Is Bulgaria Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Bulgaria is overall a safe destination for solo female travelers. Crime rates are relatively low, locals are typically helpful and respectful, and local law enforcement are usually able to assist foreigners. Public transport and taxis are reliable and common sense precautions against petty thefts should be taken, especially in crowded and tourist places. However, as with every destination, a vigilant approach is recommended at night or when visiting isolated areas.

Safety rating

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How safe is Bulgaria?

Safety at night:

Safety at night:Moderate

Bulgaria is relatively safe at night, especially in areas frequented by tourists. However, like anywhere, measures should be taken to ensure personal safety when alone. It's advisable to avoid dimly lit streets and walking alone in unfamiliar areas. Trust your instincts, stay in populated areas and always keep your belongings close to you.
Public transportation:

Public transportation:Moderate

The public transportation in Bulgaria is generally safe to use and includes buses, trams, taxis, and the metro, especially in the capital, Sofia. However, there can be occasional incidents of pickpocketing or petty crimes, and some women have reported instances of unwanted attention. Also, the service often lacks in the coherence of time schedules. But fear not, the majority of public transportation users have no issues. As always, stay alert and cautious as you would in any foreign place.
Street harassment:

Street harassment:Low

Bulgaria is generally considered safe, and reports of street harassment are relatively low. Always be alert, and practice common safety measures, such as avoiding deserted areas at night. The social norms and culture tend to be respectful towards women, but isolated incidents of harassment can still occur, as is the case with any other country.
Petty crimes:

Petty crimes:Low

Bulgaria maintains a moderate level of petty crimes such as pickpocketing, purse snatching, and theft from parked cars. These are particularly more frequent in crowded places such as markets, bus or train stations, and tourist spots. Therefore, it's always recommended to stay vigilant, secure your belongings, and avoid showing off valuable items. Evening or night travel in isolated areas should also be avoided.

Is Bulgaria worth visiting?

Overall rating

4.1 /5

based on 33 experiences from female travelers

Things to do

4/5

Safety

4.1/5

Food

4.1/5

Budget-friendly

4.1/5

Bulgaria, Family travel

I stayed in a hotel in varna and it was kinda interesting. Weather was nice and also the people were kind but I missed the feeling of really getting to know the other culture. I hoped to get some more interesting activities. But Bulgaria is beautiful I just would recommend to inform yourselfs better

Posted: April 11, 2025
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Alina

Alina

Ukraine

Bulgaria, Family travel

Overall I felt quite safe because I was with my mom and her friends. Some people are a bit unpleasant towards tourists, but I've only seen this in small resort towns. We didn't try local food because it was too expensive in restaurants. Prices in supermarkets are average, about the same as in other European countries, but higher than here in Ukraine. I was surprised by the cost of public transport. On average, the price was no less than $1.5 per trip, while in Ukraine it is about $0.4. I would recommend visiting Burgas and Nessebar, those are very nice towns.

Posted: April 7, 2025Experienced: April, 2024
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Sofia, Solo travel

Hi, in January 2025 I was in Sofia gor two days with a friend. We slept at a host place an it was really nice! We loved the city! With a free walking tour we learned a lot about the history and the main places of the city. The other day we went to the big mountain and walked trough the snow. The public transportation was really cheap. It was a nice trip! :)

Posted: March 12, 2025
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Dilara

Dilara

Turkey

Sofia, Solo travel

I had an amazing time in Sofya! The city has a charming atmosphere, and the food was absolutely delicious. We tried some traditional Bulgarian dishes, and everything was fresh and flavorful. The service was also excellent—fast and friendly. We explored some beautiful places like Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Vitosha Boulevard, which had great shops and cafes. In the evening, my friends and I went to a karaoke bar, and we had so much fun singing together. The whole trip was unforgettable, and I’d love to visit again to discover even more!

Posted: February 2, 2025
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Bulgaria, Solo travel

It was safe but there are some problems about Bulgaria first you shouldn’t go there in winter because it’s really cold rainy and windy second you shouldn’t trust a guys in Bulgaria as a solo traveler they are nice but some of them has different intentions with you

Posted: January 30, 2025
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Bulgaria, Family travel

I feel safe We eat in some resturaunt, but the best are burger lab and a pancake maker I think it was cheaper than hungary We stayed in a hotel in burgas and it was fine We used public transport and it ran often

Posted: January 28, 2025Experienced: July, 2024
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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, 2024
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Plovdiv, 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, 2024
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Emilie

Emilie

Spain

Sofia, Solo travel

Overall Sofia was a beautiful underated place to visit. I stayed at peter pan house and felt very safe throughout my five day stay. I found public transport to be very reliable. People were very helpful, and the outdoor scene is beautiful

Posted: July 13, 2024
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Sofia, Solo travel

I really liked the vibe of this city. There are a lot of restaurants and bars and daily hiking trips to the mountains (with a breathtaking view!). I stayed there for 2 days and did a hiking trip as well as a lovely walking tour. The city has a really interesting history and a lot of different walking tours to learn more about it!

Posted: July 13, 2024
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Is Bulgaria safe for women?

Safety index

3.9 /5

Based on 73 local experiences

Crime index

1.9 /5

Based on 73 local experiences

Varna

It's a very safe city to live and visit compared to other cities in Europe. You feel safe walking around. People are nice and ready to help when they can. There are many places to visit that are beautiful and can be seen during the day, but also at night when the vibe hits differently.

Posted: May 5, 2025
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Plovdiv

Plovdiv is a safe town. It is extremely easy to make good friends and hang out with them! There is night life and it's not too scary to go home if you get a taxi. During the day it feels very safe as well!

Posted: April 26, 2025
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Meet locals in Bulgaria

Ivana

Ivana

About Me

Hiya, My name is Ivana, but you can call me Vancy. If you're coming to Sofia: I would love to show you around, mostly the nature part of what is usually surrounding Sofia - there are a lot of places nearby that can be easily reached with the local commute or by car (I don't have one btw :/ ). I'm also down for taking a random train trip somewhere - wherever we end up we'd be fine. Trust me, I know how to handle myself around the country, I've been doing this actively for the last 7-ish years and haven't regreted it once. 😇 I'm sorry to inform that currently I can't offer a place to stay although I'd love to. 🤕🤕 If in search for a place to stay: ... well, depends on where I'm visiting, but it's kind of the same thing - I'm mainly intrigued by making my own sidequests and exploring as much as I can! I'm satisfied with hanging around the city/village as well for some cultural, architectural and other inspirations of all sorts. I like sports as well, culinary too so I'm pretty much down for all types of new experiences as long as the poeple are with good intentions and positive. 🧚‍♀️ 🧚‍♂️ I love pets of all sorts, but I fall in love with well behaved puppers!! Sadly tho I do have some slight allergies to cats but it's not much trouble. I'm not pesky at all when it comes to food. I preffer to try out the local cuisine in cute homey restaurants as much as I do in homemade conditions as well. Feel free to text me whatsoever, whenever - I'd love to share a chat regarding anything. Cheers! 🤗✨️

Speaking

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Alexandra

Alexandra

About Me

Hi! I'm Alexandra and I'm 19 yo. I currently live in Sofia, Bulgaria but I'm from Varna - a beautiful city on the Black Sea Coast. I'm a first year journalism student. I love cinema, music and literature. Photography and crafting are some of my hobbies. And of course I love to travel! ✨️🎀

Speaking

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Stay with locals in Bulgaria

Ally

Ally

Sofia

Can host for:

7 days

About me

Hello, my name is Aleksandra but people call me Ally for short, I like music, art, adventures, having fun and animals. I am a very social person and I like going out, traveling and exploring new places, I have a friendly cat named Zun-Zun and we live in a cozy one bedroom apartment in the center of Sofia! If u ever need a place to stay during your travels in Sofia or you want to explore cool places like restaurants and coffee shops on a budget or you just want to hang out with someone feel free to contact me!

Speaking

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Marta

Marta

Sofia

Can host for:

3 days

About me

I’m Marta, and I’m 22. I am currently studying orchestra conducting and originally from Sofia! Have 3 amazing cats that I adore! I’m an Aries, I love going out and meeting foreigners, playing the piano for nearly 14 years, and am currently working as a piano teacher at home. Can’t wait to meet you all!❤️

Speaking

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Upcoming visitors to Bulgaria

Aubrey

Aubrey

About Me

Hi! I’m Aubrey, I’m a social worker in the Midwestern US. When travelling, I love sampling local coffee and tea, hiking, and touring religious sites like cathedrals and mosques. At home, you can find me at the library or taking long walks on our beautiful monon trail! I hate being bored, so I’m always ready to jump into something new!

Speaking

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Safety in Bulgaria