Sunny Beach

Holidays to Sunny Beach are anchored around fun – you’ve got a long, sandy stretch and lively nightlife right on the doorstep. Dramatic mountains and age-old cities are within easy reach, too.

Sunny Beach is a lively spot on Bulgaria’s little-known Black Sea Coast. This purpose-built, modern holiday town has rolled out brand-new restaurants, bars and energetic nightclubs across its high rise waterfront. It’s got a spotlessly long beach, too. But it’s not all purpose-built newness here – UNESCO-certified Nessebar is just up the road.

The wave of the Blue Flag here means it’s a clean, well-kept stretch – all 8 kilometres of it. The sand is clay coloured and very fine. Shrub-topped dunes separate the beach from the promenade, with a line of sunloungers on the other side. But ramble along the coast for a few minutes, and you’ll soon find places to lay down your towel for free.

Families are well catered for with an abundance of beach hotels with kids clubs and activities such as mini golf, playgrounds and beach activities such as volleyball, jet skiing and paragliding. The buzzing promenade is full of shops, bars and restaurants where you can take full advantage of the renowned low prices available throughout Bulgaria.

Just a 15-minute drive away is Nessebar. This UNESCO-listed town was founded by the Thracians, before the Greeks and Romans put up temples for Apollo and chunky fortress walls. There’s also an Ottoman-style Medieval Basilica to see. It’s all jockeying for position on a tiny, near-circular peninsula.