The largest, most versatile, most popular and party resort in Bulgaria is Sunny Beach. They love it for its affordable prices, safety, a lot of entertainment and – just overseas.
Schoolchildren go to Sunny Beach to have fun in children’s and sports camps. Young people organize races in bars and clubs. Families with children can enjoy the wide sandy beach and attractions. And while you are thinking about which goal is yours, we will tell you what kind of vacation awaits you in Sunny Beach.
Who is Sunny Beach suitable for?
Sunny Beach began to be built purposefully as a tourist resort 60 years ago. There are no attractions, museums or old Bulgarian architecture here. Just a beautiful beach, hundreds of different hotels and even more bars and restaurants, in short, a very developed infrastructure.
The resort is suitable for everyone, but it is especially attractive to young people. There are no such number of bars, discos and parties anywhere else in Bulgaria. It doesn’t matter whether it’s Tuesday or Saturday – if it’s summer outside, then in the evening the center of Sunny Beach will be filled with young Englishmen, Germans, Russians and Belarusians who are ready to go bar after bar until the morning.
At the same time, families with children also love Sunny Beach. There is a large water park, many attractions, entertainment for little tourists, and a cafe for family outings.
If the availability of restaurants and entertainment does not matter, but you want silence, the cry of seagulls in the morning, a lot of greenery and relaxation, you should take a closer look at other resorts or choose a hotel away from the center, from the promenade.
Beaches of Sunny Beach
Sunny Beach owes its name and the huge number of tourists to its long and wide sandy beach. European experts reward it with the Blue Flag award, and guests love it for its fine yellow sand, gentle entrance to the sea and the absence of algae.
The entire 10-kilometer beach is not divided into separate zones and is equally good everywhere. During the season it is completely packed and it is not easy to find seats. Sun loungers cost around 5 euros, on the outskirts they are cheaper, they are located closer to the edge of the sea. Those who come with blankets will most likely have to sit behind the lounge chair area. Entrance to the beach is free everywhere, with the exception of closed hotel areas.
How to choose a hotel in Sunny Beach
It’s not easy to figure out the names of streets and squares in Sunny Beach, so the Kuban Hotel has been secretly declared the center of the resort. The main pedestrian street departs from it, and everything within a radius of 200 meters is considered the center.
The ideal option would be to choose a hotel within walking distance from the center, so that you don’t need to take a bus or taxi (very expensive) for an evening promenade or a trip to a restaurant. The farther you live from “Kuban”, the cheaper and calmer your vacation will be.
You can even live in Nessebar. This is a small town with which Sunny Beach has literally merged in recent years. It, unlike the largest Bulgarian resort, has a long history, tiny size and high density of attractions.
The Bulgarian “troika” is quite a decent option for accommodation; it will have a swimming pool, Wi-Fi, a refrigerator, and a good kitchen. But – it’s clear – the higher the category, the more luxurious the rooms and range of services.
With All Inclusive, your vacation will be cheaper, but perhaps more boring. The number of restaurants at the resort allows you to get by with HB or breakfast only. The resort also has villas for family accommodation.
Do not forget that Sunny Beach has been chosen by many international tour operators – rooms in most hotels here are booked long before the start of the season. Therefore, the sooner you choose a tour to Sunny Beach, the higher the likelihood of checking into the best hotel at the best price.
Things to do in Sunny Beach
Despite the fact that Sunny Beach is not rich in attractions, the resort has a lot of entertainment.
For example this:
- Water park “Action”. The largest water park in Bulgaria. More than 30 types of attractions, recreation areas, cafes. It costs 5-6 hours to go there, and you will have to spend about 15 euros. Another water park is located in neighboring Nessebar.
- Nessebar. An old beautiful town with stone streets and houses. It is located on a peninsula and is a small but mandatory excursion for all tourists from Sunny Beach. You can get there by bus or by sea on a boat. In mid-August, Nessebar hosts City Day, which is celebrated so grandly and cheerfully that many specially tailor their vacation to it.
- Burgas. People most often go to this city for shopping. There are two large shopping centers and a nice pedestrian street with shops.
- Saint Vlas. Another small town near Sunny Beach with yachts, palm trees and attractions.
- Organized excursions. It’s easier and cheaper to go to all the previous places by bus yourself. But local travel agencies offer many more excursions. The most popular ones are to the tourist complex “Bulgarian Village”, to see how the Bulgarians used to live, and to the beautiful Valley of Roses.
- Leisure. The resort offers bicycles, horseback riding, jeep safaris, and water activities can be found to suit every taste.
Nightlife in Sunny Beach
In the evening in the center of Sunny Beach you cannot walk 10 meters without being invited to some bar or presented with flyers. Dance bars are especially popular. Entrance to this kingdom of music and alcohol is free.
Here are a few places to visit:
- Valhalla Party Bar
- Amigo Bar Sunny Beach
- Condor bar 90
Another option for the evening is discos. As the locals say, the best in Bulgaria. There are even more of them in Sunny Beach, including discos on a boat at sea, foam parties, karaoke clubs, and striptease shows. Entrance will cost 5-10 euros.
Some of the most popular clubs:
- “Lazur” – located on the beach, you can access the sea, has its own pool
- “Iceberg”
- Mania
- Den Glade Viking
- The Bounce club
What to try in Sunny Beach
In Sunny Beach there are restaurants with completely different cuisines. But if you want to try something local, pay attention to Shopska salad, Tarator soup, meat dishes moussaka, kurban, kavarma and, of course, a varied “sea menu”.
Portions in Bulgarian restaurants are pleasing in size. A full lunch will cost 7-10 euros. The further from the center, the cheaper.
Where to try local cuisine?
- Restaurant Bansko Mehana
- Bar Piccadilli
- Restaurant H.C.Andersen
- The Old Sailor
What to bring from Sunny Beach
At every step in this resort there are souvenir shops, small shops with clothes and shoes. There are even shopping centers, although… Burgas is still more popular for shopping.
For food and household items, it is better to go to discount stores where locals shop. For example, to the Mladost supermarket in the center. There are ALDO and LIDL here.
The most popular souvenirs from Sunny Beach are products made from roses: oil, soap, jam and much more. Don’t forget about rakia, feta cheese, Turkish delight and ceramics.