When is the best time to go to Bulgaria?

When is the best time to go to Bulgaria? Here's some information to help you in your decision:

  • In Bulgaria, the weather is good everywhere in May, July, August and September
  • The best months to go to Sofia are April, May, June, July, August, September and October
  • On average, the warmest months in Sofia are July and August, and the coldest month of the year is January
  • The rainiest months in this city are May and June
  • The cities with the best climate are Sofia, Burgas, Plovdiv, Montana, Pazardjik, Pleven, Sliven, Vidin, Ardino and Etara, with good weather at least 7 months a year
  • The best months for swimming in Burgas are June, July, August and September


Where and when to go based on the weather?

Map of the best times to visit Bulgaria
Map of the best times to visit Bulgaria ©whereandwhen.net

Black sea coast of Bulgaria
Varna, Burgas, Slantchev Briag (Sunny Beach)...

July, August and September
23°C to 30°C°C
1 to 6 days
23°C to 25°C
May, June and October
18°C to 26°C°C
3 to 9 days
16°C to 22°C
April and November
13°C to 16°C°C
2 to 5 days
10°C to 14°C
January, February, March and December
4°C to 12°C°C
3 to 7 days
7°C to 11°C

Central of Bulgaria
Plovdiv, Pleven, Sliven...

August and September
25°C to 33°C°C
1 to 4 days
April, May, June, July and October
17°C to 32°C°C
2 to 13 days
November
12°C to 15°C°C
2 to 3 days
January, February, March and December
3°C to 14°C°C
3 to 6 days

North West of Bulgaria
Sofia, Montana, Vidin...

August and September
24°C to 33°C°C
2 to 5 days
April, May, June, July and October
16°C to 32°C°C
3 to 13 days
January, February, March, November and December
3°C to 13°C°C
3 to 8 days

South West of Bulgaria
Melnik, Blagoevgrad, Pazardjik...

May, June, July, August and September
19°C to 31°C°C
3 to 13 days
April and October
14°C to 20°C°C
3 to 10 days
January, February, March, November and December
3°C to 15°C°C
3 to 8 days

Best time to travel to Bulgaria by cities

See full list of cities


Temperatures and rainfall in Bulgaria

On these 3 graphs, we present the evolution of temperatures of Bulgaria and month-by-month rainfall for the cities of Sofia, Burgas, Plovdiv, Slantchev Briag (Sunny Beach) and Varna, as well as the month-by-month sea temperature for coastal cities.


Peak visitor numbers and tourist seasons in Bulgaria

Find out when Bulgaria has its high tourist season (the period when the influx of tourists is highest) and off-peak tourist season using our data and figures.

Tourist seasons in Bulgaria

The months with low numbers of tourists are: January, February, March, April, May, October, November and December. The number of visitors to Bulgaria is high in: June, July, August and September.

  • Very low season in Bulgaria: January, February and November.
  • Low season in Bulgaria: March, April, May, October and December.
  • High season in Bulgaria: June and September.
  • Peak season in Bulgaria: July and August.

Figure: Visitor index for Bulgaria month by month



Average price for flights to Bulgaria

A return flight between London and Varna is generally cheaper if you go in november ($ 114 on average): this is the best time for travellers on a tight budget. In contrast, you may end up paying $ 253 more for your airline ticket to Varna if you go in august.

Find the best price for your flight Flight prices to Bulgaria



Where to go in Bulgaria?

This table allows you to see the maximum temperature for each city and our opinion on the weather month by month (see colour legend below the table).

Cities jan.feb.mar.apr.mayjun.jul.aug.sep.oct.nov.dec.
Sofia4°C7°C11°C16°C21°C25°C28°C29°C25°C18°C13°C7°C
Burgas7°C9°C12°C16°C21°C26°C29°C29°C25°C19°C15°C9°C
Plovdiv7°C9°C13°C19°C24°C28°C31°C32°C27°C20°C15°C9°C
Slantchev Briag (Sunny Beach)7°C9°C11°C15°C20°C25°C28°C29°C25°C19°C14°C9°C
Varna6°C8°C11°C15°C20°C25°C28°C29°C25°C18°C14°C8°C
Blagoevgrad5°C8°C11°C17°C22°C26°C29°C30°C24°C18°C12°C7°C
Melnik7°C10°C13°C18°C22°C27°C30°C31°C27°C20°C15°C9°C
Montana3°C6°C12°C17°C22°C26°C29°C31°C25°C17°C12°C6°C
Pazardjik7°C9°C13°C18°C24°C28°C31°C31°C26°C20°C15°C9°C
Pleven4°C7°C13°C19°C23°C28°C31°C32°C27°C19°C13°C7°C
Sliven5°C8°C12°C17°C22°C27°C30°C31°C26°C19°C14°C7°C
Vidin4°C7°C13°C19°C24°C29°C32°C33°C27°C19°C13°C7°C
Albena6°C8°C11°C15°C20°C25°C28°C29°C25°C18°C14°C8°C
Ardino7°C9°C13°C18°C23°C27°C31°C32°C27°C19°C15°C9°C
Baltchik6°C7°C10°C13°C19°C24°C27°C27°C23°C18°C13°C9°C
Bansko3°C5°C9°C14°C19°C23°C26°C27°C22°C16°C11°C5°C
Byala7°C8°C11°C15°C20°C25°C28°C28°C24°C18°C14°C9°C
Chabla6°C7°C10°C14°C19°C24°C27°C28°C24°C18°C13°C9°C
Etara4°C7°C11°C17°C21°C25°C28°C30°C25°C18°C13°C7°C
Haskovo7°C9°C14°C19°C25°C29°C32°C33°C28°C20°C15°C9°C

Legend:

perfect weather

good weather

tolerable weather

bad weather

very bad weather


About Bulgaria

What can I do in Bulgaria?

Beaches / swimming

Nature and countryside

Culture and heritage

Sports

Family travel

Crafts / shopping

Gastronomy

Nightlife



Is this weather information for Bulgaria reliable?

Climate data for Bulgaria has been gathered every day since January 2009. The analysis of these meteorological data for Bulgaria allows us to determine the average for each month in Sofia, Burgas, Plovdiv, Slantchev Briag (Sunny Beach), Varna, Blagoevgrad, Melnik, Montana, and 31 other cities.

So yes: this data is reliable except in cases of temporary climate disruption in the region.

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