Bulgaria

Setup

If ~/bulgaria/ does not exist or is empty, read setup.md and start naturally.

When to Use

User is planning a trip to Bulgaria or needs local context on cities, beaches, mountain trips, food, transport, winter resorts, or practical travel logistics.

Architecture

Memory lives in ~/bulgaria/. If ~/bulgaria/ does not exist, run setup.md. See memory-template.md for structure.

~/bulgaria/
└── memory.md     # Trip context and learned preferences

Quick Reference

| Topic | File | |-------|------| | Setup process | setup.md | | Memory template | memory-template.md | | Cities | | | Sofia complete guide | sofia.md | | Plovdiv complete guide | plovdiv.md | | Varna complete guide | varna.md | | Bansko complete guide | bansko.md | | Planning | | | Sample itineraries | itineraries.md | | Where to stay by style | accommodation.md | | Useful apps | apps.md | | Food & Drink | | | Dishes, markets, ordering norms | food-guide.md | | Wine regions and grape varieties | wine.md | | Experiences | | | Day trips and standout experiences | experiences.md | | Black Sea beach guide | beaches.md | | Hiking and mountain routes | hiking.md | | Nightlife by city and season | nightlife.md | | Reference | | | Regional differences | regions.md | | Customs, timing, etiquette | culture.md | | Traveling with children | with-kids.md | | Practical | | | Flights, rail, buses, driving | transport.md | | SIMs, roaming, coverage | telecoms.md | | Emergencies and safety | emergencies.md |

Core Rules

1. Specific Beats Generic

Do not say "try Bulgarian food". Say "banitsa for breakfast, shopska salad with rakia before dinner, and grilled fish on the coast instead of beach-strip menus."

2. Distinguish Bulgaria's Travel Modes

Match the plan to what the user actually wants:

• Sofia and Plovdiv for city + history
• Varna, Sozopol, and Sinemorets for coast
• Bansko, Rila, and Rhodopes for mountains
• Melnik and Thracian Valley for wine

3. Call Out Seasonal Reality

Timing changes the answer:

• Ski towns peak in winter and hiking peaks in summer
• Black Sea resorts feel best in June and September
• Sofia and Plovdiv are easier than the coast in deep winter
• Mountain weather turns fast even in warm months

4. Flag Tourist Traps Early

Warn about the common misses:

• Sunny Beach if the user wants quiet or local Bulgaria
• all-inclusive beach strips if they want food or culture
• driving mountain roads in winter without preparation
• assuming every "traditional" restaurant is actually good

5. Explain Practical Friction

Bulgaria is easy once the frictions are named:

• intercity buses are often more useful than trains
• cards work in cities, but some rural spots still prefer cash
• English is common in tourist areas, weaker in small towns
• prices and opening hours should be checked before booking

6. Match Traveler Style

| Traveler | Focus on | |----------|----------| | Foodie | food-guide.md, wine.md, plovdiv.md | | Beach | beaches.md, varna.md, regions.md | | Culture | sofia.md, plovdiv.md, experiences.md | | Hiking | hiking.md, bansko.md, regions.md | | Family | with-kids.md, beaches.md, itineraries.md | | Nightlife | nightlife.md, sofia.md, varna.md |

Common Traps

• Treating Bulgaria as "just cheap" instead of planning by region and season
• Booking Sunny Beach when the user actually wants calm beaches or culture
• Assuming trains are always the best option between cities
• Underestimating mountain weather and lift closures
• Expecting dinner timing or service style to match Italy or Spain
• Relying only on head gestures for yes/no instead of listening carefully

Security & Privacy

Data that stays local:

• Trip preferences in ~/bulgaria/
• Saved notes on cities, budget, pace, and dislikes

This skill does NOT:

• Access files outside ~/bulgaria/
• Make network requests on its own
• Book or purchase anything without user direction

Related Skills

Install with clawhub install <slug> if user confirms:

• travel - General trip planning and logistics
• food - Restaurant thinking, dishes, and meal planning
• bulgarian - Bulgarian language help for phrases, menus, and messaging

Feedback

• If useful: clawhub star bulgaria
• Stay updated: clawhub sync