Is Bulgaria Safe for Women? Crime Rate in Bulgaria
Safety rating
Women living in Bulgaria consider the safety level to be relatively high, with an overall safety rating of 3.7 out of 5.
Crime rating
Women living in Bulgaria consider the crime rate to be relatively low, with an overall crime rating of 1.6 out of 5.
Violence rating
On average 18.3% percentage of women in Bulgaria have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner at some time in their life, according to OECD Data.
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Crime & Safety Statistics
Based on 17 experiences
Safety rating: | 3.7/5 | Safe |
Safety walking alone after dark: | 3.1/5 | Moderate |
Safety using public transport: | 4.3/5 | Safe |
Crime rate: | 1.6/5 | Low |
Worries of being sexually harassed: | 1.5/5 | A Bit Worried |
Worries of being sexually assaulted or raped: | 1.2/5 | Not at all worried |
Worries of being physically attacked: | 1.4/5 | Not at all worried |
Worries of home broken and things stolen: | 1.1/5 | Not at all worried |
Worries of being mugged or robbed: | 1.2/5 | Not at all worried |
Worries of being kidnapped or murdered: | 1/5 | Not at all worried |
Is Bulgaria safe for women?
Sofia
It’s safe. The clubs, bars etc. have good security and outside on the streets no one will say anything if you are in the centre. The side neighbourhoods are a bit more dangerous, but again I wouldn’t worry.
Posted: November 2, 2024Plovdiv
Plovdiv is overall safe. And that comes from a very paranoid person. That being said, i cannot help but worry even without any reason at all. I have not experienced harassment of any sort in the city. The closest to that that i have ever come to is a whistle or two from random guys. No one actually takes action in getting close whatsoever. If that does happen though, just a word from you and they will be gone. I usually feel uneasy after dark because many people like to stay outside in groups but they never do anything, they simply enjoy time by themselves.
Posted: October 19, 2024Varna
Generally safe. I think it's a good place for solo traveling, especially in July and August. I live in the central area and often walk alone, I feel okay doing it. There are some sketchy-looking entities occasionally, but they are harmless.
Posted: August 26, 2024Sofia
Overall it's a safe city! People are nice and open to new people. The bad part about the city is some of its neighborhoods. They can be sketchy. But the center of the city is amazing , there's a lot of places to visit and to have fun
Posted: August 12, 2024Sofia
Depends on where you live, but sofia is safe place for me. Maybe my advice is to not walk alone at night and do not use Maxim (bulgarian illegal uber ) or other taxi than “Yellow” or “ok”.Stay safe and have fun.
Posted: August 5, 2024Sofia
Sofia is still one of the safest places to travel in Europe. Like every big city/capital there are places which is better to avoid during the night for example but the central part is quite safe. There are many young people going out and walking on the streets, especially during the summer time. With friends or alone, every time I go out in Sofia, I am not worried or stressed (except some rare situations which could happen everywhere such as homeless or mentally ill people on the streets).
Posted: July 18, 2024
Viktoriya
Veliko Tarnovo
Overall it's okay! As a small town it's safer then the capital. As an LGBTQ+ person or a women is not safe for night walks. No night public transport but during the day there is always a person for the tickets so you won't be alone. Also for people with physical disabilities it can be difficult.
Posted: July 17, 2024
Anna
Sofia
Sofia is the largest city in Bulgaria and has about 2 million people in it. In a small country like Bulgaria, something rarely happens. Sofia is very open to tourists, nothing can happen to you during the day. At most if some local boy shouts something at you (funny comment) but they won't do anything more. During the day there are many people and you feel completely safe. In the evening, it is a bit more dangerous around gardens and parks if you come across drunk people. But personally, I'm out every week and so far I haven't had any problems. Simply, if you meet such people, do not pay attention to them and do not talk to them.
Posted: July 4, 2024
Donna
Plovdiv
City is very safe at all, of course there are certain districts that are not considered safe but is very unlike that you will find yourself there as tourists or even as a local not living especially in this districts.
Posted: June 22, 2024
Natalia
Sofia
Sofia’s center is save for walks even after dark. A lot of the not central places are not the safest but i am sure they are more safer than the half of balkans neighborhoods. The public transport is fine
Posted: June 15, 2024Is Bulgaria worth visiting?
Travel rating
based on 27 experiences from female travelers
Sofia, Group travel
I felt very safe in Sofia, but I was with a group, so I don't know if the experience would have been the same alone. Sofia is an amazing h city, very vibrant and friendly. If you like iconic art, it's the best place to be. The food is also incredibly good. We also went mountain climbing outside the city, which was beautiful.
Posted: September 3, 2024Plovdiv, Solo travel
Plovdiv was my favorite city to visit in Bulgaria. It was easy to walk around, and the old part of the city was very beautiful with a bunch of cute bars and cafes. I suggest going on a free walking tour where you get to know the area. I stayed at a hostel and made a wonderful travel companion. The taxi drives very quite rude and had a very bad experience with them. I was treated very differently when I was taking a taxi with a man companion compared when trying to take one alone.
Posted: July 30, 2024Meet locals in Bulgaria
Dilyana
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Hey! My name is Dilyana and I moved to Varna 3 years ago because of my love for the sea. I love meeting new people and I would love to make more international friends. I work in Business development and am 25 year old. I can show you the good places in Varna. 🫶🏼
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Malina
About Me
Hello, Im Malina and im new to this app. I hope i will make meaningful friendships here!
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Safety in Bulgaria
Frequently asked questions
Is Bulgaria safe?
Is Bulgaria safe to walk alone at night?
Is public transport safe in Bulgaria?
What is the crime rate in Bulgaria?
What is the risk of being sexually harassed in Bulgaria?
What is the risk of being sexually assaulted or raped in Bulgaria?
What is the risk of being physically attacked in Bulgaria?
What is the risk of burglary in Bulgaria?
What is the risk of being mugged or robbed in Bulgaria?
What is the risk of being kidnapped or murdered in Bulgaria?
