Black Sea Coast (bourgas) holidays - travel guide - lifestyle

Shopping

There is plenty of places to shop your heart out in Bourgas. Bulgaria sells many of the same labels as the rest of Europe at slightly cheaper prices so you may find a bargain or two while you're there. The biggest malls are in Bourgas itself - the Troika mall has floors of shops, restaurants and a beauty salon, and the Galleria Bourgas, currently being built, will be the city's largest when it's finished in 2009. The resorts also offer a fair amount of choice, with Sunny Beach being the location of the Royal Beach Mall, a large modern shopping centre with many shops and restaurants to choose from.

Cuisine

Bourgas and Sunny Beach both have a wide range of eating establishments to choose from - whether it be a quick snack after the beach, or a more substantial traditional or international meal, you are sure to find what you need, and at very reasonable prices. Bulgarian cuisine takes its influence from Greek, Turkish and Slavonic cuisines, using the local ingredients. Bread is an important part of Bulgarian cuisine, and is part of every meal. Salad is a common starter, made mainly of cabbage, tomatoes, cucumber, and peppers, and popular varieties come with grated white cheese on top, or sliced boiled egg. White cheese - similar to feta, is common, as is 'kashkaval', a hard yellow cheese made of sheep's cheese. Yoghurt lovers will be in heaven in Bulgaria, as it is used in many foods, and is sold in many different varieties. One of the most popular Bulgarian dishes is 'Kavarma' - which is spicy meat, leeks and onions cooked as meatballs or grilled on skewers. The national drink is rakia (brandy), most commonly made from grapes, and Bulgaria is also a prolific wine producer, with each region producing different varieties.

Night-life

The best places for nightlife are Bourgas and Golden Sands, which are fantastic in the summer, with restaurant tables lining the streets and open-air beach bars. You are spoilt for choice, from live music, to cheesy pop tunes to clubs playing house til the early hours.