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A good place. At the right time.

Best time to visit Bulgaria.

The short answer

Start with April–June and September–October.

In these months, at least three-quarters of scored regions have very good weather, while national overnight stays are below 60% of the August peak.

April, at a glance.

Regions with very good weather
5/6
Overnight stays vs August
16%
Regional afternoon highs
63–67°F

Hotel-price season: about usual.

Explore all 12 months Find your region

Based on 6 statistical regions. Historical averages, not forecasts or live room prices.

Illustration of Tsarevets Hill across the Yantra valley from the western overlook
Tsarevets Hill, Veliko Tarnovo

First, the timing

Find your month.

Already have dates? Pick your month to see the trade-offs.

Temperature unit

Suggested monthsCounts show regions with very good weather.

April, at a glance.

Read the April guide
Very good weather
5 / 6 regions

Weather rated 7.0/10 or above

National visitor season
Low season

16% of August's overnight stays

Hotel-price season
About usual

−2% vs average month · national 2024–2025 index

Afternoons 63–67°FNights 41–45°FRain 7–8 days

Available regional averages, not daily extremes. Prices describe a historical season, not a room quote.

The year at a glance.

Broad weather coverage and the busiest months do not always line up.

Very good weatherNumber of regions
Overnight staysAugust = 100%
All 12 months, in detail Weather, visitor season and prices
Bulgaria · regional averages by month
MonthVery good weatherVisitor seasonHotel-price seasonAfternoonsNightsRain days
January0/6 regionsLow season17% of peak About usual−4% vs average month · national 2024–2025 hotel index 43–46°F25–30°F6–8 days
February0/6 regionsLow season18% of peak About usual−4% vs average month · national 2024–2025 hotel index 47–50°F29–32°F5–6 days
March0/6 regionsLow season17% of peak About usual−2% vs average month · national 2024–2025 hotel index 54–57°F34–37°F7–9 days
April5/6 regionsLow season16% of peak About usual−2% vs average month · national 2024–2025 hotel index 63–67°F41–45°F7–8 days
May6/6 regionsLow season23% of peak About usual+1% vs average month · national 2024–2025 hotel index 71–74°F48–52°F9 days
June6/6 regionsModerate season58% of peak About usual+1% vs average month · national 2024–2025 hotel index 79–83°F56–61°F8–10 days
July6/6 regionsPeak season95% of peak About usual+2% vs average month · national 2024–2025 hotel index 84–88°F59–65°F3–5 days
August6/6 regionsPeak season100% of peak About usual+2% vs average month · national 2024–2025 hotel index 84–88°F59–65°F3–4 days
September6/6 regionsModerate season49% of peak About usual+4% vs average month · national 2024–2025 hotel index 76–79°F53–59°F3–4 days
October5/6 regionsLow season18% of peak About usual+2% vs average month · national 2024–2025 hotel index 64–67°F43–49°F5–6 days
November0/6 regionsLow season15% of peak About usual0% vs average month · national 2024–2025 hotel index 54–57°F36–42°F6–7 days
December0/6 regionsLow season16% of peak About usual−1% vs average month · national 2024–2025 hotel index 46–49°F29–34°F7–9 days

Scroll the table for more detail. Temperature and rain ranges run from the lowest to the highest available regional average.

Then, your corner of Bulgaria

Same month. Different trips.

Compare 6 regions, or look up a place you already have in mind.

6 of 6 regions · Balanced scores for April

Balanced Overall combines weather, crowds and cost. Crowd scores compare each region with its own year; a higher score does not necessarily mean fewer people than in another region. Adjust priorities on a region's guide.

Compare every region across the year 6 regions × 12 months
Balanced Overall scores. Outlined cells mark each region's top three months.
RegionJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Burgas & the southern Black Sea coast6.26.46.97.79.38.27.17.28.97.96.96.3
Northwest Bulgaria7.27.47.88.38.57.97.47.38.68.57.67.2
Plovdiv & south-central Bulgaria6.87.07.48.38.68.48.28.48.88.47.46.8
Sofia & the southwest6.56.87.18.08.58.78.78.89.08.27.16.7
Varna & the northern Black Sea coast3.23.64.96.48.68.78.18.09.06.85.03.5
Veliko Tarnovo & north-central Bulgaria7.17.57.57.98.17.67.47.38.28.17.37.1

Scroll for all 12 months. Each rank compares months within one region.

Where is my destination? Browse the place-name directory

Each place uses the figures for its whole statistical region. Places spanning more than one region appear below the directory.

Across the year

Bulgaria, season by season.

Winter

Dec–Feb

A quieter stretch of the year.

December, January and February fall in low season.

43–50°FRegional afternoon averages

Spring

Mar–May

A quieter stretch of the year.

March, April and May fall in low season.

54–74°FRegional afternoon averages

Summer

Jun–Aug

A quieter start, a busier finish.

June falls in moderate season; July and August fall in peak season.

79–88°FRegional afternoon averages

Autumn

Sep–Nov

September falls in moderate season; October and November fall in low season.

54–79°FRegional afternoon averages

Ranges span available regional monthly averages, not daily extremes or a forecast. Check your region for local conditions and seasonal openings.

Before you book

Pack a little context.

Fewer crowds

November is quietest.

National overnight stays reach their lowest recorded monthly level, at 15% of the busiest month. This describes seasonal accommodation demand, not queues at individual sights.

Weather & timing

Start with April, May, June, September and October.

At least three quarters of the regions with weather scores rate very good or better in these months, while national overnight stays stay below 60% of the busiest month. Check your region: the same month can suit different trips differently.

Hotel prices

January has the lowest historical hotel-price signal.

The national accommodation index is about 4% below its annual average. This is a historical seasonal pattern, not current booking quotes or a comparison of regions' room rates.

Source: national hotel index, 2024–2025.

School holidays

School breaks span different visitor seasons.

For US summer breaks (June–August): June falls in moderate season; July and August fall in peak season. For spring breaks (March–April): March and April fall in low season. These are national visitor patterns; check your school's dates and your chosen region.

How we know Sources and what the numbers mean

National figures are built from Bulgaria's 6 statistical regions (NUTS 2), not from a separate national series. Visitor season is the country's total tourist nights that month (Eurostat regional data, primarily 2024–2025; earlier published years where a region has gaps) against its own busiest month. This measures overnight demand, not queues or day-trippers.

Weather coverage counts regions whose displayed Weather score is at least 7.0/10 (very good or better). We do not average weather scores across a country. The opening shortlist uses at least three-quarters of scored regions rated very good and visitor nights below 60% of the national peak. Where no month meets both, the page names months with broad weather coverage instead, if any qualify.

Regional Overall scores use the default Balanced mix: weather 50%, crowds 30%, cost 20%, with the existing weather cap. All rankings on this country overview are Balanced; region guides let you adjust your priorities. Crowds compare a region with its own year, so a higher Overall score does not necessarily mean fewer people than in another region.

Hotel-price season uses the 2024–2025 national consumer price index for hotels against the country's usual month, not room quotes. Separately, Bulgaria's 2024 restaurants-and-hotels level is well below EU average (53 where the EU average is 100).

Temperature and rain ranges span the regional monthly averages available, not daily extremes. Individual region pages explain withheld measurements and geographic coverage. Full methodology.