The secrets of the northern Black Sea Coast! Discover the magic north of Varna!
- nadezhda3010
- Apr 25
- 10 min read
It seems to me that very few Bulgarians choose to rest or walk north of Varna. As if for our people it is more fashionable to go to Greece or around Sozopol. North of Varna even the Bulgarian language is rare. In the area of Albena and Golden Sands you are more likely to be greeted in Romanian or English than in Bulgarian.
The truth is that our sea north of Varna is wonderful, it hides an enormous amount of fascinating treasures and beautiful places, both historical and cultural monuments, as well as nature reserves and unique beaches, but it seems to me that a large part of them are appreciated mainly by Romanians. St. St. Constantine and Helena, Golden Sands, Albena ... all these larger resorts are almost 90% full with Romanians in the summer. And even in the spring. I spent Easter 2025 in Golden Sands and the resort was 99% full with Romanians.
Let's start our walk around the Northern Black Sea Coast with the most impressive beaches north of Varna, since this part of Bulgaria is a holiday destination after all. This area is full of both famous beaches and some hidden and not so famous and recognizable, but just as unique.
Golden Sands Beach is number 1 in the area for me! Without a doubt, this beach is one of the most popular and visited on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. The beach is over 4km long and is full of hotels, restaurants and shops along its entire length. It is famous for its golden sand and the variety of services offered. Many of the umbrellas and sun loungers are attached to the hotels on the first line, but there are also those that can be rented for a fee. There are also free areas along the beach, but I would not say that they are very large. In my opinion, this well-arranged beach is an excellent solution for all those who are looking for both amenities, an opportunity for active recreation, and socializing. Certainly, the tranquility of this beach during the hot months is something you will not find.
The beach shared by the resorts of Albena and Kranevo is also extremely long and beautiful. Undoubtedly, this is one of the most strictly maintained and at the same time popular beaches on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The beach is 5 km long and in places the width reaches 150 m, which makes it unique. This beautiful beach with light golden sand has the important advantage of a gentle descent into the water, which makes it an excellent choice for families with children. The seabed is flat and sandy, without rocks, which guarantees safety. The beach proudly bears the international ecological certificate "Blue Flag", which is a guarantee of the purity of the water. Albena beach offers both paid umbrellas and sun loungers, as well as those at the hotels, but also a free sunbathing area. A variety of water attractions are offered, including water skiing, catamarans, water karting, diving and windsurfing.
Bolata Beach near Cape Kaliakra looks unique. I wanted to visit it on my last trip during the Easter holidays, but unfortunately the weather was not on my side. Bolata is a small, sheltered, round bay, from which its name comes, located in a beautiful and picturesque reserve near red rocks, with crystal waters and an indescribable view. Bolata is an extremely suitable place not only for sunbathing, but also for a romantic walk and wonderful photos. Bolata is another authentic reserve in the area and is among the "Most Beautiful Bays in the World" according to the travel website European Best Destinations.
Tyulenovo beach is not a classic one, but is made up of incredible rocks, arches and caves. For this reason, there are excellent conditions for diving. Thrill seekers love to jump from the rocks straight into the azure waters of the sea.
Long and wide, as well as rarely visited, is our northernmost beach strip in Shabla. The beach is great for solitude and long walks.
Rusalka above Cape Kaliakra is a private resort with picturesque cliffs around. The beach is calm, incredibly beautiful and with crystal clear water. The place is extremely suitable for a romantic weekend.
Krapets to Durankulak is another wild beach with almost no development, located near a nature reserve and great dunes, which is suitable for tent fans.
I would recommend the Yaylata area, located next to the so-called July Morning Kamen Bryag. It is not a typical beach, but you can sunbathe on the rocks and dive into the sea. The place is located next to an archaeological reserve with caves. The "beach" is also an archaeological reserve with an area of over 300 acres. There are 3 necropolises and over 100 cave dwellings from the fifth millennium BC. It is believed that the nearby fortress was built between the 5th and 9th centuries.
I can categorize the most popular beaches North of Varna into 3 categories:
For lovers of organized beach areas - Albena and Kranevo, Golden Sands, St. Constantine and Helena
For lovers of wild beaches - Krapets and Shabla
For adventure lovers, diving and those looking for incredible views - Bolata and Tyulenovo
Of course, I can't help but pay attention to the places you could walk to for an afternoon or more, where you will get to know not only cultural and historical landmarks, but also natural ones.
Palace and Botanical Garden in Balchik - a must-see if you are in the area. I have already visited it 3 times and if I have the opportunity to be nearby, I will not miss it. This is a unique place of its kind, which combines fabulous nature, science and a truly rich cultural heritage, located on an incredible 65 acres. There is also the former summer residence of the Romanian Queen Maria, which was founded in 1955 and can still be visited today.
The garden is home to over 4,600 plant species, including exotic ones. There are cacti, palm trees, in the spring you can enjoy beautiful and colorful tulips, and in the summer you will be enchanted by all the splendor of the wonderful roses that are grown there.
The Botanical Garden is open year-round with different opening hours for each season. There is a separate ticket for the gardens and another for the palace.
Kavarna - a small town with a very charming beach, if you climb the rocks, you will admire an incredible panorama. There are also wineries nearby for lovers of the drink of the Gods.
In the city you can enter an interesting historical museum, which presents the history of the region from the 5th century to 1940. The exhibition includes artifacts from Cape Chirakman, proto-Bulgarian settlements, a ceramic center, and you can also see coins from ancient, Byzantine and Venetian times.
In Kavarna there is an Ethnographic Complex, located in a house built on the site of the first Bulgarian school, built in 1869. There you can see a restored shoemaker's shop and a lace workshop.
Shabla - Shabla is best known for its iconic lighthouse, which is the oldest operating lighthouse on the Balkan Peninsula. According to sources, it was built in 1856. The lighthouse is 31 meters high and has 132 steps leading to its top. The Sultan's monogram of Sultan Abdul Medjid is embedded in the base of the structure.
Cape Shabla is also the easternmost point in Bulgaria.
Cape Kaliakra - Attention! The view is breathtaking! One of the most magical I have ever seen. Since 1960, Cape Kaliakra has been a natural and archaeological reserve with a rich flora, where you can see remains of fortress walls and baths.
Aladzha Monastery - is the most famous medieval rock monastery on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. In 1968 it was declared an architectural monument of culture of national importance.
The impressive thing is that the monastery is carved into a 40-meter limestone rock and is located on 2 levels. It has a monastery church, monastic cells, a kitchen with a dining room, an ossuary and more.
The name "Aladzha" comes from the Turkish word "sharen" and is believed to have been given to it because of the colorful rocks of this place. Since 1960, Bulgarian Christians have called the monastery the Holy Trinity.
The monastery remains closed during the hottest months, but operates with a symbolic entrance.
Durankulak Lake - a place where you will feel true peace. It is interesting that many interesting species of birds are found there. A pleasant eco-trail runs around the lake.
Let's talk a little about the places to stay North of Varna. Whether you are looking for a luxurious stay with all the amenities, or a more relaxed and intimate atmosphere, Golden Sands and Albena definitely have something to offer. I visited this part of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast for the first time in my conscious life in 2020 and I don't know if it was during the Covid pandemic or before, but at the moment they are mainly full of Romanians. I spent the Easter holidays in Golden Sands in 2025 and in the hotel, apart from us and a Korean couple, all the other guests were Romanians. On the streets I only heard Romanian speech, and in the shops I was spoken to either in English or Romanian, but not once in Bulgarian, since our people are not at all among the usual guests of the resort.
I will list a few hotels north of Varna that I have stayed in and can give a first-hand assessment of. These hotels offer a variety of services and amenities that will meet different preferences and are more in the mid-to-high end of budgets in the resorts in the area.
Grifid Encanto Beach, Golden Sands
The rating on booking for this amazing place is 9.2 and it is fully deserved. The hotel operates on the principle of Ultra All Inclusive. I have stayed at the hotel during the Covid pandemic, when the prices were not as shocking as they are now.
The views from the hotel room are stunning and I can't miss showing you some incredible photos.
The level of Grifid Encanto is extremely high. The food is varied and high quality. The view is unique. You will certainly not be disappointed. The only drawback is the limited parking spaces and the fact that if you have a private car, you will most likely have to park in another parking lot, from where they will take you by car, for the "modest" 20 leva per day, but if everything else is worth it, we will turn a blind eye to that. The conditions are the same in the next hotel Sentido Marea.
On the top floor there is an infinity pool, from which you can enjoy a fabulous view that will not leave you indifferent and you can take great photos.
Sentido Marea, Golden Sands
Sentido Marea is located right next to Grifid Encanto on the first line and has also been managed by Grifid Hotels for several years. Sentido Marea's rating on booking is 8.8. This hotel offers Ultra All Inclusive. The hotel is at a very high level and I believe it is a step up from Grifid Encanto, since at least for me it was cozier and I liked the pool more, but whichever of the two you choose, you will not be disappointed. The furnishings of the rooms and the bathrooms themselves are in a modern style and I personally liked them very much. Again, the only drawback I would point out is the expensive parking and the insufficient space to leave the car next to the hotel.
Unfortunately, the Golden Sands resort itself is not designed for tourists with private cars. The underground parking lots are extremely limited in terms of space, and the parking spaces around the hotels are, to put it mildly, insufficient, probably not even enough for the management staff to park their cars. The resort is designed to be mainly filled with foreigners arriving by flights from Varna airport, who are transported to the hotels by buses and from there rely on organized excursions, as well as taxis, which are not cheap at all.
These are the current taxi prices as of April 2025.
Posseidon beach resort, Golden Sands
This 5 star complex is not on the first line, but is located in a slightly higher part of the resort and offers a unique panoramic view of the greenery and the beautiful sea! The hotel was built only 2 years ago and its rating on booking is 9.7, which proves its high level.
Poseidon Beach Resort does not offer all-inclusive, but a slightly different concept, which you can read about on the website. The hotel offers the "Full Board" option. What attracted me and made me choose this hotel for Easter 2025 was that the head chef in it is the famous Turkish chef master Ferhat, who simply stunned me with his incredible dishes, which were not only extremely beautifully presented, but also unique in taste. I was also impressed by the friendly atmosphere that Chef Ferhat maintained. Every evening, he did not miss to shake hands with as many of the restaurant guests as possible and to provide them with personal advice on their choice of food according to their wishes and taste.
The photo above is part of the view from our hotel room, which was on the ninth floor.
As far as I read, Poseidon Hotel offers its own umbrellas and sun loungers on the large beach of Golden Sands, which can be reached on foot in no more than 5 minutes.
Here, however, the parking situation was even worse. Hotel Poseidon has nearly 200 rooms and an extremely narrow underground parking lot for no more than 15-20 cars. I don't know how they solve the parking problem in the summer, as it struck me that all the parking spaces around Hotel Poseidon were at neighboring hotels. I was incredibly lucky to be able to "get" a spot in the underground parking lot, but this "luxury" cost a whopping 30 leva per day, which in my opinion is too much, but I had no other choice.
MARITIM Paradise Blue, Albena
This great hotel has a 9.1 rating on Booking and it is well deserved. Everything about this accommodation is top notch and I really can't fault it.
Hotel MARITIM offers great service, incredible variety and delicious specialties from national and international cuisine, but does not operate on the All Inclusive principle, but does offer the "Full Board" option, which we also took advantage of.
MARITIM Hotel is on the first line of the incredible beach shared by Albena and Kranevo. There are specially designated umbrellas and sun loungers for the hotel guests, their use is included in the price.
The parking situation is similar to that in Golden Sands - 20 leva per day for parking around the hotel.
The photo above is the view from the balcony of the room where we spent Easter 2 years ago.
I'll just post this photo for the end.
I love the Northern Black Sea Coast and I recommend it!
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