Did you know that there are miles and miles of sandy beach filled Bulgarian coastline? It's true! There's cove after cove of turquoise sea waiting for you. If you haven't heard of Sozopol yet (pictured above) and Nesebar, then you need to keep reading.
You may not think of beachy vacations when Eastern European countries come to mind, but the beaches on the Black Sea are hiding a few of the best beaches Europe has to offer.
Afraid to miss some of Europe’s hidden gems?
Find them all in this European Destination Guide
We’ve scouted out some of the prettiest and best places to vacation beach-side, all dotted along Bulgaria's Black Sea coast. There are oh-so-many options worth visiting, so we're just focusing on the more popular spots that are easier to get to, especially if you only have a couple of days on the coast.
Bulgaria beaches are more of a local's secret, but to help you envision things: the coastline hugs the Black Sea, just north of Turkey and east of Greece. It's a blend of history and pretty blue water, set along golden sandy beaches.
We're still surprised that it doesn't get more attention (but that's the case with so much of Eastern Europe, isn't it?).
There are endless options! Seriously. If you drove the length of Bulgaria's coastline from top to bottom it would take you about 6-7 hours. There are so many places to choose from that it can actually get overwhelming. There are at least 70 beaches, plus more hidden coves.
Our ILP volunteers who are spending their semester abroad in Europe usually only have a couple of days or so at the coast — it's a great weekend trip for you! We're focusing our tips on areas that are the easiest to get to and the most popular, to maximize their time here. But know that there are other locations worth seeing beyond what we mention in this post.
The most popular time to come is during the summer from June-August, when it's the warmest.
Don't overlook the late spring and early fall months though if that's when you're planning your trip here! It is cooler, and maybe even too cold to swim, but we still think it's worth the trip even if that's the case. Think Oregon coast vibes ... but with UNESCO heritage worthy Old Towns to wander. One big perk is that because the summer is so popular, the beaches will be much less crowded. The Bulgarian Black Sea is actually a really popular destination for European vacationers, so the beaches really fill up in the summer. But if you're visiting outside of July + August, you'll get a much more relaxed experience with fewer people. Prices are also typically lower in the off-season.
September is actually a great time to visit because the warm weather hasn't completely died off yet, but the locals have gone back to school and work, so it's much quieter than the summer. September is usually in the 60s and 70s F. April and May are also nice, but just a bit cooler (typically in the 60s).
If you're coming from Veliko Tarnovo (central Bulgaria), there are a few bus lines that'll take you to the main destinations. Tickets are really affordable too; it costs around $20 USD or so each way.
If I were you, planning a quick weekend trip to the Black Sea, I would probably head to Burgas first. So let's start here.
Burgas is one of the key ports on the Black Sea, sitting just north of Turkey. It also has an international airport, so it's the gateway to the Black Sea coast for vacationers coming from all across Europe. You can actually fly right into Burgas from other countries on budget airlines like Ryanair. Fun fact for our volunteers who live in Poland for their ILP trip — there's a 2 hour, direct flight from Warsaw to Burgas on Ryanair if you want to come vacation here!
If you're coming from somewhere in Bulgaria, long distance bus is typically the way to go. It's about a 3.5-4 hour bus ride from Veliko Tarnovo to Burgas.
Then once you're in Burgas, most people just use it as a jumping off point to getting to smaller, nearby beach towns. Burgas is more modern, but the towns nearby have more of that history + European charm you're looking for. There are typically local busese that run along that coastline that make it easy to go from town to town (or there are usually options for taxis too).
It's also written as "Nessebar", but both spellings are referring to this cutie little beach town in northern Burgas province, set on a tiny peninsula. Nesebar is so eye catching because Old Town sits right on the coast, so you get a stunning blend of old European cobblestone + arched brick handiwork + orange rooftops, set against the turquoise sea coastline. The history dates way, way back to 3,200 years ago. Like much of European history, there's a mix of historical influences here: a Greek tribe in 6th century BC, the Roman empire in 1st century AD, and then the Slavs. Nesebar thrived in the 1300s when many new churches were built, developing both culture and religion before it was over taken by the Ottoman empire. Many of the homes here were built in the 18th and 19th centuries during the Bulgarian revival. Nesebar's Old Town has actually been declared a UNESCO heritage site because it's so steeped in history! You'll see those remnants in the architecture as you wander the peninsula.
Today, it's a small town with a population of around 10,000. There are accommodations in Nesebar, or you could come over to explore as a day trip from Burgas. There is a bus between Burgas and Nesebar that'll get you here in about an hour.
Sozopol is really similar to Nesebar, so it's another great option. Like Nesebar, it is one of the oldest establishments on Bulgaria's Black Sea (we love the history Bulgaria is dishing out!). It's go that same experience of having Old Town sitting right on the sea, so it's the prettiest place to just wander for the day.
There are several sandy beaches around Sozopol. One in particular to mention is Kavatsite beach. It's not the closest beach from Sozopol's Old Town, but it's known for having a really long stretch of beautiful sandy beach and shallow shores. If you’re into soft white sands, warm aquamarine waters, and a few spots where you can snorkel for crabs, this is the spot for you.
In the past, it was known as a fishing town and you'll still see boats lining the shores too making it so photogenic. You'll find lots of seafood dishes here at the restaurants.
And, also similar to Nesebar, there's a local bus that will get you here from Burgas in a little over an hour.
This is the biggest coastal destination for the northern Bulgaria beaches and actually known as the capital of the Black Sea, so we've got to mention it.
If you're coming from Veliko Tarnovo, it's about a 3.5 hour bus ride. Like Burgas, there's also an international airport here where you can find flights to/from some cities in Europe, but coming by bus is going to be the most affordable route.
There's a bit of friendly competition between Varna and Burgas, being that they're so similar — both major gateways to Bulgaria's Black Sea coast. It sort of depends on what you're looking for, but people tend to say that while both have great beaches, down south in the Burgas area, there are more small towns nearby with charming Old Towns to explore.
We're tacking on a special mention for neighboring Romania because we love Constanta as well.
Come here for a weekend full of resorts and spas in Constanta, which has been the go-to spot for many Romanians who are itching for a relaxing weekend of waves, massages, and trips into the Turkish-inspired city. Around the area, you’ll find very popular beaches with chairs for rent along the resort lined beach of Mamaia, but you can also find untouched stretches of sand that take a bit of a hike to get to, but are well-worth the effort (we love trekking to Plaja Tuzla).
You can also tag on a visit to Costinesti, which is just 31 km south of Constanta, and is home to gorgeous sand and clear, blue water. Get other recommendations on what to do, where to stay, and what to eat on this Constanta Guide.
But if you ask me, don't skip out on Bulgaria (especially when you have beaches like this one below).
Europe's waiting for you
ILP's a service-based travel program that sends college aged volunteers to places all around world — think about it: living in Europe for a semester, helping in an orphanage or volunteering as an English teacher and getting to explore places like Bulgaria's beaches on the weekends.