and they will march you off to an ATM if you don't have enough cash. For how little the vignette costs it isn't worth risking! The blog is right about wildcamping so you should find plenty of spots in the country as long as you don't set up camp. Campsites are a bit scarce in Bulgaria but aren't expensive. Here are a couple i'd recommend. Camping Verila (at Sapareva Banya) The ground isn't particularly large and not all is flat, but amenities are excellent (ignore the photos as they are old ones). It has a large outdoor seating area, covered but open, plus a small air-conditioned restaurant with a reasonable selection of dishes. https://en.camping.info/bulgaria/bulgaria/camping-verila-25078 Kapinovski Monastery Campsite Well worth a visit. Set in the foothills of the Balkans the site is large and very well organised with excellent facilities. The bar serves snacks but for meals the restaurant is top class serving full a la carte menu...sit indoors or better still, outside on the large terrace overlooking the mountain falls which bathers use as a plunge pool. There is also a large outdoor swimming pool. For a large site i found it amazingly peaceful and quiet, even during the day. https://en.camping.info/bulgaria/bulgaria/campsite-kapinovski-monastery-26831 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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