Beaches of Bulgaria

Since the local travel agencies have already started selling packages to the Bulgarian coastline for the summer of 2015, I thought it might be time to write a little post about the resorts of the Western part of the Black Sea. The resorts of Bulgaria have proven to be very popular to tourists of Romania for the past few years, but only a few are actually aware of what you can expect when you travel to this Balcanic country for a summer escapade.

BALCHIK is the Northernmost resort and closest to the Romanian border, but since it’s a small town with a strong cultural heritage, and not so popular for it’s beach, it is often overlooked by tourists. Yes, you’ve read correctly, even though there is plenty to see and to do here, people tend to avoid it, especially Romanians, who don’t come to Bulgaria for sightseeing, but to sit on the beach all day and eat in the all inclusive restaurants without a care in the World. (I’m sorry, but that’s the harsh reality). For the few people who might be interested, Balchik has narrow beach strips with sand, but also some small secluded cliffy beaches in it’s Northern part, perfect if you’d like to get away from the crowd. As for sightseeing, be sure to check the next post, where I’ll be talking about that in detail.

Balchik

Balchik

Instead of Balchik, our dear Romanians prefer much more the resort of ALBENA, which is very close to the Romanian border and easily reached without too much fuss. But this isn’t its’ only good side: Albena is also ridiculously cheap and renown for it’s All Inclusive regime (except for a handful, all the other thirty-something hotels have All Inclusive), which means that for a hilarious amount of 2-300 euros your entire family can eat and drink all day long. They don’t only serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, but snack meals in-between the three main courses, God forbid’ you’d be hungry after breakfast. So you don’t have a care in the World, your kid can drink as much sugar-based and super-unhealthy multi-colored “refreshments” as he/she wishes. I think the All-Inclusive regime is incredibly stupid, not only because you eat the cheapest possible food around (thus the most unhealthy bits), but it basically prevents you from going on excursions or exploring the surroundings – because you paid for your lunch and you ain’t gonna miss it for some sightseeing. But another time, another article on detail about this! Anyways, Albena is mostly a family resort, with 5 kilometers long and 150-meters wide Blue-flag beach. There is an aquapark that was opened in 2014, if you’re looking for a bit of fun and you’ve had enough of eating all day long. The water wasn’t exactly crystal-clear, but we were told that this is the time the tangles usually come close to shore (we were there in May), and that it’s usually fine during the summer season.

Albena

Albena

Next on my list is the GOLDEN SANDS resort, which is probably the most famous of the Bulgarian resorts and beaches, mostly because of its’ pure and golden sand. It has the largest beach in the Northern part of the Black Sea, and it is categorized with Blue Flag . It also has it’s own aquapark for adrenaline and fun-lovers.

Golden Sands

Golden Sands Resort

OBZOR is next if we head South, where we only saw about 3 hotels (which were huge), so I can’t really say very much of the resort. I’ve read that it has a 10 kilometers long and 20-60 meters wide beach, which was pretty well maintained and sandy, the hotels were mostly child-friendly. It is a quiet resort with a small town. Irakli beach is a beautiful, virgin and secluded beach of the resort, if you want to stay away from the crowd.

Obzor

SUNNY BEACH also has a large beach and is one of the most popular destinations of Bulgaria. Also a Blue Flag beach, mostly frequented by youngsters because of its’ entertainment programs and tourist facilities – restaurants, bars, cafes (even on the beach!).

Sunny Beach

Sunny Beach

Last but not least is my favorite of all, NESSEBAR. Not known to many beach-tourists, but very important fact is that Nessebar Old Town is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is a beautiful town with amazing architecture, a must-see if you’re in Bulgaria! So take time to part from your All Inclusive, and head down to see this man-made wonder – you won’t be disappointed! The good news is, Nessebar also has three beaches, two in the new part of town and one in Old town, so if you can’t part from the beach not even for a day, you can still find it here as well! Beware though, that you won’t find that pure sand that Golden Sands has to offer, the beaches are more pebbly and rocky, but it’s all part of Nessebar’s charm!

Nessebar

Nessebar

Nessebar

So that’s mostly it about the Bulgarian coastline, but if you have any questions regarding the beaches, or even are in need of hotel recommendations feel free to contact me at cityoftheweek@yahoo.com! I’m happy to be of service! Have a lovely day!

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UNESCO: Nessebar Old Town Practical Guide to Salzburg Things I’ve learned while in Spain 5 To Do’s in Zamora