Bulgaria budget trip from India: 6 days, Sofia, Rila & Plovdiv
A 6-day Bulgaria itinerary from India on a budget: Schengen visa steps, a rupee cost table, Sofia, Rila Monastery and Plovdiv, veg food and when to go.
Bulgaria
Sofia's Orthodox churches, the painted halls of Rila Monastery and Plovdiv's Roman old town, on a Schengen visa and in euros.
Entry rules for Indian passports
| Entry | Schengen short-stay visa (type C); applications go through the VFS Global Bulgaria centre in India, and the Embassy of Bulgaria in New Delhi decides |
|---|---|
| Stay | Up to 90 days in any 180 |
| Government fee | INR 9,900 for adults as listed on the VFS Bulgaria India page, with applicants aged 12 and under not required to pay; the VFS service charge is INR 2,530 including GST |
| Processing | VFS says up to 15 calendar days after receipt, extendable to 30 or 60 in some cases; apply at least 15 days and no more than 3 months before departure; travel insurance with at least €30,000 medical cover is mandatory |
| Official site | www.vfsglobal.com |
When to go
The best months are May, June, July, August, September. Flights from India: One stop, usually via Istanbul, Vienna, a Gulf hub or another European city; about 10–15 h in total to Sofia. Currency: Euro (EUR), roughly ₹100–110; Bulgaria adopted the euro on 1 January 2026. Clocks: IST − 3:30 (IST − 2:30 in summer).
Trip guides
Bulgaria guides