Organised criminal groups are active in casinos, nightclubs, prostitution and elsewhere. Serious crime is rare and people unconnected with these groups have not been specifically targeted.

You should be aware that, on occasion, tourists have been the subject of overcharging in some late night bars and clubs.

There are reports of several incidents of British nationals being robbed in the tourist resort of Sunny Beach, where in some cases intimidation and force has been used.

There have also been incidents in the residential areas of Sofia, Pleven and Topolovgrad in which properties belonging to British nationals were broken into.

This advice is based on information provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the UK. It is correct at time of publishing. As the situation can change rapidly, visitors are advised to contact the following organisations for the latest travel advice:

British Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Tel: 0845 850 2829.
Website: www.fco.gov.uk

US Department of State

Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel
Embassies and tourist offices

Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in the USA

1621 22nd Street, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 387 0174 or 7969 (consular office).
www.bulgaria-embassy.org
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1730.

Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in the UK

186-188 Queen's Gate, London SW7 5HL, UK
Tel: (020) 7584 9400 or 9433 (general enquiries) or 0906 550 8950 (visa section; recorded information; calls cost £1 per minute) or (020) 7589 3763 (visa section; individual enquiries; Mon-Fri 1300-1500 only).

www.bulgarianembassy.org.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1800 (general enquiries) or 0930-1230 (visa applications with appointment) or 1230-1400 (visa applications without appointment).

National Tourist Information Centre

Ploshtad Sveta Nedelya 1, 1040 Sofia, Bulgaria
Tel: (02) 933 5811.
www.bulgariatravel.org
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1800.