Tag: Sea

Move Over Rome! This Lesser Known Cultural City Is On The Sea & Has $5 Pizzas

[ad_1]

Share The Article

Last Updated 7 seconds ago

Heading to Italy this fall? You may have been surprised to find prices in Rome and other tourism hotspots have not necessarily dropped as expected post-summer––nor have crowds dissipated as they normally would.

Due to the record-breaking heat, a growing number of travelers is now actively avoiding July when planning a visit, so don’t fly all the way across the pond thinking it’s a low season for tourism: the lines of people outside the Colosseum could be just as long, and hotels will still average $195 a night.

Luckily, there remains a lesser-known Italian gem that’s considerably less busy, offers cheaper room rates, has delicious $5 pizzas, and unlike Rome, is directly on the sea:

Meet Trieste, The True Pearl On The Adriatic

The capital city of Friuli Venezia Giulia, a region in the northeastern-most corner of the Italian peninsula, Trieste is one of the country’s most culturally-distinct cities.

For starters, it doesn’t fit in with a majority of its ocher-colored, narrow houses and green-shutters, cobbled counterparts: in other words, aesthetically, it’s not your typical Southern European city, though it does straddle a turquoise Adriatic.

Europe’s map is an ever-changing one, so it’s not uncommon for different cities to belong to different countries at different points in time, and Trieste is no exception:

For many centuries, before Italy became a unified state, it was administered by the Habsburg monarchy, a polity that existed between 1382 and 1918 and comprised parts of Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, and other Central European countries.

That’s a whole 536 years of accumulated Habsburg heritage, and needless to say, Trieste more closely resembles Austro-Hungarian and Slovenian influences than it does Italian.

But anyways. We digress.

Much like Central European cities, Trieste’s urban layout also revolves around a medieval Old Town, attached to a lively sea port, while the ‘new city’––still fairly old by our American standards––is quintessentially Austrian, with its stately neoclassical and Baroque additions.

What we’re trying to say is that Trieste may not be Italy exactly as you idealize it: it’s a melting pot of cultures, from Mediterranean to Germanic to Slavic civilizations, and though it exists almost on a parallel plane altogether than that of staunchly Italian Rome, that’s precisely what makes it fascinating.

What To See In Trieste

Trieste may not have a Colosseum or a temple-dotted Palatine Hill to call its own, but it’s just as ancient as your average Italian city, and it has an unusually high concentration of Roman monuments that––some might argue––are just as impressive as Rome’s.

These include a 1st-century gate, Arco di Riccardo, now etched onto a newer structure, a partially-preserved Roman theater, that used to be able to sit over 6,000 spectators, making it one of the largest on this side of Italy, and the ruins of a forum.

The Città Vecchia, or Old City, is equally deeply historical, made up of narrow streets lined by crooked, medieval houses, and it’s almost completely closed to traffic, though Trieste’s greatest architectural feats lie in the neighboring Austrian Quarter:

The ‘newer’ part of the city, built under Austrian rule, it mimics the signature neoclassicism of its former capital Vienna (with the occasional foray into Art Nouveau), and it includes the landmark Canal Grande and the Adriatic-facing Piazza Unità d’Italia, the largest seafront square in Europe.

Stunning Adriatic Beaches

The Adriatic Coast is well-known for its rocky beaches, and lining the pebbly end of the Mediterranean, Trieste is no exception, but in case you’re not exactly enthusiastic about those shingly shores, there’s a fair few sandy spots you could opt for:

Our favorite stretch of sand––dark sand, at that––near Trieste is Barcola Beach, equipped with a playground for kids and lined by casual bars and restaurants (by the way, for high-quality, inexpensive seafood ranging between $8 and $21, make sure you pay JOIA a visit).

We also love Topolini, or ‘Mickey Mouse Beach’, for its no-frills environment: you’ll find people of all ages and social backgrounds sunbathing along the Mickey ears-shaped sands as late as October, provided the weather is looking up.

Now, if you don’t mind some pebbles––and the occasional nudist––the more-secluded Costa dei Barbari, a short walk down the little road starting from the namesake cafe is where you go for some peace and quiet away from the Trieste crowds.

Trieste Is Way Cheaper Than Rome

We briefly touched on that already, but one of the biggest advantages of Trieste over Rome is how affordable it can be despite being, well, part of Europe’s most heavily-touristed, sometimes most shockingly-priced destination.

We’re telling you, you can eat delicious pasta for around $11 (check out Traktoria Rustiko), gorge on a seafood buffet from only $22 (Buffet Clai, you have our hearts), or a marinara pizza for, we kid you not, five bucks, (La Pizza di Cittavecchia is your go-to spot for those).

Oh, and just in case you’re wondering how the price of accommodation in Trieste fares compared to Rome, local hotels can be up to 38% cheaper, according to Budget Your Trip estimates:

It starts from as cheap as $26 for a hostel bed, going up to $84-86 for a room in a centrally-located hotel or B&B, and culminating with higher-end listings like the Savoia Excelsior Palace, where an overnight stay will set you back by $236––hey, that’s only $41 more than the average hotel in Rome!

Travel To Slovenia And Croatia For Only $9

Trieste is located on the northeastern-most tip of Italy, attached to the country by means of a narrow strip of land: it is in fact closer to Slovenia and Croatia than it is to other Italian destinations.

From Trieste to Lipica, a village on the Slovenian side, it’s a short 22-minute drive––crossing the short Slovene coastline, it would take you just over 40 minutes to reach Plovanija, the first border town in Croatia.

Lucky for you, you don’t need to rent a car or resort to unreliable buses to see all three countries: a new train route has recently launched, linking Trieste to its neighbors, with the former Italian-administered city of Rijeka (now in Croatia) as the final destination, and tickets starting from only $9.

Find out how to get your tickets here.

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.

↓ Elevate Your Travel↓

Sign Up Now For Travel Off Path Premium! No ads, VIP Content, Personal Travel Concierge, Huge Savings, Daily Deals, Members Forum & More!

✈️Join Our Travel Off Path Community Forum: Where travelers unite, ask questions, share experiences and even find like-minded travel buddies!

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS

Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path’s latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox.

This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com

Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

[ad_2]

Source link

September 21, 2024
This Is Why The Black Sea Is The Best Place To Be In Europe This Summer

[ad_1]

Share The Article

Last Updated 1 min ago

The Black Sea is rising fast in popularity as a summer destination, with record rates of occupation in resort towns, a higher number of foreign guests landing in bordering countries, and a rapid post-crisis recovery that supersedes that of some Mediterranean countries.

For years, the Mediterranean – commonly called the Med – was seen as Europe’s only valuable summer offer due to its warm waters and balmy weather, while in the continent’s far North, the weather remains cooler year-round.

As some travelers are now finding out, however, Southern Europe is not their only shot at an idyllic sunny getaway across the pond, as the Black Sea claims the title of ‘New Mediterranean‘:

The Med Is Not Europe’s Only Warm Basin

Officially a marginal Mediterranean sea by definition – an enclosed sea with limited exchange of water with outer oceans – the Black Sea is yet another warm-water basin most tourists ignore, either due to its uninviting name or misconceptions relating to weather conditions and safety in Eastern Europe.

It is anything but dark-colored, and temperatures are the complete opposite of glacial.

The Black Sea is in fact incredibly azure, and even bright blue in certain parts, and it gets just as warm – if not warmer as it is even more enclosed than other similar seas than the Med in the hotter months of the year.

Some Black Sea coastal spots report temperatures of 40°C (104°F) and higher over summer, and this naturally reflects in the water temperature, which hits on average 26-27°C (78-80°). It’s surely no Persian Gulf, but it is pleasant to swim, and you won’t feel a shock jumping in the water.

Top 5 Travel Insurance Plans For 2023 Starting At $10 Per Week

Plus, the Black Sea is home to some of Europe’s most ancient nations and some of its most culturally-charged historical ports.

A Treasure Trove Of Ancient Gems

Countries like Bulgaria, Romania, Turkiye, Georgia, Ukraine, and Russia (though the latter two are off-limits due to the ongoing war) have their coastlines within the basin, and we still struggle to pick our favorite Black Sea beach town with such a vast array of incredible options.

Without a doubt, the best-developed resorts, and the destinations that are better prepared to host tourists, are located on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast.

Sunny Bulgaria

Bulgaria has re-emerged in the post-COVID scene as a strong alternative to the Mediterranean South due to its golden-sand beaches, slow-paced lifestyle, and huge affordability.

The leading resort town in Bulgaria, the aptly-named Sunny Beach, located on a sandy stretch of coast between the cities of Burgas and Varna, has accommodation rates as cheap as US$39 per night in the peak of summer, inexpensive restaurants where a modest meal will cost you as little as US$5.75, and a half liter of domestic beer for a negligible US$1.78.

The beaches in Bulgaria are also some of the longest and cleanest, extending for miles on end and bounded by lush marine parks.

Not to sound redundant, the beach in Sunny Beach already gets jam-packed over summer, but quieter, more secluded swimming spots can still be found within short driving distance of the town, such as the municipal beach near Nesebar island and St. Vlas.

Rougher Yet Equally Beautiful Romania

Romania, on the other hand, is not as well sought-after but just as promising a summer destination. Cities like Constanta and Mangalia offer visitors an escape from the gray, Brutalist cityscape of Bucharest, the national capital, and a whole range of attractions to keep them entertained for days.

Whether it’s some casino fun, family-friendly water parks, live music venues, or nightclubs you’re after, Constanta will most certainly not disappoint.

On the downside, beaches in Romania tend to be somewhat dirtier than their Black Sea counterparts, with the sands of Constanta, neighboring Eforie Nord, and Mamaia reporting high rates of crowding – mostly locals – and littering in the high season.

If you’re looking for less of this and more of those idyllic, peaceful coastal vibes, head out of Constanta to Corbu and Vama Veche, smaller coastal towns where tourism has not yet turned disruptive.

Fascinating Black Sea Turkiye

Then there is Turkiye’s hugely underrated Black Sea province, with its small, minaret-dotted coastal towns of Amasra and Sinop, bounded by the ocean, and the historical Trabzon, famous for its rich Byzantine heritage.

Trabzon has an up-and-coming resort scene. While it is surely not as popular as Mediterranean Turkiye, where extremely popular sunny getaways like Antalya and Izmir are located, it has a reputation for being a quieter seaport with a more laid-back atmosphere.

Guests are particularly fond of the slow-paced lifestyle they enjoy here and the crowd-free beaches to the West of Trabzon.

Underrated Georgia

Bordering Turkiye, Georgia straddles the Black Sea as well, and its main attraction, the resort city of Batumi, has been making headlines this year as the perfect alternative to over-crowded, increasingly more expensive Mediterranean Europe.

With its beautiful architecture, futuristic skyscrapers and marine gardens that have earned it the title of ‘Georgian Dubai’, and a surprisingly long stretch of beach, Batumi is perhaps Europe’s most underrated beach destination.

Other than their diverse offer, Black Sea ports have exciting new hotel openings scheduled in the near future, including an Accor-Mardi Holding joint-venture expected to bow in Batumi, a whopping five all-inclusive Hyatt resorts in Bulgaria, and further IHG Hotels & Resorts listings in Turkiye.

Black Sea summers are super trendy right now, and it’s no surprise all these international brands want a slice of the pie while it’s hot.

The Black Sea Is More Affordable To Visit

Finally, prices across the region can be shockingly affordable compared to Western Europe, as all of the currencies in Black Sea countries are weaker than the American dollar, with the Turkish lira standing out as one of the most devalued currencies currently.

There are no Euroized countries on the Black Sea: even Bulgaria and Romania, both European Union members, have not yet adopted the euro, using their own national currency instead and being renowned for their low cost of living.

You can find modest hotel rooms in Burgas for as cheap as US$24 in the Bulgarian high season, as well as more luxurious, four or five-star offers with rates starting at just US$105 per night on Booking.com.

Turkiye’s Black Sea Province is no different, with well-equipped, five-star offers in Trabzon ranging from US$109 only, to an acceptable US$283 per night. In Batumi, you will find VIP beachfront apartments for US$51 and US$275 for four-star resorts.

The Black Sea is beautiful and warm, it has fewer tourists, prices are fair, and there are enough historical landmarks to keep the History buff, Europhile in you entertained for days – it’s no wonder it’s Europe’s best place to be this summer.

Traveler Alert: Don’t Forget Travel Insurance For Your Next Trip!

↓ Join Our Community ↓

The Travel Off Path Community FB group has all the latest reopening news, conversations, and Q&A’s happening daily!

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS

Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path’s latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox.

This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com

[ad_2]

Source link

July 26, 2023
4 Unknown Black Sea Destinations To Avoid Overtourism This Summer

[ad_1]

Share The Article

Last Updated 1 min ago

Southern Europe is overcrowded, and numerous sunny spots on the coast are moving to limit tourism, with Italy going as far as enforcing a traffic ban on certain days on the scenic Amalfi Coast and France launching ticketing systems for certain natural parks.

Understandably, a growing number of Americans flying across the pond this summer is now wondering where they should go for less crowds and, most importantly, fairer prices.

In case you haven’t heard, much of the Mediterranean is poised for record price surges, including destinations that used to be comparatively affordable once, like Croatia, the Eurozone’s newest member, and an increasingly Westernized nation.

Luckily, the Black Sea is yet to be overrun with tourists, and boasting sandy beaches, azure swimming spots, and great weather, it is the Med’s strongest competitor this season.

Where Is The Black Sea?

The Black Sea is a partially-enclosed body of water surrounded by Eastern Europe and Turkey’s Anatolian Peninsula.

In total, six countries have ports on this sea. It borders Bulgaria and Romania to the West, Ukraine and Russia to the North, the small nation of Georgia to the East, and Turkey along its southernmost edge.

While Russia and Ukraine are not cleared for travel as of yet, due to the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict, the four remaining countries that straddle the Black Sea are perfectly safe for visitors and have enjoyed a sudden popularity boost as resort destinations.

Below, you will find four of the top-rated vacation spots in the region:

Top 5 Travel Insurance Plans For 2023 Starting At $10 Per Week

Batumi, Georgia

Batumi is the largest seaside resort in Georgia, a nation nestled in the Caucasus mountain range between Eastern Europe and Western Asia.

Dubbed the Georgian Vegas, Batumi is renowned for housing a large concentration of casinos and entertainment venues, and it’s the country’s gateway to the Black Sea, jam-packed with luxurious beachfront hotels.

The cityscape has Dubai-like glistening skyscrapers lining the whole extent of the grey-sand municipal beach, but other than modern development sites, Batumi is renowned for its traditional neo-Gothic, Art Nouveau architecture and more than 10 km of municipal beach.

Last year, only 5.4 million tourists landed in Georgia.

Not all of them would have fulfilled their stays in Batumi, as the country’s main entry points are in the capital city of Tbilisi and Kutaisi, making Batumi a not-so-busy beach getaway.

Trabzon, Turkey

Trabzon is Turkey’s Black Sea gem, only a 3-hour drive from Batumi in Georgia.

Serving as the capital of the namesake province, it is a melting pot of the sorts, having been inhabited since immemorial times by native Anatolians before it was settled by the Greeks and ultimately conquered by Roman colonizers, who established a strong presence on the Black Sea at the apex of the Empire.

Eventually, Trabzon would become an important transit stop along the Silk Road, as well as an important Ottoman trading port later on.

As expected, all of these contrasting influences are still scattered all around the city, whether it’s Byzantine churches or Ottoman-era bazaars, but Trabzon’s true splendor lies in the breathtaking nature that it offers.

Providing guests with easy access to the ocean, it encompasses numerous Black Sea beaches, with the most famous being Çamburnu Plajı, a sandy strip bounded by calm waters.

South of Trabzon, nature lovers will find the Pontic Mountains, with hiking trails that lead to picturesque alpine lakes, ancient villages, and off-path Roman ruins.

Unlike Antalya or Bodrum, however, two other Turkish destinations on the Mediterranean provinces that are exploding in popularity at the minute, Trabzon is still flying under the radar of most Westerners, and it’s one of Turkey’s last few hidden gems.

Eforie Nord, Romania

On the European section of the Black Sea, Eforie Nord is one of the basin’s top trending holidays.

A small beach town, it boasts an extensive sandy beach lapped by the bright-blue sea, dotted with colorful parasols and beach bars.

Accommodation options are more limited, and occupancy rates are high over summer – mainly due to Romanians traveling on their vacations – but as Eforie Nord is yet to catch the attention of foreigners, who flock instead to Constanta, the largest Romanian port city, or Sunny Beach, in Bulgaria.

This means you should expect fair prices and less gentrification, as well as more authentic experiences, seeing that this is a traditional Romanian resort mostly frequented by locals.

Nightly rates at four-star hotels in the area start at just USD$62, though plenty of far cheaper options are also available on Booking.com.

Eforie Nord is where Romanians travel to relax, enjoy the coastal atmosphere, and catch a tan under the scorching Balkan sun, so it may not be the right pick for you if you’re looking for something a little more exciting.

In that case, you try instead the aforementioned Constanta, a vibrant city home to nearly 300,000 people and an extensive list of casinos, entertainment venues, and nightclubs.

Sveti Vlas, Bulgaria

Sveti Vlas is a resort town and development zone part of the Nesebar municipality, the most picturesque on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast.

As a majority of tourists flock instead to the neighboring Sunny Beach, where all of the beachfront resorts and nightclubs are concentrated, Sveti Vlas has a more traditional, quaint feel to it: it is, first and foremost, a historical destination.

Originally founded as a Greek colony, its Hellenism was evident in the town’s demographic and the locals’ way of life until the early 20th century, when the Greek families who were native to Sveti Vlas had to emigrate to neighboring Greece upon the redrawing of borders.

Nowadays, Sveti Vlas is largely populated by Bulgarians, who bring their South Slavic culture and tradition to the mix. Other than strolling the streets and sampling the flavorful Eastern Balkan cuisine, tourists are free to chill by the beach – golden sands, not pebbles – or take boat tours along the Black Sea coast.

In total, there are 14 five-star listings in the Sveti Vlas municipality on Booking.com, with overnight rates ranging from US$208 for an entire studio at the Garden of Eden Complex, to US$638 at the HVD Reina del Mar, an all-inclusive luxurious retreat in Obzor, 16km from town.

If you’re looking for a quieter Black Sea resort that also feels more exclusive and ‘expensive’ than the much busier Sunny Beach or Romania’s Constanta, this is where you should be headed.

Traveler Alert: Don’t Forget Travel Insurance For Your Next Trip!

↓ Join Our Community ↓

The Travel Off Path Community FB group has all the latest reopening news, conversations, and Q&A’s happening daily!

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS

Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path’s latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox.

This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com

[ad_2]

Source link

June 7, 2023
This Cruise Ship Is Making It Possible For Digital Nomads To Live At Sea – But What’s The Catch?

[ad_1]

Share The Article

A cruise ship might not seem like the ideal home for a digital nomad. With small cabins and notoriously bad internet service, it can be hard to imagine living aboard a cruise ship for any length of time, much less getting any work done. But Miray Cruises is launching a brand new kind of ship to do just that.

Their MV Gemini ship is being remodeled to become a long-term floating home geared towards remote workers. The ship will set sail in the fall of this year and will visit every continent throughout its journey, taking along over 1,000 lucky passengers.

Onboard Amenities

The company has gone to great lengths to adapt the ship to meet the needs of digital nomads. Along with high-speed WiFi throughout, the ship is equipped with a full-scale business center, offices, meeting rooms, and a business library and lounge. There is also a 24-hour hospital with medical visits at no extra cost. Passengers will be treated to more spacious cabins and onboard community-building initiatives for a more comfortable long-term experience.

Due to the extended nature of the cruise, there will also be longer stops at various ports throughout the journey. With 208 overnight stops out of the 375 planned ports, guests will have more time to explore onshore.

In addition to these welcome changes, passengers can expect all of the typical cruise amenities, such as a swimming pool, wellness center, sundeck, auditorium, spa, and salon.

Top 5 Travel Insurance Plans For 2023 Starting At $10 Per Week

Where Will It Go?

A better question might be, “Where won’t it go?” The ship is set to embark on a 130,000-mile journey, stopping at hundreds of ports along the way. There are 135 countries included on the itinerary, spanning all 7 continents. It is the ultimate around the world sailing trip.

The ship will stop at several ports throughout the Caribbean, sail the entire coastline of South America, up the west coast of the United States before hitting both Hawaii and then Alaska, and then over to Asia. It will then make stops in Japan and South Korea before continuing throughout Southeast Asia, then around Australia and New Zealand. Finally, it will pass India, loop the entire coastline of Africa, then make its way up to the Mediterranean and Europe.

How Much Does It Cost?

Cruises can range from very affordable to quite expensive, depending on the location, amenities, and level of luxury that you desire. You might think a cruise around the world would lean towards the expensive side, and for that, you would be both right and wrong. The Life at Sea Cruise is not a cheap vacation. However, taking all factors into account, it could come up to less than your life at home.

The lowest-priced room, a standard inside cabin at 130 square feet, comes up to $30,000 per person per year. That’s around $2500 a month, which is lower than the average rent for major U.S. cities like Los Angeles and New York.

It’s also not much more than what many remote workers already pay for coliving or digital nomad groups that move around month to month. On top of all that, this is meant to be both long-term and all-inclusive, so there are no grocery bills, utilities, or other similar costs people typically spend in their home country.

Prices do vary by cabin, with the largest being a 322-square foot balcony room at $110,000 per person for the year. The prices are more ideal for couples, but single travelers do get a small discount – 15% off the double occupancy rate. Financing options are available, but a pretty hefty downpayment of $45,000 is required. Although the monthly rate could be enough for some to handle, the downpayment might be a dealbreaker.

What’s The Catch?

The cost, itinerary, and amenities seem very straightforward. However, there is one very big catch. Travelers must commit to the entire journey – not one, not two, but three years. Yes, the ship will sail for a solid three years, and passengers are expected to sign on for the whole time. Though there is an option to split your cabin with other passengers (somewhat like a timeshare), even one year aboard a cruise ship is a huge commitment for most to make. Another drawback is that the Life at Sea sets sail from Istanbul on November 1, 2023, leaving very little time to get your affairs in order.

Traveler Alert: Don’t Forget Travel Insurance For Your Next Trip!

↓ Join Our Community ↓

The Travel Off Path Community FB group has all the latest reopening news, conversations, and Q&A’s happening daily!

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS

Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path’s latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox

This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com

[ad_2]

Source link

March 6, 2023
The Black Sea Coast Is The New Mediterranean – Here’s Why It’s So Popular
[ad_1]
Share The Article

Last Updated 5 hours ago

After years of being disregarded as a ‘Plan B’ summer destination, the Black Sea region is set for a historical growth in the post-pandemic scene, with some going as far as calling it the ‘new Mediterranean’ — but what makes it so popular right now?

The Budget Alternative To The Med

The Black Sea is a cross-border marginal sea whose misleading name often scares away the least knowledgeable tourists. As any quick search will tell you, it is far from being an uninviting, moody, dark sea: it is beautifully azure and serene, with sandy beaches that stretch for miles on end and numerous swimming spots.

Granted, it is not crystal clear compared to the seas surrounding Greece or Croatia, but it is beautiful nonetheless and just as postcard-perfect — and worth noting, not one degree colder than the Mediterranean during the peak season. Color-wise, think of Cancun’s teal-tinged Caribbean Sea versus the Mexican Pacific‘s deeper blue, and you’ll get the idea.

Unless being able to see your legs while submerged in translucent water is that big of a deal, we wouldn’t consider paying 76.7% more on an escapade to Ibiza worth it. And trust us when we say the Black Sea Coast is still very clear and a lot more affordable as a sunny break, with all the countries that line it offering cheaper vacation rentals and lower consumer prices.

In certain parts of the Eastern Balkans, where tourism has always come second, international traffic is already up by 43% year-on-year, proving the appeal of the Black Sea as a destination keeps increasing. Furthermore, all Black Sea countries have reopened for tourism following the COVID setback, and collectively they form one of the freest zones to travel in the world.

Top 5 Travel Insurance Plans For 2023 Starting At $10 Per Week

Looking at consumer prices, it’s not hard to see why it’s so trendy at the minute:
- Vacationing in Burgas, Bulgaria, you can expect to spend 24.4% less than you would in Malaga, Spain
- A meal in an inexpensive restaurant in Sinop, Türkiye, will cost on average a negligible USD$1.86
- Long-term rentals in the city of Batumi, Georgia are 53.2% less expensive than Nice’s in France
- The cost of living in the whole of Romania is roughly 58.7% lower than in Western Europe
We know it’s hard for some to imagine how a European summer would feel like a complete experience without island hopping in the Aegean, eating gelato in a small town in Liguria, or going for a romantic strolls at sunset in Valencia, Spain, but here you’ll also find plenty of:
- Sun, sand, and fun
- Beachfront resorts (except they are usually half the price)
- Scenic drives
- Gorgeous nature
- Ancient cities that predate many Mediterranean ports by many centuries
Which Countries Are On The Black Sea Coast?

The complete list of tourist destinations on the Black Sea can be found below:

Bulgaria

The Bulgarian Riviera is full of golden sand crescents, marine parks, as well as quaint, stone-built villages that have somehow been ignored by the Instagram hordes and are just begging to be explored. Both Burgas and Varna, the two main airports in the area, have seen passenger numbers grow jointly by 59% year-on-year.

Georgia

Eurasia’s number one digital nomad hub may not traditionally be included in summer getaway lists due to its predominantly cold temperatures throughout the year, but it does reach pleasant temperatures in the upper 80s or 90s between June and early August. The bustling coastal city of Batumi and the seaside resort of Kobuleti are your best bet for catching a tan in the Caucasus.

Romania

Bordering Bulgaria to the North, Romania has a Black Sea coastline stretching for 152 miles, dotted with fishing villages, ancient sites, and water parks. The largest urban center facing the ocean is Constanța, where tourists can relax by the picturesque Plaja Eforie Nord, visit Roman ruins, and admire the classical architecture of the city center.

Turkiye

Turkiye’s top attractions are situated on its Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, but the underrated Black Sea province is home to plenty more gems that are yet to be tainted by mass tourism. Trabzon, for instance, is full of Byzantine landmarks and late 19th-century heritage houses with rococo facades, while the small town of Asmara is best known for crowd-free beaches and its laid-back nature.

Two other countries border each other along the Black Sea, namely Ukraine, and Russia, though they are not mentioned here due to the ongoing conflict, which makes them extremely dangerous to visit.

Get There While It’s Still A Hidden Gem

The Mediterranean has always been the go-to destination for Americans crossing the pond in spring and summer. Known for its lovely warm weather and Roman heritage, this region is definitely not one to be missed on a trip to Europe, but the Black Sea has its own charm and plethora of historical sights, and it won’t be quiet and peaceful for much longer – especially in the age of viral TikToks.

When it comes to cuisine, the Southeastern Europe diet is equally rich in protein and seafood. Red meat, pork products, dairy, and fish are consumed daily, in addition to locally-grown vegetables and potatoes. Winemaking is a defining trait for many Black Sea states, too: as a matter of fact, Georgia is the cradle of wine, having created it 6,000 years.

As the wise travel experts have proclaimed already, the cost of travel to Southern Europe has risen across the board – even Croatia, which once was perceived as the budget alternative to Italy, has succumbed. Fortunately, now you know the ‘Med’ is not the only warm sea in Europe.

Traveler Alert: Don’t Forget Travel Insurance For Your Next Trip!

↓ Join Our Community ↓

The Travel Off Path Community FB group has all the latest reopening news, conversations, and Q&A’s happening daily!

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LATEST POSTS

Enter your email address to subscribe to Travel Off Path’s latest breaking travel news, straight to your inbox

This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
[ad_2]

Source link
February 8, 2023