Sunny Beach is one of Bulgaria’s top beach resorts, located on the Black Sea coast. With its beautiful golden sands and lively nightlife, it has become a favourite destination for travellers around Europe looking for sun, sea, and fun. Whether you want to relax on the beach, party the night away, or explore the surrounding areas, there are plenty of amazing things to see and do in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria. Here are the top 10 things to do for travellers exploring Europe and visiting this exciting beach town.
1. Lounge on the Gorgeous Beachfront
The number one thing to do in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria, is spend time relaxing on the resort’s beautiful beach. Stretching for over 8km along the coastline, Sunny Beach’s beach has soft golden sands and sparkling blue waters perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and beach games. The beach is lined with sun loungers and parasols available to rent, along with beach bars and cafes when you need refreshments. With a water temperature averaging around 25°C in summer, the sea is pleasant to swim in. The beach also has showers, changing rooms, and lifeguards on duty during peak season. Spending time enjoying the sunshine and sea breeze on Sunny Beach’s beach is a quintessential part of any holiday in this Bulgarian resort town.
2. Experience the Legendary Nightlife
Sunny Beach, Bulgaria, is known as one of Europe’s party capitals, especially in July and August when hordes of young travellers flock here. The resort has an enormous selection of nightclubs, each offering different music and events. Party animals will love mega-clubs like Revolution and Cacao Beach Club, which attract international DJs and hold huge themed foam parties. Or discover smaller beachfront venues for more laidback vibes. Many companies also offer bar crawls around the best nightlife spots. So get your dancing shoes on and experience Sunny Beach’s legendary nightlife during your Bulgaria travels. The fun here is non-stop!
3. Take a Turkish Bath for Post-Party Pampering
After a big night out dancing, a relaxing visit to a Turkish bath or hammam is just what you need. Sunny Beach has many spas offering the traditional hammam experience – a cleansing ritual involving moving between hot and cold rooms, washing rituals, and massage. For the ultimate pampering, visit the luxurious Erma Spa. Here, you can unwind in the aromatic steam rooms, rejuvenate under invigorating water treatments, and emerge feeling refreshed and re-energised. The spa and beauty salon also offers pampering treatments like manicures and pedicures. A Turkish bath is the ideal way to soothe any party hangovers!
4. Make a Splash at Action Aquapark
Cool off from the Bulgarian heat at Sunny Beach’s Action Aquapark, the largest waterpark in Bulgaria. Packed with dozens of exhilarating waterslides and pools spread over 30,000 sq metres, a visit here is essential for thrill seekers. Adrenaline junkies should head straight for the terrifying 70km per hour Free Fall slide and the Kamikaze slide starting 18 metres high. There are also fun family rides like the Family Rafting slide, a more relaxed Lazy River, and a pirate ship-themed play area for little kids. With so many awesome rides and attractions, a day getting drenched at Action Aquapark is one of the most fun things to do in Sunny Beach for water lovers of all ages.
5. Scream on Rides at Sunny Beach Luna Park
In addition to its waterpark, Sunny Beach also has its own amusement park filled with rides and games. Sunny Beach Luna Park is packed with rollercoasters, rides that spin, drop and swing you, along with carnival-style games like bumper cars, carousels, and shooting stalls. Adults and kids alike will have a blast whizzing through the air whilst screaming at the top of their lungs! When you’ve tired yourself out on the rides, take a break to enjoy traditional fairground food like candy floss and hot dogs. An evening at Luna Park is a fun and lively experience for the whole family.
6. Try Exciting Water Sports
The warm waters along Sunny Beach’s coastline offer prime conditions for enjoying exciting water sports and activities. Parasailing is a must-try, strapping you to a parachute to soar high above the water and take in stunning aerial views up and down the coastline. Or, for an adrenaline rush, try riding the waves on a jet ski or banana boat. There are also opportunities for kayaking, windsurfing, paddleboarding, and flyboarding in the resort. Scuba diving is also popular, with dive centres offering courses and trips to nearby wrecks and reefs teeming with sea life. For unforgettable aquatic adventures, get involved with Sunny Beach’s wonderful water sports.
7. Tour Medieval Nessebar
Just a short drive from Sunny Beach is the historic town of Nessebar, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Take a day trip here to step back in time 2000 years. Meandering cobblestone lanes lead you through the romantic ruins of ancient churches, houses, and fortifications. Don’t miss the 5th-century Church of St Sophia, with three original sides still standing. There’s also a fascinating archaeological museum and seaside shopping streets filled with souvenirs. With its cobbled streets, ancient churches and coastal location, Nessebar offers an enchanting glimpse into Bulgaria’s long history and is one of the best day trips from Sunny Beach.
8. Learn About Bulgaria’s Past at Pomorie Museum of History
The town of Pomorie, located just south of Sunny Beach, is home to the excellent Pomorie Museum of History. This museum provides fascinating insights into Bulgaria’s long history, from its ancient Thracian roots right through to more recent communist times. Spread across four buildings, highlights include Thracian tombstones and masks, Roman pottery and statues, Christian relics, traditional costumes and weapons. Don’t miss the Salt of Pomorie exhibit explaining how sea salt has been harvested from the region’s lakes for thousands of years. With informative displays covering over 8000 years of history, this museum is a must for those wanting to learn about Bulgaria’s past whilst travelling around Europe.
9. Go Off-Road on an ATV Tour
For a thrilling way to take in the beautiful surrounding scenery, join an off-road ATV quad biking tour. Tours take you along remote coastal paths, through forests and farmlands, to secluded beaches and hilltop monasteries not reachable by regular transport. Whizzing along dirt tracks on a powerful ATV quad bike feels like an exciting adventure, with stops along the way for swimming, photo ops, and sampling local food and wine. Exploring off the beaten track by quad bike gives you a taste of Bulgaria’s captivating rural landscapes. It’s an unforgettable experience unique to Sunny Beach.
10. Indulge in Bulgarian Cuisine
No trip to Sunny Beach, Bulgaria, is complete without indulging in delicious traditional Bulgarian cuisine and locally produced wines. For an authentic Bulgarian food experience, visit a ‘mehana’ tavern in nearby Nessebar’s Old Town. Here, you can feast on grilled meats, rich stews, cheeses, stuffed vegetables, shopska salads and banitsa pastries. Be sure to try local specialities like kebapche meatballs. And with Bulgaria being one of the world’s oldest wine regions, don’t miss sampling wines like red Mavrud or white Melnik. The fresh, hearty Bulgarian food and quality local wines are the perfect complement to your Sunny Beach travels.
With its long golden sands, vibrant nightlife and wealth of attractions, Sunny Beach, Bulgaria, has established itself as the coast’s premier resort destination. This sunny paradise offers plenty of things to see and do for travellers exploring Europe. Any trip to Sunny Beach promises sun-soaked, action-packed fun on the beautiful Bulgarian Riviera.
