Travel Guide
Forget The Mediterranean! 4 Cheaper European Beach Destinations With Less Crowds
Apr
For most tourists heading to Europe in the summer, the Mediterranean is probably at the top of their bucket list:
We’re all familiar with Italy’s rugged coastal drives, Croatia’s scenic pebbly coast, and the white-sand beaches and vintage feel of the South of France, and there’s nothing wrong with wanting a bit of that, but what about keeping within budget?
All of these tourism hotspots are becoming increasingly expensive, so much so the average daily cost of vacationing in the French Riviera is $184, not to mention the damning overtourism, that threatens to ruin the very idyllic atmosphere they’re known for.
We’re here to tell you that, as gorgeous as the Med may be, it’s not the end-all-be-all of European vacations: in fact, have you ever heard of the Black Sea?
Located in Eastern Europe, this marginal sea boasts similarly-balmy temps and ancient culture, except its resort towns cost only a small fraction of the price to visit, and they’re nowhere as crowded—here are 4 cheaper, less crowded coastal gems in the area that will steal your heart:
Batumi, Georgia
Straddling the Black Sea Coast of Georgia, a tiny country in the Caucasus, Batumi is a fast-growing resort destination based around an eclectic historic center, full of intricate Art Nouveau and Baroque buildings, and its adjacent skyscraper-dotted waterfront.
Batumi Beach is the main attraction here:
A wide pebbly beach wedged between the azure sea, black in all but name, and a lively boulevard, lined with beach bars and traditional restaurants.
For wood-fired khachapuri, the cheese-heavy Georgian boat-shaped bread, try the nearby Cafe Laguna, where a meal will cost you 22 GEL (around $8).
Weather-wise, Batumi enjoys temps of around 78°F on average in summer, with lows of 72°F, so there’s no need to pack a jacket unless you’re taking a side trip to the snow-capped mountains, and if you’re wondering how much beachfront hotels cost, that’s between $29-51 per night.
Nessebar, Bulgaria
An ancient settlement perched on the tip of a peninsula jutting out into the Black Sea, connected to the Bulgarian mainland by means of a man-made causeway, Nessebar has a rich history dating back at least 3,000 years, and with the architectural ensemble to back it up.
Its cobbled Old Town is peppered with Byzantine churches, interiors clad in beautiful frescoes, including a 5th-century Church of St. Sofia, and Bulgarian Revivalist townhouses with covered wooden balconies.
That’s the monument-packed historic center.
On the mainland, Nessebar is a lively beach town boasting tranquil golden-sand beaches, where fully-equipped guesthouses or 3-star hotel rooms cost from $37 to $70-a-night, and an inexpensive meal in a local tavern is roughly $11.19.
Sunny Beach, Bulgaria
If you’re hoping for a little bit of action, and by that we’re talking a plethora of beach bars, a riotous nightlife with drinks under $7, and thrilling water parks, you should keep driving 2 miles north of Nessebar until you hit Sunny Beach.
A Black Sea development originally built to cater to Bulgarian families on vacation in communist times, at an age when traveling abroad was a distant dream for many, Sunny Beach has now been attracting a growing international clientele.
Out of the 4 beach spots listed here, Sunny Beach is probably the busiest—that paradisaical sandy beach can get jam-packed in the summer months—yet prices are nowhere as prohibitive as in the Mediterranean:
A full adult day ticket for the popular Action Aquapark costs around 59 BGN, or approximately $33, a bottle of beer is as cheap as $1.60, and meals range from $5.60 to $16.79, according to Numbeo.
Keen on all-inclusive? These aren’t super popular in Europe as they are in our beloved Caribbean, but in Sunny Beach you can get pretty good deals starting at $92-a-night at the Rome Palace Deluxe.
Amasra, Turkey
Looking for something a little more offbeat?
The 6,000-people-strong Amasra, in the much-overlooked Black Sea Coast of Turkey, might just do it for you, with the picture-perfect, cobbled center, old walls that have stood since Roman times, and fairytale hilltop castle.
Amasra is also known for its duo of beaches, the Small Harbor (Küçük Liman) and the Big Harbor (Büyük Liman), that offer shallow, calm waters to swim in, and stunning views of the fortified city.
Needless to say, you’ll find none of Antalya’s crowds, or Bodrum’s crazy party scene here, and considering most tourists are domestic, and the local purchasing power in Turkey is (much) lower than the average American’s, summers in Amasra are nothing short of a bargain.
Think meze servings, or sumptuous Turkish breakfasts for around $12.33, and kebabs costing as little as $4.
Accommodation is on the pricier end, as there isn’t a plethora of resorts around, still, booking a deluxe double room right on the shoreline (hello, Kum Pansyion) will set you back by $83 per night—oh, and by the way, it’s just some steps away from Büyük Liman.
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