Considering that Golden Sands resort is considered privileged in Bulgaria, we did not manage to meet a large food market. Perhaps because this is simply not necessary, according to local entrepreneurs, since many people come here to hang out, and not to eat fruit. In addition, a large market, in principle, has nowhere to stay. After all, the territory of this resort is a mountainous area with densely growing vegetation. And the small space that was reclaimed from the forests and mountains is occupied by hotels and roads.

Where can I buy fruits and vegetables in Golden Sands?

1) Fresh fruits can be bought at any roadside store. As I already wrote in the Bulgarian shops section, the most basic types of fruits are presented here, in small quantities. Sometimes watermelons, melons, apples and other large fruits and berries are laid out on mini counters next to the store near the entrance. Personally, we have bought bananas, apples and oranges more than once. It seems that everything was imported and did not differ in anything from those in Moscow. And the prices are almost the same, but at least definitely not cheaper.

2) Separate fruit trays also abound. Next to us, near the ruins from the landslide, there was always one small collapse with vegetables and fruits. Moreover, even at a later time, an obese man was sitting in an armchair, and he could easily weigh a kilo of potatoes without asking too many questions. In addition to the most common fruits, there were all the necessary vegetables for cooking: potatoes, onions, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and more. Unfortunately, a lot of things are imported, except for figs, which grow well with them. Approximate prices for fruits and vegetables in BGN: melons 2.8, apples 1, peaches 3, tomatoes 2.7, cucumbers 1.5, cherries 3, cabbage 0.8. Various nuts from 15 to 22 levs per kg, seeds from 3 to 6 levs, olives of various kinds for also from 3 to 6 levs per kilogram.

Below are some photos of the trays.

3) I would single out separately private traders who sell their crops at the gates. It is not uncommon to find an open gate, next to it there are a couple of boxes in which fresh figs, pears, apples, and other fruits and vegetables. And all this is fresh, grown behind the same fence, well-groomed with your own hands, warmed by the Bulgarian sun. Not far from our hotel, grandfather and grandmother, who spoke Russian well, traded from one such house. I could not resist, photographed her fence, house and garden.

On the picture a private house which was next door to our hotel.

4) Near beach stools. As funny as it may sound, that's exactly what it looks like. On the way to the beach, on the path, there is a kind of stool, in it is a small tray with glasses of berries (blackberries, raspberries). What is remarkable about such “points of sale” is the attitude of their sellers towards their product, I have not yet seen this. He literally selects each berry and puts it in a glass. It turns out berry to berry, one more beautiful than the other, not a single rotten one. And even if the price per kg is more expensive, but who needs a kilogram of raspberries, but eating a glass on the beach is very pleasant.

P.S. I won’t talk about prices, they depend on seasonality, whether fruits grow in the country, the sellers themselves, exchange rates and other factors.

The resort of Golden Sands met us with such a gloomy sky and unfriendly sea: Aaaaaarrr, see, is it raining in the distance? Or even rain! Amazingly beautiful :). This is over Albena, the resort following the Golden Sands: Then a rainbow came out (see it? And I tried to take a photo, although it is almost invisible :))):
And after it, the weather pleased us almost all the days that we were there (although I am also glad of the rain).

Of course, on the one hand, Bulgaria is not quite exotic for all of us, plus for me it is the same familiar Black Sea that I got used to in Odessa. But! In fact, the same sea here is different from the Odessa coast: there is an amazing natural combination - the sea and immediately along the coast dense coniferous forests begin, which turn into low, but still mountains. Because of this, the climate is very mild, humid, with a special amazing air saturated with coniferous phytoncides, the sun does not burn out the greenery - everything remains juicy and dark green, but at the same time it is very warm.

And water! I'm used to the fact that in Odessa it has a brownish tint - both because of algae and pollution, unfortunately :(. And here! Clean, with incredible shades - sky blue, turquoise, milky blue, green-black, the sea is indescribably beautiful.The descents to the beach are not steep, there are no sharp cliffs - everything is very comfortable, the beaches are wide enough, enough for everyone.
It's all about the coast on Golden Sands, but in other places it’s completely different - there are cliffs with thin beaches, there are also wide flat beaches: if you are going to Bulgaria, pay attention to this, since comfort depends on this in the first place (for example, I don’t really I love breaks.)

50 shades of blue: Whoever does not apply sankrin on his back and at the same time swim in the sea for hours on a mattress will have the same white stripe in the middle of his back and burnt like me :). Almost a skunk: Milk! It was after the waves that white sand rose from the bottom and the water became that color. Do you enjoy the water too? I remind myself of a joyful jerk who is mad with happiness: Blue milk: Stunning shades:

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Infrastructure

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So, on the one hand, Bulgaria is not exotic, because we have with this country almost one past, but in recent years so many new things have appeared here that it can be considered almost exotic, well, abroad, for sure :). Golden Sands has an ideal infrastructure - there are also many shops, a huge number of shops, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, entertainment for children, attractions, but not very many shopping centers - there is only one, but still it is (if necessary, they are in Varna, which is located a 40-minute drive from Golden Sands).

Plus! Everything is perfectly well-groomed - smooth walking droshky, beautiful green lawns, comfortable benches (there are many of them!), wonderful night illumination, and not only paths, but also bushes, flowers and trees are illuminated. In general, in terms of saturation, all this reminded me of Pattaya in Thailand, only there are no huge shopping centers that were there, but it is much, much cleaner here (cleanliness, by the way, is perfect), plus the sea is 100 times better (who was in Pattaya , he will understand me).

See (this, of course, is only a part - it is impossible to show everything in the photo):
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Backlighting and ideal grass on lawns: Paths and beautiful fresh needles, which are everywhere here and which completely captivated me - so many different types I haven’t seen it anywhere: A Ferris wheel with comfortable cabins protected by plexiglass: The “Eiffel” tower, which is visible in the distance, is a cafe: Here it is again: Oh, and these terrible fish have come here, devouring dead cells from human skin - a “beautiful” peeling legs, on which I will never dare:.
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Hotels
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Hotels here are absolutely for every taste, and there are many of them and they are all of an excellent level: firstly, they are all recently built, and secondly, they correspond to the international level. Here is my hotel:
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I lived in the 4 * "Elena" hotel - and I have nothing to scold him for, he was beautiful for his 4 *, although when I saw the reviews on the Internet about him, I was very upset, because he is very scolded. I don’t understand who and for what purpose writes such negative reviews: they scolded everything - and what is dirty here, although the workers here are like bees, they cleaned everything and everything was clean; that the bed linen is from Soviet times, although it is not - the furniture was lovely and the bed was covered with excellent white linen, which is just standard for modern hotels; and the food is not the same - although there was such delicious home cooking, plus varied, I don’t understand what requests a person should have so that he doesn’t like it :(. And in one review I saw a complaint that boiling water can only be found in the morning, then Well, it's funny: I made herbal tea several times a day (or rather, the bartenders made me) and there were no problems with either tea or boiling water - and all this was free, even at 4 in the morning I could get up and order tea or even coffee for yourself (I didn’t do that, but if I wanted to, then there would be no problems.) In general, we and our friends were satisfied with the hotel, and let such reviews remain on the conscience of the “writers.” Yes, I forgot : this hotel is located on the second line: you have to walk to the beach for about 7 minutes - for us it was a thrill, because I was glad that I could once again lose unnecessary calories.
But, of course, there are many hotels on the first line, here are some of them, I photographed myself for the future:
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Here at this hotel every evening there is a delightful performance of aerial acrobats - right on big building two guys and a girl are spinning / turning over and making various figures: they are descending from the roof ( attached with safety ropes) and somewhere in the middle of the building they stop and start showing their skills, the picture is creepy, but very beautiful and bewitching (also with music and lighting!). And in the same hotel there is a shopping center:

I didn’t take a picture of the name of this one, but I remember the name - Marina Grand Beach:

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What to buy

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There is just as much of any Chinese nonsense here as in all resorts - this is a small value, but rather priceless in general :). And from the Bulgarian there are a lot of goods, though not all of them attracted me, but maybe someone will be interested:
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~ Bulgarian cotton jersey. But he's not all Bulgarian here! There are literally a lot of practically the same clothes nearby, but already China: the difference can be detected only after probing the fabric - Bulgarian cotton is soft and dense, the lines are even, Chinese is thin and more rigid, you yourself know which lines. But still, I would not say that the quality is 5c +, more pampering, but it's nice that it's natural. I bought myself two T-shirts for home and leisure:
. ~ Bulgarian lace self made: I am indifferent to such things, but in general this is a good thing, whoever likes it - here is a lace paradise:
All sorts of stupid souvenirs and Turkish delight from fruits and roses: Turkish delight with rose is absolutely amazing - you can’t eat a lot of it, but 1 slice gives an indescribable pleasure! But I bought it in supermarkets, not in stalls. Look what it is, a fairy tale is simple:
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Oh, white on top and transparent pink inside: More souvenirs: On the very first day I ran and bought a ton of rose water - this is what you must take without fail, since Bulgarian water is the coolest of all, that's for sure :). How much happiness rolled:
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!!! About cosmetic stores, rose water and my purchases will be a separate post, so don't be upset that there are few jars in this post - soon there will be SO MANY that it won't seem enough;). It also makes sense to buy shoes, bags and leather jackets from Bulgarian - they are all made of very soft genuine leather, which is produced in Bulgaria, there are a lot of colors, shapes and types - I somehow didn’t think to take a picture, and I didn’t buy anything from this (only a small handbag), but in fact there is plenty to choose from (just make sure that it is Bulgarian leather, otherwise they can slip China!). Oh, yes, and there is Pandora, which I could not pass by and yet I bought myself a bracelet with a new pendant. I didn’t count on it ... Then I’ll show it somehow, but for now, here it is:
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That's like everything :). Although I'll show you a few more photos:
. Lavender! Although it has already faded, but even in this form this plant is beautiful, and how these twigs / leaves smell! Beauty:
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The water is clear, and crabs and fish gather near the pier (see the crab? Small:):
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I could sit and watch them for a long time, there are so many of them! My husband constantly takes pictures of me like this, then shows me to look at the expression of my extremely enthusiastic face :). But it’s really interesting! A couple of times I allowed myself a pina colada on the beach, although in principle I’m against alcohol, sweets, and even more so on the beach. But rest is:
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By the way, there are no problems with the language at all - the Bulgarians understand Russian (not very well, but they will definitely understand you) and answer at least in broken, but still Russian. And they understand English in hotels. And of course, the Cyrillic alphabet pleases, even the cola here is "ours": Sunsets: More milk milk and my amazing hat (who doesn't remember: here

Prices for trips to Golden Sands resort

Ticket to Bulgarian resort Golden Sands can be purchased from 9,000 rubles per person for 7 nights. The package includes round-trip airfare, transfer to the hotel and back to the airport, hotel accommodation in a single room, breakfast and medical insurance. I bought such a ticket this year, I found it not a day before departure, but three weeks, so this cannot be called a burning tour.

In this case, to buy a ticket, I used the tour booking service. I not only advertise this resource, but I recommend it to everyone: organized tourists, unorganized (independent) travelers. On you can not only find great deals on tours, but also save on air tickets. For example, last year I bought a tour to, although I needed to (airport one Burgas), but a one-way ticket cost about 14 thousand rubles, and a four-day tour cost me about 8 thousand, so I used a ticket to only as a one-way ticket, I already bought a return ticket in three weeks on all known aviasales.

Food prices in Golden Sands

In Bulgaria you will not stay hungry. For Russians, of course, after 2014, Bulgaria became more expensive, the cost of groceries in stores in Bulgaria and Russia almost equaled, due to the change in the exchange rate of the ruble against the euro (the exchange rate of the Bulgarian currency BGN has not changed significantly for about 10 years - 1 € = 1.90-1 .97 BGN).

Prices on the beaches of the resort

The beaches of the Golden Sands resort are equipped with everything necessary for a comfortable stay - sun loungers, sun umbrellas, changing rooms, showers, etc. Entrance to all beaches is free, however, there are paid and free zones. In paid areas, it is forbidden to use your own umbrellas, which can be bought for 20 lev in any shop. The cost of an umbrella and a sunbed is 10 levs, a mattress for a sunbed is 3 levs.

The cost of services on the beaches:

Umbrella, sunbed, mattress - 10+10+3 lev;
Tent - from 40 lev;
Banana ride - from 20 lev;
Catamaran - from 20 lev;
Bicycle rental - from 5 lev;
Water skiing - from 25 lev;
Windsurfing - from 30 lev;
Boat trip - from 100 lev;
Toilet - 1 lev.

Prices for excursions from Golden Sands

There are almost no historical sights in the resort itself. Very close, within two kilometers, with Golden Sands in the forest thickets natural park there is a medieval rock monastery Aladzha.

Local travel agencies offer excursions both within the republic and to neighboring states. Depending on the desires, interests and budget, each tourist will certainly be able to choose the route that suits his needs.

Excursion name / Duration (better to check on the spot)	Cost at the tour operator / Prices from Bulgarian travel agencies indicated in BGN (BGN)
Nessebar - the city of forty churches / from 9.00 to 18:30	70/38
Cape Kaliakra + Balchik (botanical garden) / from 9.00 to 16:00	59/45
Bulgarian village (customs and traditions) – stone forest– Longoz Nature Reserve / from 9.00 to 16.30	–/59
Pomorie – Sozopol / from 8.00 to 19.00	–/60
Nessebar - Sozopol / from 8.00 to 19.00	99/60
Veliko Tarnovo / from 8.00 to 20.00	160 (Valley of Roses - Shipka - Veliko Tarnovo) / 70 (Nature Reserve "Madara Horseman" - Veliko Tarnovo - Arbansi)
Pliska – Reserve “Madara horseman” / from 9.00 to 16.00	– /40
Klimansky Paradise – Aladzha Monastery / from 9.00 to 13.30 or from 13.30 to 19.00	– / 40
Stone forest - Kamchia reserve / from 9.30 to 16.30	79/58
Varna - Aladzha Monastery / from 9.30 to 16.30	– / 25
Varna - Dolphinarium / from 9.00 to 13.30	55 (adult), 38 (child) / 45 (adult), 35 (child)
Romania. Bucharest - Sinaia - Bran - Peles / two days	249 / —
Romania. Bucharest / one day	110/60-86
Türkiye. Istanbul / one day	149/127
Türkiye. Istanbul / two days	200/180
Greece – Kavala – Sveta Gora – Athos / two days	349 / —
Jeep safari / from 10.00 to 16.00	68/55
Pirate party / from 9.00 to 13.30 / from 13.30 to 17.30	60/59
Bulgarian evening / from 19.00 to 23.00	63/55
Diving / diving for 40 min – 1 hour	– / 99
Yacht - picnic / from 9.00 to 17.00	74/70
Boat trip / from 19.00 to 21.00	79/35
Fishing / from 9.30 to 14.30	50/45

As a rule: children under 3 years free of charge, children under 12 years old 50% discount. Exchange rate 1 euro = 1.90-1.94 lev. The prices of tour operators for excursions are higher than those of local (Bulgarian) travel agencies, which are located at every turn in Golden Sands.

Car rental prices

From Golden Sands to historical sights or just interesting places can only be reached with transfers or by purchasing an excursion: Stone Forest, Kamchia Reserve, Cape Kaliakra, Nessebar, Sozopol, Momin-Skok waterfall and much more. In some cases, renting a car will be cheaper and more convenient. The cost of renting a car in the resort is on average from 30 euros per day in the high season, the longer the rental period, the lower the cost, but you need to book a car in advance. To search for a car, you should contact one of the well-established car booking services or compare the cost and conditions of car rental on three services at once and choose the best booking conditions:

Top Rent A Car – the largest national Bulgarian car rental company;
- an international car rental company around the world;
myrentacar - cooperates with local car rental companies in Bulgaria, Georgia, Montenegro and other countries.

If you decide to rent a car, keep in mind that the roads in Bulgaria are not the best. The road from the Golden Sands resort to Varna with many turns, ups and downs. In addition, there are sections where the road has collapsed at the curb, but there may not be any warning road signs, so both drivers and pedestrians simply need to be careful on the road.

If you are traveling with a child under 12, then do not forget about a child seat or booster otherwise a fine of 50 lev (20 euros). If you get behind the wheel while intoxicated, get ready for a fine of 500-1000 lev (250-500 euros) or imprisonment. Incorrect parking - 20 (10€) lev, parking in a place for the disabled - up to 200 lev (100€), speeding from 20 lev (10€), forgot to fasten seat belts for yourself and passengers - 50 lev (25€), we talked by mobile phone while driving without a “hands-free” device - 50 lev (25 €), without turning on the low beam - 20 lev (10 €).

Car rental in Golden Sands resort at the best prices:

Shoppers should take into account that renting a car can cost them much less than participating in a tour of shopping malls Bulgarian cities, first of all . If travelers have a desire to make excursion around the country, to visit several places remote from each other at once, car rental is the most economical and convenient option.

Rest in the resort "Golden Sands"

The long-awaited summer has come and I want to fully relax, get unforgettable sensations and breathe in the aroma of the sea wind. What country to choose for a holiday? Of course, Bulgaria! Golden sandy beaches, mysterious greenery of mountains, freshness mineral springs, unique architecture, aroma of roses and fertility of vineyards - this is Bulgaria. In that paradise On the planet, every tourist will be able to improve their health, travel around a wonderful country and soak up the gentle waves of the Black Sea. "Hospitable" - that's what the ancient Greeks called the Black Sea, and that's what contemporaries call it. The Bulgarians have a wonderful saying: “The generous Lord paints the world with three colors. The sky and the sea - blue, the forest and mountains - with green, yellow paint, the Lord paints a ripe peach and ancient sand.

The wonderful Bulgarian resort "Golden Sands" is painted with these paints. He received an international award blue flag» for creating environmental conditions for Black Sea coast. And the resort got its wonderful name thanks to the golden gentle sand, generously scattered by the Creator along the entire coast. The resort is located in the temperate continental climate zone, the swimming season lasts from May to October.

One of the main attractions of the resort is the church chapel of St. John the Baptist, which was built under the patronage of His Eminence Metropolitan Kirill of Varna and Preslav. famous mineral water healing springs give health to people suffering from arthritis, arthrosis, neurosis, bronchial asthma and other diseases. Other methods of alternative medicine are also used for treatment: treatment with bee products, Chinese medicine. There are 102 balneological resorts in Bulgaria equipped with modern medical equipment.

The resort "Golden Sands" is the most big water park"Aquapolis", a favorite entertainment for adults and children. If you give your child a vacation in this resort, then he will definitely not be bored. Safe beaches, shallow sea, interesting programs and comfortable living conditions, what else is needed for complete happiness?

On the "Golden Sands" you will be offered sightseeing holidays. You can visit the famous Aladzha Monastery, Gabrovo, the capital of humor, "Driven Stones" - a natural phenomenon, the Valley of Roses and many others. historical places. Resting in Bulgaria, you absolutely do not feel the language barrier and discomfort. The friendliness and hospitality of the local population, the cordiality with which they treat you, leave a pleasant impression and a desire to return to Golden Sands again.

You can choose hotels and cottages to your taste. The ratio "price - quality" is very correct. In recent years, the resort hotels have thrown off their old clothes of the totalitarian era and meet European standards. "Golden Sands" is the only resort with an ecological mode of transport - eco-cars on solar panels. The quality of water, air and sand of the resort meets all European quality criteria.

Hotel "Bolero" is located in the northern part of the resort, just fifty meters from the beach. This eight-story building has 298 rooms with satellite TV, air conditioning, mini - bars, telephones. In the hotel restaurant you can enjoy national and European cuisine. Asian a la carte restaurant and Argentinean grill - bar will offer you delicious dishes. For lovers active rest there is a tennis court, volleyball, basketball and football grounds. Swimming pool, beauty salon and massage salon, fitness room, sauna will be able to keep your body in good shape. For children there Children's swimming pool, mini club and club animation.

The shops of the Golden Sand resort are open from Monday to Friday, food stores are open around the clock. So you will have time to buy souvenirs in memory of Bulgaria. For example, perfumes from the Valley of Roses, leather and silver products, linen clothes and even rakia (Bulgarian vodka).

In the central part of the resort is the hotel "Arabela", it is located a hundred meters from the beach. Comfortable rooms, high-quality and friendly service which deserve respect and admiration. The hotel has a main and themed restaurant, lobby bar, internet room, shops, currency exchange. Outdoor and indoor swimming pools, sauna, tennis and volleyball courts for those who like to relax actively. The daily program is varied and rich, your leisure time will be brightened up by live music, sports games and various shows. "Aphrodite", "Gelena", "Glarus" and many other hotels are ready to receive their guests at the highest level.

A few tips about the national characteristics of the country. For example, if your girlfriend is suddenly called a "bun" - you should not be offended. After all, "bun" means "bride". If a Bulgarian shakes his head in response to your question, it means “yes”. And vice versa. In the summer heat in Bulgaria it is customary to drink chilled white wines. And it is customary to drink red wine in months, in the name of which there is the letter "r". Every Bulgarian always has a lot of cash in his wallet, and not because they are very rich. “To have something to touch,” they explain, smiling. Bulgarian punctuality is also part of the national color. If you are promised that they will come now, perhaps at the end of the day you will wait for your guests. And it is absolutely impossible to be offended by these benevolent and sympathetic people.

A few practical tips before traveling to Bulgaria. Foreigners are prohibited from importing uncanned food into the country, duty-free you can import 250 cigarettes, 2 liters of wine or 1 liter of strong alcoholic beverages. When entering and leaving the country, it is imperative to declare expensive items (a laptop, for example, or jewelry). Currency exchange in Bulgaria is not limited. It is best to have dollars or Deutschmarks with you, Russian rubles are not exchanged. Avoid street changers to avoid cheating and scams. Currency is best changed in banks or exchange offices.

But, back to the rest in the "Golden Sands". Jeep safari will remain one of the most vivid memories for adults and children. A jeep ride, a beautiful panorama of Golden Sands, a forest, shooting from a gun, barbecues and soulful national songs will not leave you indifferent! Children are delighted with the Pirate party. Imagine that “real” pirates meet you at the pier, put you on boats and the sea battle begins! Children are "armed" with paper water bombs and shelling between ships begins. After the fight - deck cleaning and lunch with fried fish, wine, rum (for adults, of course!). The resort's children's sports center offers pony rides and chess games with giant chess pieces to its young clients. Children are delighted with "Slalom" - a dry slide and railway, inflatable slides and autodrome.

The Golden Sands resort is chosen by lovers of scuba diving, windsurfing and sailing. There are schools of surfing, water skiing, sailing. In the yacht port "Golden Sands" there are three piers for more than a hundred yachts - places.

If you would like to get to know national traditions, Golden Sands will gladly provide you with such an opportunity! After all, the resort has a large number of establishments in the national style, where you can take part in incendiary dances and listen to folk songs. In souvenir shops you can buy items made of ceramics, forging, wood, Bulgarian embroidery as a memory of the country. The Ethnographic Complex and the Street of Artists will acquaint you with the traditions of the Bulgarian people in the best possible way. An integral part of the national culture is the Bulgarian National cuisine. In Golden Sands there are many restaurants in the national style. For example, in the restaurant "Vodenitsata" an old mill was recreated, and in "Kosharata" - the life of shepherds. For lovers of foreign cuisine, there are Arabic, Chinese, Indian, English restaurants.

At night, the leisure of vacationers will brighten up night club"Konen picnic", where artists and stunt performers put on a great performance. Variety bar "Astoria" will offer a disco, a variety program and a variety of cocktails.

If you spend your holidays in Golden Sands, you should not miss the unique opportunity to see the historical sights of the country. Using the services of an airplane or a car, you can visit Sofia, Varna, Veliko Tarnovo, the Valley of Roses, the Thracian tomb, monasteries. Get acquainted with the ritual of rose making and take a walk along the Danube.

For four decades, the resort "Golden Sands" has been attracting vacationers with its uniqueness and beauty, an unforgettable combination of antiquity and the sea, gentle sun and soft golden sand.

Rest in the "Golden Sands" is sure to please! The main thing is not to forget optimism and good mood with you on a trip! And everything else will be provided for you in this little Eden!