With temperatures rising to dangerous highs in Europe, you need a vacation in a cool refreshing place away from the crowded seaside resorts. Consider these wild beaches on the southeastern unspoiled Black Sea coast in Bulgaria.
As you can see in the videos below, this area has some of the clearest water and unspoiled coastlines anywhere in Europe.
Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast is divided into two parts – the North Eastern Black Sea coast that includes Dobrich district and Varna district and the South Eastern Black Sea coast, which is the Burgas district and the less-developed Strandzha region. Practically speaking, there are no borders between the three districts but they are different.
Think of Strandzha as the unspoiled alternative to Sunny Beach, the mass-tourism resort town between Varna and Burgas.
Mouth of Veleka
No, really … Mouth of Veleka River Protected Area is the formal name. The mouth of the Veleka River is a protected area that includes one of Bulgaria’s best beaches. It’s located within Strandja Nature Park very close to Sinemorets, five kilometers south of Ahtopol, 20 kilometers from the town of Tsarevo and 95 kilometers south of Burgas. This is one of the most beautiful places on the south Black Sea coast, but it’s prone to flooding in river. The nearly 500-meter long sandbar protects part of the Black Sea coast and protects the valley of the Veleka River.
The European “highway” for birds – the migratory route Via Pontica – passes over the protected area. The protected area is part of Natural Park Strandja and also of Veleka and Rezovska rivers. It is defined as a priority wetland of national importance. The area is also part of the Strandja protected zone under the European Union Birds Directive from the Natura 2000 network.
Veleka is the longest river in Strandzha. The mouth of the river is in Türkiye and enters the country through beautiful gorges. It is 140 kilometers long and is often described as a “lush river with character.” It calms down only in its last eight kilometers and you can even enjoy it by boat or canoe.
Silistar Beach
Silistar Beach is located five kilometers south of the seaside resort of Sinemorets. The area is very close to the Türkiye border and makes a good weekend trip from Istanbul. Silistar beach is reached via a short dirt road through the forest and bay and is incredibly beautiful. (See the video above.) The sea here is quiet and the water crystal clear. The beach is roughly one kilometer long and 50 meters wide. The sand is fine and golden.
There is a small restaurant at one end of the beach.
Silistar Beach is also known as “the beach of pirates.” Legend has it that in ancient times this and neighboring Listi beach were bases for pirates. The name Silistar comes from the Greek word “syunlistareo” for “location adjacent to robbers.”
Silistar was declared a protected area in 1992 by Bulgaria’s Ministry of Environment. In dunes and cliffs around nesting areas are rare and endangered birds: golden eagles, black storks, doves and others, many of which are included in the Red Book, the official register of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences & Ministry of Environment and Water
Irakli Beach
Most people who visit the Irakli Beach take away memories of a piece of paradise. This amazing spot –one of the last “wild” beaches on the Black Sea coast – combines the beauty of wild nature and the seashore. Untouched by urbanization that has spoiled other Bulgarian Black Sea beaches, Irakli attracts tourists who just want to enjoy the sun and sea, tan and breathe some fresh air.
The bay has a large beach strip more than three kilometers long, reaching the Cape Emine.
The beach itself is long and wide. From the entrance, sand is golden and powdery. Here the Vaya River flows into the sea as a trickle, almost unnoticed on hot summer days. There are facilities for food and drink, and this beach and surrounding area are particularly popular with Bulgarian tourists, who often camp for weeks in tents between June and September.
For non-campers, there are Vaya eco-friendly bungalows.
Be aware that this is a favorite naturist (nude) beach.
Irakli beach is situated four kilometers from the village of Banya between the Black Sea towns and resorts of Obzor (north) and Nessebar (south).
Irakli is included in the list of protected areas with coastal habitats for birds and endangered fauna. Nearby is the ancient village with the same name, inhabited in ancient times by Greek settlers who later left it and settled to the north in Obzor.
Rezovo Beach
Rezovo is the southernmost point of Bulgaria. Rezovo is located 11 kilometers from Sinemorets and is situated at the most southern point of Bulgaria. In fact, the Rezovska River divides the Bulgarian and Turkish coasts.
Rezovo beach is pristine, rocky and not particularly large but it is a calm, secluded place. The sea here is among the cleanest on the entire Bulgarian Black Sea coast, suitable for diving. Which is fortuitous because the remains of several sunken steamers can still be seen on the seabed.
Rezovo is characterized by its tranquility due to the limited construction in this protected area.
But, because this region is a transit point for migrants, one is likely to be pulled over by border police checking for documents. At the entrance to the village, there is a border police station where a quick check of your ID documents and vehicle paperwork could be required.
There are a number of affordable hotels. See the link here.
Kastrich Bay
Kastrich Bay is an incredible place between the resorts of Sinemorets and Rezovo. It impresses with its magnificent rock formations, sculptured by the winds, as well as with the virgin forest that surrounds it. Any trace of human beings here is minimal, which enhances the sensation of being one with nature.
Alas, this isn’t the place for a beach holiday because, well, there’s no beach. It’s more suitable for sunbathing as well as for swimming and is ideal for nature lovers and divers staying at Sinemorets or Rezovo.
You can reach Kastrich Bay by a hiking trail, which crosses a forest, and takes about 20 minutes. Although the road is wide enough for off-road vehicles, they are forbidden. Kastrich Bay is in the Silistar protected area.
Kastrich Bay is eight kilometers south of Sinemorets village and 3.5 kilometers north of Rezovo village and the border between Bulgaria and Türkiye. It is also in the Strandzha Nature Park.
All this unspoiled beauty comes at a steep discount from the rest of Europe. If you’re used to going to the South of France or the Costa del Sol in Spain, you can have a beach vacation here at a 50 percent discount.
See you soon ….
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Read more about Bulgaria here in Dispatches’ archives.
Kalina Varbanova freelance journalist based in Varna, Bulgaria. Kalina’s interests include culture, tourism, archeology and politics. She's been a Dispatches contributor since 2017, and has written some of our best-read posts.
