Customs and habits in Bulgaria: what you need to know for everyday life
In Bulgaria, people speak Bulgarian and write in the Cyrillic alphabet: learning to read the letters will help you from the very first week (signs, forms, bills). Since 01/01/2026, the currency is the euro (€1 = 1.95583 old leva), even though you will still see prices or scales in leva. In an emergency, dial 112, free, with operators who also speak languages other than Bulgarian.
Daily life
- Language: Bulgarian (the EU official language for Bulgaria), written in Cyrillic. In town and among young people, English helps; elsewhere, a few words change everything: здравейте (zdraveyte, hello), благодаря (blagodarya, thank you).
- "Yes" and "no": many Bulgarians nod up and down to say no and shake their head from side to side to say yes (very widespread custom, no official source read). If in doubt, ask for an answer in words: да (da, yes), не (ne, no).
- Politeness: Bulgarian distinguishes the informal "you" (ти) and the formal "you" (Вие); with strangers, elders and the administration, use the formal form and say господин / госпожа (Mr / Mrs) (common custom).
- Name days (имен ден): according to the tourist office, they are very much respected; the most famous are St John, St George and St Dimitar. On that day, it is often the person being celebrated who hosts (common custom, no official source read).
- Religion and festivals: customs are linked to Orthodox Christianity; Christmas and Easter are the most important festivals. Easter follows the Orthodox calendar and often falls on a different date than in the West.
- Tipping and shop opening hours: no official source read; customs to be confirmed.
- Pharmacy: if the health insurance fund (НЗОК) covers part or all of a medicine, you benefit from this cover only in a pharmacy that has an agreement with it; a non-reimbursed medicine can be bought in any pharmacy, at full price (Visit Bulgaria, written for visitors; your own situation depends on your insurance).
Public holidays
Official list of the Labour Code (Кодекс на труда, art. 154, para. 1, consolidated text updated to Държавен вестник No. 89 of 29/09/2026): 1 January, 3 March (national day, Liberation), 1 May, 6 May (St George's Day, Day of Bravery and of the Army), 24 May (Saints Cyril and Methodius, Day of the Alphabet, of Education and Culture), 6 September (Unification), 22 September (Independence), 24 December (Christmas Eve), 25 and 26 December, as well as Orthodox Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter and Easter Monday. 1 November (Ден на народните будители, Day of the Awakeners) appears in the same list, but it is a day off only in educational establishments.
In 2026, Orthodox Easter falls on 12 April (Good Friday 10 April, Holy Saturday 11 April, Monday 13 April). When a public holiday (except those of Easter) falls on a Saturday or a Sunday, the first or the first two working days that follow are days off (art. 154, para. 2, in force since 01/01/2017). The government may also declare other days off on an ad hoc basis (art. 154, para. 3).
Emergencies
- 112: single, free number for the ambulance, the fire brigade and the police; the tourist office specifies that its operators speak languages other than Bulgarian and that it works even outside the coverage of your mobile network.
- Direct numbers (ambulance, police, fire brigade): not checked against an official source; 112 is enough.
Common pitfalls
- Getting a nod wrong. Always confirm yes or no out loud.
- Paying according to a price in leva. Since 2026, divide by 1.95583 to get back to euros, or ask for the price in euros. Dual display in leva and euros was compulsory from 8 August 2025 to 8 August 2026 (European Commission).
- Planning a procedure around Orthodox Easter or 24 May. Administrations close.
What changes by country of origin
- For everyone: these customs apply whatever your nationality.
- British citizens (Scots included): no difference in daily life; for residence and health, see BG-SEJOUR-TOUS-001 and BG-SANTE-TOUS-001.
Official sources (6) ›
- Visit Bulgaria (official Bulgarian tourism portal), "Lifestyle and Culture"
- Visit Bulgaria, "Healthcare Services" (112, НЗОК-contracted pharmacies)
- European Commission, "112 – the European emergency number"
- European Commission, "Bulgaria and the euro" (euro since 01/01/2026)
- Lex.bg, Кодекс на труда (Labour Code), art. 154 (public holidays), consolidated text updated to ДВ No. 89 of 29/09/2026
- European Union, "Bulgaria" (country profile: official EU language, Bulgarian)