Good weather forecast as Bulgaria heads for March 3 national holiday long weekend
Bulgaria’s long weekend, from March 3 to 5 as the country celebrates its national day, was expected to see largely good weather, from sunny to partly cloudy with maximum temperatures relatively warm for the season.
In Bulgaria’s three major mountain resorts, Bansko was forecast to see maximum highs over the three-day weekend of about 13 degrees Celsius, in Pamporovo, from 10 on Friday to seven on Sunday, and in Borovets, from four degrees on Friday rising to 10 degrees at the end of the weekend.
At the seaside, Varna was expected to open the long weekend with a maximum high of 12, dropping to nine degrees on Sunday, while in Bourgas, the forecast was for 14 to 12 degree Celsius-maximums.
Plovdiv would see temperatures of 18 to 15 degrees, beginning the long weekend with sunny skies but with fog expected on Sunday. Those staying in Sofia may look forward to maximum temperatures of about 16 degrees Celsius.
The Interior Ministry said that because of national day celebrations at Shipka Peak, the Gabrovo – Shipka road would be closed to vehicles from 10pm on March 2 to 5pm on March 3.
On March 3, from 5am to 4pm, only cars carrying participants in and guests of the official celebrations on Shipka Peak, as well as scheduled long-distance transport, would be allowed on the road, while other traffic would be diverted through the Pass of the Republic.
The customary major exodus from Sofia was expected at the start of the long weekend.
Bulgarian state railways BDZ said that it was providing more than 13 500 additional seats on trains over the long weekend on the major rail routes in the country, including on the lines connecting Sofia with, among others, Varna, Bourgas, Plovdiv, Rousse, Silistra, Lom, Vidin, Rousse and Blagoevgrad.
BDZ said that it expected great interest in people wanting to travel on the narrow gauge scenic line between Septembri and Dobrinishte and would be providing extra trains and carriages on the line over the long weekend.
(Photo of the Shipka Peak Monument: Georgi Chorbadzhiyski)
/Leisure
