Bulgarians across the country are welcoming the New Year with various initiatives. More than 20 members of the club of karate and yoga coach Emil Zlatev in Varna traditionally swam in the sea on January 1. They say that they never get sick and feel full of energy all year round. The temperature of the sea water today is 9-10°C and the air temperature is around 11°, BNR correspondent Daniela Stoynova reported.

In Veliko Tarnovo, many people joined a 15-kilometer hike today - from the Tsarevets Fortress to the Tarnovo Heights, BNR correspondent Zdravka Maslyankova reported.

Traditionally, on January 1, hundreds of residents of Razlog gather in the central square for the traditional folklore games. Kukeri, babugeri and stanchinari with bells and music instruments come out to chase away evil.

• Here comes "Starchevata" - Chaushi take over Bulgaria's Razlog ‎

In Sofia, the Zoo works without a day off and even today welcomes visitors. Among its new inhabitants are a group of black-and-white colobuses with a baby, which arrived from Hungary, as well as a pygmy hippopotamus from Croatia. Among the newborns in the zoo are two zebras, one of which has left for Greece, the baby hooded capuchin Bruna and others.