Golden Sands
Meandering for 2 mls along the coast, Golden Sands is second only to the more southerly resort of Sunny Beach in size and accommodation capacity. It is a purpose-built, family-friendly and rapidly developing town with a cheerful, bustling atmosphere and its established greenery camouflages many of the slab-like concrete buildings on the hillside above the centre. The "local" population of around 445,000 come in from Varna and surrounding villages and are employed almost exclusively in the resort's service industry or have set up umpteen small shops, stalls and snack bars in the hope of becoming an overnight capitalist success. Black-market currency dealing, dodgy car rental and prostitution are the shadier attempts at making a fast, easy buck. The resort's focal point is its long, attractive beachfront promenade which is dotted with grassy areas and unusual sculptures and is lined with shopping kiosks, bars and restaurants. Parking in town is difficult (unless there is hotel parking) and roads are generally poor. Private transport is discouraged from entering the resort and there are various checkpoints manned by police and tourist authorities during the peak season