Introduction
Situated on the Black Sea Coast of Bulgaria, Sunny Beach is a popular resort location, especially among holiday-goers from the UK. Because of its lower costs and variety of activities, the seaside resort is a favourite destination for couples and singles, as well as families.
With over one hundred restaurants, bars, and casinos, Sunny Beach is indeed one spot that offers non-stop entertainment. The resort, dubbed as the Bulgarian Riviera, is located close to Burgas, the second largest city along Bulgaria's Black Sea coast.
Types of Holiday-goers
Sunny Beach, as mentioned, sees a good deal of traffic from the UK and is considered a fun and exciting place to go for families, as well as young couples and singles. With events such as fashion shows, festivals, and competitions at the beach, Sunny Beach is definitely a draw for the younger sect.
The Best Time to Visit
Sunny Beach does indeed live up to its name as the resort is drenched in sunshine most of the year. In fact, Sunny Beach sees more sun than Miami, Florida. The summer season extends from May until early autumn. However, you won't be disappointed by the temperate climate at any time of the year. You just won't be able to see as many sites or attractions as most tourist venues open during the summertime.
Activities
Besides the beach itself, the Sunny Beach resort offers plenty of activities. Water sports include wind surfing, para-sailing, water skiing, and hang gliding. Visitors can also enjoy go-karting and horseback riding as well. Tennis is offered at the resort along with volleyball, archery, bicycling and bowling.
Kids' clubs at many of the luxury hotels keep kids entertained while parents relax or sunbathe poolside. In addition, families enjoy the nearby aqua parks and children like whiling away the time on resort carousels or splashing around in the hotels' kid-friendly pools. Pony rides are available as well. Miniature golf is played at the resort outside the Hotel Helios Palace.
The Beach
Sunny Beach is the main and only beach that holiday-goers visit on the Black Sea Coast in Bulgaria the sandy white shore and dunes running for 8 kilometres beside the Black Sea. The sandy strip's backdrop is defined by luxury hotels, casinos, and restaurants.
Sites and Attractions
Sunny Beach is close to nearby aqua parks and is home to an 18-hole miniature golf course outside the Hotel Helios Palace.
Families also like visiting Horrorwood, a haunted house and favourite family attraction that is situated adjacent to the Hotel Pirin. Featuring skeletons and ghostly figures, the Horrorwood attraction is a scary albeit fun site for kids and adults alike.
Action Aquapark, another family facility, is located on the western side of Sunny Beach. Open from spring to September, the water park features a lazy river, wave pool, and a variety of exhilarating slides. Small children will like the animal park, which houses pygmy sheep, small deer, rabbits, and Shetland ponies. A shuttle is available to take visitors to the location.
The Varna Cathedral is a landmark that history buffs won't want to miss. The iconic building is located in the nearby city of Varna, the capital of the Black Sea coastal area. Visitors also enjoy walking along Varna's promenade and browsing through the museums, gardens, and shops at the Festival of Congress Centrein the Black Sea capital.
Burgas, the second-largest of the Black Sea cities, also features a number of interesting attractions as well. For example, St. Cyril and St. Methodius, an oft-visited church in Burgas as well as the city's oldest Christian monastery, was built from 1897 to 1907.
Next door to the church, the Burgas Regional Historical Museumis home to the ethnographic exposition a treasure-trove of traditional, regional costumes, including clothing made in the 1800s that commemorates Bulgarian rituals, including the singing of Christmas carols and festival dancing.
Nightlife
If you are a night owl, you will certainly appreciate Sunny Beach's nightlife scene, what with its many bars and pubs located along the illustrious Flowerstreet, which is also the heart of nightlife entertainment.
Party-goers and holiday-makers find plenty in the way of fun and entertainment at the Flying Dutchman; the Guaba Beach Bar; the Revolution Music Factory, which features an LED ceiling and fantastic sound system; the international Slam!Cafe; the Bedroom Beach Club, home to some renowned, high-class parties; the Cacao Beach Club, which showcases some of the biggest parties on Sunny Beach; and Die Party Hütte, a German pub located on the boulevard in Sunny Beach.
Den Glade Viking, a Scandanavian pub situated on Flowerstreet, allows patrons to dance naked on the bar, while the Tattoo Party Boat provides a floating bar on the Black Sea.
Restaurants
Along with nightlife entertainment, Sunny Beach also features more than enough eateries. One of the more popular restaurants is the Fat Cat, which provides Bulgarian cuisine as well as Mexican and European food. Sports fans especially like the big screen TV.
Families like visiting the Castleat Sunny Beach which serves up a diverse offering of pizza, salads, and steaks. You can also have an English-styled breakfast at the restaurant as well.
If you want to save money, then try the Condor Bistro, whose cuisine includes chicken, steak, pizza, and fish. A large garden outside the restaurant provides plenty of seating for groups and families.
In keeping with its prehistoric theme, the Dino Bar offers rock seating for its guests and is definitely one restaurant that will thrill the kids.
If you want to enjoy the cuisine as well as a memorable show, visit Khan's Tent. Watch costumed dancers and even a contortionist.
Accommodation
The Victoria Palace Hotel is a five-star hotel, as is the Barcelo Royal Beach Hotel and the Royal Palace Helena Park Hotel. The Victoria Palace Hotel features such amenities as a sauna, steam bath, and a fitness centre and spa facility. A casino and cocktail bar are also located in the upscale hotel as well.
Other popular hotels include the Fiesta M Hotel, the Majestic Beach Resort, the Marvel Hotel, and the Diamond Hotel, a four-story beachfront facility. The highly-regarded hotel features 164 rooms, each equipped with a minibar, air conditioning, and TV.
A newly-built hotel, the Tiara Beach Hotel provides visitors with 324 guest rooms. Luxuriously fitted, the elegant hotel comes with such amenities as satellite TV, minibar, telephone, and air conditioning. Junior suites are available at the resort hotel, which combine a bedroom with a living area.