Sunny Beach, Bulgaria

Здравейте, приятели!

Biased or not, I decided to dedicate my first post on this blog to quite an interesting, fun and beautiful destination, which also happen to be my birth place. In other words my first suggestion to you for your summer holiday is Bulgaria! I know some of you are like ''Is that somewhere in Africa?". The answer is no. Bulgaria is a small country, situated in Eastern Europe, just above Turkey and Greece.

Where to?

Now since we are talking summer, there should be a lot of sun, sand, waves and party and the right place where you can find all of this is Sunny Beach. What is more, you won't spent a fortune for a great  holiday and a number of unforgettable memories, since Bulgaria has been listed forth in Skyscanner's Top 10 Budget Destination 2014. Sunny Beach is probably the most popular Bulgarian summer resort, visited mainly by young people hungry for entertainment and life's pleasures. The resort is no less attractive than Kavos (Greece), Magaluf (Spain) and even Ibiza. Crazy parties, cheep alcohol and beautiful girls is what you are signing up for when you set your foot at Sunny Beach.

What to do?

Summer, sea, beach, bikini. No problem! The resort has one of the finest beaches in Europe with mild sand and the warm waters of the Black Sea. There are numerous facilities for sport and recreation, including beach volleyball courts, massage tents, beach bars, jet ski, paragliding and many others. You can literally spent the whole day under the hot sun, tanning, swimming and enjoying the company of your friends. Another thing your eyes can enjoy are perfect bikini bodies walking around in male and female versions. As already mentioned, this place is mainly visited by young people and they like to take good care of their bodies. Just for the curious, let me add some figures - the average dress size of a Bulgarian female under 25 is 6-8 (UK size); 70% of the guys in the same age group go to the gym regularly. In addition, girls' favourite beach fashion is topless thong bikini. Yes, it's ok to stare! 

When you are tired of the beach  you can get ready for night adventures. Sunny Beach offers tens of restaurants, night bars, clubs, casinos and party boats, where you can listen and dance to the world's hottest music hits. Also, Sex on the Beach is not just a popular cocktail drink, if you know what I mean. 

Sounds too superficial to your liking? Time for some culture! Just 5 km from Sunny Beach is situated the Old Town of Nessebar. This is a small peninsular, preserving the culture of ancient Greeks and Romans and it's part of UNESCO historical treasures. The authentic architecture is the first thing you notice even before you cross the town's gates. You can book a guided tour of the town and visit the 4 museums, exhibiting items and lifestyle from three different eras. Nessebar also offers numerous souvenir and fashion shops and exclusive restaurants where you can enjoy Bulgarian, Oriental, Mediterranean and West European cuisine. 

If you visit Nessebar, make sure you dine at Emona restaurant, situated just at the end of the main street, opening a spectacular view of the sea. Great atmosphere, quality wines and alcohol from all over the world, excellent service and fantastic food, prepared by one of the top chefs in the country. Of course, you will have to be ready to pay a little bit more that you would normally do at other places or in Sunny Beach, but nothing over the top - the prices are similar to a regular (reputable, but not too fancy) restaurant in London. Believe me when I say, the value you will get is worth your money!

Where to stay?

Sunny Beach offer a wide range of old, new, fancy, not so fancy, big, small, 3, 4 and 5 star hotels with great all-inclusive and super-all-inclusive deals, which save you loads of money on food and alcohol if you prefer using the hotel's facilities and not go out too much. The top hotels won Traveller's Choice Award for 2014 are Jeravi Hotel, Majestic, Iberostar and Barcelo Royal Beach. The prices range between £60 and £190 p/n (€75-240;$100-325). Of course there are much cheaper options. And even if you are going with a group of friends you can hire a whole self-catered house to yourself and have as much fun as you want for about £100  (€125;$170) per person for a whole week!

What's the weather like?

In July and August, the temperatures are usually hot between 30 and 40 degrees Celsius. It rarely rains, although this year the northern part of the seaside suffered extensive rainfalls and floating. But not to worry! You are going south!

Here's a link to the July forecast: http://www.holiday-weather.com/sunny_beach/forecast/

The water temperature is 24-25 degrees.

How to get there?

The Bourgas airport is situated just 57km away from Sunny Beach, there are shuttles and buses that can take you to your destination in 30-40 minutes for the modest price of £8 (€10;$14).



Are you ready for summer fun? Sunny Beach awaits you!