SUNNY BEACH
In medieval times, the bay situated between Cape Emine and Nessebur had two large fresh water wells; residents earned a living by selling drinking water to Nessebur, which had none of its own. This area is now known as Sunny Beach. Started in 1958 and the largest of the country's beach resorts. Today, the wide, six-kilometer-long beach is generally regarded as the best on the coast.
What to See and Do
Sunny Beach definitely lives up to its motto of "Where families come first' and only the most jaded of kids could get bored here, with the likes of kiddie trains, well-equipped playgrounds, clubs with foreign language-speaking nannies, organized festivals, campfire sessions, kids' discos, donkey safaris, sand-castle building competitions... Whew!
It's not just kids that get all the fun things to do. Sports include windsurfing, sailing, parasailing, speed boating, scooter-driven parachuting, pedalboat-ing, water skiing, horseback riding, archery, mini-golf, roller and in-line skating, bowling, tennis, bicycling, wall climbing (for the truly bored), and beach volleyball. To soothe sore muscles from all that physical activity the Bourgas and Globus, among others, have mineral water spa treatment centers. Night Life runs the gamut from floor shows and variety acts to casinos to clubs and discos (a favorite is the centrally-located and futuristic-looking Iceberg).
Trips to historic and scenic spots throughout Bulgaria and internationally (for example, overnight boat trips to Istanbul) can be arranged through local travel services.
Accommodations
With 120 - and counting - hotels (45 more than runner-up Golden Sands) accommodating some 45, 000 visitors. Early on, hotels were built with just three or four floors; additions and high rises came later. Most hotels are not on the beachfront but are spread over a large area, where numerous small shaded parks and gardens do alleviate some of the congested feel.
Food and Drink
There are at least a zillion eating establishments of all shapes, sizes and descriptions featuring a wide range of cuisine, including the Red Lion, an authentic British pub replete with English ale and roast beef with Yorkshire pudding for the truly homesick. Traditional Bulgarian folk-style mehanas are well-represented by the Vyaturnata Melnitsa (Windmill), Buchvata (Barrel), Chuchura (Fountain), and a host of others. The most unusual is the Hanska Shatra (Khan's Tent) which sits atop a hill several kilometers north of Sunny Beach. Set in a secluded wooded setting with beautiful views of the coast below, the spot is supposedly the one where Khan Krum had a military encampment in 812. The large, rounded structure has twenty curved concrete columns inside which connect at the apex, resembling a huge tent such as was used by the Proto-Bulgarians. The interior is decorated with mosaics, one of which depicts the Khan feasting. Waiters wear period costumes. Live folk music starts nightly at seven, followed by an hour-long elaborate floor show. Predictably, the place is touristy - and expensive - but, what the heck, it's a vacation.