{"id":148152,"date":"2025-06-01T00:49:08","date_gmt":"2025-06-01T00:49:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/148152\/"},"modified":"2025-06-01T00:49:08","modified_gmt":"2025-06-01T00:49:08","slug":"the-beautiful-country-hailed-as-better-than-spain-and-greece-with-no-tourists-europe-travel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/148152\/","title":{"rendered":"The beautiful country hailed as better than Spain and Greece with no tourists | Europe | Travel"},"content":{"rendered":"

Spain<\/a> and Greece<\/a> have long been top summer choices for British travellers<\/a>. But with rising prices and tourist numbers<\/a> reaching breaking point, especially in the warmer months, the once peaceful hotspots are starting to feel overcrowded<\/a>. For those looking to relax, breathe, and explore at their own pace, the Mediterranean<\/a> may no longer be the dream it once was. Luckily, there are still some hidden gems in Europe<\/a> that offer just as much beauty, without the crowds.<\/p>\n

Bulgaria<\/a> is one of them. Often overlooked, the eastern European country has been hailed by holidaymakers as even better than Spain<\/a> or Greece<\/a>, thanks to its stunning coastline, rich history and affordable prices. One person on TripAdvisor<\/a> said: “I have spent a lot of time travelling to Spain and Greece, and I can honestly say I would choose Bulgaria over both now. Beautiful beaches<\/a>, no crowds, historic cities<\/a> and decent prices.”<\/p>\n

Another added: “Anyone who travels to Spain should think twice now when places like Bulgaria exist.”<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not hard to see why. Bulgaria has nearly 400km (250 miles) of coastline along the Black Sea, dotted with sandy beaches, hidden coves and laid-back resorts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There\u2019s something for everyone, from wild beaches like Kara Dere, perfect for nature lovers, to lively spots like Gradina and Golden Sands, ideal for families and younger crowds.<\/p>\n

Bolata Beach in the north is a favourite for watching the sunrise, while Primorsko North is known for surfing.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For those wanting to avoid any kind of rush, Alepu, also known as Drivers\u2019 Beach, is as peaceful as it gets.<\/p>\n

But Bulgaria isn\u2019t just about the beach. Cities like Sofia and Plovdiv offer culture, history and local charm without the queues.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Plovdiv, one of Europe\u2019s oldest cities, is full of Roman ruins, colourful old houses and creative cafes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sofia, the capital, is modern but packed with museums and free walking tours.<\/p>\n

TripAdvisor reviews are full of praise. “Beaches are stunning and the alcohol is cheap,” one user wrote.<\/p>\n

Another said: “In some places Bulgaria reminds me of Greece. The only difference – you can actually breathe and explore in peace without thousands of people.”<\/p>\n

Travel experts at Lonely Planet<\/a> say Bulgaria is one of the most affordable and underrated destinations in Europe, with something to do in every season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s skiing in winter, hiking in autumn, or swimming in summer, the country is a year-round winner.\u00a0<\/p>\n

And with major airports in Sofia, Burgas and Varna, plus good bus and train links, getting around is simple too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Spain and Greece have long been top summer choices for British travellers. But with rising prices and tourist…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":148153,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5312],"tags":[43199,10242,63499,13489,63503,2000,299,1450,63500,2863,104,63501,5006,44842,63502],"class_list":{"0":"post-148152","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-spain","8":"tag-affordable-travel","9":"tag-black-sea","10":"tag-black-sea-coastline","11":"tag-bulgaria","12":"tag-country-better-than-spain-and-greece","13":"tag-eu","14":"tag-europe","15":"tag-greece","16":"tag-greece-alternative","17":"tag-overtourism","18":"tag-spain","19":"tag-spain-alternative","20":"tag-tourism","21":"tag-underrated-destinations","22":"tag-where-to-travel-to-instead-of-spain-and-greece"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114605364062406443","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148152","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=148152"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148152\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/148153"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=148152"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=148152"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=148152"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}