Share the article
We all know Spain because of the picturesque Mediterranean coast, interspersed with lively resort cities and embraced by crystal clear seas, but if you have been to the Iberian country for the past three or four years, you will probably have noticed how shockingly expensive and busy it has become.
An average at night From $ 201 in Barcelona to non-durable levels of overtourism on the trendy holiday island of Mallorca, where anti-tourist sentiment has been dangerous brewWe would not be the first in line to board that flight.
Fortunately, an exciting Spain -Dupe has been tucked away in the much more unusual, less well -known southeastern corner of Europe have been causing quite a commotion lately, and if we have to add it is way cheaper and less busy:
Bulgaria is very furious this year!
If you think of Bulgaria, you probably call images of winter landscapes, concrete blocks in Soviet style and orthodox piety.
Although there is some truth in that, something most People don’t know that it changes a summer paradise in the warmer months.
Did you even consciously The coastline of Bulgaria on the Black Sea extends to An uninterrupted 235 mile and is Sent with picturesque beach cities that simply could not be further, apart from the stereotypical gray, war-torn version of Eastern Europe?
Or that, for example, It is about as hot as the Mediterranean Sea” If not warmer?
We are not joking:
Some cities along the coast have an average daily maximum of 84.2 ° F and lows of 66.2 ° F, and if you think if you have to pack an extra jumper or two in case it gets cold, darling, you can Save better space in your hand luggage for more swimsuit instead.
Not to scoop, but no other travel news website stays at the top of the travelends such as JourneyAnd we reported a few years ago about how the Black Sea is a new Mediterranean Sea, and we are happy that others finally see:
Why this lesser -known country is now so trendy
- It’s cheaper
- It is beautiful
- It’s not that busy
This year, The New York Times contained this part of the world in Their list of ‘best places to travel’ in 2025While CEO was included for the TUI travel agency based in Europe stating that Bulgaria could compete in the summer with hotspots such as Mallory and Menorca ‘.
Newcomers also go to social media in large numbers to present the beauty of Bulgaria: the hashtag #bulgaria alone has been collected on Tiktok alone More than 2.5 million messages.
Users will share their catches of sandy beaches, sleepy coastal villages that seem frozen in time, and a stunning nature to meet the loot of mass tourism.
However, some of the most popular taps refer to Bulgaria’s affordability as a beach destinationCompared to Spain, Italy or Greece.
This message from Tiktok user @heroiisa in particular emphasizes Varna as a cheap summer outing, where the prices for accommodation vary from just $ 8 to $ 30 per night, meals cost between $ 5 and $ 12 in local restaurants, and the beaches look there Not out, with crystal clear waters:
@heroiisa Budget travel guide for Varna, Bulgaria✈️ Varna is one of the best places to visit when you are young and with a budget! ✨ All prices are in USD and based on a realistic budget for budget travelers in VARNA, Bulgaria 🏨 🏨 🏨 🏨 🏨ACCCCOMMODATION: $ 8 to $ 30/night per person if you stay in a dormitory or an apartment or a double room in a cheap pension/ Hotel shares with someone. This depends on the season, the bottom of the prices is for shoulder season (April-June or September-October) and the higher end for the high season (July-August). 🍛food: there are numerous options for $ 5 to $ 12/meal. If you cook, you can even do it cheaper than this! ☀️Activities: $ 0-20 depending on what you want to do! I have not spent a lot of money on activities in Varna because there are many free things to do, but there are also some paid activities that you can do, depending on your budget. 🚌 There: you can come to Varna by bus or train from other popular Bulgarian destinations and cities such as Sofia, Burgas or Plovdiv. Bus and train tickets depend on the route, but are usually very affordable ($ 2-12). ✈️ Flights: When it comes to flights, you can fly to Burgas, Sofia, Plovdiv or Varna from many European cities with Ryanair or Wizz Air and then take public transport to Varna. It is also an option to fly somewhere else in the Balkans and to take public transport from there if you have time for a longer journey.
That is an account of a single traveler, but Budget your tripOur own preferred platform for keeping prices in different countries confirms that Bulgaria is indeed the cheaper end when it comes to summer destinations.
More specifically, tourists will publish average $ 27 on meals a dayUnless they travel luxuriously (in that case they have to do $ 73 budgeting) and $ 72 on hotels, for total travel costs of a week of $ 1,076 for two people (or the equivalent in the Bulgarian Lev).
Where in Bulgaria in the summer in Bulgaria?
- Sunshine
- Nessebar
- VARNA
- Burgas
- Sveti flax
There are countless world -class destinations to choose from when you skip Spain and go to Bulgaria this year.
When You are looking for old world charm and culture, visit the Picture-Perfect, paved Nessebar. This walled city occupies the end of a narrow peninsula and has a rich history that goes back for several millennia and consisting of periods of Thracian, Greek and Roman rule.
The ensemble of Byzantine churches and fortifications are a UNESCO world heritage location, and the South Beach, a short drive from the old city, has received a blue flag status because of its cleanliness.
Looking for one Traditional beach outing Instead, Mallorca style?
Sunny Beach is not an island, although, as the name indicates, a sun-drenched resort development that unfolds along an Azure Black Sea full of beach bars, where beer costs as cheap as $ 2, and a 3-star on the water Hotel Zaara You will only reset at $ 35 per night.
Instead enthusiastic about an all-inclusive deal?
Hello Hotels Imperial Resort has nocturnal rates of A Shockingly affordable $ 80 Included in June, all meals, And access to all resort areas, including the swimming pool and fitness center.
We are not Go lying to you: Sunny Beach can Get a bit busy in the summer, not because of an intake of foreign tourists, but because of the popularity of Bulgarians (and the adjacent Romanians) themselves. So for some peace and quiet And more exclusivity is Sveti Vlas in the northeast.
A relaxed hunting marina with bragging An abundance of eateriesand several long miles of untouched fine, golden sand, it has 5-star hotels from $ 66 per night control the Garden of Eden complex.
For a city interruption, our top choices Burgas and Varna, the largest summary on the Bulgarian coast, and two bustling black seaports are famous for their old heritage – – even the Starbucks in Varna is built at the top of Roman relics! –– and flowering nightlife.
They are also the entrance gate to the coast and organize cheap flights of numerous European destinations in high season, starting in May.
✈️Become a member of our Travel Off Path Community Forum: Where travelers unite, ask questions, share experiences and even find like -minded travel buddies!
Subscribe to our latest messages
Enter your e -mail address to subscribe to the latest Breeknieuws from Path, directly to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Traveloffpath.com
Opinions here are only the author, not those of a bank, credit card emitting, hotel, airline or other entity. This content has not been assessed, approved or otherwise approved by one of the entities that are included in the post.
