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Thursday, April 10, 2025
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Honeymoon: Romantic hours together on the beach and sea

The honeymoon is the most romantic holiday together you can imagine. Because while the wedding celebration was also intended for the families and friends of the new couple, the honeymoon is only for the couple themselves. Now they have time for each other, can enjoy the first days and weeks as a married couple and recover from the stress of wedding preparation. Honeymoons are therefore not planned like an ordinary holiday trip, but with a focus on romance.

Why do married couples travel after the wedding?

Honeymoon City
Romantic cities such as Paris or Venice are also popular destinations for young couples, Image: Ekaterina Pokrovsky / shutterstcok

In the past, honeymoons were reserved exclusively for aristocrats and wealthy citizens, the average population could not afford this luxury and did not have time for it. In the wealthy strata of society, on the other hand, marriages were concluded for tactical reasons and the couples had only seen each other a few times beforehand if they were lucky. On a honeymoon, they should be able to get to know each other in peace after the marriage and, of course, father children. In the 20th century, more and more middle-class couples went on honeymoons and used this time to celebrate their love and start their marriage with a beautiful experience together – a development that continues to this day.

What is on offer on a honeymoon?

A honeymoon is not an ordinary couple’s holiday, as most newlyweds have certainly done together a few times. On the honeymoon, the reception in the hotel often shows that this is about love and togetherness. The room is usually also romantically decorated, many hotels have their own bridal suites and spread red rose petals on the bed or prepare the bathroom accordingly when the couple arrives. The hotel offers candlelight dinners and sometimes there are also activities especially for couples, if the hotel is popular as a location for newlyweds. Especially in typical honeymoon regions like the Maldives, you can expect a lot and look forward to a great honeymoon time.

Where is the honeymoon going?

Honeymoon Candlelight Dinner
A candlelight dinner is a must on a romantic honeymoon, Image: Sven Hansche / shutterstock

Speaking of location – the honeymoon is something special and so should the location. Of course, the typical regions such as the Maldives or the Seychelles come into question. Here seclusion meets wellness and fantastic landscape, the sea and luxurious hotels are also available. Such a honeymoon is unforgettable, but it also has its price. Cheaper trips lead to the Mediterranean, for example, where there is also plenty of sun and great honeymoon hotels. But it can also be a great experience if the newlywed couple fulfills a joint dream for the occasion and chooses a honeymoon that does not correspond to the romantic cliché at all. Going to where both have always wanted to go as their first shared experience in marriage is also a romantic way to swear eternal love to each other.

Camping: Why caravans, motorhomes and tents are so popular

Pack your bags and just set off: the simplicity of camping is just one of the advantages of travelling with a tent or caravan. At the campsite or in the great outdoors, peace, relaxation and a lot of adventure await.

Whether with a tent or a campervan: the types of camping

Not all camping is the same. If you like it very rudimentary, pack a bag and a small tent and just drive off. Campsites are everywhere and the tent is quickly pitched and dismantled. The caravan is a little more luxurious, which brings a little everyday life to the campsite thanks to its bed and sanitary facilities. Similar to the tent, the motorhome is quickly saddled and parked on another pitch. No matter which variant: camping has many advantages – from tranquility to simplicity.

Camping: The advantages

A bit of independence: camping holiday in a tent, Image: varuna / shutterstock

Camping means distance from the stress of everyday life. Once the caravan is set up or the tent has been set up – which rarely takes longer than ten minutes – peace and relaxation in nature are the order of the day. Smartphones and laptops can finally be switched off, but if you need to stay up to date while on holiday, you will usually find wifi or even an internet café at the campsites.
Holidaymakers travelling by tent or motorhome determine their travel pace all by themselves. Whether the entire holiday is spent in one place or a new destination is on the agenda every day: everything is possible.

Be one with nature

Campers don’t have to worry about anything except the next meal. Depending on the destination, dinner consists of the offers of the local market or of your own catch. By the sea, campers have the opportunity to fish or collect fresh mussels. For breakfast, depending on the region, there are ripe figs or grapes that can be picked. City dwellers learn to enjoy the benefits of nature and nature lovers enjoy direct contact with the forest and sea.
Most campsites are also child- and pet-friendly, which means that camping holidays with dogs or camping holidays with children are no problem. On the contrary: children and four-legged friends feel much more comfortable in nature than in a hotel room.

More family time camping

Camping Caravan
With the caravan you take a little comfort with you to the campsite, Image: welcomia/shutterstock

There are no domestic distractions when camping. Families spend time together playing board games or going on joint excursions to sights and tourist spots. Tip: With an
inflatable family tent, the set-up is even faster
– then the holiday can start right away and the children can have fun helping with the set-up.

For couples, a camping holiday is an opportunity to enjoy togetherness in nature. When cooking and barbecuing outdoors, everyone can help to prepare a delicious meal from fresh ingredients. At many campsites, barbecues are held together until late at night.

Learn and discover

Life in a tent or camper van cannot be compared to the routine at home. Giving up luxury is a liberating experience that makes you appreciate the benefits of daily life more. Children discover a lot of new things at the campsite and also learn a lot. Whether it’s how to drive an inflatable boat or how to prepare certain dishes: new experiences await you around every corner when camping.

Affordable holidays

Since a camping holiday is usually very inexpensive, the resources can be invested in exciting excursions. Short trips are no problem thanks to the proximity of the campsites to the tourist sites. The nice thing about camping: if everything has been experienced in one place, the tents can be broken up and pitched again somewhere else. Travelers are not tied to any place and enjoy the vacation days where they like it best.

Getting up when the sun rises, going to sleep under the stars: camping is ideal for nature lovers who like to drift. The natural rhythm shows where to go and the next experience often comes naturally. That’s why a holiday with a tent or caravan is a must-have experience.

Cycling holiday: Relax and discover on a bike

The most precious weeks of the year, the holiday season, are spent by more and more people on bicycles. What makes cycling holidays so fascinating?

Cycling is healthy per se. Joint-friendly, moderate movement sequences in the fresh air offer a high degree of relaxation and have a stress-relieving and condition-promoting effect. Cycling is beneficial and also great fun. If the sight of exciting landscapes and the enjoyment of art and cultural sites along the route provide variety, a cycling holiday can be very relaxing and memorable.

Booked as a package or planning your own?

Cycling holidays have not only been booming since yesterday. In the mid-90s, the boom began with river cycle paths. This popular form of travel by pedal on a riverbank has proven itself to this day. It is not only the idea of fitness that gets holidaymakers in the saddle of their bikes. Along the way, rivers are experienced in the truest sense of the word and accompanied in their course; the spirit of adventure and discovery is not neglected either. Despite modern GPS equipment, cycle path apps and detailed cycling maps, a sense of direction and cleverness are required during an individually planned bike tour. If you travel on your own rim, you will take care of supply and overnight accommodation, rest areas and “sights” along the route.

Bike Tour City Trip
Exploring the city by bike, Image: Akhenaton Images / shutterstock

Package cycling tourists have it easier. They book a trip from A to B, get rental bikes, maybe a scout and know in which town and in which accommodation they can recover from an eventful day of cycling. In addition, package cycle tourists cycle WITHOUT luggage. This will be transported by the organizer to the next place of accommodation.

Themed cycle paths and rugged coastal tours

In addition to the popular river cycle paths, themed cycling tours such as regional castle routes, gourmet routes, industrial monument routes and also the combination with a boat holiday are now offered. In the course of the relatively young history of cycling holidays, not only has the range of all-inclusive cycling holidays developed and expanded, but cycling tourists have become more demanding. Anyone who has already ridden the queens of the river cycle routes, the Danube and Elbe cycle paths, in Germany and neighbouring countries, is striving for “higher things”. The North Sea Coast Cycle Route is almost 6,000 km long and requires not only a good level of fitness, but also professional equipment and detailed, long-term planning. The tour leads from the German North Sea coast via Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Great Britain and the Netherlands and offers great adventure potential in addition to magnificent nature experiences.

Cycling holidays in the mild Mallorcan climate

Cycling holidays in the countryside
Cycling holiday in the countryside, Image: Samo Trebizan / shutterstock

If you like it milder in terms of climate, book a cycling holiday in Mallorca. Whether with your own bike – airlines transport the bike at moderate prices – or with a borrowed bike from one of the numerous bike rental companies on Mallorca. It is important to book accommodation in good time during the peak travel season; this is not likely to be easy in the high season and in the tourist strongholds. This is because cycle tourists usually only stay one night, and accommodation providers have little interest in making their accommodation available only for short overnight stays. Tip: Decide on the route with stopovers and overnight stops at home and clarify whether you should make a reservation before starting your journey from Germany .

Perfect cycling holiday

The idea of relaxation, fitness and adventure should not be missing on any cycling holiday. And if the weather cooperates – after all, cycling tourists spend most of the year in the open air – nothing stands in the way of a perfect cycling holiday!

 

The luxury of freedom: holidays in holiday homes and apartments

Barefoot and disheveled at the breakfast table, drinking coffee in pajamas while the first one takes a shower – every day begins like a Sunday, you spend your holiday in a holiday home or apartment. The self-catering holiday gives you all the freedom you could wish for. Casual privacy, plenty of space to live, live and relax, as well as time and financial flexibility are privileges that are always included in the booking price for holiday apartments and holiday homes.

Holiday homes and holiday apartments: holidays with character

As colourful as the world, as diverse are the holiday apartments and holiday homes around the globe. And individuality is not immediately expressed in the price. From family holiday home settlements with beach access to lonely fireplace houses in the mountains, there is accommodation for every taste in all price ranges. The self-catering variant is also enjoying growing popularity for city trips. You live particularly curiously if you rent a tree house or houseboat for your holiday.

And it’s not just the location that counts: authentic local colour is part of the basic atmospheric equipment of holiday homes and holiday apartments. In North America , people snuggle up in front of the fireplace with a hot chocolate in Canadian woollen blankets, while in the West Indies , people fry their fish in the open-air kitchen of the stilt house.

Holiday apartment and holiday home: local recreation included

Almost as a matter of course, holiday homes and apartments offer beautiful opportunities to spend time outdoors. Roof terrace or veranda, garden plot or community pool on the holiday resort – no one needs to sit in the room.

In addition, the larger space with bedrooms, kitchen and living area also gives you all the possibilities to retreat or socialize indoors. So you have ideal conditions for a harmonious group or family holiday!

Whether it’s an uncomplicated log cabin, luxury villa with a bathing area and marble floors or something in between: you are sure to find the right accommodation for everyone thanks to the wide range of offers.

Eat what your heart desires in the holiday home

There are no fixed meal times, so neither late risers nor early risers have to start the day hungry. You put what you like in the fridge and everyone can fully pursue their culinary preferences.

The fact that you always have the choice of when and where you eat also keeps your schedule and budget smooth. Before breakfast, no one has to wait in their room until everyone has freshened up, if you prepare your daily provisions in the holiday kitchen, you don’t have to look for the right snack on the way. Whether you dress up again in the evening for a fine dinner or prefer to slip into comfortable clothes and prepare a simple pasta dish “at home” can be decided anew every day.

Exciting discoveries at the holiday destination

When shopping for groceries, you get to know the holiday destination from a completely different side, and what is everyday life at home becomes an experience. You rummage through foreign sweets and nibbles and discover curious canned food. In the Croatian supermarket, for example, there are meters of nuts and dried fruit to fill yourself, in the Azores you can shovel mussels into your bag and in Norway you stand in front of the refrigerated shelf and are amused by the riddle that the fish pudding poses to you. Of course, as a self-caterer, you always have the best access to the regional specialties and can try your way through as you please. In addition, foreign foods such as myrtle honey, chestnut beer, cod in tomato dressing or chestnut jam are wonderful as individual souvenirs for those who stayed at home.

Practical: everything fits in the holiday home!

Whether it’s a surfboard or children’s toys, there is room for everything you need in a holiday home or holiday apartment. Even if you take your dog with you on holiday, you are in good hands here. Two-person apartments are available as well as two-storey residential buildings for large groups. Or you can rent two neighboring houses with a family friend and thus combine conviviality with privacy.

In the common rooms you can spread out casually – a big plus, especially for children – and because room service doesn’t snow in every day, you just leave your things lying around unabashedly when you feel like it.

Having space in the fridge even on holiday is also a nice thing. A washing machine in the holiday home also reduces the luggage; Shower and tea towels as well as bed linen can usually be rented on site for a small surcharge.

Package tours – a good choice

Do you want to really relax on holiday? Very good idea. But what if you could even sit back and relax while planning? Not possible? Yes, with a package tour something like this is possible.

The history of the package tour

Tourism pioneer Thomas Cook organised a railway journey from Leicester to Loughborough for workers on 5 July 1841. But this railway journey was unlike anything they had known. The travelers did not have to do anything more than pay one shilling. Everything was included in this price. During the trip, a small brass band provided entertainment for the guests. There was food; and even small games were offered.

It was the pioneer for today’s package tour. Because this concept was so well received, they spread rapidly and are still very popular today. More and more destinations are being included in this program.

Advantages of a package tour

A package tour includes many services that are not paid for individually. You pay a total price and don’t have to worry about the rest. The tour operator is responsible for the organization and planning of the entire trip.

If you want to go abroad or to a more distant city, you will be booked both the right flight and a nice hotel . But that’s not all: even the transfer to the airport by bus is included in the price. No more long searches on the Internet! The tour operator takes care of all this for you.

Anyone who thinks that such package tours are far too expensive is mistaken. In most cases, there are even huge price advantages when you book a package tour. You can opt for half board or all-inclusive for meals. And if you prefer to take care of the food yourself, that is also possible.

What else you should know about the package tour

Of course, a package tour is not always the best choice. If you decide to go on such a trip, then you should be aware that you are less flexible . Stays are planned in advance and cannot simply be cancelled from one day to the next. The airline cannot simply be changed, etc. So you can’t necessarily arrange your holiday individually . But: Exceptions prove the rule. There are also tour operators who cater to all the wishes of the customers. In addition, there are unfortunately still many destinations where package tours are not yet offered at all, even if there is demand. Package tours are very time-consuming for the organizers to plan, so that nothing goes wrong when you are on vacation.

And? Sounds really good, doesn’t it? So, what are you waiting for? Simply choose the right package tour and look forward to the upcoming holiday! You are guaranteed not to regret it. Unless you want to take everything into your own hands. But be careful: there is a lot of work waiting for you.

The Netherlands: Is it all just cheese?

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“Holland is the coolest city in the world” says a song by the band “275ers”. The Essen band knows what they are talking about. Because the Netherlands is not far from the Ruhr area. But also coming from Lower Saxony, the Lower Rhine or the Rhineland, people crossed the border quickly. If you prefer to travel by plane, you should fly to Amsterdam or Maastricht near Aachen. From the German border, several trains and long-distance buses run to Rotterdam, Amsterdam or Eindhoven. The well-developed road transport network and the numerous ferries ensure that you can get to the many islands of the Netherlands safely and quickly.

A picturesque sunset at the North Sea in the Netherlands, Image: Rudmer Zwerver / shutterstock

Colloquially, the Netherlands is often referred to as Holland. North and South Holland are two of the country’s 12 provinces. Together, they make up the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The head of state is King Wilhelm Alexander, who has ruled since 2013. In his honour, there is the “Koningsdag” (King’s Day) every year, which takes place on the king’s birthday. On April 27 every year, the Dutch celebrate exuberantly on the streets, sell drinks or homemade food and dress in the national colors. On this day, the whole nation lights up in orange.

In addition to French fries with frikandel, stamppot, a hearty stew, is a popular dish of the Dutch. You can get a delicious soft ice cream or poffertjes that look like small pancakes on almost every corner. After a leisurely walk along one of the many canals or a leisurely bike ride along the windmills and tulip fields, such a meal is just right.

Tulips Amsterdam Netherlands
A beautiful sea of tulips in the middle of Amsterdam

The Netherlands is known for its different types of cheese: there is always something going on at the weekly and cheese markets and so buying a cheese wheel becomes a real spectacle. In the cities of Gouda, Edam or Alkmaar, cheese merchants gather on different days of the week, competing in their classic outfit of blue and white striped shirts, wooden slippers and caps.

The Netherlands has a mild climate and it can be a bit stormy, especially in the coastal areas. If you are on the road with e-bikes, you are on the safe side and make good progress. For this reason, cities such as Hellevoetsluis or Eegmond aan Zee are very popular with windsurfers and sailors. But the IJsselmeer is also a real surfer’s and sailor’s paradise. The dunes and the sea are a relaxation for the soul. An overnight stay in a tent or camper van is not only very popular with the locals. Make sure that the places for camping and camping are advertised. It is not always allowed to spend the night on the beach.

Somewhat more sheltered from the wind and more popular with families are the more southern coasts. The cities of Domburg, Kamperland or Oostkapelle are also very popular with couples and single travellers. The quaint shopping arcades invite you to go shopping.

Mudflat walks and museums explain to visitors the beauty of nature, which is protected in many nature parks. The nature parks offer holidaymakers peace and seclusion from everyday life.

If you need a little more action, you should visit one of the many amusement parks. The Dutch love fast roller coasters and the like. In most amusement parks, French fries, soft ice cream and drinks are included in the price.

Travel information Netherlands

Capital Amsterdam (seat of government: The Hague)
Form of government constitutional monarchy
autonomous country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Currency Euro (EUR)
Area approx. 41,500 km²
Population approx. 17,140,000 (as of 2017)
Languages Dutch
Electricity grid 230 Volt / 50 Hz
Area code +31
Time zone UTC+1 CET
UTC+2 CEST (March to October)

 

Germany: The land of poets and thinkers

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Why wander far away when the good is so close? Germany is one of the most popular travel destinations. Not only tourists from abroad, but also locals discover the diversity of Germany. Whether singles or couples, families, art enthusiasts, adventurers or athletes: there is the perfect holiday in Germany for them.

The country is so geographically diverse that holidaymakers in this country are offered a lot of variety. The north is particularly popular with families, couples and dog owners. The North Sea and Baltic Sea are lined with beautiful islands and beaches that invite you to surf, sail, fly kites or build sandcastles.

Around 32 percent of Germany’s total land area is covered by forest. A walk through the Teutoburg Forest or Thuringian Forest awakens new spirits and frees you from everyday life. If you like to hike longer distances, you are in good hands in Saxon Switzerland, the Black Forest or the Allgäu . After a good breakfast with fresh bread and coffee or a warming meal such as fries, currywurst or bratwurst with mashed potatoes, you can continue on a journey of discovery.

There is plenty to discover for those interested in culture: Germany is considered a land of thinkers and poets. Goethe, Schiller, Brecht and Kant are just a few of the best-known names who have shaped the country in terms of cultural history. Caspar David Friedrich and August Macke are among the best-known German painters. The cultural landscape in Germany is so widespread that there is something to visit in every major German city: from opera houses, museums and hands-on museums for children to music festivals and literature lectures, everything is there.

Germany Neuschwanstein
Also a popular destination for foreign tourists: Neuschwanstein Castle, Image: canadastock/shutterstock

The largest German cities include the 4 cities of Berlin, Cologne, Munich and Hamburg. Berlin acts as the capital and figurehead of the country. The Reichstag with the glass dome, the Brandenburg Gate, the Victory Column and Alexanderplatz are just a few interesting sights of the capital. At Checkpoint Charlie, you can still experience the history that once divided Germany in two. Traces of the GDR have been recorded and realistically depicted in many museums in the country.

For city travellers, these and many other cities such as Nuremberg, Frankfurt am Main, Freiburg im Breisgau, Dresden, Düsseldorf or Hanover are a must. The Ruhr area, which stretches above Cologne , offers a special experience. The “Ruhr Museum” in Essen presents the history and transformation of the Ruhr area. Since then, former industrial monuments have been converted and used in other ways: For example, there is an open-air cinema in the “Landschaftspark Duisburg Nord” and the “Gasometer” in Oberhausen serves as an exhibition space that scores with a panoramic view over the Ruhr area . If you want to experience the Ruhr area by bike, you should use one of the well-developed hiking and cycling routes, which lead past special cultural sites and rivers.

Germany, Munich Marienplatz
View of Munich’s Marienplatz, Image: Tobias Grosskopf/shutterstock

Not far from the Ruhr area is the Sauerland, which is very popular with skiers and snowboarders. If there is no snow in sight, sports enthusiasts can whiz down the slopes in one of the numerous indoor ski halls in Germany, such as in Neuss or Bottrop. In the cold season, Christmas markets throughout the country also attract visitors with mulled wine and gingerbread.

In addition to the German language and the single currency, the well-developed transport network is another plus point. Travelling by car, coach, train or plane is therefore comfortable and easy.

Travel information Germany

Capital Berlin
Form of government Parliamentary Federal Republic of Germany
Currency Euro (EUR)
Area approx. 357,385.71 km²
Population approx. 82,521,000 (as of 2016)
Languages German
Electricity grid 230 Volt / 50 Hz
Area code +49
Time zone UTC+1
UTC+2 (March to October)

 

Bulgaria – in the land of roses and rakija

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Bulgaria – an insider tip among holiday destinations! More and more Germans are flocking to the golden beaches of the famous Bulgarian Black Sea coast. But the country has much more to offer!

Cape Kaliakra on the Black Sea Bulgaria
Bolata Beach – A famous bay near Cape Kaliakra, Image: Calin Stan / shutterstock

On Golden Sands, holidaymakers benefit from the guaranteed warm temperatures in summer. But nature lovers in the rest of the country are also happy about the good weather. Because it makes it even easier to explore the beautiful surroundings. For example, around the 260 lakes. Or on a hiking and climbing holiday in the national parks of the Pirin, Rila or Balkan Mountains. And no matter where you look, Bulgaria’s soil seems to be particularly blessed. Wonderful lush green, roses in a wide variety of colors and grapes in almost every front garden. No wonder that Bulgarians are considered sociable and friendly people. A taste of home-grown wine or schnapps (rakija) is definitely part of the holiday.

A visit to Bulgaria is not only worthwhile in summer. Winter sports in the mountains are becoming more and more popular. Snowfall and low temperatures are guaranteed! The 142 health resorts in Bulgaria are also well visited all year round. The hot and cold mineral springs and mud baths are particularly popular. A paradise for spa and wellness tourists!

In addition to its beautiful nature, Bulgaria has a rich cultural heritage. History enthusiasts will find it difficult to visit the approximately 40,000 historical sites, 36 cultural reserves, 160 monasteries and countless museums in just one holiday. But at least the seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites are not to be missed. For example, the tomb of Sveshtari: a magnificently decorated resting place for a Thracian ruler.

Those who prefer to experience the culture of the Bulgarian people live will get their money’s worth with the tradition-conscious nation. Bulgarians like to celebrate and have the opportunity to do so on numerous holidays. On the occasion of holidays, traditional dances are performed in colourful costumes. These are best observed in one of the many cafés or restaurants. Bulgarian cuisine is tasty, rich and comparatively cheap. Even the salads are a special taste experience, as the products grown in the country taste “real like vegetables”. Other regional specialities include yoghurt with the famous Bulgaricus milk bacteria or “Sirene”, a brine cheese.

View of the Bulgarian ski resort of Borovets, Image:

Sporty holidaymakers prefer the active opportunities of the country. Not only hiking and climbing are popular sports. Equestrian sports are also part of the offer, as is cycling on the Eurovelo long-distance cycle paths. Adventure seekers can embark on a rafting or kayaking trip in the whitewater rivers. In the Black Sea, diving is very important. And in winter, you can go skiing in the mountains.

Of course, the cities of Bulgaria also have a lot to offer. In the capital Sofia , shopping enthusiasts have fun in the numerous shopping centers and then rest in one of the parks. The coastal cities of Varna and Burgas invite you to take a walk on the beach or visit the historic old town.

Almost all tourists are drawn to the coast of the Black Sea . You are faced with the choice of quiet, idyllic seaside resorts, such as Kranevo, Sveti Konstantin or Albena. Or you prefer to party into the night. At Golden Sands – the Ballermann on the Black Sea – there is always a lot going on at night. Discos and parties take place directly on the beach or even in the party ship Party Cruise. In any case, a holiday in Bulgaria will be an unforgettable experience!

Travel information Bulgaria

Capital Sofia
Form of government Parliamentary Republic
Parliamentary democracy
Currency Lev (BGN)
Area approx. 111,000 km²
Population approx. 7,050,000 (as of 2017)
Languages Bulgarian
Electricity grid 230 Volt / 50 Hz
Area code +359
Time zone UTC+2
UTC+3 (March to October)