Bulgaria: is it good
for a family trip?
Yes, and it is more accessible than most families assume. A single connection, year-round, through hubs like Istanbul, Frankfurt or Zurich gets you to Sofia, and the honest version of the trip is worth reading before you go.
One connection, several good options.
Bulgaria has no nonstop from Boston, but reaching Sofia takes just one connection, year-round, via Istanbul, Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, Zurich or Paris. Several of those hubs are already on routes we fly regularly for other trips.
Sofia, honestly, not glossy.
Sofia came into our own trip as a practical move, a stop outside the Schengen zone to reset our days in Europe, and it turned into one of our more memorable stops. Parts of the city have a rough, lived-in edge, and we say so plainly in the full guide, but it felt extremely safe throughout.
What families ask us.
Is there a nonstop flight from Boston to Bulgaria?
No, but it is a single easy connection, year-round, via Istanbul, Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna, Zurich or Paris, several of which are on routes NOE already flies regularly.
Is Bulgaria good for a family trip with kids?
Yes, and it is honest, not glossy: parts of Sofia have a rough, lived-in edge, which we say plainly in the full guide, but it felt extremely safe and became one of our more memorable stops.
Why would a family go to Bulgaria instead of Western Europe?
Sofia came into our own trip as a practical move, a stop outside the Schengen zone to reset days in Europe, and it turned into a real destination in its own right.
Where can I read the full Bulgaria itinerary?
At our Bulgaria guide: Sofia firsthand, plus Plovdiv and the Black Sea coast researched but not yet visited by us, clearly marked as such.