Most popular destinations

The town of Byala is a kind of a borderline between the North and the South Black Sea shore. It is located 53 km south of Varna and about 80 km northeast of Burgas. The town was established in the 3rd century AD.

Presently Byala is prospering owing to the intensive development of vine-growing and wine production. The wonderful wine Dimyat is produced there. Byala is also a pleasant marine resort. The natural landmarks have determined the development of the town as a center of full value marine tourism. The shore line of the municipality is characterized by combination of a rocky shore, small bays, beach lines with sand dunes. The coast is steep and indented, which leads to high limitation of the beach potential, but on the other hands this gives it attractiveness, which is a valuable resort resource. The vast beach line in combination with the broad-leaved forest, the favorable temperature and the sea water and its cleanliness offer optimal conditions for prophylaxis and recreation along the town coast line.

 

 

 

 

 

Sunny Beach

Sunny Beach is situated 42 km north of Bourgas and 434 km east of Sofia. Practically, the resort is located on the whole territory between the land of the village Vlas to the north and Nessebar to the south. Its construction began in 1958.

The beach strip is more than 8 km long and 60 m wide. The soft golden sand forms dunes, considered to be a unique natural phenomenon. Sunny Beach resort is awarded with the International Blue Flag, which guarantees that the tourists are granted ecologically clean beaches, water and air and more than 1700 sunny hours from May to October.

 

Sunny Beach offers everything an aquatic sports fan wants. Sunny Beach yachting club and aquatic facilities are situated along the beach: instruction in yachting; wind-surfing; water skiing; motor-launch cruises; para-sailing; hang-gliding.

The resort has more than 100 hotels, 2 campsites, over 130 catering establishments.

 

 

 

St Vlas

Saint Vlas, one of the most beautiful and sunniest beach resorts on the Black Sea.

 

Saint Vlas lies 10km away from Nessebar resort and 40km away from Bourgas. The resort is a perfect combination of the nature, sea and the lush greenery. Saint Vlas occupies the northern part of the Bay which shelters the most vivacious resorts such as Sunny Beach and Elenite.  Saint Vlas is an attractive summer destination due to the breathtaking sceneries, as well as the great combination of the mountain and the sea.

 

The beaches of Saint Vlas are 1.5km long and well maintained. The resort is in a good condition and here there are many modern attractions, aqua parks and outdoor swimming pools. Sveti Vlas is quiet and charming beach resort where you can spend a great summer vacation while being so close to the party venue, Sunny Beach. Saint Vlas is ideal choice for family-friendly vacations, relaxing experience, and, of course, some party emotions!

 

 

 

 

Nessebar

Nessebar is one of the most preferred tourism destinations, especially during the summer. The unique combination of ancient culture, rich historic heritage, the modern appearance of the new New town, the magnetism of the resort Nessebar and the ever vivacious life will leave in your mind a long-lasting and beautiful memory.

 

Crystal clear waters, wonderful climate, numerous entertainment opportunities and incredible experiences make Nessebar a place for your respite and a base point for unforgettable excursions at our Southern Black Coast. Unique natural harmony and imposing grandeur, huddled at the slopes of Stara Mountain and Black Sea, Nessebar can be easily defined as a place for an ideal holiday. Splendid vast beaches, covered with finest sun-kissed sands, unique sandy dunes, rare plant species and many, many landmarks await you in one of Bulgaria’s best beach resorts, Nessebar.

 

The ancient settlement Nessebar, which represents today’s modern and often visited seaside, is located at the rocky peninsula and reveals beautiful seascapes, which are so romantic that they make the traveller fall in love with this divine place for the rest of their lifetime. The peninsula is 850m long and 300m wide. It lies 36km northeast of Bourgas city and 430km east of Sofia. Nessebar is also located near the popular wellness and beach resort Pomorie.

 

Nessebar is declared for an architectural and archaeological reserve in 1958 and UNESCO declared the beautiful beach resort for a monument of world cultural heritage. Some of the landmarks in Nessebar are basilica from 6th century, Turkish bath, windmill and parts of a fortress which encompassed the town.

 

Elenite

The Elenite holiday village is located in a beautiful cove on the Bulgarian Riviera, at the foot of the Balkan Range, right next to the shore, 10 km from Sunny Beach resort and old Nessebar town with regular transport connections and about 40 km from Bourgas Airport.

 

Obzor

Obzor is located on the foothills of the Balkan Mountain range. Owing to its long 10km beach line and wonderful conditions for beach tourism, Obzor has gained popularity as being one of Bulgaria’s top summer holiday destinations. Beaches in Obzor are typical for the fine golden sands. Most beautiful beach hotspots are the Southern beach of Obzor and the divine beaches in Irakli.

 

Ravda

Ravda Village is situated approximately 33 km past Burgas and 4 km before Nesebar. It is an especially popular holiday destination for families with children.

 

Ravda beach spreads out on an area of 57 000 sq m and is divided in two by Cape Ravda. The southern beach attracts tourists with its nice sand, clean sea water, and various forms of entertainment, while the northern beach offers a quiet relaxing atmosphere. Ravda provides visitors with many opportunities to practice water sports such as diving, jet skiing, yachting, windsurfing, etc.

 

 

Sozopol

Located 34 km south of Bourgas on a slender rocky peninsula, Sozopol is one of the earliest towns on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. Its strategic position gave it the opportunity to dominate the ways to the coast of Black Sea Thrace and the Stranja Mountains, which were rich in raw materials, and gave it an active intermediary role in commerce among the Athenian sea unions, the Hellenistic states in the Mediterranean area and the Thracian formations.

 

Only as late as the beginning of the 4th century, with the great political and ethnic changes in the Roman empire and the growth of Constantinople in its eastern part did Apollonia regain its former significance. This is the source of the town's new name - Sozopolis, the town of salvation.

 

Today Sozopol is a popular beach resort best known for its casual ambience, two sandy beaches, and distinctive 19th century stone and wood houses, some 45 of which are national cultural monuments.

 

 

 

 

Pomorie

Pomorie is a town and seaside resort in Southeastern Bulgaria, located on a narrow rocky peninsula at the Bourgas Bay on the southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. It is located in Bourgas Province 20 km from Bourgas and 18 km from Sunny Beach. The lagoon Lake Pomorie, the northernmost of the Bourgas Lakes, lies in the immediate proximity.

 

Pomorie is one the most beautiful seaside resorts, unsurpassable and extremely attractive resort and wellness centre. The seashore in Pomorie is low and the coastal sand contains iron, which gives it favourable medicinal properties. The shallow and smooth coastal sea bottom provides greater conditions for medicinal sea baths.

 

 

 

 

 

Primorsko

Primorsko is a climate resort and a favourite place for youth tourists. It is situated 52 kilometers south of Bourgas, on a cape jutting between the Stomoplo Bay and Diavolski ( the Devil’s) Bay.

 

Primorsko is attractive with its favorable climate, beautiful nature, historic and cultural monuments, and hospitable native citizens and last but not least the varied attractions offered to the tourists. Primorsko is the best place for both calm family holiday and for active holiday with lots of parties, good emotions and unforgettable moments.

 

The resort is famous for its 10 kilometers of sandy beach, the longest on the Bulgarian Black sea coast.

 

Primorsko offers you different choices to rest and entertain yourself - you can go sunbathing during the day or you can visit one of the remarkable nature and historic reserves situated on its territory, and in the evening you can enjoy the pleasant atmosphere of the many restaurants in the town. The restaurants here offer not only the traditional Bulgarian cuisine but also a lot of fish delicacies, barbecue, and pizza.

 

 

Burgas

The town of Bourgas (population: 210 260) is the second district centre on the Black Sea coast. It is situated in the farthest western part of Bourgas bay and is 390 km east of Sofia. The climate of Bourgas is suitable for recreation – mild winter and long sunny summer. The beaches are covered with dark black curable sand.

 

Away from the busy centre of the city, the shady Sea Garden is a lovely place to stroll in hot summer days. A beautiful forked staircase in verdure leads from the park down to the central beach of the city. The sand is a mixture of various alloys of magnetite, which is the reason for its dark colour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Winter resorts

 

 

Bansko

One of the largest winter resorts of Bulgaria is situated on 925 meters above the sea level at the foot of the Pirin mountain – at a distance of 150 km from Sofia and 96 km from Blagoevgrad. Over the years, Bansko gradually established itself as one of the leading winter ski resorts in the country and the region, which attracts many Bulgarian and foreign tourists.

 

Without a doubt, Bansko is famous among tourists basically as a skiing and a snowboarding destination. The total length of the ski tracks is 75 km, as the longest of them is 16 km long.

 

Bansko falls into the territory of the National Park Pirin, which makes it an appropriate place for winter, as well as summer tourism. Since 1983 the park had fallen under the protection of UNESCO.

 

The Bansko region is famous for its mineral waters, which turns the resort into an attractive SPA destination. Many of the large hotels in the town have swimming pools and contemporary SPA centers, which offer a large number of wellness procedures.

 

During the summer season the roads and the ski tracks can also be used as routes for mountain cycling. The resort is also popular among tourists during the summer season, because of the various types of activities and sports that can be practiced there – mountain climbing, horse riding, mountain passages, rafting in the region of Kresnensko defile, etc.

 

Very typical for Bansko are the traditional taverns, in which dishes from the region of Bansko are served.
 

 

Borovetz

Borovets is one of the biggest mountain resorts in Bulgaria. It is located at an elevation of 1300 m on the northern slopes of Rila Mountain, some 70 km away from Sofia, approximately 130 km from Plovdiv, and 10 km south of Samokov.

 

The resort was established way back at the end of the 19th century, and was known as Chamkoria (Pine Forest) until the mid-20th century. The most distinguished people spent cool and fresh summers there, as well as winters hunting game. In 1960s and 1970s the resort expanded, large alpine-style hotels, as well as winter sports facilities were built and gradually Borovets transformed into a modern winter resort.

 

With its closeness to the capital city and its pleasant climate – cool and fresh summer and very snowy winter – the resort is the perfect destination for people who love to spend their holidays in the mountain. With its closeness to the capital city and its pleasant climate – cool and fresh summer and very snowy winter – the resort is the perfect destination for people who love to spend their holidays in the mountain.The cross-country skiing tracks are 35 km long and at least 6 m wide, built in accordance with the requirements of the International Ski Federation.

 

The hotels and accommodations in Borovets are numerous and vary from luxurious hotels to cozy cabins with saunas. In addition there are many private villas in Borovets with an assigned star category that also offer accommodation.

 

There are also plenty of venues in Borovets that include restaurants, taverns, pizza restaurants, bars, and discotheques.

 

The resort offers very good conditions for sports and relaxation. The larger hotels have pools, saunas, and spa centres where rehabilitation and beauty procedures are offered.

 

 

Pamporovo

Pamporovo, the diamond in the crown, one of Bulgaria’s premier ski destinations, cannot be rivalled since it’s the sunniest mountainous resorts in Bulgaria. It is huddled in the hospitable Rhodopi Mountain, embraced by greenery in summer and covered with fluffy snow in winter.

 

Pamporovo is easily recognized with the sunny skies, lush meadows, covered with wild flowers and herbs, warm hospitality, crystal clear mountainous air which absorbed the sweet fragrance of the pine forests.

 

Pamporovo is located at an altitude of 1650m. There are more than 240 sunny days in Pamporovo, so you will be able to combine your winter vacation with a sunny getaway and come back home with a lovely sun-tan. Pamporovo and all surrounding pistes, starting from Shezhanka Peak, are located amidst venerable fir trees. Pamporovo is an ideal choice for all fans of winter sports and travellers who seek coolness in the hot summer months.

 

 

 

 

 

Balneology, SPA and Wellness

 

 

Sandanski

With the growth of tourism, in Bulgaria had been built up SPA and Wellness hotels at the seaside and in the mountain, operating with modern technologies as well as with the traditions of many years in the balneology.

 

Sandanski is located in southwest Bulgaria, about 157 kilometers from Sofia and 63 kilometers from the district town of Blagoevgrad.

 

They call Sandanski the warmest city in Bulgaria. It is located at 240 meters altitude, and the climate is strongly influenced by the Mediterranean. The average yearly temperature is +14.7 degrees; the winters are mild and warm. The unique microclimate is suitable for lung disease treatment.

 

Sandanski is a popular balneological and spa center. There are 80 springs in the area, the temperature of which ranges from 42 to 81 degrees (Celsius). The salinity of the water is low; it has a rich chemical composition. It is successfully used for treatment and prevention of many diseases of the respiratory tract, artro-rheumatism, diseases of the loco-motor system, the nervous system etc.

 

 

Hisarya

The town of Hisarya is situated in Central Bulgaria, 40 km north of Plovdiv and approximately 180 km east of Sofia. Hisarya is famous for its healing mineral waters: 16 natural mineral springs and 6 drilled mineral water wells. The town is one of the oldest and most popular balneological and spa centres in Bulgaria. The climate is mild and pleasant, and one remarkable phenomenon there is the lack of fog. Because of this fact the town is regarded one of the sunniest spots in Bulgaria.

 

The name Hisarya derives from the Arabic word hisar which means fortress. The Archaeological Museum in the town displays finds discovered during archaeological excavations carried out in Hisarya, as well as models of the amphitheatre, a residential building, an early-Christian basilica and the Camels southern gate.

 

The town is famous for its beautiful, cool parks. They spread out on an area of 700 decares and include more than 160 decorative tree species.

 

 

 

 

Sapareva Banya

The town of Sapareva Banya is situated in West Bulgaria, 70 km south from Sofia and 55 km east from Kyustendil. The population of the town is 3,800 people. The town is located оn the north slope of Rila mountain, at 750 m altitude.

 

Sapareva Banya is primarily popular for its mineral waters – the hottest mineral water in whole Europe with a temperature of 103 °C springs in the town. The only geyser on the Balkan Peninsula lies here too. The symbol of Sapareva Banya is the fountain-geyser, located in the center of the town.

 

A few tourist routes leading to a number monasteries and churches in the nearby villages start from Sapareva Banya. Tourists can learn more information in the Geyzera Information Center. The Resilovski Monastery is situated at a distance of 7 km south-east from the town. It is an active girls’ monastery, established in the 1930s.

Town mineral baths, rehabilitation centers, hotels and guest houses, catering establishments function in Sapareva Banya.

 

 

 

 

Other popular cities

 

Veliko Tarnovo

Veliko Tarnovo is a town situated in North Bulgaria, an administrative center of the Veliko Tarnovo county. The town is situated in the valley of the river Yantra, at a distance of 241 km from the capital – Sofia, 228 km from the city of Varna, and 107 km from the town of Ruse. Veliko Tarnovo is one of the oldest towns in the country, as its history dates back to more than five thousand years ago, which is proven by archaeological excavations. The upsurge of Veliko Tarnovo is related to the period of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185 – 1393). In 1185 the town was declared a capital of the restored Bulgarian State by the brothers Asen and Petar, who declared the end of the Byzantine dominion, which continued for 167 years.

 

After its selection to be a capital, the town developed fast, as within the period 12th – 14th century it was the most unconquerable Bulgarian fortress, as well as a cultural and intellectual center of Bulgaria.

 

The most significant monument of culture in Veliko Tarnovo is the medieval fortress Tsarevets, situated on the homonymous peak, surrounded on three sides by the river Yantra. Excavations show that although Tsarevets is surrounded by a fortified wall, it was not a closed fortress, but a real medieval town, in the center of which the following objects were rising: the palace, the church “St. Petka”, multiple residential and economic buildings, water reservoirs and battle towers. The Patriarch’s residence was on the highest part of Tsarevets, and the Patriarch’s church “The Ascension of Christ” was also in close proximity.

 

You can receive more information about hotels, restaurants, landmarks, transportation, various attractions and current events, cars for rent, and the current state of the eco paths in the tourist information center in the town, which is situated in the central part of the town. There you can purchase information materials for the sites in Tarnovo, as well as make a request for the Sound and Light performance.

 

 

Melnik

The smallest town in Bulgaria (208 residents), Melnik, is nested in the south slopes of Pirin, among sand pyramids with queer forms. It is situated in the Sandanski Municipality, Blagoevgrad county, 175 km north from Sofia, and it is only 30 km from the borderline with Greece. The finds from the antiquity discovered upon the archaeological diggings testify for its centuries-old history.

 

Melnik is declared a natural and architectural reservation, and it attracts thousands of tourists annually. The wine which is produced by the unique Bulgarian brand Wide Melnik Vine has a wonderful quality, scents of ripe cherry, herbs, and in the presence of an oak it develops nuances of tobacco and leather. It is one of the attractions of the town and the region, and it attracts many admirers from the whole world. You can sample it in some of the wineries and cellars in the town and around it. The combination of good wine and wonderful local cuisine turns Melnik into an excellent destination for gourmet and wine tourism, which also offers the quests many interesting landmarks. The possibilities for accommodation are various – from luxurious hotels to cozy guest houses.

 

 

 

Sofia

Sofia is Bulgaria’s capital and its largest city. Founded thousands of years ago, today the city continues to develop as the country’s cultural and economic center. At present, the city has a population of 1,250,000.

 

Sofia is located in the western part of the country, on The Sofia Plain and on the lower slopes of Mount Vitosha. The city’s average altitude is 550 meters above sea level, the climate is moderate and continental, characterized by cold winters and relatively cool summers.

 

The city is located at a strategic crossroads. The route from Western Europe to Istanbul passes through Sofia via Beograd and Skopje, then through Plovdiv to Turkey. Sofia also connects The Near East and The Middle East, lying between the banks of The Danube and the shores of The White Sea on the one hand, and between The Black Sea and The Adriatic on the other.

 

 

 

Plovdiv

Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria and an administrative center of Plovdiv County. It is situated in the Upper Thracian Plain (Gornotrakiyska Nizina), on the both banks of the Maritsa river.

 

The city is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country and a cultural and economic center of southern Bulgaria. There are many accommodation options here – from luxurious hotels to hostels. The main street of the city offers excellent opportunities for entertainment and shopping; the restaurants options are numerous.