Bulgaria's Black Sea Riviera

Bulgaria's Black Sea coastline boasts miles of golden sandy beaches that are ideal for family holidays. Property in Bulgaria is still very cheap compared to other EU countries, although the ancient seaside town of Varna tends to be more expensive than the rest of the Black Sea coastal resorts. A cheap Bulgarian apartment starts at around £24,000, while houses can often be found for £50,000 or less outside of Varna.

The most popular resorts include Varna and the equally ancient port of Sozopol, Golden Sands and Sunny Beach, Ahtopol and Albena, Nessebăr and Irakli.

Varna was founded by the ancient Romans and has remained as popular as it was then with travellers thanks to its sunny climate. Sozopol, which lies to the south of Varna, was founded by the ancient Greeks in the 7th century BC. Property here tends to be cheaper than in Varna. Family-friendly Albena sports fine sandy beaches with shallow waters ideal for young swimmers, while Sunny Beach boasts 8 kilometres of fine golden sands that receive almost guaranteed daily sunshine from spring to autumn.

Ahtopol lies close to the Turkish border and is far quieter than the busy resorts of Sozopol and Varna. It has less nightlife to offer, but is also less developed and unspoiled as a result. The popular beaches of Apollonia, Harmani Beach and Town Beach are close to Sozopol.

Buying a property in Varna usually starts at around £110,000 for an apartment, while in Albena a 2-bedroom house, already converted to modern standards, might be as little as £44,000. If you are looking for cheap property inland, but not too far from the coast, budget for around £70,000 in the district of Dobrich for an already converted house.

All of Bulgaria's Black Sea Riviera resorts offer water sports enthusiasts great amenities. There are several dive centres located along the coast, as well as numerous sailing training centres. If you are thinking of relocating to start a sports-related business along the Black Sea coast, be sure to make several research trips at different times of the year to see what walk-in business you can expect. The main season runs from May to October, the sunniest months. Starting a business in Bulgaria is not as complex as it might seem - simply hire a local law firm for your business formation and they will deal with the bureaucracy involved.

To compare what you might have to offer as a company with already existing water sports-related service providers, please see the following:

Varna based The Royal Bulgarian Yacht Club, http://www.sail-clubs.com/en/i/772/Bulgaria/Varna/Varna/Sailing-/-Yacht-Club/Royal-Bulgaria-Yacht-Club
Varna based GoGetSport Sailing School at https://en.ggsailing.com/
Lounge Yachting, a RYA Training Centre http://loungeyachting.com/about-us/
Angel Divers in Nessebăr https://www.angel-divers.com/en/home
Golden Sands' Harry's Diving Center http://divewithharry.com/
Diving Center Sozopol http://www.dive-sozopol.com/en