Visit Bulgaria to explore its stunning 378-kilometre coastline bordered by the Black Sea! Fans of water sports can enjoy the very best sporting conditions here, and holidaymakers can experience the pleasant seaside resorts come alive with festivities during the summer months, with countless souvenir shops, food stalls and inviting café terraces to choose from. There are lots of balneotherapy and thalassotherapy centres in the region that offer a range of treatments using water from the local mineral springs, which are renowned for their healing properties. Further inland, you will find a bucolic countryside landscape dotted with small villages, where you can soak up the local culture and folklore, sample authentic cuisine and learn about the local traditions of wine-growing and bee-keeping.
Varna, the Pearl of the Black Sea, owes its distinctive nickname to its many seaside attractions. Its long, beautiful beach of golden sand is bordered by a large park full of shady paths that offer a magnificent view of the bay. The seafront promenade, lined with shops, bars, restaurants and terraces, enjoys the same lively atmosphere as the pedestrian streets of the city. Meanwhile, the esplanade by the harbour is the perfect place to sample a local speciality or enjoy the friendly, lively atmosphere of the bars and clubs. Varna also boasts a vibrant cultural programme, with many music festivals, ballet performances and internationally renowned plays to choose from. Historically-speaking, Varna has always enjoyed a strategic location and is consequently home to an astonishing cultural heritage. The oldest gold objects in the world were discovered just a few kilometres from Varna. These treasures, dating from between 4400 and 4200 BC, are now on display in the city's archaeological museum.
The seaside resort of Albena is located on the north coast of the Black Sea, about 35 kilometres north of Varna and 12 kilometres from Baltchik, where the coast is lined by the dense forests of the Baltata nature reserve. Lush greenery and fine sandy beaches with shallow water will be the backdrop to your holiday, and this alone guarantees a magical stay. The area boasts many cafés and shops, three wellness centres and an attractive range of recreational and sports activities, including 20 tennis courts, where you can take tennis lessons, seven football pitches, several multi-sports pitches, a riding club and a variety of water sports. Distance from the airport: 40 km.
The Golden Sands Resort is famous for its long golden sandy beach stretching over 4 kilometres and its 4 thermal springs bubbling nearby. Outside the hotel zone, walkers and nature lovers can enjoy the vast nature park where 1,300 hectares of marked trails will lead you through the heart of lush vegetation. At Golden Sands, you can enjoy a wide range of recreational and sporting activities, including water sports, and for those more interested in culture, Varna, with its welcoming atmosphere and impressive historical heritage, is still close by. Distance to the airport: 25 km.
Located about 60 minutes' drive from Varna, this small town has a strategic location and enjoys a particularly pleasant microclimate combining the mild sun, trade winds and fresh air from the mountains. The town also boasts an 8 kilometre-long sandy beach, which is one of the longest in Bulgaria. The resort is currently in the process of expansion and offers fewer recreational facilities than Golden Sands, but it still has an enormous potential. Distance from the airport: 68 km.
Located 8 kilometres from the centre of Varna and about 10 kilometres south of the Golden Sands, the small seaside town of Saints Constantine and Helena is framed by deciduous forests and boasts a beautiful 3.5 kilometre long sandy beach. It is appreciated for its quietness and features high quality hotels and a good selection of trendy restaurants and bars. Saints Constantine and Helena is also famous for its 7 thermal springs, some of which used to supply the wellness areas of some hotels, as well as the Aquahouse thermal area, which is open to the public. Distance from the airport : 19 km.
Sunny Day Resort is nestled in the heart of one of the quietest bays on the north coast, off the Black Sea and close to Saints Constantine and Helena. Inland, you’ll find a vast semi-circular forest, home to rare species of trees, and at the foot of the forest lies one of the thermal springs that supply the swimming pools in some of the hotels. It's one of the few places on the Bulgarian coast that offers such close proximity to both beaches and forest! Distance from the airport: 20 km.
Excursions will allow you to discover your destination from all perspectives. LuxairTours offers a range of selected tours that will allow you to discover unmissable places, paradisiacal beaches, typical dishes... LuxairTours organises a range of quality excursions for you.
Book a day trip to the Nessebar peninsula by coach! This picturesque town is home to a number of buildings of historic interest in a small area (850m x 300m) and has been classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983. As you stroll through the narrow streets, beautifully paved with flagstones that have been smoothed by the steps of thousands of passers-by over the centuries, you will come across numerous churches. These churches date from the 6th century (the finest example being the Old Metropolitan Church) and the 13th-14th centuries, of which Christ Pantocrator is the most emblematic. You will also see the Christ Alitourguéthos church, whose elegant silhouette overlooks the port. The typical houses with stone ground floors and wooden upper storeys are another, more romantic architectural feature of the town's historic quarter... Every nook and cranny has its own picture-postcard view.
You will also have free time to explore the artisanal shops where you can pick up some local crafts or textiles as a souvenir. There are also plenty of café and restaurant terraces and uninterrupted sea views that inspire relaxation and contemplation.
Season: from 10/05 to 02/10
Duration: approx. 8 hours
Included in the price: lunch (including drinks)
Languages: German, French
Recommended equipment: walking shoes
This highly authentic full-day excursion will help you to get to know the country and its people.
During this beautiful outing in the countryside, your first stop will be the astonishing natural phenomenon of the Petrified Forest. You will also visit the famous bas-relief of Madara's Horseman, a site under UNESCO protection.
This is followed by lunch in a bucolic setting a local winegrower’s estate with panoramic views over the vineyards and rolling countryside.
After lunch, there will be a final stop at their winery. You will be given a presentation of the winemaking methods and will taste 3 types of wines, accompanied by a small snack. As the owners are big horse lovers, they will also be delighted to show you around their small stud farm, and you will even have the opportunity to take a ride on horseback if you wish. Children can also have a wagon ride.
Season: from 10/05 to 02/10
Duration: approx. 8 hours
Included in the price: entrance fees, lunch (including drinks)
Languages: German, French
Recommended equipment: suitable footwear
This Jeep tour is a fun adventure for everyone! In a robust 4x4 vehicle, you'll drive off the beaten track into the Golden Sands hinterland (with several photo stops planned).
Visit a brandy distillery to discover local traditions and taste this alcohol made from pears, grapes or plums. Your trip continues through the region, passing through small, bucolic villages. There will be a short stop to explore the old blockhouses, where the more experienced can practise their rifle marksmanship.
After this, you will visit a grandmother's home to try some of her home-made doughnuts.
Lunch in a traditional inn, with unlimited drinks included.
Season: from 10/05 to 02/10
Duration: approx. 5 hours
Included in the price: lunch (including drinks)
Languages: German, French, English
Recommended equipment: walking shoes and sun protection
This wonderful half-day trip along the beautiful north coast will give you the chance to discover several tourist sites close to Golden Sands.
The beautiful little town of Balchik is a popular destination for travellers, who are attracted by the mysterious allure of the summer residence of Queen Marie of Romania. The visit to this magnificent house and botanical garden takes around an hour. The walk will take you along shady paths and small signposted walkways into the heart of a park full of roses in all different colours, magnolias, stately trees and towering cypresses. The residence’s captivating silhouette faces the sea and is an insight into the aesthetic and spiritual tastes of the last queen of Romania.
To complete the excursion, you can visit Cape Kaliakra, a 2.5 kilometre-long promontory of reddish rock that towers 70 metres above the sea. For centuries, this was used as a fortified site, but today it is an archaeological and nature reserve.
Season: from 10/05 to 02/10
Duration: approx. 5 hours
Included in the price: entrance fees
Languages: German, French
Recommended equipment: walking shoes
This trip will help you discover the many facets of the beautiful city of Varna, which has been named Bulgaria's summer capital, by bus, on foot and from the sea.
The trip begins with a visit to the remains of the Aladzha cave monastery, nestled in a verdant setting near Golden Sands. This will be followed by a panoramic tour of the city of Varna to reach the magnificent Dormition of the Mother of God Cathedral (guided tour). After this, you can then enjoy a stroll through the pedestrian zone of the city centre, followed by free time in the city to have a coffee or a refreshing cocktail on one of the many terraces, visit the beautiful maritime park or go shopping.
And to round off the day in style, you can take a 45-minute boat trip to admire the town, its harbour, lighthouses and its beautiful sandy beach.
Season: from 10/05 to 02/10
Duration: approx. 5 hours
Included in the price: entrance fees
Languages: German, French
Recommended equipment: walking shoes
For more information and bookings, please contact your LuxairTours guide on site.