Top 10 Beach Bars around Sozopol
Dear lilioftheworld.com reader, here is Lili, your co-editor. Those of you who know me well, are aware of my passion for beaches. Respectively I like spending the time on the beach in chilled places with nice atmosphere- i.e. beach bars. Beach bars are something common in the country I’m coming from- Bulgaria. Call it a trend or be it a heritage (in the past these used to be small beach restaurants), nowadays many youngsters in Bulgaria are visiting the beach because of the beach bars. As we spent a lot of time in one of the most beautiful resorts in Bulgaria- Sozopol, I would like to share with you my recommendation for the best beach bars around Sozopol.
I should start with two disclaimers though. The first being the fact that the places I’m writing about below exist in the moment of writing this article (i.e. in 2020). As things change year on year (due to beach concessions, administrative stuff, economic situation, etc), these places might not be there the year after. I will try to update it each year, but in order to be on the safe side, please check the latest status of the location. Second, these are just my favorite beach bars around Sozopol. In general, the list bars is much longer. I would be glad to hear which are your preferred ones. I would even be happy to get recommendations for places which I did not visit so far.
Beach bar definition
For our non-Bulgarian readers I will explain what we mean by a “beach bar”. No, this does not mean that we are going there only for the drinks. These are cafes or bars located right on the beach which rent the area in front and provide beach chairs or other sitting equipment for the visitors. Some of the beach bars are also open in the evening when they are just normal bars.
They could offer food as well, but not all of them do so. Just like a normal bar, these places have waitresses which take your orders and bring them directly to the place you are sitting at the beach. In the list below I will try to give you tips about the availability of food, what kind of atmosphere to expect, what is the status of the WCs (very important thing at the Bulgarian sea coast). One of the biggest differences between the beach bars (in Sozopol and in general) is whether you should pay for the beach chairs/ puffs or not. As this might change year on year, as well as its price, I will just briefly mention what was the status in 2020. Please check the latest available information for the respective year. you are interested.
On the left you see Raffaello Bar&Food (Kavaci) and on the right- Surf Beach club (Chernomoretz)
And before proceeding further, one more tip. Just like you are making reservations for a bar or a restaurant, it is recommended that you make a reservation for your stay during the day at the beach bar. This is highly important for visits during the weekends and especially in July-August when it is the high summer season in Bulgaria. There are certain places where this is an absolute must, others- you might find free slots even if you go without a reservation. I will try to also point this out in the description below.
The majority of the beach bars around Sozopol have parking spaces in the vicinity. Parking there is also subject to a fee. This fee not only differs for the different places, but also in the different months of the summer. It goes without saying that during the highest season in July and August they are the highest.
Here are my list with Top 10 beach bars around Sozopol:
By far my most favorite beach bar in Sozopol area. And there are a couple of reasons for this. Firstly, the atmosphere. It is one of the big beach bars with a lot of seats. It is equipped with puffs (which they change almost every year) in vivid colors, very comfortable ones.
Besides the umbrella sets with puffs, El Tubo also has tents with kind of sofas/ benches for bigger groups and different celebrations. We have seen many birthday parties there (sometimes I wish my birthday was during the summer :). The music can be a bit loud, so if you are looking for a peaceful stay, this is not for you.
The puff and umbrella sets are subject to charge, which was below the average in the area. For the tents we did not have to pay (after reaching a certain bill). Reservation is nice-to-have because as mentioned above, the place is quite popular. It also has a parking space located 100m behind the beach. The parking is not big enough, so if you arrive later in the morning, there is a high probability there are no free slots. Still, there are other parking options in the area.
Food: There is a decent choice of food and cocktails, so that you do not need to move away from the beach during lunch time. I can recommend the lemonades and also the sandwiches for breakfast.
Toilet: Honestly this is one of the best ones on Kavaci/ Smokinya beach. The toilets in general are a downside for most of the beach bars on this beach. However, El Tubo has a proper toilet, one for men and one- for women, located on the back side of the building.
Location: Right in the middle of Kavaci camping. The sand is white and soft. Beware that the water is not very shallow after a few steps. In August especially there are strong currents in the area often resulting in red flags and respectively a ban for entering the sea.
2. Verano
Verano is another great place with a very creative set-up. It is located around 500m south of El Tubo beach bar. Although still in the same area, both the sea and sand are a bit different from the latter.
The area is not that crowded- it is a bit far from town and there are no parking spaces right next to it. However, Verano beach bar is extremely trendy, so reservation is a must even for the weekdays.
We had to book a week in advance for weekdays and for weekends- even longer upfront. As the bar is not big, the spaces are limited. It has puffs, but also some benches with tables to enjoy your drink in the cafe. In 2020, if you spend above a certain amount on drinks and food, the puffs rent was free of charge.
Verano beach bar is a very popular instagram- location due to the creative set-up. The place is also open in the evening.
Food: Limited choice, but still available. Pizzas were quite delicious. I can definitely recommend you to try the cocktails.
Toilet: Two toilets on the back of the cafe. These are proper toilets, following the creative interior of the beach bar.
Location: Smokinya camping, south of Sozopol.
3. Bash Bar
Bash Bar is one of the three bars (Bash bar, Kite bar and Dirty Gradina) located next to each other in the middle of the so-called “King’s beach” (Царски плаж) or the modern name Gradina camping.
The reason why it is my favorite is the fact that it is the least noisy of all three mentioned above and the cozy atmosphere created by the wooden set-up. Bash bar is equipped with beach chairs. As it works also in the evenings, the sitting area is like in any other bar. There are only two tents for bigger groups.
The beach chairs are subject to a fee and in fact this was the most expensive place in the area.
The entrance of Bash bar
Food: Although there is no food available in the beach bar, right next to it there is a small place offering only food. The restaurant has the funny name “She chakash” (something like “You are going to wait”). This comes to say that as this is the only place in the vicinity, the majority of Bash bar visitors are having their meals there, respectively the waiting time can be long at certain periods.
“She chakash” is the only place in the vicinity to get your meal
Toilet: In general the toilets of the beach bars at Gradina camping are much better compared to the beach bars to the south of Sozopol. Bash bar has 6 or 7 toilets located right behind the bar, nicely maintained the whole time.
Location: Gradina camping, north of Sozopol.
4. Iguana Bar Smokinia
Iguana bar is our new discovery in 2020- so far we have never been there. It captured my attention because of the loud, nice music which I heard during one of my walks along the beach.
Besides the puffs with umbrellas, Iguana beach bar has tents for bigger groups. Like the name suggests, you will find different “iguanas” around the place. Hammocks, swings and a boat make you feel you are in the Caribbean. It is another quite instagrammable spot. Make sure you try the cocktails. Similar to Verano beach bar, if your bill exceeds a certain amount, you are not requested to pay for the sitting.
The downside of this bar is that it is located right at the entrance of the camping area. This means that all the people are passing by when going to the beach. Also there are a couple of rows of beach chairs between the bar and the sea (unlike the previous three bars where there is no public area in front).
Reservation is required only in the busy season and on the weekends. Wherever we went on the weekdays (of course a bit earlier in the morning) we could find a nice spot without a reservation.
Food: There is no food in the bar, however in a circle of 50m there are 4 different restaurants. Highly recommended is the restaurant in yellow which you will find 100m behind Iguana beach bar. Very cheap prices, big portions and delicious meals.
Toilet: Another downside of this beach bar. It has only one toilet, and it is one of these portable chemical toilets. As the place is not small, very often you have to wait on a long queue for the toilet. Sometimes it even gets full, so they lock it.
Location: Smokinya camping, south of Sozopol.
5. Bar Botanik
Bar Botanik had become quite popular in the last years and is one of the most instagrammable locations on our seaside. The must-go place if you’d like to add some cuteness to your Instagram profile. It is situated closer to the neighboring town- Chernomoretz, rather than in Sozopol. Still you need a five-minutes drive in order to get there from Sozopol.
It is common to watch the sunset from there because of the amazing view towards the bay. As it is not right on the beach, I would recommend it for going there either for morning coffee or in the late afternoon. There are puffs where you can sunbathe and a few stairs which lead you to the water. Puffs are free of charge.
The place is quite peaceful during the day and somehow romantic during sunset
Make sure you try the cocktails there, served in cute little jars.
Food: To be honest I think food is not available there. However, right next to it there is another very famous place- Djanka del Mar, where you can have your meal in a romantic atmosphere under the trees and with a sea view.
Toilet: Unfortunately I cannot give any tips here as I haven’t used it.
Location: Chervenka beach, Chernomoretz
6. Bar Scent
If you are not in the mood of driving or taking a taxi to a neighboring beach, you can find some nice beach bars in Sozopol itself. Bar Scent, located at the central beach is a relaxed place to have your morning coffee or late night drinks. It is not a big one and it has only a couple of puffs. So, if you’d like to enjoy a beach bar at the central beach in Sozopol, you should be there one of the first.
Although very crowded during high season, the central beach is peaceful in June
The only disadvantage is that it is far from the water and there are several rows with public beach cheers in between. In general, the central beach in Sozopol gets very crowded in July/ August, so many Bulgarians (especially youngsters) try to avoid it.
Food: No food available, only drinks.
Toilet: Very good condition, a couple of toilets available.
Location: 4 “Cherno more” Str., 8130 Center, Sozopol, Bulgaria
7. Bottle Beach Bar
This is another bar located in Sozopol itself. It is on the beach in the new part of the town- Harmani, towards its central part. The bar offers a few big umbrellas with puffs which are suitable for bigger groups. Similar to some other beach bars on the list, the downside is that it is quite far from the sea. Still, it has a nice view as it is a bit higher than the sea level (located on a kind of small dune). The bar also works during the evening.
Youngsters are also not keen on this beach, thus this beach is less crowded. Respectively you will be able to find seats even without a reservation. No fee is charged for the puffs.
Food: Although no food is available, the street right next to the beach (known as “The Cheerful street” or “Веселата уличка” in Bulgarian) is full with different dining options.
Toilet: One toilet available at 50m behind the bar, it is one of these chemical toilets. The days when we were there it was well maintained.
Location: “Ropotamo” Str, 8130 Center, Sozopol, Bulgaria
8. SGarden bar&food
Another hidden gem which we discovered this year. If I have to be honest, we did not visit the place for a whole day, we just passed by to take some photos. However, the ambiance is really peaceful and it looks as if we are not in Bulgaria.
The place is decorated with a lot of style and attention to detail. It is located in the middle of the King’s beach, right in front of Gradina camping, far from the crowd.
Every detail at SGarden is well thought through
The bar offers beach chairs and also puffs, it is suitable for bigger groups. The place is a bit posh, so the prices are higher than the rest of the beach bars in the area.
The chilled beach area
Food: As the name suggests, food is also served there.
Toilet: No info unfortunately.
Location: King’s beach or Gradina camping, north of Sozopol
9. Machete Beach Bar
They advertise Machete beach bar as G&T bar. Its pink color makes it stand out among the other bars on the beach and this is how I spotted it during my walks. Nice cocktails, served with attention to detail are seducing the visitors and saying “take a picture of me and post me on Instagram”. Similar to the neighboring Iguana beach bar, Machete beach bar is far from the sea- a couple of public beach chair rows are standing in between the two.
The place offers a combination of puffs and beach chairs and it also has space to host bigger groups. The bar part is also quite picturesque, giving Mediterranean look to the place. As the bar was quite new, not many people knew about it this year. Reservation is not a must, but you better make it in order to be on the safe side.
Food: Similar to Iguana beach bar, no food is available. As mentioned earlier, there are quite a few options within 100m of walking. There is also no parking space dedicated to the bar, but you can use the parking of Smokinya camping or the one across the main road.
Toilet: This is the other downside of this beach bar. The toilet is right behind the bar, but it was not renovated, respectively in not-so-good condition.
Location: As unfortunately it is not listed on Google maps, I cannot screenshot the location. However, it is right next to Iguana Beach Bar- if you are facing the sea, it is on the left.
10. Dirty Gradina
Although this one is not among my favorites, I mention it because of the small restaurant located next to it (Scran) and because of the best frappe in the area that they make.
I have to admit though that during the whole season there was nothing to complain about in this bar as we visited it multiple times. They were always accepting our reservation requests, the toilets are plenty and quite clean. There is a huge parking space (fee required) right behind the bar. The beach chairs are available for a fee (smaller than the neighboring Bash Bar). No possibility for bigger groups, only in the bar part where you should sit on kind of sofas/ beds.
Dirty Gradina has been a very trendy beach bar in the last years mainly because of the day parties they organize. A foam party, champagne party, festival of colors and many others are among the most liked topics for a party. The bar is also open in the evening.
The only downside which comes to my mind is that the beach is quite dirty. The main reason for this is the rubbish left after the parties.
Food: No food available. There are three options in the area- one on the right (when facing the sea) and two- on the left. My clear recommendation is to go to Scran, which is one of the two on the left.
Toilet: Multiple toilets available, very well maintained.
Location: King’s beach, close to Gradina camping, north of Sozopol.
These were my current top 10 beach bars around Sozopol. I promise to update the article in case a new opening makes its way higher in the list of preferences. I hope I managed to capture your attention and to wake your curiosity to visit at least some of the places.
If you enjoyed this article, do not miss the other articles about Sozopol:
- 10 Reasons why Sozopol is a good idea for your holiday
- 25 Things to Do in Sozopol
- Exciting Dinner Spots Around Sozopol
- Best Restaurants with Views in Sozopol
Visit the other pages, dedicated to my home country Bulgaria:
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Great article! Thanks for sharing!
