By Plane
St. Constantine and Helena Resort’s closest airport is the International Airport of Varna (http://www.varna-airport.bg) which welcomes around 1.5 million visitors every year, many of whom are traveling from the main European airports. Varna’s international airport, located 20 km away from the resort, is a busy place with scheduled and charter flights from Europe (mainly Vienna and Istanbul), as well as regular flights to and from Sofia.
By Car
St. Constantine and Helena Resort is right on the Black sea coast of Bulgaria, which is neighbored by the countries of Romania to the North, Greece to the South and North Macedonia and Serbia to the West. This means that one could easily travel from any of these countries into Bulgaria.
By Bus
St. Constantine and Helena Resort could be reached also by bus to Varna (from Sofia or Bucharest), where one can order an individual transfer or a taxi to the venue.
There are convenient bus lines to the resort from Varna’s public transport system (bus 409 mainly).
Organized Transfers
The conference secretariat will organize individual transfers from Varna Airport to the conference hotels and back.
The cost for 1 person in one direction is 36 Euro. The price for 2 persons arriving with the same flight is 46 Euro.
Booking and payment can be done through the online system not later than 22 May.
Public Transportation
There are 2 bus lines heading to Saints Constantine and Helena Resort:
– Bus No. 409 goes from Varna Airport in the direction of Golden Sands Resort. You need to get off at Balkan or Botanical Garden stop in order to reach Sts. Constantine and Helena Resort. Then you have 15 minutes walking to the conference hotels.
– Bus No. 31a taken from Varna Cathedral (at the center of the city) will take you to the resort itself. Then you have between 2 and 7 minutes walking to the conference hotels.
Passports & Visas
Bulgaria has the European Union’s Common Visa Policy as a member country accepting European citizens freely. All non-EU citizens are required to have a passport to enter the EU with the appropriate visas. You can find out more about visas at https://www.mfa.bg/en/services-travel/consular-services/travel-bulgaria/visa-bulgaria. If you need an invitation letter, please send an email to mira@cmebg.com.
Monetary System
The national currency is the Bulgarian Lev. Bank notes of the following denominations are in circulation: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 Levs. 1 Euro = 1,95583 BGN.
There are foreign exchange offices and ATMs around the resort. It’s always prudent to carry a little cash, however, in case you can’t find an ATM or bank office nearby. You can always change cash at the hotel, though the commission will be higher.
Make sure you have enough of the national currency when you plan to visit local markets and shops.
Tipping
When a gratuity is not included in your bill, which is usually the case, 10% is customary. If service is outstanding, you could go as high as 15%. With taxi drivers, you usually just round up the sum if you have been happy with the ride or for the sake of convenience.
Climate
The climate in Bulgaria is moderate continental with beautiful blooming spring, dry and hot summer, long and pleasant autumn, and mild winter with lots of opportunity for skiing.
The weather in late May is warm, even hot in some days with daily temperatures of around 25 ºC, which is very pleasant both for work and leisure.
You may check current weather in Varna region HERE.
Time
Summer time: GMT + 3 hrs. (April through October)
Electricity
220 Volts, 50 Hz
Bulgaria uses CEE 7/4 (German “Schuko”) power plugs and sockets
