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Location
Western Bulgaria.

Dialling code
359.

Population
1,400,000.

Time zone
GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).

Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two-pin or three-pin plugs are in use.

Average January temperatures
- 2°C (28.5°F).

Average July temperatures
22°C (71.5°F).

Annual rainfall
645mm (25.4 inches).

Cost of Living:

1 Bulgarian Lev (лв1) = £0.46;
US$0.69; C$0.84; A$0.99; €0.51
Currency conversion rates as of January 2009

Special Events:

Marenitsa, Feb-Mar, the coming of spring is celebrated by wearing red and white tassels, throughout the city
St Trifon’s Day, 14 Feb, a vine growing and wine making festival, villages outside the city
Liberation Day, 3 Mar, national holiday celebrating liberation from Ottoman rule in 1878, throughout the city
Sofia International Film Festival, Mar, 10-day showcase of films from around the world
Orthodox Easter, Mar-Apr, throughout the city
Labor Day, 1 May, national holiday, throughout the city
St George’s Day, 6 May, Orthodox festival and official holiday, also agricultural celebration heralding the end of spring and beginning of summer, throughout the city
Bulgarian Culture and Slavonic Script Day, 24 May, national holiday honoring Saints Cyril and Methodius for devising the Bulgarian Cyrillic alphabet, throughout the city
Festival of European Co-productions, early Jun, international annual non-competitive feature film festival, Lumière Cinema, NDK
Birthday of St John of Rila, 18 Aug, Rila Monastery
Folk Music Festival, first weekend Aug, Koprivshtitsa
Day of Unification, 6 Sep, national holiday, throughout the city
Independence Day, national holiday, 22 Sep, throughout the city
Feast Day of St John of Rila, 19 Oct, Rila Monastery
Kinomania, Nov, three-week film festival, showing the newest and best international and Bulgarian films, NDK
St Nicholas’ Day, 12 Dec, throughout the city
Christmas, 25-26 Dec, national holiday - most families celebrate Christmas on 25 Dec, although traditional Orthodox Christmas is 7 Jan, throughout the city
New Year’s Eve, 31 Dec, festivities, throughout the city


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    Related Bulgaria Content

       The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
  • Overview
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  •    Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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