ALBENA RESORT:

By planning a trip to Bulgaria with children and choosing the Albena resort, you can be sure that you have made the right choice. A relatively young and modern resort on the Black Sea coast was founded in 1969 and since then has occupied a leading position in the ranking of the best family holiday destinations in Bulgaria.

Interestingly, the resort belongs to one owner and is named after the beautiful Albena, the heroine of one of the literary works of the famous Bulgarian writer Yordan Yovkov, who became a symbol of purity and beauty. Indeed, this complex strives to live up to its name and be beautiful, and most importantly, well-groomed. This can be confirmed by the presence of a “blue flag”, which is awarded only to environmentally friendly resorts.

Albena on the map of Bulgaria:

The city of Albena is a resort complex in the northern part of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. It is part of the Dobrich region, the administrative center of which is the city of Dobrich. The distance from Albena to Varna is 32 km, to Golden Sands – 13 km, to the resort of St. Constantine and Helena – 21 km, to Sunny Beach – 124 km, to Nessebar – 131 km, to Sozopol – 179 km.

Back in the first half of the twentieth century, in the place where Albena is located, there was a homeless steppe. The sun, sea, sand were wasted – no one thought of sunbathing in these wild places. But thanks to an original architectural solution, a huge recreational complex appeared in the steppe, which became an excellent addition to the natural wealth of these places. Essentially, it is not a city, although in terms of infrastructure it can be equal to small settlements.

Vacation with children:

Holidays in Albena are recommended specifically for families with children, and for good reason. The incredible combination of the sea with the unique Baltata nature reserve adjacent to the city also allows you to get aesthetic pleasure from staying in this place.

In the evenings, it’s nice to stroll along the embankment, breathe in the fresh, crystal clear air, and at the same time pamper your children with entertainment in the form of some games or attractions, which are presented here in huge quantities.

The fact alone is enough that here is the widest sandy beach in Bulgaria with an ideal entry into the water for children and a clean sandy bottom. The sea near the shore is shallow – just enough to teach a child to float on the water.

The availability of more than 20 equipped playgrounds, children’s pools (in almost every hotel), an amusement park, trampolines, bicycle and car rental points, water activities on the beach, and mini-clubs testifies to how suitable Albena is for children.

A rich children’s cultural program in any season includes festivals, competitions, thematic programs and many other events. In addition, during your holiday in Albena, you can send your child to a riding school or a diving center. Children, regardless of age, will always have fun and interesting here.

And at the same time, despite such an abundance of entertainment, the resort is characterized by calm and tranquility. It’s easy to find a cozy place to walk with a baby here. Hotels do not stand aside either, offering a number of discounts and certain bonuses for those coming to Albena with children. Unlike many other resorts, children under the age of 14 can count on significant discounts.

Note that the all-inclusive system is widely used in hotels: this is really important if you want to relax with your child comfortably and carefree.

Another advantage of the resort is the convenience of transfer. Albena is located near the airport, so the journey to the holiday destination will not tire young tourists.

When is the best time to go?

Albena was built exclusively as a summer tourist complex, where everything is focused specifically on beach holidays. Accordingly, you can only come here in the summer, which lasts here from late May to mid-September.

The opening of the season in Albena can be considered the beginning of the water park, and it usually receives its first guests in early June.

The air in June is already warm enough to sunbathe on the beach, but the water in the sea remains cold. If you really want to swim, we recommend choosing a hotel or apartment with a pool for your stay.

The weather in June can sometimes be rainy (in this case, you can plan a trip to Varna, where there are indoor playgrounds for children). The high season in Albena begins in July and lasts until the end of August. These are the warmest months, and the sea finally has time to warm up – so much so that children do not want to get out of it. At this time, there are many vacationers at the resort, but more than one thousand people can sit on the 5-kilometer beach.

The first days of September are the velvet season. The sun is not as hot as in summer, and the sea remains warm. But sometimes the beginning of autumn brings cold and rain, although, as a rule, bad weather begins in the second half of September. It should be noted that Albena hotels open in mid-spring.

Of course, in May it is still too early to sunbathe and swim, but walking along the beach and breathing in the healing sea air is the right time. In order not to find out whether a small child can handle the heat well, we advise you to plan a vacation for the last spring month. And the decision about when is the best time to go to Albena can be influenced by information about children’s festivals that take place at the resort. The most important events traditionally occur in the summer.

In June, the “Stars of Albena” shine here. Children from different countries come to this talent festival. It’s interesting to be a participant, but it’s even more interesting to be a spectator: you can follow the most interesting performances for a whole week. In July, Albena hosts the song and dance festival “Friends of Bulgaria”. Once again, spectators are treated to daily concerts in which children and teenagers take part.

Weather and climate:

The temperate continental climate of Albena is a real gift for those who want to relax at sea with their baby. Summer at the resort is hot, but without excessively high temperatures. It is easy for a child to adapt to the summer heat, and acclimatization goes unnoticed.

It is advisable to come to Albena with a baby in June or September, since in the second half of summer the weather is sometimes too hot.

It is most reasonable to plan a vacation with a child for the period from June to September. This is truly the time for the best holiday in Albena with children:

the average daily temperature in June is +24°C, in July-August the indicators increase to +26-29°C, and in September the air warms up to +23°C;

with the onset of evening the air cools down to +16-18°C – this is conducive to sound sleep;

In summer it rains less often than in spring or autumn, although sometimes a holiday in Albena can be spoiled by prolonged bad weather.

In October, Albena’s spacious beach becomes empty as daytime temperatures drop to +17°C. From November to March, the resort prepares for the new season, waiting out rains and rare snowfalls. In April, the sun warms the air to +14°C, and in May there are truly summer days.

Sea water temperature:

The sea in Albena is amazing – calm, transparent, with a gently sloping sandy bottom. It is not surprising that the first thing children rush to do is swim.

But the best time for swimming comes only at the end of June. At the beginning of summer, the sea temperature is only +20°C, and not everyone can swim in such water. But by July the sea warms up to +23°C, and this temperature is suitable even for small swimmers. In August, the water temperature rises to +24°C: it is pleasant to cool off in such water after sunbathing. Near the shore, the water can heat up to +28°C – it’s worthy to compare Albena with the resorts of Thailand.

In the first month of autumn, the water temperature in Albena is still good for swimming – the sea maintains a temperature of +22°C. But already in October the water cools down to +18°C.

Sea and beach of Albena:

There is only one beach in Albena, but what a flat beach, 5 km long and 150 m wide, covered with fine white sand. Hence the second version of the resort’s name: in Latin the word albus means “white”.

The “blue flag” flies over the coast of Albena from year to year – an award awarded only to the cleanest, most comfortable and safe beaches. Even rows of sun loungers are interspersed with areas where you can sunbathe directly on the sand. There are changing rooms, showers, toilets on the shore, and a rescue service is available. An unexpected part of the beach infrastructure is a free library with books in different languages.

A beach holiday in Albena is most suitable for parents with children. The shallow and warm sea is the main joy for children who are just learning to swim.

Almost everywhere the depth begins only 100 meters from the shore. The bottom is clearly visible, so even a cautious child can enter the water without fear. The only drawback of the sandy bottom is that by the second half of the day the water becomes cloudy, because the kids frolic in the shallow water, picking up sand from the bottom.

There are practically no playgrounds on the shore, but the sandy beach itself serves as a good space for games. During a holiday at sea, a child will definitely need a bucket and a shovel: where else can you find such a large and clean sandbox? You can use the Albena beach for free. Only the use of umbrellas and sunbeds is paid. First-line hotels often equip the nearest section of the shore themselves – then the use of sunbeds and umbrellas becomes free for guests.

Summer children’s camps:

A family vacation in Albena can also have the following format: parents relax in a hotel, and the grown-up child goes to a children’s camp, in the company of peers. At the resort itself and in the neighboring village of Kranevo there are several camps of different profiles, including the international camp “Brigantina”.

The quality and safety of holidays in Bulgarian camps is highly rated, and if you rest close to your child, your heart will always be at peace.

Treatment:

Climatotherapy – the use of the beneficial Bulgarian climate for healing – is available to all vacationers in Albena without exception. However, the resort has a specialized medical center offering climate and balneotherapy. The main healing factors are the coastal climate, mineral water, sea mud and algae. The resort also has three spa centers, the programs of which are designed for adults.

Good treatment opportunities have been created in Kranevo, where mineral water springs are open. Healing Kranevo water is used in the treatment of diseases of the digestive system, respiratory system, and peripheral nervous system. The Kranevo health center has created good conditions for families with children. There are also balneotherapeutic centers near Albena – in Golden Sands, Balchik. Near Balchik there is a sanatorium complex “Tuzlata”, specializing in mud therapy.

Transport:

Those who have vacationed in the northern resorts of Bulgaria will laugh when asked about transport in Albena. The resort complex is relatively small, and walking is perhaps the main entertainment.

And yet there is public transport in Albena, although it looks unusual: instead of buses, bright little trains run around the resort, pulling several carriages behind them. Two routes connect the coast with remote hotels, supermarkets, and a bus station. Travel on a train costs 3 levs.

Especially for those who stay in third-line hotels, free shuttles are launched during the high season – they depart every half hour and take vacationers to the beach. You can also use bicycles to get around Albena – the resort has many rental points, where there are two-wheeled vehicles for children and adult bicycles with a seat for a child. To get to Albena from Varna, you will have to take an intercity minibus. The flight schedule depends on the time of year – additional flights are added during the high season.

Bus tickets can be purchased at the bus station or from the conductor. Children under 7 years of age enjoy free travel, but only with a special transport card. In her absence, you will have to buy tickets for children, although conductors often allow young tourists to travel for free.

Please note that if you are coming from Varna Airport, it will be more convenient to take a taxi, since you will have to walk at least 20 minutes from the Albena bus station to the hotels.

You can also go from Albena to neighboring Balchik. But to travel along the entire coast, you will need to get to Varna, and then change to a bus to Sunny Beach, Nessebar or Burgas.