Has anyone been to Bulgaria on a family holiday?

[flopsymopsy5]

If so, was it any good? Currently planning summer holidays and I’m quite sick of the usual Spanish/Greek islands. Never been to Bulgaria or really considered it but the prices look a lot cheaper than the European countries. Looking at the sunny beach area in particular but open to anywhere with a relatively short transfer time to the airport, all inclusive and good entertainment for the kids.

I have absolutely no knowledge at all about this country so would love some tips or opinions thank you.

Sunny beach is a bit grim, stag do etc, but we were a bit further down the coast, closer to Varna, and the all inclusive was great, good entertainment for kids, food was fine etc. Lovely sandy beach, warm sea, but watch for rip tides!

Ha ha, yes, but about 40 years ago! The weather was great! It was still under the iron curtain then so I can only imagine how different it must be now!

I can’t believe how much cheaper it is. I keep thinking there must be something wrong with it 😂 we’re really not fussy as long as there is plenty for the kids to do and some sun.

Avoid sunny beach but otherwise the food is great, the weather is amazing and the beaches are beautiful. It’s a different standard of living so that’s why it is cheaper compared to other places in Europe.

My dd and her partner went last summer and hated it. The minute they left their ai complex they felt unsafe, and didn’t fell it was very welcoming

We went to TUI blue Nevis and the hotel was amazing, food was great, water slides, loads of entertainment for the kids, couldn't fault it. Ventured out one day for a walk into town, sunny beach is an absolute dive, beyond grim

Went to sunny beach a few years ago on a big family holiday,but wouldn't recommend this area. Found it to be very unclean and rundown. People working in shops and restaurants extremely rude like they didn't want your custom. Lots of stag and hen parties We went to nessebar twice on our stay and thought it was lovely especially in the old town and the people were very welcoming.Maybe have a look at the nessebar area.

Agree Sunny Beach is terrible. It's a beautiful country with some fantastic vineyards, hot springs and amazing hiking trails in the mountains. Other than Sunny Beach, the black sea towns are very nice

We have booked aqua nevis for June which looks to have good reviews and access to the water park. I think the resort will be a bit blackpool esk as expected, but we are not planning on going out in the evenings. I am looking forward to this holiday and also paid 1k less than our greek holiday last year at the same time!

It’s a beautiful country. There are some amazing places to visit. Nessebar, Ravadinovo folly was good, some impressive archaeological sites and Burgas was nice for a day out too.

The weather is incredible too, when we have been. We have family out there.

As others have said, sunny beach is really quite grim. Very much drinking and drug use.

Went to sunny beach when it was first becoming popular, big, sprawling resort, good beach,people generally friendly and definitely cheap. Nessebar was fascinating, at the time a really good holiday, sadly as others have said, it’s really succumbed to the stag/ hen do/ party brigade , people who have been more recently certainly haven’t enjoyed it. Maybe just avoid Sunny Beach and look at other parts

We've been to Wave Resort twice, booked via Jet2. As a single parent with two young teens, it ticked all my boxes: 15 minutes transfer from Burgas airport, all inclusive, ample sunbeds and pools, water slides etc. There's a kids club, indoor playroom and some daytime activities for older children/teens and adults. Sauna and spa. Beautifully kept and right on the beach, and temperatures of 28-30ish in August (bearable for us as a family of pale, freckly people!) instead of 40 in Spain/Greece. The best thing as far as I was concerned is that there's nothing nearby, so it was a properly restful holiday. We've been to more central places and as well as feeling less safe, the teens were constantly asking to walk to the shops to buy tat. There are payable a la carte restaurants if you fancy a change from the buffet and food courts.

The hotel has a free minibus to Pomorie, the local small town (book at reception), and Nessebar and Sunny beach are a taxi ride away, which you can also book at reception. All in all it's one of the easiest holidays we've had.

lot cheaper than the European countries

Ehm, ehm, Bulgaria is European country, it actually is in EU for 20 years now.

The whole economy in the area is just scaled down a bit - both wages and prices of local goods are lower there, which means it is cheaper when you come from the higher numbers economy.

As for holidays - majority of the beaches aren't that exciting if you love big waves and showy cliffs. In my country Bulgaria is seen as a good family holiday with child-friendly beaches. Not flashy, but totally ok.

I should have said other European countries apologies. I’m very much used to Spain, Greece, canary island type holidays and Bulgaria has never been on my radar before. I just looked out of curiosity and was surprised at the low prices. Ideally a good hotel is all we really need but it would be nice to see a bit of local history which Nessebar seems good for. I’d feel a bit ‘safer’ going to Greece or Spain just because it’s familiar but also want to try something new.

Why do you think it’s cheap OP?

We went on an adult family holiday YEARS ago. Stayed at Sozopol. Beach, lots of restaurants, cozy old town, took a ship over to Nesebar which was lovely.

It is using the euro now, so I expect prices have risen.

We went to ozbor in Bulgaria and loved it but I would have loathed Sunny Beach

The holidays are coming out at least 1k cheaper on Jet2 than some the packages we’ve been looking at for Greece, Spain etc.

We went skiing. It was horrific. There’s a reason why it’s cheap.

Yes we went for an AI.
It was 5 star and very highly rated.
Voya beach resort.

It was in reality a 4 star, food and alcohol were decent and overall I was happy with what I got for what I paid.

It was literally 1/3rd of the price of an ikos holiday and I dont think we'd have enjoyed it 3 x more.
We stayed in the complex and didnt venture outside it had a small private beach. Our kids are young so it worked fine for them and kids club was decent enough (we took and stayed with them)

I was very low effort and what we were after.

I’ve been twice to sunny beach. First time I was early 20’s and last time was about 10ish yrs ago I was around 30. I didn’t go with kids we went as a couple. It’s not a family resort. It’s very cheap to eat out etc but I didn’t see many family friendly places but I suppose I wasn’t looking for them.

I’ve actually just remembered a family member went quite a few times when their son was about 10-14 so maybe there is enough to do for families.

I don’t think it’s grim or awful but it isn’t lovely either. It’s a cheap sun holiday. A bit like Benidorm for the Germans and Scandinavians. We were very much in the minority being British.

I’d only go in July/aug for the weather. I went July into August and was hot and sunny. Went June and the weather wasn’t great at all, rain, clouds and not a lot of sun. Maybe only got 2-3 sunny days in the week.

It felt very safe though, I never felt unsafe anywhere when in Bulgaria. If you’re going to spend a lot of time in the hotel anyway it should be fine.

It was insanely cheap 40 years ago, that was why my dad took us! There was hardly anything to buy there but what you could buy cost pence - litre of coke for 5p, that kind of thing. I'd love to go back and see how it has changed.

I went years ago to Sunny Beach, it was horrible TBH.

It's safe and sunny. The sea and the sand and are not as nice as the Med. The Black Sea really isn't so blue and as clean and the sand is darker. If you just want a sunny all inclusive to sit by the pool, go for it.