Bulgaria has been getting some bad press recently, what with worries about immigration from the eastern European country and the antics of British holidaymakers at Black Sea resorts.

But look behind the headlines and there is a fascinating country to discover.

The Sunny Beach resort has been gaining the reputation of a new Magaluf but, just as Majorca has stunning beaches, mountain scenery and quiet villages off the beaten track, so has the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria.

Last summer my girlfriend and I were given the opportunity by Balkan Holidays to get a taste of what the country has to offer ourselves and we thoroughly enjoyed our week in the sun.

In some places on the Mediterranean, August can be too hot for many but being a little further north, the Black Sea is a bit cooler, though it was still in the 80s most days we were there. And the sea itself was clean and a beautiful temperature.

Sunny Beach is perfectly named – the climate is fantastic and the golden sand stretches for miles. Development along the strand was started in the 1950s to cater for holidaymakers from the Eastern Bloc but, although a few of the apartment blocks from the Communist era still remain, most of the large number of current hotel complexes are bang up to date with all the facilities you could want.

As part of the EU, Bulgaria benefits from common rules and regulations like being party to the Ehic card but as it hasn’t yet adopted the Euro, prices can be a bargain compared to the likes of Spain, France or Greece.

After a good flight, we arrived in Burgas, where a new airport terminal is under construction, and the 40-minute transfer from there gives you a taste of what the area has on offer, with the huge Aquaparadise water park set to be a big draw for the youngsters.

We stayed at the Hotel Fenix, which was very smart and well-appointed with a nice pool with children’s area, bar and restaurant facilities. The food was plentiful and of good quality in a buffet-style format giving residents the chance to sample Bulgarian as well as other European dishes.

Our ninth-floor room with fantastic views along the coast had its own fridge and kitchenette so the Fenix has scope for families to self cater too. Local supermarkets were cheap and well-stocked particularly with snacks, meat, fresh fruit and veg and, of course, bargain booze – it wasn’t difficult to find beer for less than 50p a pint.

Eating out is cheap too, with bars and restaurants competing to give the tourist a large tasty meal for not a lot of money. With Bulgaria close to Greece and Turkey, those countries’ cuisines dominate but it’s easy to find typical Bulgarian dishes too as well as food familiar to the British, German or Russian visitors who flock to Sunny Beach. And you’re never too far away from an Italian menu too!

The cheap alcohol fuels many a stag or hen do – think Blackpool in the sun! – and the lively nightlife has fairs, market stalls and live bands entertaining until the early hours.

But we didn’t find the partying too disruptive and there were enough families with young children there to show that it is a resort to cater for all ages and interests.

Sunny Beach is also a good base to explore the surrounding area and with the buses being frequent and as cheap as the food and drink, it was easy to get around.

With a 50p ticket, we headed to Nessebar, a beautiful old town on a promontory to the south of Sunny Beach which deservedly has World Heritage status. It’s packed with traditional wooden houses and painted churches with decoration and frescoes in the Orthodox tradition that survived the Ottoman and Communist periods almost entirely intact.

The town is set up for tourism and once you are through the old Roman walled entrance, there are little traffic-free streets to wander along, lined with stalls selling local crafts and keepsakes and picturesque views to discover. Even in such a tourist honey-pot, eating out is good value with a fish dish, salads, bread, water and a carafe of excellent local wine for two setting you back about £25.

And from Nessebar you can explore further, with speedy modern hydrofoils whisking you up and down the coast if you are lucky, like us, escorted by leaping dolphins.

The next heritage town down, Sozopol, was also founded by ancient Greek traders and has a similar atmosphere while, further afield, there are plenty of trips your rep can arrange with Balkan Holidays catering for all tastes in their brochure. There are ways to explore the Sunny Beach nightlife, or to get out on the water, to get a taste of adventure or some culture – you could even go as far as Istanbul.

Definitely recommended is a day out to the beautiful mountain village of Zheravna, a place preserved in time and a chance to get a sample of the real Bulgaria away from the coast. On the way to and from, you get to stop at a winery, a traditional craft village and have lunch at a mountain restaurant to sample Bulgarian cuisine.

Factfile

  • Tim Quantrill flew with Balkan Airways as guests of Balkan Holidays. Visit balkanholidays.co.uk.
  • Flying from Leeds-Bradford Airport on a Saturday and staying at the Hotel Fenix half board for a week in August costs about £1,100 for a couple.
  • For more information about Nessebar and the Sunny Beach area go to visitnessebar.org.
  • For details about Bulgaria in general go to bulgariatravel.org.