The many attractions of the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast
08/13/2017
Summer means the Black Sea
In the summer anywhere on the Black Sea is one big party, whether it be Georgia, the Ukraine, Turkey, Crimea or Romania.However here we explain the particular attractions of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.
So many sandy beaches
Well firstly there is a lot of it, hundreds of miles of sandy beaches, and where there is not a sandy beach, there is a secluded rocky cove, and most Bulgarian beaches have EU blue flag accreditation, for purity and cleanliness. Let us compare it with the Romanian coast which has a limited range of beaches in, for example, Mamaia, Juno, and Jupiter, but as you progress north of Constanta, it is just rocky.
That is partly why a relatively remarkable trend has developed in Bulgaria, that of Romanian tourism in Bulgaria. In the past decade, Romanians have been avoiding their own Black Sea Coast, and coming in their thousands upon thousands to the Bulgarian seaside.
Particular beneficiaries have been Bulgaria's sea capital, Varna, and the resort of Golden Sands, even more so the 'white city' of Balchik which has strong historical connections with Romanian through the Palace of Queen Maria (Romania ruled the Dobrudja region from 1919-1940).
The casino's of Varna and Golden Sands attract strong interest from tourist and local alike, but they are particularly beloved of Israeli tourists who begin to visit Bulgaria as soon as April. Remember that Bulgaria is one of the closest destinations where Israeli's are welcome.
Further south, the mega resort of Sunny Beach, near Burgas, attracts a different type of tourist yet again. Young, European, mainly British, holidaymakers, looking to party hard and enjoy themselves. Sunny Beach is now being marketed as the new Ayia Napa (a Cypriot resort renowned for its hedonism) or Ibiza (a Spanish resort famous for the same thing). Many hotels are all inclusive, but you also get a mixture of half and full board. The usual party drinks tours and other paraphernalia are available.
For those looking for, shall we say, a less frenetic holiday, the Black Sea city of Burgas offers a warm welcome. Smaller, more compact, than Varna, the city has a friendly feel, there is a beautiful well laid out sea garden and a lovely central pedestrian zone with shops, bars, and restaurants.There is a massive fruit, vegetable, meat and fish market, full of aromas that will have you buying far too much.
It is a no-brainer to experience a Bulgarian salad; absolutely fresh vegetables bathed in vegetable oil with a generous helping of light vinegar, some soft white feta cheese, and a few green olives with a sprinkling of salt and black pepper, all, of course, washed down with a traditional rakia brandy.
Burgas and Varna are clearly maritime cities, and it would be embarrassing not to visit a seafood restaurant when there. The range of fresh seafood is an assault on the eyes, the nose, and the taste buds; caught in the morning and served in the afternoon, what is better than that?. A small plate of tsatsa (whitebait) , with some lemon juice, is glorious on a summers evening, accompanied by a chilled glass of dry white wine (the No Man's Land or Cycle wineries are ones to look out for), as the sun goes down. The sea bass and the Hek (Hake) are oh so special too, accompanied by some crisp french fries.
The Little Seaside towns of Bulgaria
There are some incredibly charming sea villages in Bulgaria, mainly, though not exclusively, in the South. Kranevo and Balchik in the north crop up often, but further along the coast are Obzor, Primorsko, Sozopol, Nessebar, Ahtopol and Sinemorets, all with their own unique charm. There are plenty of charming small hotels and great little restaurants and bars, for those looking for something away from the mega resorts.
Flights to the South Black Sea coast are to Burgas airport, which has a busy summer schedule. Usually, unless you have a direct international connection, it is best to fly to Sofia and get a domestic flight to Burgas. There are around two flights a day.
For the Northern Black Sea coast, Varna airport is located 50km from Balchik and about 120km from the Romanian border. It is about 20 minutes drive to Golden Sands and 35 minutes to Albena (the area's holiday hotspots). As with Burgas, it is best to get an internal flight from Sofia to Varna (there are four flights a day).
So there you have it, come to the Bulgarian Black Sea and enjoy !. Let payless flights help you with all your airfare needs. We can arrange flights from U.S.A-Bulgaria including from Chicago, Miami, Boston, New York and Los Angeles. Istanbul, London and Vienna are typical stopovers.