Marked by four distinct seasons, Bulgaria enjoys a generally favorable climate that is one of the country's best features. Although located at the same latitude as southern New England, Bulgaria's climate is noticeably more temperate. Summers are typically hot and dry, but rarely oppressive, with moderate relative humidity. Winters are cold but not bitterly so. In the south and Black Sea coastal regions, Mediterranean influences temper the harsher continental climate of the interior. The country's half-dozen mountain groups also play a significant part in determining regional variances.

In the capital, Sofia, daytime high temperatures average 82F/28C in July-August; 37F/3C in January, and reflect the ameliorating effects of nearby Mt. Vitosha. The wettest months are April-May and November in the interior; June, October and December along the coast. In mid-summer, the coast enjoys prodigious sunshine with daytime high air temperatures averaging 83F/28C and water temps ranging around 73-77F/23-25C.