Traveller's Tales

I visited Sunny Beach in Bulgaria in June 2013.  It was a very reasonable "last minute" holiday departing from my local airport, although it took me a while to make my mind up about going there as I was initially a bit apprehensive about going to that country.  However my fears were soon allayed.

Bulgaria is a mix of eastern and western cultures, having originally been under Communist rule.   Sunny Beach itself had become a highly developed tourist area, with miles of stalls, restaurants and bars running along the promenade.

However there is evidence of ancient civilisations having settled here so if you're into history, a stop off at Nessebar might be worth your while.  Local buses depart from Sunny Beach to Nessebar if you don't want to take an excursion.

Rose oil, and products made from it, is a huge industry in Bulgaria - scents, soaps and shower gels all contain the stuff - shop around as they come in various concentrations with a price tag to match.   Even the cheapest soaps though have a very strong, long lasting fragrance.

As for the music, well I can only go by the programmes I saw on the TV in my hotel room and the videos being shown on the screens in the bars and restaurants which were all pretty much the same - "eurovision" type pop, mostly featuring dark haired, buxom Bulgarian women!

Food is quite varied in Bulgaria and you might want to try some local dishes, including shopska salad, which is cheese based.   However Sunny Beach caters for the tourist palate and you will be able to find steak, burgers, pizzas and pasta etc meals in many restaurants.

Overall my stay in Bulgaria was enjoyable and quite interesting.

Author: Dorraine Bennett       ©2013 Dors Productions