The Sunny beach (Слънчев бряг, often called "Sunny Beach" according to the English) is a town in Bulgaria and belongs to the administrative district Burgas and to the municipality of Nessebar. It is one of the most important tourist centers in the country and is located on the Black Sea coast. The city is populated almost exclusively during the summer season (April to the end of October), most of the hotels are closed in the winter months and there is a lot of construction and renovation work going on everywhere.
Location and orientation
The Sunny Beach belongs to the Bay of Nessebar and stretches for 8.5 kilometers. It is about 45 km from Burgas (in the south) and a good 170 km from Varna (in the north). At the north end, that of the village Sveti Vlas is limited, the tourist zone is the narrowest. In the south, Sunny Beach turns into New Nessebar. Parallel to the beach, the main road crosses Sunny Beach, from which numerous small streets branch off to the various hotels (a large part of the hotels is still between the main road and the beach, but construction is already being carried out on the other side). Access to these "hotel districts" with motor vehicles is restricted, you need a magnetic card to get through the barriers by car, or you have to give the security staff a credible assurance that you are a hotel guest. For this reason, it can also be said that this area is fairly quiet and safe in terms of traffic. About two thirds of the sunny beach is lined with a beach promenade.
The geographical center also marks the center of the sunny beach. The center can also be recognized by the wide promenade, which runs vertically from the beach promenade towards the main street. The Hotel Kuban can serve as a point of reference, it is one of the tallest buildings on Sunny Beach. If you go on at the end of the central promenade on the other side, you reach the so-called market, a cluster of stalls, small shops and the like, where mainly imitations are offered, but also fruit and handicrafts.
getting there
By plane
Burgas International Airport is about 35 km south, and in summer it is served by almost all major charter companies from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg. There is a regular bus connection to Sunny Beach (departs from in front of the departure terminal) and taxis are waiting in front of the arrival terminal. The official fare is posted on one of the pillars in the arrivals hall. The nearest sea port and train station is in Burgas, about 45 kilometers south of Sunny Beach.
Since tourism on Sunny Beach is almost exclusively package tourism, Western European tourists usually travel by plane.
In the street
By car from Sofia (so generally applies if you are coming from Western Europe) the fastest way to go south past the Balkan Mountains is via the A1-E80 to Plovdiv (Пловдив) past the 66-E773 through Stara Sagora (Стара Загора), Nova Sagora (Нова Загора) to Sliven (Сливен) past towards Losenets (Лозенец), Karnobat (Карнобат) and Aitos (Айтос) on the 6-E773 to before Burgas (Бургас). The last piece by Vetren (Ветрен) to Burgas is a recently completed section of the A4-E773 motorway. It is easiest from here, following the signs for the airport (Летище or Аерогара), which automatically brings you to the 9-E87, which runs parallel to the coast and ends at Pomorie (Поморие) passing through Acheloi (Ахелой) leads to Sunny Beach.
From the south, i.e. from the Turkish border (Kirklareli is the next larger town on the Turkish side) via the D555-E87 (Turkish side) to the 9-E87 via Malko Tarnovo (Малко Търново), Gramatikovo (Граматиково), Balgari (Българи), Isgrev (Изгрев) through the Strandscha Mountains to the coast and then north on the coastal roads at Kiten (Китен), Primorsko (Приморско) and Sozopol (Созопол) over to Burgas (Бургас).
If you are coming from Romania (Bucharest) it is best to take the 5-E70 south via Giurgiu to Ruse (Русе) and from there continue on the 2-E70 via Rasgrad (Разград) until shortly before Shumen (Шумен), where the A2 motorway begins and continues to Varna (Варна) leads. From the Romanian Black Sea coast you simply follow the 9-E87 along the coast to Varna (Варна) and further south over Obzor (Обзор) to Sunny Beach.
mobility
- On foot: You can actually reach everything comfortably on foot within the village. For wheelchair users, however, very high curbs can sometimes be a problem. Whether there is a lack of sewers and drains, all roads and often even parts of the sidewalks are quickly under water when it rains heavily.
- Bus:
- Buses cross the entire Sunny Beach every 10-15 minutes, stops are every 700 to 1000 meters on the main road, the ticket costs less than BGN 1. The line runs from Sveti Vlas along Sunny Beach to Old Nessebar and back.
- Regional and supraregional bus lines: If you want to take the bus to the neighboring towns, to Burgas or to cities further away such as Varna, Plovdiv, Sofia, you have to go to the bus station. This is near the main road, a little further than the post office. Coming from the center, turn right at the traffic lights in front of the Hotel Zveshest. The prices are very cheap compared to Western Europe, a trip to the capital Sofia (450 km) costs around BGN 22 (As of Jan. 2008).
- Taxi: The normal price per kilometer is around BGN 1, but it is best to set the approximate fare beforehand. All taxis must be equipped with a taximeter. Most taxis can be identified by their yellow / gold color.
- Mini train: Various tourist trains cross Sunny Beach. However, you do not make a round trip, but drive from a fixed starting point to the center of Sunny Beach and from there back again. Trip per person around BGN 3.0 (As of Aug. 2018).
- Boat: From the various jetties along the beach, boats go to the old town of Nessebar every 40 minutes. The price is BGN 10 per trip and person.
- Other: Countless stands try to sell bicycles, e-bikes, golf carts and the like. Carriage rides are also possible.
Tourist Attractions
Since the Sunny Beach was designed exclusively as a tourist destination and is quite young, there is a lack of historical buildings and monuments. There are therefore actually no real sights on site. In the immediate vicinity of the Sunny Beach is the old town of Nessebar, which is definitely worth a visit. More information on this under the point trips.
activities
- Actually, all common activities are offered on the beach, from massages to banana boats and pedal boats to water skiing and jet skiing to beach volleyball, almost anything is possible.
- The Aquapark is located in the middle of Sunny Beach on the bypass and offers various pools, 13 slides and other attractions as well as bars and restaurants. Several free buses pick up guests along the main street at various stops and drop them off there again. The water park is open from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. (June-September). Entrance fees: Whole day: children under 90 cm: free, 90-130 cm: BGN 16, over 130 cm: BGN 28; half day: children under 90 cm: free, 90-130 cm: 10 BGN, over 130 cm: 20 BGN
- The Aqua Paradise Ravda is located next to the village of Ravda about 6-7 km from the center of Sunny Beach and offers 20 attractions as well as pools, pool bars and a show program. The most modern water park in Bulgaria is open from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (summer months). Entrance fees: children under 90 cm: free, 90-130 cm: 14 BGN, over 130 cm: 26 BGN
- Various riding stables offer accompanied rides and hired horses.
shop
There are countless small supermarkets on Sunny Beach, which mainly offer drinks, sweets and other snacks and souvenirs, but sometimes also groceries; here the prices are relatively high compared to the national average. Somewhat larger supermarkets are located in New Nessebar, on Struma Street (ул. Струма) and at the southern end of Otets Paisii Street (ул. Отец Паисии), where prices are also lower. To have a really large selection at normal prices, you have to go to Burgas where the big supermarkets Billa, Metro and Picadilly are in no way inferior to our local chains.
kitchen
Unfortunately, tourism often does not have a great impact on local cuisine either. Especially in a stronghold of mass tourism, there are ten mediocre to bad restaurants for every good easy. When it comes to quick cooking, the roasted whole potatoes, which are sold at countless stalls and snack bars, are particularly recommended, depending on your taste with cheese, ham, sauce, corn, etc. Doner kebab is also not difficult to find.
- Chanovete (Чановете). Tel.: 359 (0)888 516 915. One of the best addresses when it comes to real Bulgarian cuisine on Sunny Beach. The restaurant is located opposite the Hotel Globus not far from the center on the beach promenade and has a terrace on the ground floor and a beautiful balcony on the first floor facing the beach promenade on the one hand and a terrace in the dunes with a view of the sea on the other. Bulgarian meat specialties from the grill such as B. a shashlik half a meter, but also typical dishes from the mountain regions can be found on the menu.
- Condor Garden. Tel.: 359 (0)888 853 875. The restaurant is on the main street to the left of the post office and has a large garden. It offers around 250 seats inside and outside. The extensive menu offers many Bulgarian dishes, especially grilled specialties and dishes in Güvetsche (гювече, small earthen pot with lid for cooking in the oven) are recommended. Is also visited a lot by Bulgarians.
nightlife
Sunny Beach has been known as a party destination for several years and accordingly attracts a fairly young crowd. One of the reasons for this is certainly the low alcohol prices.
Clubs and discos
- Ice berg. Tel.: 359 (0)888 639882. A mix between bar, club, discotheque with live acts every evening (mostly local cover bands, but sometimes also well-known Bulgarian artists or bands) and house DJ. The music style ranges from pop, rock, funk, dance to blues and hip hop. Techno, trance, etc. are extremely rarely heard. A very mixed audience in terms of age groups. The Club Iseberg is located in the center, between the Hotel Alba and the beach promenade.Price: Entry 4 BGN.
- Lazur. Two-story club with terrace and pool. Very young crowd, mainly Scandinavian, English and German tourists. Very exuberant mood. The Lazur is located in the southern half of the sunny beach and is directly on the beach opposite the Hotel Pomorie.Price: Entry 4 BGN.
- Mania. More like the typical techno discotheque in terms of style. The Mania is located in the center of Sunny Beach, not far from the bus station next to the post office. The ground floor houses a half-open lounge and chill-out bar and the first floor is the actual discotheque. A mixed crowd, both foreigners and Bulgarians, can be found here.Price: Entry 4 BGN.
Bars and pubs
- Hollywood Planet, near the Hotel Glarus in the northern half of the beach promenade.
- Café del Mar, at the hotels Kuban and Alba in the center of Sunny Beach (not to be confused with the cult bar on Ibiza).
accommodation
With over 100,000 beds, Sunny Beach counts next to that Golden sands near Varna to the two largest tourist centers on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The hotels and apartment complexes are staggered in several rows starting from the beach. The first row is only separated from the sandy beach by a beach promenade, the second row is 30 to 80 meters from the promenade, the third row is on the main street and the fourth row behind it.
Cheap
medium
- Helena Park. Tel.: 359 (0)55 420020. The hotel forms a complex with the Helena Sands, the facilities of which are largely unusable for the guests of the resort, although the website suggests this. It is located at the northern end of Sunny Beach and has 232 rooms and suites. Access to the beach is via the Helena Sands. Very quiet location, rooms facing the street are a little less quiet.
- RIU Evrika. Tel.: 359 (0)55 422052. An all-inclusive club hotel that is suitable for families as well as a younger crowd. It is located in the northern half of Sunny Beach, has 539 rooms and is one of the few hotels on site to offer free loungers and parasols on the beach.
Upscale
- Helena Sands. Tel.: (0)55-420010. Probably the best hotel in town. It has 194 rooms and suites and offers the comfort of an international 5-star hotel. To get to the beach, all you have to do is cross the promenade. Very quiet location.
trips
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- The old town of Nessebar: The picturesque old town of Nessebar, located on a peninsula, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is connected to New Nessebar by a dam and is about 6 kilometers south of the center of Sunny Beach. Sights include the old city walls, countless churches or their remains, as well as the typical houses from the Bulgarian Revival period. At the entrance to the village there is an archaeological museum on the right hand side, which exhibits numerous finds from antiquity, the Ottoman occupation and the various Bulgarian empires.
- Burgas: Seepark, Natural History Museum, History Museum, Folklore Museum, Cathedral
- Pomorie: Salt Museum, Thracian Barrow
- Soosopol: Just as picturesque as Nessebar, but a little less crowded, even if in summer you can only stroll undisturbed between the traditional houses early in the morning.
Countless local agencies, most hotels and all well-known tour operators offer various excursions, the majority of which are bus excursions. Many taxi drivers also advertise more individual day trips to the most famous sights. The program can extend over half a day, a full day or two days. The most famous excursion destinations of many providers include:
- Kotel and Jeravna (often also called "Blue Mountains")
- Soosopol and the Ropotamo River
- Burgas
- Varna
- Round trip with Plovdiv, Sofia, Rila Monastery (at least 2 days)
- Various jeep excursions into the hinterland
- Boat trips with opportunities for swimming and fishing
security
Since the Sunny Beach is a true tourist stronghold, the petty crime typical in these places occurs. Pickpocketing is relatively common, especially on buses and at bus stops, but beware of other crowded places as well. Fraud when changing money is also common. No matter how tempting the offer may seem, stay away from currency exchange on the street. Firstly, it is illegal, and secondly, the holidaymaker always loses out. Some of the tricks the scammers use include the following:
- Old, expired banknotes are thrown on the unsuspecting victim.
- The money is counted in front of the victim's eyes and then exchanged for a bundle with a sleight of hand when it is handed over, where only the outer bills are real, but the rest of the newspaper.
- While the vacationer searches his wallet for the bills he wants to exchange, an accomplice distracts him and another empties the wallet or purse.
Unfortunately, not all exchange offices are 100% reliable either. The exchange offices in the hotels and those of Crown are safe.
Web links
- www.sunnybeach-bg.com: Official website of Sunny Beach (English and Bulgarian)
- www.sunnybeachmap.com: 3D map of the sunny beach
- www.disco.bg: Clubs and discos on Sunny Beach
