The best resorts in Bulgaria in 2023: TOP-14 holiday destinations

There is probably no person who does not love the sea. And finally, summer has come, it is time for rest, for vacation, for the sea. In this article, we will consider the Top 14 resorts in Bulgaria that are worthy of your attention, and you will choose yours for your vacation.

Bulgaria has almost 400 km of stunning Black Sea coastline, which is full of beautiful beaches and resorts. But where to go on holiday? We will visit 14 of the best seaside resorts in Bulgaria. This season, Bulgaria expects up to 5 million tourists on the coast. To increase the safety of holidaymakers in the coastal resort areas, over 350 police officers from other parts of Bulgaria will be sent in the summer.

In addition to the resorts themselves, we will consider price trends: where it has become more expensive, and maybe somewhere it has become cheaper. Often, the price is not an indicator of quality, just an indicator of many processes, like in the market. If there is demand, the price simply rises, if demand is low, the price, as a rule, falls.

Is it worth going to Bulgaria for a holiday?

What are the arguments FOR going to Bulgaria to the sea?

Bulgarian resorts on the map:

So, let’s start our review of seaside resorts by popularity from least to most.

Place #14. Obzor

The unpromoted small town of Obzor is located on the Black Sea coast, somewhere in the middle between the cities of Varna and Burgas . It is located in a bay that begins north of Cape St. Atanas and south of Mount Eminska.

The city has a small difference in altitude, the further from the sea the higher it gets. The city has shops, pharmacies, and a market with fresh vegetables and fruits. The central street of the town turns into a permanent market in the summer, where clothes, souvenirs and the like are sold. There is a bus station, a museum, restaurants and cafes.

The beach is sandy with fine sand. The entrance to the sea is gentle, suitable for children. There are water attractions on the beach. This year, as in the past, the beach “Obzor – Central” was awarded the ecological title “Blue Flag”.

Prices for accommodation this summer start from 30 euros per night for a double room in the high season. Which is a third more expensive than last summer. In a hotel on the first line, prices start from 42 euros, and a double room on an all-inclusive basis costs from 175 euros per night. It should be noted that Obzor
is probably the most expensive hotel on the Bulgarian coast, where a night in the cheapest room for two costs almost 600 euros. And a double suite with a sea view costs 1,350 euros per night.

Place No. 13. Sozopol

Sozopol is an ancient city, south of Burgas, which was founded in the seventh century BC by Greek seafarers. The city is similar to Nessebar , there is an Old Town, ancient fortress walls, cobblestones, a large marina for yachts and boats. But there is a difference, these are large differences in altitude, the city is on hills. You will have to do some physical exercise. There are shops, pharmacies, and a bazaar in the city.

The beaches in Sozopol have very fine and pleasant to the touch sand, a gentle entrance to the sea, suitable for small children. There are water attractions on the beach. This summer, two beaches, Sozopol-Centralen and Sozopol-Harmanite, were awarded the Blue Flag.

Near the city there are two islands, Saints Ivan and Peter, where you can go on a boat excursion.

Accommodation prices this summer start at 35 euros for a double room, which is 40% higher than last summer. In a hotel on the first line, prices start at 47 euros, and a double room on an all-inclusive basis costs from 130 euros per night.

Place No. 12. Saints Constantine and Helena

The resort of Saints Constantine and Helena is located north of Varna. This is the oldest resort in Bulgaria, it began its development more than 100 years ago. The resort has 7 hot mineral springs. They are located at a depth of about two kilometers with warm and hot water. There is also a modern thermal complex with swimming pools. There are practically no differences in altitude at the resort. The only thing is that you need to climb a few steps from the beach itself.

From the resort there are city buses to Varna, where you can have a cultural and active holiday.

The resort offers a wide range of beaches for every taste. Most of the beaches have a gentle entrance to the sea. One of them, “Sunny Day”, was awarded the title “Blue Flag” as last summer. There are water attractions on the beach. Prices on the beach are 4-5 euros for an umbrella or sun lounger.

Accommodation prices this summer start from 35 euros for a double room, which is 35% higher than last summer. In a hotel on the first line, prices start from 72 euros, and a double room on an all-inclusive basis costs from 105 euros per day.
It should be noted that the resort has recently begun to be very densely built up, the park is actively cut down and the resort is losing its former splendor.

Place No. 11. Dunes

Duni is the southernmost point of our rating. It is only 170 kilometers to the Bosphorus. Duni is not a city or a resort, it is just a location where several top hotels are located. There is no infrastructure here. There are not even shops. At your service is only what is located on the territory of the hotels. But the statuses of the hotels themselves seem to imply that the client will not care about anything.

The beach is over three kilometers long. It is wide with pleasant sand, but it sticks to the body. Why? Either because of the structure of the grains of sand, or because of the greater salinity of the water. And you can see fish in the sea. There is a gentle entrance to the water, which is suitable for children. The beach has been awarded the title of “Blue Flag”. Adjacent to the private beach is a wild beach – Driver’s, where everyone can relax, simply by parking their car right on the side of the road. On the beaches in the paid zone, the prices are 4 euros for an umbrella and 4 euros for a sun lounger.

This summer, accommodation prices at the most popular hotel, Duni Royal Palace, start from 430 euros for a double room all inclusive. A double suite with a sea view costs 650 euros per night. There are also hotels not on the first line with lower prices, but also with fewer stars. For example, one of the hotels offers double rooms from 65 euros with breakfast only.

Place #10. Golden Sands

The Golden Sands resort was the most popular resort in the Soviet era. It is located north of Varna. The resort is surrounded by the dense Golden Sands Forest Park. Nearby are the sights – the Chapel of St. John the Baptist, the rock monastery Aladzha.

The resort has a large selection of cafes and restaurants of various types. There is a small amusement park.

The beach of the Golden Sands resort stretches for 4 km from north to south. The resort really has golden sand. The entrance to the sea is not shallow, it is deep right at the shore. The Golden Sands beach has the international distinction of “Blue Flag”. The prices at Golden Sands are 6 euros for an umbrella and 6 euros for a sun lounger.

Accommodation prices this summer start at 33 euros for a double room, which is 35% higher than last summer. In a hotel on the first line, prices also start at 33 euros. And a double room on an all-inclusive basis costs from 80 euros per night.

Place No. 9. Byala

The town is located between the cities of Varna and Obzor . Byala is definitely an underrated and unpromoted seaside resort in Bulgaria. We were pleasantly surprised by such a neat and clean resort town. There are just plenty of trash bins in the town, we have not seen such a large number of benches in other resorts in Bulgaria, and not only in Bulgaria. Free toilets. Free WiFi zones. There are cafes and restaurants. The local attraction of Byala is the Ancient Fortress. There is a beach that is suitable for children.

The sea bottom is unusual, you need to get used to entering the sea.

Prices for accommodation this summer start from 26 euros for a double room, which is almost the same as last summer. In a hotel on the first line, prices also start from 35 euros. But there are no hotels with “all inclusive”. Therefore, you will have to eat at local catering or independently, buying food in stores.

We can recommend Byala primarily to those who seek relaxation, privacy, simplicity, but at the same time value cleanliness and comfort. Those who love noisy active or youth recreation will most likely be bored in Byala.

Place No. 8. Nessebar

Nesebar is one of the most ancient cities on the Black Sea coast. The historical center of the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria. It was founded almost 5000 years ago. Nesebar consists of two parts – the Old and the New Town. There is a small beach in the Old Town. Oddly enough, the prices turned out to be low, both for housing and in catering establishments. This applies to the New Part of the city, the one on the mainland. One of the beaches of Nesebar – “Nesebar South” is marked with the Blue Flag.

Accommodation prices this summer start from 21 euros for a double room, which is 1 euro lower than last summer! In a hotel on the first line, prices start from 31 euros, and a double room on an all-inclusive basis costs from 110 euros per day. We recommend visiting the resort of Nessebar primarily for lovers of history, excursions, museums and antiquity.

Place #7. Sunny Beach

Sunny Beach is the largest and most popular resort in Bulgaria. It is located on the shore of the bay, in the form of a semicircle. Nearby there are two large water parks and one mini water park, there is an amusement park in the very center of the resort. Here you will find the maximum number of bars, clubs and restaurants, especially for young people. There is a bus station here.

The beach of the Sunny Beach resort stretches for almost 8 km. It really lives up to its name: from May to October there are on average about 1700 hours of sunshine. The entry into the sea is gentle, which is suitable for children. All three beaches, “North”, “Center” and “South”, have traditionally received the international ecology award “Blue Flag” this summer.

Parking prices have increased this summer and now cost 1 euro 25 cents per hour.

Sunny Beach has a wide range of accommodation. Prices for accommodation this summer start from 24 euros for a double room, which is even 1 euro lower than last summer. In a hotel on the first line, prices start from 48 euros, and a double room on an all-inclusive basis costs from 83 euros per day. When booking a hotel for a holiday, you should keep in mind the distance to the beach, as the price varies greatly.

Sunny Beach is perfect for young travelers from all over the world with its sand dunes, water sports and vibrant life. And for those who love a noisy and active holiday.

Place No. 6. Kranevo

The small resort village of Kranevo is located near Albena. Between Kranevo and the resort of Albena is the Baltata reserve. The village has small shops, attractions, cafes and restaurants. Kranevo is good because it has almost the same beach as Albena. And the beach also has an ecology award – the Blue Flag. One of the features of the resort is a skating rink.

This summer, accommodation prices start from 28 euros for a double room, which is almost 2 times higher than last summer. In a hotel on the first line, prices start from 66 euros, and a double room on an all-inclusive basis costs from 85 euros per day. Thus, this year, Kranevo has lost its status as the most affordable resort. But we can still recommend Kranevo as a more affordable alternative to Albena.

Place No. 5. Sveti Vlas or Sveti Vlas

A prestigious resort at the foot of a mountain slope. Sveti Vlas is unofficially called the Bulgarian Saint-Tropez. In a word, the town pleases the eye. This summer, two beaches of the resort: “Novy” and “Vostok” received the prestigious international ecology award “Blue Flag”. In Sveti Vlas, you can buy food in the supermarkets Mercury and Diamant.

Accommodation prices this summer start at 27 euros for a double room, which is almost 20% higher than last summer. In a hotel on the first line, prices start at 42 euros, and a double room on an all-inclusive basis costs from 120 euros per night. The only downside I would note is a slight difference in altitude, so you will have to climb uphill on the way from the sea.

Place No. 4. Albena

Albena is a closed resort complex with a barrier at the entrance. At one time, the resort was visited by many celebrities, such as Indira Gandhi and Fidel Castro. On the territory of Albena there are small shops, a stadium, tennis courts, a horse base, gyms, a go-kart track and its own small water park Aquamania. Nearby is the Baltata reserve, where you can walk in the shade of the trees.

The Albena resort has internal public transport – special small “trains” run on schedule along their routes inside the resort. Electric shuttles also run from the car parks, which are free.

The beach is over 5 km long, very wide, like on the ocean coast, about 150 meters wide with fine sand. In our opinion, the beach in Albena is, if not the best, then at least one of the best beaches in Bulgaria. The entry into the water is gentle, which is suitable for children. The beach has been awarded the title of “Blue Flag”.

It should be noted that there is practically no budget accommodation in Albena. Holidays here are not for poor tourists. Prices for hotel rooms this summer start from 125 euros for a double room on an all-inclusive basis. A room in a hotel of the same class, but on the first line, will cost from 247 euros per night. Despite this, there are few available rooms. Good hotels are sold out long before the start of the summer season.

Place No. 3. Pomorie

The old part of Pomorie is located on a peninsula connected to the mainland by an isthmus, like ancient Nessebar or Sozopol. There is a salt lake and Pomorie therapeutic mud at the resort. The concentration of salt in this lake is like in the Dead Sea. There is a small water park. Among the advantages, one can highlight the presence of Billa and Lidl chain stores in the city. So you can buy food at normal prices, without resort markups. There are no elevation changes. The entry into the water is gentle, which is suitable for children. The beach “Pomorie-East” is marked with the Blue Flag.

Accommodation prices this summer start at 32 euros for a double room, which is 10% higher than last summer. In a hotel on the first line, prices start at 35 euros, and a double room on an all-inclusive basis costs from 143 euros per night.

Place No. 2. Burgas

Burgas is a rather attractive large resort town with a relatively new infrastructure. There is a seaport, an international airport, railway and bus stations. There are shopping malls and markets, an opera house and several museums in the city. Burgas has a large Seaside Park located along the sea and a promenade on the beach.

In Burgas the sand is dark grayish, it seems as if on the beach of a volcanic island. But there is one minus – it is not all Lukoil processing plant. According to my feelings, I can say that as soon as you arrive in the city, you feel a barely perceptible smell, but after an hour it is gone, you just adapt.

Accommodation prices this summer start at 34 euros for a double room, which is 20% higher than last summer. In a hotel on the first line, prices start at 50 euros, but there are no hotels with an “all inclusive” option, which means there is no demand, apparently elite tourists avoid vacationing here.

Place No. 1. Varna

The sea capital of Bulgaria. Varna is more than two thousand years old. Varna has a larger cultural life, an abundance of attractions, many museums, theaters, cinemas, shopping centers, there is a dolphinarium, an amusement park and a zoo. Varna Seaside Park is the largest park in the Balkans. There is a small water park.

Varna’s beaches, and there are about 10 of them, occupy about 8 kilometers and stretch along the entire coastline. Most of Varna’s beaches are suitable for family holidays with children. Prices on the beaches have not changed, 2.5 euros for an umbrella or sun lounger. There is no Blue Flag on Varna’s beaches. The closest beaches to Varna with a Blue Flag are: “Chernomorets – Yug”, which can only be reached by car and “Sunny day” city buses go there.

Varna offers a range of accommodation from hostels to luxury villas.

Accommodation prices this summer start at 28 euros for a double room, which is 10% higher than last summer. In a hotel on the first line, prices start at 32 euros. double room all inclusive double room all inclusive costs from 180 euros per night.

This year there will be more vacationers in Varna than usual, so you need to book accommodation in advance. Varna is well suited for those who like to relax in cities with all the usual infrastructure. And in addition to beach holidays, they like to walk along the streets, visit exhibitions, museums, attractions, shopping centers, and so on.

I would like to warn you that all prices for accommodation are given as of the beginning of the season and subject to booking for at least a week. Good hotels with a good price-quality ratio are booked starting in winter and by summer there are no vacancies. Many tourists go to the same hotel for years, so the rooms are bought out in advance. This is the practice in Europe. And if you book just before the trip, the price can be 2 or even 3 times higher than the price that was before the beginning of the season. And whether there will be vacancies at all is also a question.

The Albena resort has retained its status as the most expensive resort. But the most affordable resort this year, very unexpectedly, was the famous Nessebar.

Finance in Bulgaria

The official currency of Bulgaria is the lev. We recommend using regular bank cards in your country’s currency for payment. As a rule, if you have a normal bank, the exchange rates for converting the lev to your currency will be favorable. Do not forget to enable payment in the currency of the country of stay, do not agree to transit currencies such as the dollar or euro. Even before the trip, enable payment by card abroad in your bank, in order to avoid blocking the card.

For safety and to reduce losses during conversion, we recommend that you carry up to 90% of your money on a card. In Bulgaria, almost all normal stores and catering establishments accept cards for payment. If they refuse to accept your card, then there is something wrong with it, and it is better not to use their services. For pocket money and taxis, we recommend taking euros with you, which can easily be exchanged for leva in Bulgaria. The euro to leva exchange rate is strictly pegged and has not changed for over 20 years.

Taxi and transport in Bulgaria

In Bulgaria taxi prices are low and many take advantage of this ignorance. The trip is counted according to the taximeter, after the trip the driver issues a receipt.

Call a taxi only by phone or order it on the taxi company’s website.

Mobile communications in Bulgaria

When coming to Bulgaria from the EU, you do not need to buy a SIM card. European roaming is available in Bulgaria (free). And for residents of Ukraine, you can use your SIM card, just connect the necessary package for roaming in EU countries. This will be more profitable than buying a new card here. If you still need to buy a Bulgarian SIM card. It is better to buy a prepaid card (without a contract). Such starter packages cost between 5-20 euros. In the future, they can be replenished. When buying, you may need a passport. But there is one thing. Such prepaid packages are in short supply. Managers often simply hide such cards and begin to impose something expensive or simply pull the price out of thin air. Therefore, when looking for a prepaid SIM card, be prepared to visit more than one mobile operator office and focus on the mobile operator’s website for prices.

To Bulgaria by your own car

We recommend not to break the rules, the police monitor traffic, there are surveillance cameras. If you are in a hurry, as an option, although not 100% guaranteed protection from a fine, join a local car and follow it. The cost of gasoline and diesel fuel in Bulgaria is 1.30 euros per liter.

Bulgaria has a well-developed car rental market. It is highly competitive and the prices are quite low. Therefore, you can easily rent a car. Keep in mind that many companies charge an additional fee if the driver is under 30 or over 65. Car rental prices have increased significantly this year. So, an economy class car is offered from 40 euros per day for a rental period of 5 days. I wonder which resort you chose and why? Please write in the comments. I hope this information was useful and will help you make the right decision. Bye everyone. Until next time!