If you want the warm waters and searing hot sun of the Mediterranean without the crowds or the high prices you’ve been growing tired of over the years, the Black Sea might be the alternative you’ve been waiting for.

Black sea destinations offer reliable sunshine, hot temperatures, safe beaches, good bathing and healthy mix of both the vibrant and relaxed areas. What more could you want on holiday? We can’t think of anything either. So in that case – check out our top destinations for a holiday by the Black Sea…

Sozopol, Burgas, Bulgaria by Jeroen Kransen

Bulgaria

There are 354 kilometres of coastline on the Bulgarian coast, and lots of it is ideal for a summer holiday. The coastline of the modern country is all on the Black Sea. A country that was once shrouded in mystery behind the so-called ‘iron curtain’, it has fast become a holiday favourite in recent years.

For a little beachside action in Bulgaria, head to Saints Constantine and Helena – this resort town on the Black Sea coast has a number of luxury hotels to choose from as well as villa communities. While it’s close to downtown Varna – roughly only 10km away – in Saints Constantine and Helena the main attraction in sun and sand, so if you’re looking for a more varied holiday you might want to consider staying closer to the city.

Romania

Head to Romania for 72 km of uninterrupted golden sands along the Black Sea coast. With such idyllic conditions it’s no surprise destinations like Constana boast a nice range of resorts for both single travellers and families. By the beachside you can find watersports, modern hotels and a busy nightlife, while further inland, attractions like castles and vineyards offer something a little more out of the ordinary. Just remember to bring your sun cream; temperatures can soar during the peak summer months.

While you are in Romania make sure to try ‘țuică’ – this is drink is a local speciality and is very distinctive. The best way to describe it is as kind of plum brandy. It is the traditional accompaniment to Romanian food, and is sometimes warmed up in cold weather.

Costinesti beach, Romania by Brian Lowe

Russia

Beach holidays might not spring to mind when you think of Russia, but even the world’s largest country has its own beachside destination along the Black Sea. You might have even have heard of it – Sochi. It’s the destination of the 2014 Winter Olympics, and as a result, has been catching the attention of travellers around the world. Check yourself into a Sochi resort  and see for yourself what this destination has to offer; tucked away at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains against the lapping waves of the Black Sea. It’s a beach holiday with a view, so sit back and watch the town get ready for one of the world’s biggest sporting events.

Where would you spend your Black Sea holiday?

Kieran Orlov has not let becoming a parent of twins get in the way of his travel bug.

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However already in the 5th century there was a Christian church standing on this place. During the Ottoman Empire domination, monastery (with church) was dissolved and overgrown with weeds. Just at the end of the 19th century it was discovered by two Czech archaeologists – Škorpil brothers.

Monks cells were carved into the limestone rocks and connected by corridors which create a three-storey complex. There were also kitchens, dining rooms, prayer rooms, simply everything what monks needed for their life. They lived here in celibacy and create their own world, away from civilization, so they could devote prayer and spiritual development.

The entire monastery was completely self-sufficient. With the surrounding monasteries the monks communicated by ringing the bell. Today you can ring on it during your visit. It is interesting that during the archaeological research of graves in the vicinity of the monastery, were found around 5 kg of gold objects. These historic gems can be seen in the Museum of Natural History in Varna.

In the forest park below the monastery is a small museum, where you can further see the Roman mosaics, Orthodox icons, photos, and models and drawings of the original appearance of the monastery. About 500 metres from the monastery (still in paid section) are other caves named as the catacombs.

Aladzha Monastery can be reached from Golden Sands or St. Constantine, both on foot or by taxi. The Varna is probably best to go either by bus to Golden Sands and the intersection before the golden sands. From there it is on the road about a mile up the hill. Serpentine is an interesting twist around a ravine with a stream.

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There are several legends about this place, the most famous is about 40 girls who in an effort to avoid the Turkish slavery together jumped off cliffs into the sea. This fabulous event is commemorated by an obelisk called the “The Gate of the 40 Maidens” at the entrance to the Cape. You’ll also find a small museum with archaeological finds here. There are remnants of Tirisis fort that was built before the advent of the Romans and served until the Middle Ages. Its location on the Cape was not accidental, the sea and high cliffs represented an ideal natural protection against invaders.

But the main thing that attracts tourists, is the overall scenery of the Cape and the local nature at all. The dramatic view from the top of the rocks of the turquoise sea is really worth it. There are many caves and photogenic corners here. Kaliakra Cape is a protected area since 1941, but since that it has increased its area three times and now reaches 687 ha.

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Fairly typical is to watch the dolphins while playing in the waves. Even relatively recently it was also a home to rare Mediterranean seal. This animal was in the past, very abundant and very common throughout the Mediterranean and the Black Sea including Bulgaria, but due to the pollution of their environment, hunting and development of the tourism industry they disappeared. The last Bulgarian seals could be seen in the early eighties of the 20th century. Today, Mediterranean seal is officially considered the most endangered mammal of the European Union and its future existence is uncertain.

Other places for nature lovers are 8 kilometres away, in Taukliman protected area and the subsequent reservation called Jajlata.

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Surroundings of Kaliakra Cape is interesting not only from the land but also from the sea. In August 1791, in the vicinity of the cape, there was a naval battle, during which the Russian fleet under the leadership of the famous admiral Fyodor Fyodorovich Ushakov completely destroyed the large Turkish fleet. That is one reason why the area attracts divers and wrecks seekers. On the seabed there are a number of objects and remnants of ships from various medieval periods and of the World War II.

Very interesting is also a restaurant situated in one of the caves in the middle of the Cape. It boasts an outdoor garden offering magnificent views of the surrounding area. However you will not find any accommodation right on the spot, most tourists come here on a trip from various places on the Black Sea, for example, from a well-known resort of Albena. If you go on your own, you surely find some bed in the vicinity.

So if you wandered into this region, just visit this place, where sea fights with the mainland and still make for an unusual beauty.

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The village offers some fascinating 17th and 18th century churches, some of which contain ancient mural paintings and wood carvings. The churches in Arbanasi typically have strong, high walls, small windows and very strong oak doors studded with iron nails.

One of the earliest churches in Arbanasi is the ‘Nativity Church’ or the ‘Cathedral of Nativity’. Extensive studies have found that the church was built in three separate stages which presents some interesting structural characteristics. The main body of the church is divided into male and female sections and the whole building is decorated with murals. The Nativity Church is one of the oldest and best preserved churches not just in Arbanasi but across the whole of Bulgaria.

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Thanks to its location the city and its surroundings belong to the warmest areas of the Bulgarian coast. For its beautiful nature the resort was a popular place for the Bulgarian royal family in the past. Today Tsarevo is a popular tourist destination suitable for lovers of comfortable, quiet, romantic, but also of active holiday.

In the center of town you will find the pedestrian zone, shops, markets, cafes, pastry shops, restaurants, discos, bars, parks, cinema or a jungle gym for children. Tsarevo has a football field with artificial turf, which is freely accessible to children. In Tsarevo you can also enjoy some sport activities such as sailing, diving or widsurfing. Close to the resort you can stay in well-known campsites Bulgarka and Nestinarka.

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Srebarna lake is one of the most significant natural heritage in Bulgaria. The entire lake is surrounded by mosses, which reach a length of more than 1.5 km. The water covers an area of 638 hectares.

You will find here also many rare plants. This place is a paradise for nature lovers and ornithologists.

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The first mention of Dupnitsa is from the 15th century. Major attractions include the Art Gallery, Historical Museum of Dupnitsa, the clock tower and the churches in the city. About 7km east of town there is a monastery Resilovo. 14 km northeast, near the town of Sapareva Banya you can find the ruins of the ancient Roman town of Germania. Nearby is also a spa and mountain resort Panichishte, which offers excellent conditions for hiking and relaxing and in winter for skiing.

Dupnitsa is also called The Green and Shady Town because of the huge number of trees in the town. But it is also called The Little Italy of Bulgaria because lots of people left to work to Italy and returns in summer for vacation when the city is full of Bulgarian “Italians”.

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If you decide to visit Sofia, you will have to shortlist attractive historical sites and tourist spots which you can find here and there in this popular city. We chose some of the best known and top sights to see in Sofia.

Nevski cathedral is really marvelous in design. You must visit this tourist spot that has increased the importance of Sofia city. However, you should also go to other exotic tourist spots like Russian church and other religions shrines that are famous for architectural aesthete. This ancient city has a number of ancient Roman, Byzantine and medieval Bulgarian historical buildings, monuments and palaces such as Boyana Church from the 10th century which is a UNESCO world heritage site, or Church of St. George which is the oldest building in Sofia, or St. Sofia Church – early Byzantine church. In the center of the city you should also visit medieval Church of St Petka of the Saddlers

You will get pleasure by watching natural charisma of snow capped mountain range of Vitosha. Here, you will come into contact with the perfect blend of modern city life and natural aesthete. You will find boutiques, small kiosks, shopping centers and a national park at the base of this well known mountain.

The Sts. Cyril and Methodius National Library is the largest national book collection and Bulgaria’s oldest cultural institute, which encourages young generation to learn more about Bulgarian history and culture. You can visit this historical building to watch the gigantic structure of this national library. If you are a knowledge thirsty human, you can check and review historical documents, different types of marvelous relics and collectibles which are available in the inventory of the library. You can also visit the famous Boyona church to learn about the historical background of Bulgarian culture and religion as well. In this church, you will also be able to find stored artifacts, mythological figurines, painted images, books and religions documents in archive of the church.

Finally, when you stay in Sofia, you can also spend some time by visiting Sofia Zoo which gives shelter to more than 1000 wild species. The Zoo has been founded in 1888. You will be able to meet some rare animals in this national zoo.

For your transport in Sofia you can use Metro which has been opened in 1998 and now has just one line and 14 stations.

From natural beauty to sophisticated busy urban lifestyle, Sofia has become the main attraction to foreign tourists. You can enjoy an intoxicated nightlife in this metro city.

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It is the home to many endemic and rare species of the Balkan Pleistocene flora. There are also lots of famous and popular ski resorts. Since 1983, the entire area of the Pirin National Park is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Pirin National Park with its caves, waterfalls and glacial lakes should be included on your list of destinations if you are planning your visit to Bulgaria.

Visible is the impact of glaciers from the last Ice Age, which created deep valleys and numerous lakes. The rivers are fed from melting snow on the peaks during the summer as well. Water falls to the valleys in several beautiful waterfalls. Pirin, Rila and Rodopi together form the mass of the southern Bulgarian mountains. Pirin is interesting due to the fact that 45 of its peaks have an altitude of 2600 meters above sea level.

During the hiking to one of the peaks you can meet several islands of more-years-old snow, so-called firn, which is an intermediate stage between snow and glacial ice. As the Pirin National Park is relatively far from inhabited areas, many European wildlife species found their home here.

Pirin National Park has well-marked hiking paths and trails for the ski runs. You can choose the level of difficulty according to your physical abilities. However most of them belong to less demanding routes. Rest and food for tourists provide several huts, which offer the possibility of overnight accommodation in a beautiful and romantic landscape. The chalet Vichren, which lies at an altitude of 1950 meters can even be reached by car. From there, visitors can walk to the highest mountain peak in just 2-3 hours. The Pirin National Park has just very few tourists throughout the year, which also has its charm. The reason is probably its remoteness, but the park offers unique world of majestic mountain, which is certainly worth a visit.

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Rupite includes a small mountainous protected area in the part Blagoevgrad Province, about 10-12 kilometres northeast of Petrich.

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