The Resorts of Bulgaria and Their Attractions

Bulgaria has a lot of different resorts, which differ not only in prices, but also in a set of attractions and entertainments. For example, in Nessebar there are really interesting places to see while neighboring Sunny Beach can boast a huge number of discos and nightclubs. The small resort village of Ravda, that is located to the south of Nessebar, has prices that are slightly lower than those of Sunny Beach.

If you are looking for affordable but comfortable vacations at Bulgarian resorts, you may want to check out this article and see which of these options will suit you.

Choose the best resort of Bulgaria – where to live?

You may have read articles about the resorts in Bulgaria. People vacationing on a budget have relied on low prices, quality of beaches and comfortable accommodation. This article will focus on the main Bulgarian resorts in terms of attractions, prices and transport: what can be seen directly at the resort, where can you get without problems and how much will it cost?

You will see a list of the top resort towns in the country in terms of their number and quality of attractions, comfort, accessibility of public transport and their routes, prices of food, souvenirs, facilities and entertainment. We hope that our selection will help you to choose the best resort of Bulgaria.

Nessebar – the old town on an island

Attractions: Excellent.
Transport: Good.
Prices: Above average.

Old Nessebar is one of the most beautiful towns on the Bulgarian coast. The old town is located on an island connected to the mainland by the only bridge.

Almost the entire Old Town has a continuous stream of attractions. You can see the ruins of the ancient churches of the Byzantine era, the city wall, romantic medieval streets and old Bulgarian houses.

You can see all kinds of souvenir shops, stores and restaurants.

Prices in Nessebar are above the usual average – it is one of the most popular, and, therefore, expensive resorts. Needless to say, eating out is also expensive, so the alternative is buying food from the supermarket — they’re a lot cheaper.

In terms of transport, Nessebar is just a great option. The city is located near the center of the coast, and therefore from it you can get to almost any seaside resort – Balchik, Varna, Pomorie, Burgas and etc. If you want to get deep into the country, you will have to go with a change in Varna or Burgas. There are almost no direct routes from Nessebar.

We encourage you to read: an article about the sights of Old Nessebar and the good selection of our photos of Nessebar and its surroundings.

Burgas – a major trading city and port with a number of interesting corners

Attractions: Excellent.
Transport: Good.
Prices: >Above average.

Burgas is one of the largest cities on the Bulgarian coast. The city has a seaport, and a large airport nearby. Transport is easy and accessible — from the city it is possible to visit most of the seaside resorts and the center of the country.

About the sights of Burgas, visiting the churches of the city, a monument to Alyosha and a main street with lots of shops should be the first order of business.

The Seaside Park of Burgas has the amazingly beautiful corner of the city. Also highly recommend is a visit to the exhibition of sand sculptures – each year the theme of the exhibition is different. The sculptures, which are made by artists from around the world, are really worth your hours of spending there (as well as the entrance fee).

Despite the fact that the majority of websites recommend people to go to Burgas for shopping, prices in the city are quite high, a lot of imitations of brands and Turkish goods.

You might be interested: a detailed article about Burgas and its attractions.

Pomorie – a small quiet town with lots of attractions

Attractions: Excellent.
Transport: Average.
Prices: Low.

In Pomorie you can see a wonderful combination of beautiful nature, interesting attractions and low prices on souvenirs and food. The town is very quiet and peaceful and not so touristy. Vacationers come here more for relaxation than for worldly pleasures. A lot of tourists have even purchased apartments or other types of dwellings for permanent residence.

Lake Pomorie is one spot that you should not miss to visit. Enjoy the sun at a deserted beach on a sand spit. Other interesting sites include the monastery of St. George, where the icon of St. George is kept. You can visit a salt museum, or to purchase fine alcohol drinks at a local factory.

Traveling from Pomorie to Burgas is fast and comfortable, as it takes literally 20-25 minutes at a small fare.You can also travel to Nessebar, Sozopol and Varna. You can also get to Balchik, but the way there is long and tedious, so it is better not to travel there with kids.

Also check out: a detailed article about the sights of Pomorie and an article about prices and souvenirs in Pomorie

Varna – one of the largest resorts on the coast of the country

Attractions: Good.
Transport: Excellent.
Prices: Average.

Varna, in our opinion, is the largest city on the Bulgarian coast. There are really a lot of attractions – from ancient temples to modern skyscrapers.

When you’re in Varna, you definitely won’t miss the local dolphinarium and its largest shopping center.

In terms of transport Varna is simply ideal – from here you can get from here to almost every corner of the country. There are also bus routes abroad, for example, to Istanbul.

Sunny Beach – excellent beaches and transport to the majority of places in Bulgaria

Attractions: Bad.
Transport: Good.
Prices: Very high.

Sunny Beach is the most famous and the most expensive resort of Bulgaria. Aside from the high price, the locals there are quite intrusive, which is not typical in Bulgaria. Beaches in Sunny Beach are very nice, but often crowded.

The resort has a lot of five-star hotels, discos, several water parks and other attractions.

In terms of transport Sunny Beach is very good. From Sunny Beach, you can easily get to any other beach resort or go deep into the country (with a change in Varna).

Check it out: what to expect from Sunny Beach? A detailed article about the beaches of Sunny Beach.

Balchik – a city where is located an amazingly beautiful Botanical Garden

Attractions: Average.
Transport: Bad.
Prices: Average.

Tourists may have mixed feelings towards Balchik. Turn your back from tourist streets and you will find yourself in shantytowns, as if you’re thrown in to a remote place. In the city, it is not a lot to see except a couple of unremarkable churches and 3-4 museums.

But next to Balchik is a wonderful botanical garden. This is just an amazing place, where you can walk for hours, enjoying newer and newer beauties of nature. We recommend you to visit it.

In terms of transport the city is not very comfortable. You can not really visit any other resort except Varna.

You will definitely enjoy: The Botanical Garden in Balchik – the pearl of Bulgaria.

Obzor or Ravda – nothing special, but there is public transport

Attractions: Bad.
Transport: Average.
Prices: Average.

Obzor and Ravda are very average resort towns. Prices and beaches here are average and have absolutely no attractions.

In terms of transport, the cities are also average – you can ride along the entire coast, but buses do not go as often as we would like.

Golden Sands – a resort surrounded by mountains

Attractions: Below average.
Transport: Average.
Prices: Very high.

The resort of Golden Sands is the second most popular in Bulgaria. There are very good beaches but the climate there is really hot, even stuffy.

Prices in the city are quite high, but there aren’t any special attractions.

In terms of transport, from the resort you can get to Varna, from which to visit any corner of Bulgaria.

We advise you to visit: Varna, Nessebar and Balchik – they are pretty close to Golden Sands.

Sozopol

Attractions: Below average.
Transport: Below average.
Prices: Average.

Almost every website we see actively promotes Sozopol. It is even called the “Jerusalem of Bulgaria” or “Athens of Bulgaria.: But the fact is that the city does not have anything special. It is like Nessebar in a way but quite miniature and not so concentrated. The city is distinguished only by its amphitheater.

Prices are average, but it doesn’t have a good location that will otherwise allow you to go unless to Burgas and Pomorie. You can also get to Nessebar, but it is far away.