We were on a mission, to find Bulgariaโs Best Beaches. As we explored the Balkans in the summer, the unbearable heat was driving us to the nearest coast we could find. So while in Bulgaria, we decided to make a point of visiting its coastline in order to create the budget guide to Bulgariaโs beaches. The Black Sea always seemed like this sexy place to visit and we were determined to step our feet onto its shores.
Bulgariaโs Best Beaches | Find the Best Beach For You!
While touring Bulgariaโs major inland cities, we decided to ask almost every local their opinion of Bulgariaโs beaches seeking out the best experience. Unfortunately, we kept hearing a recurring recommendation, โWe donโt visit Bulgariaโs beaches for our holidays. We go to Greece!โ
So we took a chance and decided to explore on our own. We already knew to stay clear of touristy and overrun Sunny Beach, where the summer party scene is known to quickly escalate out of control. Many new Bulgarian friends shared horror stories from here. It sounded similar to trying to have a vacation in Cancun or Panama City Beach, Florida during college spring break week.
Northern Bulgaria | Bulgariaโs Best Beaches
Our first stop took us to Kavarna, one of the gateway cities to Bulgariaโs wild, northern beaches. (Bulgarians describe them off the beaten path beaches as โwild.โ) With its rugged coastline, this was a very pretty part of the country.
Unfortunately, it was very difficult to find budget-friendly accommodation here. In this particular area, there are three resorts available with a variety of price ranges. We sought out to spend approximately $50 USD per night or less.
We booked a week stay at Kaliakria Resort at $47 USD night. We wish we could recommend the unit we stayed in, however, our Russian host ended up causing us an Airbnb nightmare. Despite our many issues, we ended up having an enjoyable week here.
If youโre unable to find a budget-friendly room at one of the few resorts, look into the nearby towns of Kavarna and Balchik. These small towns have a handful of hotels and apartments that can provide a great beach getaway close to the beautiful beaches.
Varna Bulgaria | Bulgariaโs Best Beaches
We werenโt ready to leave the coast quite yet, so we ventured to Varna to explore its beach scene. We stayed in Varna for ten nights. The area can be described as very touristy, but family-friendly.
It was reminiscent of a summer beach vacation in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Yes, itโs busy because itโs summer AND youโre at the beach. However, we noticed crowds waxing and waning throughout our stay with some weekdays being fairly quiet.
Many people talk about the Black Sea being dirty. Just like any beach, tides often change the quality of the water. We didnโt observe litter, but sometimes the water has what we called sea lettuce, and other days it was pretty clear.
Free Spa Treatment | Bulgariaโs Best Beaches
Knowing that celebs pay huge sums to have this stuff rubbed on their bodies at a luxury spa, it didnโt bother me any. In fact, my skin felt silky smooth by the end of our Black Sea stay. In actuality, due to the plant life and photo-plankton in the water, the Black Sea is actually quite a unique marine environment. The water is also the perfect temperature, not too warm and not too cold.
On Varnaโs coast, there are many different beaches. Our Airbnb host kindly supplied us with free bikes so we loved exploring by around by bike. If you are visiting here, visit each beach and see what one looks good to you.
Some beaches offer sea sports, beach cafes, others a fun music scene, and some are better for swimming. In Varna, our favorite beaches to hang out were South Beach (near Grand Hotel Varna) and Sunny Day Resort Beaches.
We rented a nice Airbnb that was about a 5-minute bike ride, or a 10-minute walk from the beaches. This ended up working in our favor as the building was quiet and away from the crowds.
Our host, Ruslan was great, he graciously worked within our budget. If youโre looking for a great local host to reach out you can contact him at prestigedeluxesuite@gmail.com. Heโs a busy guy, so communication may not be immediate, but he took good care of us while we were there. We paid about ~$34 USD per night.
It is important to note that many locals recommend Bulgariaโs southern beaches and coastline. This area sounds less touristy and wilder. This area was too far off our planned route, so we didnโt venture that far down the coast. This is an area we want to explore further in the future. More information will be added here once it comes available!
Black Sea Travel Tips
Locals on the Black Sea coast recommend travelers NOT to drink the tap water. The water is safe, but often causes those that donโt typically drink it stomach issues. Even with a filter, there might be minerals in the water that donโt agree with most. We switched to drinking bottled water because it wasnโt agreeing with us either.
Take time to explore different beaches along the coastline where you are visiting. Beaches in close proximity to one another can vary greatly. Find your favorite for sunbathing, swimming, or to enjoy a local beer.
Our host provided us with beach towels in Varna, so we didnโt rent beach umbrellas or beach chairs. Renting an umbrella and two beach chairs in Varna was actually quite reasonable (~$5.00 USD). It was very expensive at the luxury resorts in Kavarna though (~$25-30 USD).
Look at that teal water! You may ask, โIs this the Caribbean?โ No, itโs Bulgaria! (Bendida Beach, Bulgaria).
Transportation & Costs
If youโre backpacking Bulgariaโs coastline, be aware that the main mode of transport is a bus, which typically is a van. Costs vary of course but expect to pay around $4 USD per person each way.
You must taxi to your accommodation if your host or hotel doesnโt offer to pick up from the bus station. As an example, we paid ~$7 USD taxi from Kavarna bus station to Kaliakria Resort.
We headed to the coast by bus from Veliko Tarnovo to Varna ($11 USD per person). Then, we took a van to reach Kavarna from Varna which we boarded from the Varna bus station. From Kavarna, we took another vanย back to Varna. (Time between Varna to Kavarna is ~1.5 hours).
We left Varna by train and headed to Ruse, Bulgaria. This was our last stop in Bulgaria before heading towards Romania.ย Lots of folks love to talk about their favorite beach destinations in Bulgaria. If you have any recommendations or suggestions, please sound off in the comments section below. Weโd love your thoughts. Itโs definitely one of our favorite European countries.
Bulgaria has many beautiful beaches, I know the country very well and it is one of my favourites. Obzor, Vavara and Sozopol are my top beach towns and there are many empty and unspoilt beaches to be found all around these towns. For accommodation it is the cheapest I have ever found anywhere with such quality, I guess you have some affiliate with airbnb so that is why you used that service but there are so many gorgeous hotels and apartments to choose from for less than you paid. In Obzor I stay at The Cliff , perched on the cliff with views of unspoilt stunning coastline, it is beautiful and the rooms are stunning. Prices vary depending on season obviously but even in June I paid only ยฃ24 for two with breakfast.
Louise,
Thank you for adding some great travel tips! Yes, we typically opt for an Airbnb apartment, because we like access to a full kitchen to cook meals. But we donโt have any affiliation! We wish we did! However, travelers coming across this article may appreciate your great budget friendly hotel recommendation. Thanks for stopping by & sharing your love for one of our favorite countries too!
Hi Audrey,
Thanks for looking at my blog ( I have 3 followers from last year! So it is quite an event you even looked at it! ) needs a lot of work. I loved Bulgaria so much I want to live there. I like apartments too, BG has so many and the quality is exceptional for the cost, sometimes I just canโt believe how cheap it is. If booking ahead I use booking.com for me they have the best choice and photos but I usually book max 2 nights in case I donโt like it. Or I simply arrive and look around. I like moving around! Happy and safe travels in 2017!
Oh just realised you replied to my comment on your site oh dear! I am such a technophobe! Lol. I just saw the alert on my site and presumed it meant you had visited mine too.
this was a very useful review! WHO KNEW these beaches would look like this?! WOW. seems like the tourism board should partner up with you guys to do some advertising for the country. AM I RIGHT?! thanks again for useful tips
Thanks Howie! We sure had a lovely time exploring Bulgaria and itโs gorgeous coastline!