Bulgaria Travel Information
Safety and Health
Additional information regarding Safety and Security and Personal Health may be found on the FAQ menu. The following is a list of useful sites regarding safety, security, and/or health:
Students Abroad This site provides excellent travel information and links to the websites that provide information in regard to safety and health.
U.S. Embassy in Bulgaria
US State Department Bulgaria Background Notes
Overseas Security and Advisory Council
Center for Disease Control
World Health Organization
Visas
U.S. Citizens Traveling on regular passports are not required to obtain a visa if they are staying no more than 90 days within a 6 month period from their first date of arrival, but they should be able, upon request, be able to show evidence of medical insurance, valid in Bulgaria, and that covers the duration of their stay. U.S. citizens with regular passports intending to stay longer than 90 days must obtain a visa in advance. For more information contact:Flight Information
As an Isla participant, you are responsible for booking your own flight from you home to your international destination. Isla will give you the date and time of your expected arrival. Isla will provide transportation from the airport to the orientation site for you and a group of Isla participants.Please note that it is important that all Isla participants be picked up at the airport by Isla staff at the same time. It is therefore critical that you arrange for your flight to arrive at the airport at the designated time given to you by Isla. Please note that your fees cover only the cost of your pick up at the designated arrival time. If you miss the pick-up, you are responsible for covering the cost of transportation from the airport to the orientation site.
Which airlines are recommended? Whether you are flying an American or European airline, you will most likely have a stopover en route to Sofia in either in London, Paris, Munich, Frankfurt, Prague, Budapest, Warsaw, Rome, or Vienna. It is recommended that you choose a flight with the shortest and most comfortable layover and which will arrive in time for the group pickup.
Commonly used airlines include Delta, United, British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, CSA Czech Airlines, Malev (Hungarian Airlines), Lot Polish Airlines, Austrian Air, or Bulgaria Air.
You may wish to book your flight through a travel agent or through one of the many internet travel organizations, such as:
KAYAK – Connects you to flight bookings with Kayak, Expedia, Travelocity, Hotwire.
How do I find Isla staff when I arrive at the airport? After you have gone through passport and customs control, please make your way to the exit where you will find an Isla staff person holding a large Isla sign.
If I cannot meet the group for the scheduled pickup how do I get to the orientation site? If possible, you must let the Isla staff know in advance if you are unable to meet the group at the designated arrival time. It is not too difficult to take a taxi from the airport, but it is important that you contact us so that we can give you directions to the orientation site. Also, please remember that you will be responsible for the cost of transportation and any other additional costs.
Resources
News
Novinite, The Sofia News Agency
The Sofia Echo
BBC News Country Profile Bulgaria
Travel
Travel Guides
Lonely Planet Bulgaria (Country Guide)
The Rough Guide to Bulgaria
Lonely Planet Europe
Let’s Go Eastern Europe
Bulgarian Travel Websites
Bulgaria Travel
Sofia, The Insider’s Guide This guide is written by two British expats who have lived in Sofia for many years. It’s very useful and up to date.
Books of Interest
Culture Shock! Bulgaria (Culture Shock! Guides) (Paperback), by Agnes Sachsenroeder, Marshal Cavendish, 2008
The Mom with the Red Lipstick: An Adoption Memory of a Little Bulgarian Boy, (Paperback), by Lydia Kordalewski, AuthorHouse, 2008.
Under the Yoke: A Romance of Bulgarian Liberty, by Ivan Minchov Vazov, with an Introduction by Edmund Gosse (Paperback), Adamant Media Corporation, December 18, 2007.
A Concise History of Bulgaria (Cambridge Concise Histories) (Paperback), by R.J. Crampton, Cambridge University Press, 2006
Balkan Ghosts: A Journey Through History (Paperback), Robert D. Kaplan, Picador, 2000
Bulgarian Language
Lonely Planet Bulgarian Phrasebook (Paperback), by Ronelle Alexander, 2008
Intensive Bulgarian, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2: A Textbook & Reference Grammar (Paperback), by Ronelle Alexander (author) and Olga M. Mladenvoa (contributor), University of Wisconsin Press, 2000
Teach Yourself Bulgarian Conversation (3CDs + Guide) (Teach Yourself) (Audio CD), by Mira Kovatcheva and Michael Holman,McGraw-Hill, 2007
