Guide to St Vlas

"Close to Sunny Beach but much more laid back, St Vlas is one of the Black Sea's most up-and-coming resorts."

If you're looking for a quieter alternative to Sunny Beach, Sveti Vlas could be the answer. Just a few miles down the coast from Bulgaria's liveliest black Sea holiday playground, it's a developing, but still relatively low key resort, offering a refreshing mix of mountain air and sea breezes. A fine stretch of sand sweeps round the bay to the old fishing port, now seeing the development of a new marina next door, intended for pleasure yachts rather than working boats. St Vlas has a long history stretching back to the 2nd century BC, but it's firmly rooted in today's world, and concentrates on offering modern pleasures for holidaymakers, rather than antique treasures for sightseers. Therefore, during the daytime, life in St Vlas is mainly about sand and sunbathing. As for evening activities, there's nowhere near the huge number of bars, restaurants and clubs you'll find in nearby Sunny Beach. But there's enough to keep most people satisfied, particularly if you're into good eating, with a smattering of traditional establishments where you can tuck in to a traditional Bulgarian mixed grill or slow cooked kavarma stew, accompanied by a glass of fruity cabernet sauvignon wine. If you fancy immersing yourself in the history and culture of a more traditional Black Sea coastal town, take a trip to Nessebar, around six miles or so to the south. A thriving port in ancient Greek and Roman times, it's a charming place which has cobbled streets lined with quaint nineteenth century wooden buildings, and is also famous for its churches, having once had more than forty, a staggering number for such a small place.

Named after the patron saint of cattle merchants, the village of St Vlas nestles on a hillside and is set around a small square. Despite the growing tourist trade, traditional ways of life continue, and a stroll down to the eastern end of the village brings you to a small fishermen's port. At present, one of the calmer resorts along the Bulgarian Riviera, the range of high quality hotels and the emergence of one of the largest marinas in the Black Sea nearby suggests that St Vlas's success is just beginning.

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