Culture and Customs of Bulgaria

Arts, Crafts, and Architecture

Arts

Crafts

Architecture

Museums

Customs and Traditions

Local Traditions

Etiquette

Dress and Behavior

Sensitive or Taboo Topics

Languages

While Bulgarian is the official language, there are also various minority languages such as Turkish, Romani (the language of the Roma), and Macedonian spoken locally. Among foreign languages, Russian and German are relatively common among older generations, unlike French, which is spoken by almost no one, even though Bulgaria is a member of the Francophonie. As for English, few people speak it fluently, though younger generations are starting to learn it well, and in all tourist areas, you will (almost) always find some English speakers.

Important to know: it is the Cyrillic alphabet that is officially used in the country, although the Latin alphabet is also present today, especially in tourist areas. In short, it may be useful to familiarize yourself with the Cyrillic alphabet, as it will help you decipher street names and city names, among other things.