Albena: Pros and Cons 2021. The Most Expensive Resort?

Hello everyone. If you are interested in a resort vacation Albena In Bulgaria, questions arise: How to get there? What accommodation should I choose? How much does it cost? 

Albena. General information

Albena is a seaside resort in Bulgaria, the third most popular among tourists. Albena is a gated resort complex, with barriers at the entrance. The resort itself was founded back in 1966. Albena's "green" mission is an integral part of its philosophy.

Albena also boasts mineral springs with temperatures reaching up to 30°C. Treatment involves open-air balneotherapy procedures in mineral water pools and baths. At the end of 2018, Albena was selected as a European sports resort.

Albena. Location

Albena is located on the Black Sea coast on the slopes of the Dobrudzha Plateau, 30 km north of Varna and 8 km south of Balchik. You can book a private transfer to Albena. here.

Albena borders the Baltata Nature Reserve on the southern side of the resort. 

Climate

The Albena resort enjoys a mild and pleasant climate. The warmest month is August, with the average temperature around 29°C. The average sea temperature in May is 15.4°C, rising to 21.1°C in June, and the warmest sea temperature in August is 25.6°C.  

Transportation

You can get to Albena by plane (38 km to Varna Airport) or by bus (buses from Varna depart to Albena every half hour).

Access to the resort by car is free for up to 30 minutes, but for longer, you'll have to pay €5 per day. Buy the cheapest bus tickets. You can do it here.

The cheapest parking is near the bus station - 2.5 euros.

One special feature of the Albena resort is its internal public transportation system, which operates during the peak season—special little "trains." They operate on a schedule along specific routes within the resort. You can see the shuttle schedule on the screen. Unfortunately, they don't run as frequently as we'd like. This year, the number of shuttles from the bus station was reduced, and the interval between them is only one hour. In any case, it's not far to the sea; it's a 15-minute walk from the bus station, especially from the farthest parking lot. 

Albena. Accommodation

What about housing and hotels? 

Albena is Bulgaria's most expensive resort, and the prices correspond, but demand is strong. In pre-coronavirus times, many hotels in Albena sold out well before the start of the winter season. Now, availability is a bit better, with some rooms even available. However, you're likely to run out of room if you book a week in advance, for example.

That's the demand. We found the cheapest offer on Booking.com, a three-star hotel in Dobrudzha, for €55 per night for a double room with breakfast (no balcony or air conditioning). And €88 for all-inclusive (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). I wonder what it actually looks like. Judging by the map, it's located near the sea. 

It turns out this is the tallest hotel in the resort. It's not far from the sea, a five-minute walk at most.

We found a more expensive option: the 5-star Flamingo Grand Hotel & Spa, half-board (breakfast and dinner), for €172 per night for a double room. And that price includes the 10% Genius discount. There's a spa and wellness center, a superb fitness center, a private beach (front line), and two swimming pools, one of which is indoor. Reviews on Booking.com are 8.4, which is a good rating. I'm curious to see what it actually looks like. Judging by the map, it's located near the sea. It looks newer than other hotels.

The sea is not far away, a maximum of 3-4 minutes walk.

Nutrition

Albena has some restaurants, but not as many as other large resorts. Some cafes operate right on the beach.

Some hotels offer full board and meals. If you prefer to cater for yourself, you can buy groceries in small shops, but the prices are comparable to resort prices. Therefore, the best option, considering the price, is probably to choose a hotel that offers at least partial meals and eat additionally in the cafeteria.

Beach 

The beach is more than 5 km long, the beach is very wide, similar to the ocean coast, the width of which is about 150 meters with fine sand.

In our opinion, the beach in Albena is, if not the best, then at least one of the best beaches in Bulgaria. The water is gently sloping, making it suitable for children.

The beach has been awarded the Blue Flag since 1996. Umbrellas and sun loungers are free for hotel guests, while other guests pay 50 cents per umbrella and 50 cents per sun lounger.

You can rent them separately or together. During peak season, you might not find any available umbrellas. We haven't seen such a price anywhere else in Bulgaria. It's a unique situation when the paid areas of the beach are fully booked, while the free ones are empty.

Resort infrastructure and entertainment. 

There's also a small new water park called Aquamania. Prices at the water park.

There is an asphalt road along the shore, like a promenade, where you can walk or ride a bike.

The resort offers sports facilities such as volleyball, tennis, badminton, and more. A special feature is the free beach library. 

You can see the rental prices on the screen. A bike rental for one day costs 20 euros. That's probably why we hardly saw any cyclists. Inflatable toys for children—40 minutes—cost 4.50 euros.

Albena offers a full range of water attractions. A standard banana boat costs 10 euros. A two-mile parasailing trip costs 45 euros. A 20-minute jet ski costs 30 euros. 

The Albena resort offers children a variety of sports facilities, including swimming pools, skateboard tracks, water go-karts, go-kart tracks, pedal boats, bouncy castles, water slides, mini-golf courses, archery courses, and horseback or pony rides. Under the guidance of instructors, children can also try water sports such as water skiing, surfing, and jet skiing. Albena also offers entertainment for children: an amusement park and racetrack, inflatable trampolines, a children's railway and swings, and arcade games. A variety of services are available, including a daycare center and children's clubs with child care providers.

There are numerous excursions available directly from Albena. Some of them include: a yacht cruise, an ATV safari, and a visit to the town of Balchik and Cape Kaliakra. 

There are more than 40 sports available for people of all ages.

Prices for sports activities: 

Use of the hall - equipped for volleyball

1 hour - 1 platform 40 euros.

Use of the hall - equipped for tennis/badminton

1 court for 1 hour (maximum 4 players) 17 euros.

Table tennis

1 hour 5 euros. (Per one tennis table)

For those not accustomed to lounging on the beach all day, we recommend visiting the Balata Nature Reserve, which opened in 1978. It is located in close proximity to the resort. Here you can see a rare combination of liana forest and sea. The Balata Forest is considered the northernmost liana forest in Europe. It is located along the Batova River valley. The reserve, located near Albena, is of exceptional scientific interest, but a visit will also be memorable for nature lovers.

Health improvement 

The air in this area is rich in salts, ozone, iodine, bromine, and calcium, with optimal humidity, averaging 63–651°C. Therefore, many combine a vacation in Albena with improving their health. The medical balneological center utilizes all that the area's nature has to offer: the natural environment, mineral water, and maritime climate. The balneological centers are open year-round, regardless of season. For health recovery, you can come in the fall, winter, or spring; during these periods, the resort is less crowded and cooler.

Advantages of the Albena resort

Beautiful natural surroundings, with a forest reserve nearby. The resort's infrastructure is excellent. Transportation is good and accessible. The sea is clean and warm. The entry into the water is gentle. The sea is perfect for children. There's a water park and numerous attractions. Excursions are available. The surface is flat, with no elevation changes, so you won't have to descend to the sea from a height and then climb back up if your hotel is located far from the sea. The resort offers a tranquil atmosphere, perfect for those seeking a relaxing holiday. 

Disadvantages of the Albena resort

Accommodation and food prices are the highest compared to other Bulgarian resorts. Albena charges a fee to enter the resort by car for stays longer than 30 minutes. Shuttles from the bus station run at long intervals; ideally, 10-minute intervals between shuttles would be ideal during peak season. 

I wonder if you've been to Albena and what you liked or didn't? Please let me know in the comments.

I hope this information was helpful. I wish everyone success.

Weather in Albena today

ALBENA WEATHER

Video version of the article: