A Flavour of Bulgaria
Con Sprenger from Canada has been cruising the Black Sea during the summer of 2011 and sent noonsite a great many updates for these little-visited ports. Hopefully, his notes will encourage more cruisers to visit this wonderful cruising ground. Below are excerpts from various emails Consent to noonsite regarding the delights of Bulgaria. He is happy to communicate with cruisers wanting further info.
Published 13 years ago, updated 6 years ago
A lot has changed since the last write up was done, and hopefully, this new information will encourage others to visit this country.
The people do not smile a lot by nature, but they are very friendly and helpful. The beaches are endless, the fresh fruit and produce out of this world – cost is very low – peaches and nectarines are in season now and can be bought for around 1 euro a kilo at roadside stalls, local stores or markets.
We regularly took the set menu for lunch, a soup, main dish and dessert all for 2.80 euro, throw in a drink and lunch for 2 would come to less than 10 euros. These meals were not just offered in out of the way places, we had those in beachfront eateries with a view that is to die for.
If there was an international competition for port officials, Bulgaria would win the gold medal, hands-down, not just for the Black Sea but also for the entire Mediterranean. Clearing in consists of completing a short entry form which becomes the cruising permit for the entire country and getting the passports stamped. Officials are very friendly and helpful and ready to take the lines when you arrive. There are no longer any restricted areas, and once cleared in there is no requirement to check in with any authorities at intermediate ports, except when clearing out again.
The best port to clear in coming from Turkey is Tzarevo, and coming from Romania is Balchik, yachts can also clear-in in Varna and Burgas. Burgas is a large commercial harbour with limited facilities for private yachts, Sozopol would be a better place to stop, it has a well protected and safe marina with good bus service to Burgas and from there connections to elsewhere.
“Cruising Bulgaria and Romania” by Nicky Allardice and published by Imray is out of date. Better and more current information is on noonsite and in the Black Sea Cruising guide published by the RCC Pilotage Foundation (periodically updated) and available at no charge at http://www.rccpf.org.uk. [Broken Link]
Our thanks to Con for all his help with keeping noonsite current.
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