Tips for backpacking Bulgaria on a shoestring budget

Posted by shasha123456789@reddit | Shoestring | View on Reddit | 6 comments

Hi! I'm trying to plan my backpacking trip to Bulgaria and I would appreciate any tips on how I can save money (I'm from Asia and the exchange rate is giving me anxiety...)

How much cash (euros) should I carry with me? I have some US dollars with me- should I exhange this at the airport or the local banks/money changers?

Is it easy to withdraw money from the ATMs? (I'm a bit worried about incurring lots of extra charges, so I guess I should withdraw a bigger amount?)

To get to my hostel, I can just use the metro from the airport ya? Is there a weekly public transport card for metros/buses?

From my research so far, I should be able to get cheaper food from supermarkets and bakeries ya? Where should I go for good, cheap coffee/wine?

Are there certain days where some attractions/museums are free?

How much should I tip for the free walking tour?

I love live music (I'm a musician)- any music venues you'd recommend?

Thank you so, so much for your help!

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Effective_Tackle_195@reddit

Atms are always cheaper than carrying around lots of cash. Use a card known for international options (Schwap, Wise, Revolut)

Do you know if there are Bulgarian banks that do not charge a fee for ATM withdrawal? (I don't have those cards though. I have a debit card from a major bank in my country that can be used internationally.

Thank you again :)

manlikethomas@reddit

Assuming you will land in Sofia, there is a metro that takes your directly from SOF airport to the city centre for \~$1 USD.

wupper42@reddit

For simcards i can recommend this, its a spanish simcard send to your home and ready to use the moment you arrive in Bulgaria. Simcard have EU roaming. https://ebay.us/m/ixtE1T

OkFaithlessness2652@reddit

I am from Western Europe so my outlook is different.

In general Bulgaria is cheap, really cheap. Thanks to the Sovjets the train network is although a tad slow and old excellent (and very affordable). Also a super nice combo of tons of history lots of civilizations that stayed there, great wines, great nature and excellent beaches.

The metro takes you easily to the city center in Sofia.

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