BRITISH holidaymakers are paying a lot more for their foreign vacations this year, thanks to the falling pound.
But for those still hoping for a European beach break that won’t break the bank there is only one place to look – Sunny Beach in Bulgaria.
Sunny Beach in Bulgaria is the cheapest beach holiday destination in Europe
The Eastern European resort on the Black Sea is repeatedly featured as the cheapest destination for Brits, most recently in the Post Office Travel Money Holiday Costs Barometer, which compares costs in 19 European beach resorts.
The study looked at the total cost of 10 tourist staples in every resort, like lunch and evening meals, drinks, sun cream, insect repellent and a daily newspaper, and at £37, the items cost 10 per cent less in Sunny Beach than last year – cheaper than every other destination.
But what is so great about Sunny Beach? Well, while it is undeniably a bit rough around the edges compared to the more traditional European resorts, it also has plenty to offer in terms of where to stay and things to do and see.
The resort not only offers good hotels at a fraction of the price of other places, but also great nightlife, beautiful scenery and tasty local food and wine.
The beach at Sunny Beach is several kilometres long, and you can rent a parasol and sun lounger for the day for £8
Read on to find out more about the largely untapped holiday destination…
Accommodation
Accommodation in Sunny Beach really is cheap, with rooms from as little as £25 a night at hotels in August.
But there are also some high-end properties, like the five-star Galeon Residence & Spa, which costs from £62 for a double room for seven nights.
For those looking for both quality and good value, Premier Fort Beach Hotel is rated No.5 out of the 221 hotels in Sunny Beach on TripAdvisor, but it only costs £57 a night
Premier Fort Beach Hotel is rated No.5 out of the 221 hotels in Sunny Beach on TripAdvisor, and it costs from £57 a night for two people in August
The beaches
The main beach – Sunny Beach - is several miles long and gets very popular in the summer months.
There is plenty to entertain the kids along the promenade, as well as good value watersports for the older children.
Typically, a parasol and beach lounger will cost you around £8 to rent for the day in peak season.
If you want a bit of peace and quiet, head along the coast a couple of miles to Irakli Beach - a two-mile stretch of sand that has been protected against any building work, allowing it to retain a remote feel.
Sveti Vlas to the north is somewhere in between the two beaches – quainter than Sunny Beach, but with more amenities than the rugged Irakli.
A third of Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast is made up of sandy beaches
Nightlife
The nightlife along Bulgaria’s coast has been booming for several years now.
As well as several music festivals, Sunny Beach is also famous for its bar crawls, foam parties and daytime party boats.
One of the most famous bar crawl companies is the Sunny Beach Party Crew, which featured in the Channel 4 TV Show “What Happens in Sunny Beach”.
A concerted effort by the resort to attract global DJ’s during the summer months means that there are usually some good headliners in the clubs too.
Drinks are incredibly cheap – some bars along the strip will sell cocktails for as little as £1.
Sunny Beach has a thriving nightlife industry, with clubs, foam parties, beach parties and boat parties for a fraction of what they costs in places like Ibiza
Wildlife
The Bulgarian coastline is incredibly rugged and beautiful in parts, and you just have to go a couple of miles outside of Sunny Beach to find amazing scenery.
To the south is the ancient city of Nessebar, also known as the “Pearl Of The Black Sea”, which is classified as an Unesco World Heritage site.
Equally, you can pay for a day cruise on a luxury catamaran , who will take you for an excursion along the coast, then drop you off for some snorkelling.
Alternatively, take a cruise along the beautiful Ropotamo River, with its abundant wildlife.
Mural paintings in St. Stefan Church, in the ancient port town of Nessebar, which is an Unesco World Heritage site
Food and wine
Bulgarian food is a cross between Eastern European and Mediterranean cuisine, with plenty of grilled meats, chopped salads and yoghurt-based sauces.
They also specialise in stuffed pastries, stuffed vine leaves and an array of stuffed vegetables.
Restaurants in Sunny Beach range from the high-end Khan’s Tent, which has panoramic ocean views, a cabaret show and a live band alongside the food, to the cheaper, but just as well-rated small restaurants.
On average, an evening meal for two with wine will set UK visitors back less than £20, while lunch for two is under £6.
Khan’s Tent restaurant in Sunny Beach has panoramic ocean views, a cabaret show and a live band alongside the food
While Bulgarian wine isn't a popular choice for British drinkers at the moment, it has been made in the country for thousands of years.
In fact, in the 1980s, it was the second largest wine producer in the world.
Bottles of wine can be bought from as little as £5 in restaurants, but many places will do even cheaper versions if you order a "jug".
Don't forget to also sample the country’s alcoholic delicacy, Rakia.
Be sure to sample some local Bulgarian wine, which can be bought by the bottle for as little as £5 in bars and restaurants
Kids activities
While the area has a good nightlife, there is also plenty for families to do in the resort, like mini-golf, go-karting and fun fairs.
Sunny Beach has its own amusement park, called Luna Park, which has an array of rollercoasters and smaller rides.
The water park Action Aquapark is free for kids below 90cm tall in peak season, while guests measuring between 90-130cm pay £8.50 and those taller than 130cm pay £17 .
The water park Action Aquapark is free for kids below 90cm, then £8.50 up to 130cm and £17 for anyone taller than 130cm
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