Left Cold by Bulgaria's Hot Coast

Finding a place to spend the night hadn't been this frustrating for ages. On one end were the mutrobaroque and full to the brim hotels, built amid grim communist-era buildings, on the other - the ancient part of the town and its bargain basement rooms to rent. The apartment I had booked in advance at a small family hotel proved to be unexpectedly occupied - the “ideal” finale to a scorching trip from Sofia on a run-down bus. My first day on Bulgaria's Black Sea this year was already a mess.

The omens have been decidedly inauspicious from the moment I stepped off the bus at the makeshift station at Sozopol only to be attacked by a pack of local rentiers, who just brought out my grouchy side.

It wasn't what I'd expected at all. I remembered Sozopol as a slightly moody but charismatic coastal town, with a hint of artistic melancholy. Its cobblestone paths, churches and ruins had left a deep impression in my childhood years. I believed it to be a great destination for short break fans, who would rather find their pleasures closer to home and whose batteries take longer to recharge. All the guidebooks agreed that Sozopol is one of the Black Sea coast's loveliest spots, so I headed out to see if they were right. They were certainly wrong.

Underdeveloped service mentality among employees, a rundown infrastructure, hordes of package tourists and crowded sands – Sozopol is definitely not getting higher up on the quality ladder. The resort's attractions - fairground rides and burger joints –would leave up-market tourists cold, even though the sea is more than warm for a dip. Against this backdrop the calls for developing cultural tourism after archaeologists found what are believed to be relics of John the Baptist seem to be rather far-fetched.

True, Bulgaria provides the best value for German and Russian tourists and has emerged as a budget alternative to Eurozone countries, but improper management of resources and poor strategy have dragged it down to the club of the lowest-market destinations in Europe. Small wonder budget proved to be a four-letter-word for the sector this year - while the number of foreign tourists is expected to mark a 5% increase, revenues are forecast to be down by at least 10%.

Tourism is one of, if not the most important industry for the perennially cash-strapped Bulgaria - it not only provides nearly 10% of the country's GDP, but is also a significant source of foreign currency and jobs. Unfortunately mass tourism will remain the staple product because the alternative forms are stifled by a lack of policy to regenerate and develop its resources - human, natural and cultural-historical.

Yet if you want to make a good holiday out of what appears a bad bargain, head for all those places flung in between the still virgin far-north and far-south and their peaceful beaches. Stay in explorer mode, so that you can avoid gangster-like security guards that put the squeeze on you for a lounger or a parasol. Go to Krapetz or Sinemoretz, place your towel on the sand of clean and peaceful beaches and relax. Parasols and loungers? What parasols and loungers?

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