Blissful Bulgaria is a transformed destination

Bulgaria offers something for everyone, from cultural hotspots to golden beaches and thriving resorts.

It was once the summertime playground of Communist Party top brass a place to escape the grim, grey cities behind the old Iron Curtain.

But today, Bulgaria’s 240-mile Black Sea Riviera is the destination of choice for hundreds of thousands of British, French and German holidaymakers.

Incredibly for a country that’s only been a serious player on the tourism stage for a couple of decades, Bulgaria now competes with Spain and Greece for visitors.

And it’s easy to see why.

Sun, sea, sand and food and drink in restaurants that costs less than you’d pay in a discount supermarket back home.

The best bit is there’s far more to this region than just vast beaches and eye-wateringly low prices.

Yes, there are huge Benidorm-esque resorts like Sunny Beach and Golden Sands.

But there are also historic coastal cities such as Varna and picture-postcard villages like Balchik and Sozopol.

The jewel in the Riviera’s crown, though, is Nessebar.

Affectionately dubbed the Pearl of the Black Sea, it’s considered so special it’s been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status.

Our hotel was on the outskirts about a 20-minute walk from the old town and a 15-minute bus ride from Sunny Beach.

We quickly found the area offers something for everyone.

Nessebar, which sits on its own peninsula and dates back 3,000 years, is truly a cultural phenomenon.

It’s all cobbled streets, little plazas and quirky churches.

It’s also got its fair share of good restaurants many with terraces overlooking the sea.

Our brood myself, wife Kara, and our two young children, Ewan, four, and Orla, three months particularly liked Plakamoto, which specialises in fresh fish.

We gorged on squid, salad, ice cream and a bottle of wine for less than £30.

There is one downside to this mini Dubrovnik though. The flow of restaurateurs seemingly desperate to entice holidaymakers in to eat their culinary wares is unrelenting and irritating.

Just along the coast from Nessebar is Sunny Beach.

Purpose-built on a shore that boasts five miles of golden sands, it’s a haven for those who like lively nightlife and big, modern hotels.

If you have kids, get the little train that chunters up and down the promenade from Nessebar for just over £1 each.

Truth be told, there’s not a great deal of culture in Sunny Beach.

In fact, you’d be hard-pressed to notice you’re even in Bulgaria. But it could never be described as dull either.

The main strip, with its neon-lit bars and market stalls, bustles with life every minute of every day.

Eating and drinking very cheaply a large beer costs less than £1 while a full English will set you back £2.50 seems to be the No.1 pastime here.

But there’s also plenty for those with a bit of get-up-and-go. You don’t have to walk far to find bungee jumps, paragliding, funfair rides, bouncy castles and mini golf.

Despite its value for money reputation, increasing numbers of visitors to Bulgaria are opting to go all-inclusive. The specialists are Balkan Holidays, who have operated package deals to the region for 49 years.

We booked our week-long trip through them and it was pretty much a first-class experience from start to finish.

Our base was the four-star Sol Nessebar Bay.

It boasts its own private beach, four pools, a water park with flumes, spa, play parks, tennis courts and several cafes, bars and restaurants. The rooms, while small for an entire family, are clean and comfortable and typically come with a balcony overlooking the sea.

All local drinks, a huge range of buffet meals and bar snacks are included in the package price.

On top of that there’s a free kids club and a packed programme of activities for teenagers and adults all run by unfailingly polite and enthusiastic staff.

The upside is there’s no great need to carry cash in the resort.

Unfortunately, the opposite is true elsewhere in Bulgaria as many places still don’t take credit cards.

A word of warning, though. If you are intent on venturing out and about, avoid exchanging money at the hotel reception. We were charged a ridiculous 10% commission which meant we got far less than we should have.

There was no prospect of that spoiling what was a cracking holiday though.

In fact, it summed up just how much Bulgaria has embraced capitalism since the collapse of the Iron Curtain in 1989. The Communist leaders who once holidayed there will be turning in their graves at the very notion.

A seven-night all-inclusive stay at the four-star Sol Nessebar Bay in late summer costs £443 per person.

This is based on two adults and two children sharing and flying from Edinburgh so £1,770 for a family of four.

To book visit balkanholidays.co.uk or call 0207 543 5555.