Bulgaria is so striking in its diversity, diversity of places and types of recreation that it is impossible to give a definite answer to the question “where is the best place to relax on the Bulgarian coast?” It's just not possible. People understand vacation in completely different ways: for some people picture hotel/swimming pool/all inclusive, for others - life in a city apartment sea, some people cannot imagine a vacation without a villa with a pool and a sauna, others - without travel, excursions and a colorful tape of changing landscapes...
Naturally, grandmother with grandchildren, finding herself in a bustling resort area, where the hospitality industry is bustling around the clock, will howl on the very first night from the roar of music and intoxicated, cheerful parties under the windows. And avid party-goers will become moldy from boredom in a quiet paradise, where God himself ordered to merge with nature. In this article we will look at all possible holiday options in Bulgaria on the sea coast, with all their pros and cons.
Some people want privacy in a small circle, others want to wander around establishments and discos
What to choose: city or hotel?
Holidays in coastal large cities are the best choice for a long (a month or more) family vacation. These are not only large settlements, they are also large cultural, social and historical centers, impressive in their scale and established way of life. Here you can find meeting the needs of all age groups - children, teenagers, youth, parents, and the older generation.
Parks, attractions, restaurants and cafes, budget canteens serving Bulgarian cuisine, shops, bazaars, shopping centers, cinemas, theaters, museums and exhibitions, festivals, concerts. Urban transport, infrastructure. Variety of opportunities and (which is very important) the unique rhythm of the city, its comfort, its face and atmosphere.
Prices are moderate, because they are aimed not so much at visiting tourists, but at the local population. Disadvantages - crowded, very conditional (in comparison with other options) cleanliness of the environment: not crystal clear sea, heavy traffic flow and availability non-tourist features, such as residential areas, industrial zones, dirty nooks, the presence of household garbage dumps and very discreet (usual city) service.
Naturally, going from a city-not-by-the-sea to a city-by-the-sea for just a week, renting a hotel and not having a clear contrast for the feeling of relaxation is a dubious pleasure. It is best to go to the city to live in it for a long time. In this case, vacationers acquire acquaintances and form a social circle (there are many who come to the same event year after year place, meeting with regulars and locals who have already become good friends).
Living in a city apartment is a free vacation, with immersion in the real environment
A significant advantage of a city holiday is freedom: the vacationer is not tied to the opening hours of the hotel restaurant, he can easily take a car and immediately cease to be tied to the place. Can purchase in bulk and cook food at home, significantly reducing food costs and/or following dietary preferences. He determines his own daily routine and schedule of events, forms his own life for the duration of his stay and is calm about the location of personal belongings left in the home.
Accommodation in the city, cost and options
There are a huge number of apartments in the city, for every taste and request: from budget to luxury, from walking distance to the beach, to suburban neighborhoods with their own unique comfort. The only thing you need to consider: the closer to the high season, the fewer budget offers. It is best to book and make an advance payment before March, because in the spring the rental prices for the few remaining available apartments begin to rise rapidly. And, if you don’t take care in advance, you will have to overpay several times or be left without an apartment and look for any kind of accommodation, no matter what kind of accommodation...
The average price for a decent apartment for a family within walking distance of the sea will be about 1000 euros per month. Those who have friends or relatives living in the city obviously rent similar ones, but “at local prices” - much lower. Some, who have become regular fans, simply buy an apartment for themselves, a simple car and come to their home for the whole summer.
Of course, life in a city by the sea, independent of the tourist content, is full of events, impressions and becomes part of annual plans if you like the city. There are two such cities in Bulgaria: Varna and Burgas. Approximately equal in scale, but completely different in essence. Let's take a closer look at their features.
Varna
The city is old, ancient, with roots dating back to the ancient era. These are tight cozy streets of the center with European architecture and tiled roofs, these are shady small squares and alleys. These are islands of the private sector, buried in the flowers of garden trees. This is a local breath of different eras, suddenly striking with its authenticity when turning from street to street. This is an abundance of excavated and carefully preserved monuments of antiquity, interspersed with a dense scattering of houses and mansions.
From the 6th century BC. the city bore the name "Odessos". Ωδές (Greek) - ode
High-rise Varna - further from the sea. There are avenues, residential areas - a full-fledged city. But the center of Varna is a magical place where the fairy tales of old Europe suddenly become close, where old Soviet resorts like Yalta and Sochi are remembered... Varna has many educational institutions and it is full of students flocking with all over the world. Varna is rightfully considered the cultural capital - not because it is more cultural, but because of the abundance of cultural events held on a city, national and international scale - not only in the summer.
A string of city beaches - 8 km along the entire coast of the city, with a lot of different restaurants and cafes. What pleasantly complements the beachgoer’s experience in Varna is the opportunity to get to the surf by car and park without problems. All over the world, for obvious reasons, cars have to be left far above, go down to the water and back - climb up the mountain, Varna is an exception.
If we talk about the disadvantages, then this is, first of all, the old age of the center (for all its charm). The smell of a basement and mold is ineradicable, it is part of it. Many people strive to settle there, but after that they have no choice but to try not to notice this inconvenience; narrow city beaches, giving a good half of their width to cafes and restaurants. There was a very good children’s “splash pool”, but only a small corner remained of it - the rest was given to businessmen who strung paid wakesurfing cables over the water. One can also note a certain arrogance of the townspeople. But this is probably the problem with any city that claims to be a cultural capital and some kind of status privilege, regardless of the country.
The climate in Varna is unique, due to the warm bay formed among the hills. Even when the rest of Bulgaria is cloudy and rainy, in Varna, as a rule, it is cloudless and the gentle sun is shining. Even in winter, when the whole country is wrapped in warm clothes, the residents of Varna open up to the sun. The city is famous for its abundance of mineral springs with healing water; there is even a hot mineral pool in the open air, where you can recharge your energy for free in any weather.
Varna is good for a measured, leisurely holiday. This is a place for families with children, lovers and retirees. It is calm and quiet here. Nega. If we consider Varna as a place for active entertainment, it will clearly lose. For this you need to go to resort areas, which will be discussed in the next part of the article.
Burgas
The city developed at the end of the 19th century in connection with the construction of a railway and port. It is surrounded by lakes and salt marshes and is located in a large bay, which provides it with a special microclimate. If you try to characterize Burgas in one word, the first thing that comes to mind is: convenient! Damn convenient!
Wide streets, tall buildings, parking lots, green spaces, thought-out infrastructure - everything is planned in forms and proportions that are very convenient and comfortable for city life. The park in Burgas, according to many, is much better than in Varna (although the Varna seaside park cannot be called meager). City beach stretches for 5 km and in some places reaches a width of 100 m.
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Burgas is energetic, businesslike, you can clearly feel the pulse and the unique rhythm of life of a modern seaside city. Of course, life is also in full swing, including cultural life. Of course, both beach holidays and the resort component are developed.
Obvious disadvantages of Burgas - justified title of the main industrial zone of the Bulgarian coast; the energy of a working cargo port city, a catastrophic for the environment oil refinery, from which comes pollution and a vile stench with a tailwind; in the surrounding area there are mainly dull bare steppes and industrial salt marshes; typical "Soviet" architecture, making the city painfully similar to one of the satellite towns near Moscow like Noginsk or Chekhov, or to a residential area of Moscow built in the 80s.
Both cities are very convenient for recreation. Both have day and night life. Both provide satisfaction for a wide variety of needs. Both cities, deservedly, have their fans. Those who are too cramped in the “quiet backwater” choose the more convenient, active and modern Burgas. Those who want peace and aesthetic exoticism are blissful in Varna. In any case, staying in these cities is a very good, stable and predictable option for a pleasant vacation.
In the next article we will look at the pros and cons of other resort settlements on the Black Sea coast: Sunny Beach, Nessebar, Albena, Sozopol, Pomorie, as well as the features of holidays on wheels. Subscribe to the newsletter (at the bottom of the page) so as not to miss the continuation!