Exploring Bulgaria In A Rented Car

A road trip by renting a car from Sofia, Bulgaria is indeed a memorable one. It is one of the best holidays that you can ever gift yourself and your family. How safe is it to travel by road from Sofia to the other regions of Bulgaria? I went through various reviews and found overwhelming remarks from people who have visited earlier confirming how they found Sofia safer than many European countries. I believed them and was not disappointed.

Select a reliable car rental

Most people rent a car from Sofia and look at the most popular destinations. Some book the car online. We did the latter. It was a hassle-free and smooth experience. We rented from a company recommended by a friend called http://www.val-kar.com/en. I was amazed at the variety of details that the website is furnished with and indeed they lived up to all that was written.

They helped me chalk out a few destinations. I was travelling with kids and was looking for fun, comfort and safety. They also recommended a few hotels and helped me make a prior booking. Being the cautious sort especially when travelling with kids, I do not like last moment surprises.  

Pack light, include essentials 

We travelled light as the Val-Kar people suggested. Though we travelled in the summers, we were advised to carry something warm as the weather could change. Since I had kids travelling with me, the advice turned to a blessing. I also carried raincoats as I was told it might rain and while hiking to the lakes it began to drizzle. I carried some basic medicines as told by the car rental agency. You won’t believe it, but they actually became our travel guide and handheld our total weeks' travel, offering remote support whenever we needed. 

Sightseeing while on a car trip

We visited Plovdiv and Koprivshtitsa, hiked to the Seven Rila Lakes, the Rila Monastery, the Prohodna Cave and drove to the Rhodope Mountains, it was an exhilarating experience. My kids enjoyed, and I felt on top of the world.

Learn useful local terms

Before going to Bulgaria, I decided to do a bit of homework and learnt a few native words that could come useful: 

Good morning: Dobro Utro

Good afternoon: Dobro Den

Good evening: Dobro Vecher

Good Night: Lekan Nosht

Hello: Zdraveyte

Thank you: Blagodarya, you can also say Merci.

It is difficult to pronounce but sounds so fascinating. I tried but could pick up only some words. 

Know the basic parking rules

Our car rental company told us to be extra cautious about parking. Within Sofia, the city has green and blue parking zones. They have hourly rates for limited hours. The Blue zone allows parking for only two hours and the price per hour is 2BGN. On weekdays the parking hours are from 08:00 AM to 07:00 PM. The time is cut short on weekends from 08:00 AM-02:00 PM. Green zones offer 4hours parking. The price per hour is 1BGN and the weekdays timing are similar while on weekends these parking areas can be availed for free.

Conclusion

Nothing could be a better decision than to explore Bulgaria by renting a car from Sofia. The service started at the airport and ended at the airport in Sofia.  It was worth the effort. I strongly recommend all to rent a car from Sofia and this company. They provide awesome service.