Top tips for Bulgaria and Romania please?

Jane NotRog

Jane NotRog

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Eura Mobil Xtura 686
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If you’ve travelled to either of these, I’d love to hear your recommendations. Cracking campsites (and wild camps). Wonderful walks. Fabulous food at ravishing restaurants. Brilliant buildings.

Thanks!
 
Have a read through 'our grand tour' (search) form about post #66. It's our journey log up through Bulgaria and Romania.
You could spend a month or so in each country and not see it all but we were on a tight schedule.
To be honest we only had one memorable meal in Sofia and then only because we were taken there by a local. The rest of the time food out was pretty average.
 
In Bulgaria go to the Rila National Park, Monasteries and fantastic walking, lots!
How big is your van?
How long do you want to spend in Bulgaria?
What time of year are you going?
What type of walking do you like to do?
 
Thanks!

Van is 6.4m. Not sure when we go as depends a bit on other factors, but ideally April / May / June ish.

We walk up to about 20km, don't mind hills and mountains, recently did Scafell Pike for example, but nothing like proper scrambling or climbing. Neither the dog nor I have a decent head for heights (cliffs etc).

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Have a look at Netflix “Flavours of Romania” documentary series. The last two episodes are filmed in my region. Charlie does a good impartial explanation of all areas of the country. Some places are better than the others, but if you do go to Romania you will love it. Wild camping pretty anywhere you like, even edge of national parks in the wild are allowed.
 
Raul said:
Have a look at Netflix “Flavours of Romania” documentary series. The last two episodes are filmed in my region. Charlie does a good impartial explanation of all areas of the country. Some places are better than the others, but if you do go to Romania you will love it. Wild camping pretty anywhere you like, even edge of national parks in the wild are allowed.
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Thanks very much for that - I always love to find a decent documentary as it’s much easier to get a feel for a place.
 
Son is married to a Bulgarian so we have been a few times.
2 places i always recommend as we personally love em are Bansko and Plodiv.
As for food it's pot luck (or pot roast).
Always hotel so cannot vouch for camp sites.
 
And I just read that Bulgaria and Romania are joining Schengen on Mar 31st. What timing!

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Jane And Rog said:
And I just read that Bulgaria and Romania are joining Schengen on Mar 31st. What timing!
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Only for aerial and naval transportation for the time being, the road transportation it’s still out of shengen, so Romania will still count outside shengen, unless you fly in or sail in.
 
Raul said:
Only for aerial and naval transportation for the time being, the road transportation it’s still out of shengen, so Romania will still count outside shengen, unless you fly in or sail in.
Click to expand...
That’s brilliant news, thanks. Any idea when it changes for road crossings?
 
We went to Bulgaria last year. If you go to Rila Monastery, after visiting keep driving up the road it is on, pretty much to the end. There you will find a tiny restaurant, and you can park there overnight and eat in said restaurant. I think I put a link to our Bulgarian blog here https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/foru...r-croatia-bosniaherzegovina-next-year.283257/

Oh and definitely go to the Buzludzha monument!

Let me know if you need coordinates for any of the places we stayed.
 
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We managed to wild camp quite a bit in Romania, and also found some small campsites in villages that were run by Dutch missionaries, many of whom had stayed in Romania after originally working in the terrible orphanages that were left after the Nicolae Ceaușescu regime.
One recommendation that sticks out in my mind is The Merry Cemetery in the village of Săpânţa in Maramureș region. Google it. Also the painted churches
located in the region called Bukovina are worth visiting due to their extensive interior and exterior decorations.
We loved Romania.

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I was told by a Romanian lorry driver who came to my works for a load of stone that if the police see a British plate they will find an excuse to pull you and relieve you of some cash. I really don’t know how true this is🤷‍♂️
Look forward to the blog Jane And Rog
 
Jane And Rog said:
That’s brilliant news, thanks. Any idea when it changes for road crossings?
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https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_6861I think having read this article and a few others, even though the land borders aren’t “in play” the days will in fact start counting when the air and sea borders count and Romania and Bulgaria join on 31st March 24. I have been watching this as we travel to both later in the year for 5 weeks. I may be wrong, fingers crossed, but it would be very confusing for everyone at the French ferry ports!

It seems it’s Austria who are causing the delays to full admittance to Schengen for Bulgaria, and Romania get lumped in with them because of the timing. It’s very interesting but would turn the thread horribly political so don’t worry I won’t.

May be good news afterall for us travellers but a pain for Romania and Bulgaria whilst it lingers on for a bit.
 
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Our experience in Romania I think proves its a mith that the police pull over UK registered vehicles. We passed quite a few police check points and not stopped once.
We had some trivial contact with police in a small city and they could not have been more helpful.
 
Raul said:
Have a look at Netflix “Flavours of Romania” documentary series. The last two episodes are filmed in my region. Charlie does a good impartial explanation of all areas of the country. Some places are better than the others, but if you do go to Romania you will love it. Wild camping pretty anywhere you like, even edge of national parks in the wild are allowed.
Click to expand...

Finally got around to this last night, and we can't find it on UK Netflix. A quick google seems to say that it was only released in Romania. Anyone know where we can find it?
 
Try YouTube documentaries, we watched it on a UK Netflix account, don’t have a Ro one. Weird.

Found in on you tube, season 1 ep 1, you will have to find the others. There is two seasons.

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Poms_from_Adelaide said:
We went to Bulgaria last year. If you go to Rila Monastery, after visiting keep driving up the road it is on, pretty much to the end. There you will find a tiny restaurant, and you can park there overnight and eat in said restaurant.
Click to expand...

We stayed overnight at Rila. It looks fantastic at night.
029 Riva IMG_0946.jpg
 
I lived and worked in Romania for four years. A truly beautiful country with very friendly people. I particularly liked the mountain regions of Brasov and Sinaia and the lovely Black Sea coast of Constanta. The monasteries with their blue frescos are amazing.
 
Raul said:
Try YouTube documentaries, we watched it on a UK Netflix account, don’t have a Ro one. Weird.

Found in on you tube, season 1 ep 1, you will have to find the others. There is two seasons.
Click to expand...

Thanks Raul!
 
carolyn said:
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_6861I think having read this article and a few others, even though the land borders aren’t “in play” the days will in fact start counting when the air and sea borders count and Romania and Bulgaria join on 31st March 24. I have been watching this as we travel to both later in the year for 5 weeks. I may be wrong, fingers crossed, but it would be very confusing for everyone at the French ferry ports!

It seems it’s Austria who are causing the delays to full admittance to Schengen for Bulgaria, and Romania get lumped in with them because of the timing. It’s very interesting but would turn the thread horribly political so don’t worry I won’t.

May be good news afterall for us travellers but a pain for Romania and Bulgaria whilst it lingers on for a bit.
Click to expand...

I'm finding this hard to understand.
From April 1st it all changes.
Some websites say your (UK) days will count towards the 90 day Shengen allowance.

UK gov says this


........From 31 March 2024, Bulgaria will partially join Schengen. At this point, Bulgaria will only join Schengen for border control-free travel via air and sea. Border controls will remain at all land and river borders, including those within the Schengen zone. Visits to any other Schengen countries in the 180 days before you travel to Bulgaria will count towards your 90 day visa-free limit.

From 31 March 2024 if you’re travelling to Bulgaria (and all other Schengen countries) without a visa, make sure your whole visit to the Schengen area is within the 90-day limit.........


I think that means if you are in Bulgaria by 31 March you are OK. If you go in after, despite border controls on the road, it counts towards your 90 day Shengen limit.


But who knows
 
Poms_from_Adelaide said:
Did you stay in the rooms they let out? What were they like? Was it very 'monk'ish?
Click to expand...

Sorry, I've only just seen this! No, we stayed in our motorhome in their car park. It is possible to stay there overnight - saw lots of people doing so - but don't have any details, I'm afraid.
 
billym said:
I'm finding this hard to understand.
From April 1st it all changes.
Some websites say your (UK) days will count towards the 90 day Shengen allowance.

UK gov says this


........From 31 March 2024, Bulgaria will partially join Schengen. At this point, Bulgaria will only join Schengen for border control-free travel via air and sea. Border controls will remain at all land and river borders, including those within the Schengen zone. Visits to any other Schengen countries in the 180 days before you travel to Bulgaria will count towards your 90 day visa-free limit.

From 31 March 2024 if you’re travelling to Bulgaria (and all other Schengen countries) without a visa, make sure your whole visit to the Schengen area is within the 90-day limit.........


I think that means if you are in Bulgaria by 31 March you are OK. If you go in after, despite border controls on the road, it counts towards your 90 day Shengen limit.


But who knows
Click to expand...
Oh that's a shame for us. :(
 
I have checked this as well on the Ro site, mae ro, foreign affairs ro. It looks like from 1st of April, it will count towards the 90 days.

Starting with this date, air and sea border controls will be lifted.

At the same time, Romanian authorities will fully apply the Schengen acquis and will, subsequently, issue Schengen visas which will allow holders to travel within the Schengen area for stays not exceeding 90 days in any 180-day period.

From March 31st, 2024, in accordance with Article 6 of the Schengen Borders Code, the maximum duration of the authorized stay on the territory of the Schengen States for third-country nationals, regardless of whether they are required to hold a visa or are exempt from such a requirement, may not exceed a total of „90 days in any 180-day period”, irrespective of the type of passport they possess.
 

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