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{{about||the American professional wrestler|Sunny Beach (wrestler)}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Sunny Beach
| native_name             = Слънчев бряг
| native_name_lang        = bul
| settlement_type         = Resort
| image_skyline           = Sanny beach. Foto by Victor Belousov. - panoramio - Victor Belousov (4).jpg
| image_caption           = View from the sea
| pushpin_map             = Bulgaria
| pushpin_map_caption     = Location of Sunny Beach
| coordinates             = {{coord|42|41|35|N|27|42|30|E|region:BG|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type        = Country
| subdivision_name        = [[Bulgaria]]
| subdivision_type1       = [[Provinces of Bulgaria|Province]] <small>(Oblast)</small>
| subdivision_name1       = [[Burgas Province|Burgas]]
| leader_party            = [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| leader_title            = Mayor
| leader_name             = Nikolay Dimitrov
| unit_pref               = Metric
| elevation_m             = 0
| timezone1               = [[Eastern European Time|EET]]
| utc_offset1             = +2
| timezone1_DST           = [[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]]
| utc_offset1_DST         = +3
| website = {{URL|https://www.sunnybeach.com/}} 
}}

'''Sunny Beach''' ({{langx|bg|Слънчев бряг}} {{IPA|bg|ˈsɫɤnt͡ʃɛf brʲak|}}, ''Slanchev bryag'') is a seaside [[resort]] on the [[Black Sea]] coast of [[Bulgaria]], {{cvt|35|km|0}} north of [[Burgas]] and {{cvt|94|km|0}} south of [[Varna, Bulgaria|Varna]].

Created in 1958 as a weekend getaway for Bulgarian families, Sunny Beach has become the largest tourist and vacation spot in the country. Today, the area contributes a significant part of the province's annual [[gross domestic product]]. Initially a small beachside resort, it has grown to include a large variety of recreational activities and services, gambling establishments as well as sports and music venues.

Its rapid growth makes it the largest resort on the entire [[Black Sea]] coast; to the south, the complex has merged with the town of [[Nesebar]].

== Tourism ==
[[File:Hotel Imperial Bulgaria Sunny Beach.jpg|thumb|200px|Hotel Imperial Bulgaria Sunny Beach]]
[[File:Majestic Hotel.jpg|thumb|200px|Hotel Majestic at night]]
[[File:Sunny Beach night panorama.jpg|thumb|200px|Sunny Beach at night]]
Sunny Beach has a very small permanent population, but during the summer the resort is home to many thousands of [[tourism|tourists]]. The main strip of high-rise hotels backing onto the beach is {{cvt|5|km|0}} long and extends along a wide bay between [[Sveti Vlas]] and [[Nessebar]], soon to connect with the village of [[Tankovo, Burgas Province|Tankovo]].

=== History ===
[[File:Äldre kvinna hänger baddräkter på tork, Solstranden, Bulgarien 1963 SLSA 1150 foto 4316.jpg|thumb|Sunnybeach in 1963. Photo by mediterranean sea traveler and writer [[Göran Schildt]]]]
The planning of Sunny Beach began in 1957, and construction began with decree No 120/30 June 1958 of the Council of Ministers of the [[People's Republic of Bulgaria]].
The construction of Sunny Beach began north of the [[Nessebar Strait]] in an area that geographers have long called the small Nessebar desert - endless sands that form dunes, including two wells of geraniums. From these two wells, a kilometer away from the town, the inhabitants of the peninsula drank water.

On June 1, 1959, the first restaurant, "Neptune", was opened.

During the afforestation of Sunny Beach, 550,000 m³ of fertile soil were transferred to the territory of the complex, 300,000 coniferous and deciduous large-sized trees were planted, 770,000 ornamental shrubs, 100,000 roses, 200,000 dunes, with investments exceeding BGN 150 million.

Sunny Beach is the first Bulgarian resort to be awarded the [[Blue Flag beach|Blue Flag]] eco award, erected by a beach ritual in front of the Europe Hotel on July 4, 1995.

The millionth tourist of the complex was registered on September 22, 1969. The two millionth tourist of the complex was registered on August 30, 1973. The five millionth tourist was registered on June 15, 1981. Official statistics show that for the period 1959 - 1988 7 699 100 people were vacationing in Sunny Beach, of which 5 162 600 were foreign tourists and 2 536 590 Bulgarian citizens. In 1989 it has 108 hotels with over 27,000 beds and over 130 restaurants, attractions and public places, night clubs, bars and discos, coffee shops and aperitifs. Sunny Beach EAD was a 100% state-owned joint-stock company until March 14, 1994, when it was announced for privatization by the Privatization Agency. On July 16, 1997, after the sale by the state of 25% of the company's capital through the first wave of mass privatization, the name of the issuer was changed to Sunny Beach AD.

Sunny Beach was selected as one of the Top 100 Beaches in the world in 2024, according to the prestigious Golden Beach Award, which highlights destinations renowned for their beauty, vibrant atmosphere, inclusivity, community spirit, and cultural significance.<ref>https://www.beachatlas.com/golden-beach-award-2024</ref>

==Transport==
The airports serving Sunny Beach are [[Burgas Airport]] and [[Varna Airport]]. Sunny Beach has established itself as one of the largest socio-economic centers in Eastern Bulgaria. The resort is connected with the cities of [[Varna, Bulgaria|Varna]], [[Burgas]], and [[Sofia]] through numerous bus lines.

==Attractions==
Attractions for tourists include the [[beach]], [[water sports]], and the nearby historic site of [[Nessebar]]. There are two [[water park]]s near the resort and third to be built soon near the exit to Kosharitca.
The Decade of Symphonic Music, part of the International Folklore Festival, fashion shows, and various beach competitions are held in Sunny Beach. The [[Golden Orpheus]] song contest was held here until 1999.

==Climate==
Sunny Beach has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''Cfa''; [[Trewartha climate classification]] ''Cf''). Average annual temperatures is around 14&nbsp;°C. During the summer the sea temperatures stay around 26&nbsp;°C.{{citation needed|date=February 2017}} Winters are cool, windy and have moderate rainfall.

{{Weather box
|location = Sunny Beach, Bulgaria (2000-2020)
|metric first = yes
|single line = yes
|Jan high C = 8.2
|Feb high C = 10.3
|Mar high C = 13.4
|Apr high C = 17.6
|May high C = 23.8
|Jun high C = 27.2
|Jul high C = 31.2
|Aug high C = 30.8
|Sep high C = 26.5
|Oct high C = 21.3
|Nov high C = 15.2
|Dec high C = 12.1
|year high C = 20.1
|Jan mean C = 5
|Feb mean C = 5
|Mar mean C = 8
|Apr mean C = 12
|May mean C = 19
|Jun mean C = 23
|Jul mean C = 26
|Aug mean C = 26
|Sep mean C = 21
|Oct mean C = 16
|Nov mean C = 11
|Dec mean C = 7
|year mean C = 15.8
|Jan low C = 1.9
|Feb low C = 3.1
|Mar low C = 5.7
|Apr low C = 9.5
|May low C = 14.3
|Jun low C = 18.0
|Jul low C = 21.5
|Aug low C = 21.6
|Sep low C = 17.4
|Oct low C = 12.9
|Nov low C = 8.3
|Dec low C = 3.8
|year low C = 11.2
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 44.3
|Feb precipitation mm = 47.6
|Mar precipitation mm = 48.2
|Apr precipitation mm = 69.8
|May precipitation mm = 49.9
|Jun precipitation mm = 32.1
|Jul precipitation mm = 27.6
|Aug precipitation mm = 28.4
|Sep precipitation mm = 45.5
|Oct precipitation mm = 62.2
|Nov precipitation mm = 68.9
|Dec precipitation mm = 57.1
|year precipitation mm = 581.6
|Jan humidity = 82
|Feb humidity = 78
|Mar humidity = 75
|Apr humidity = 76
|May humidity = 76
|Jun humidity = 74
|Jul humidity = 71
|Aug humidity = 72
|Sep humidity = 72
|Oct humidity = 77
|Nov humidity = 80
|Dec humidity = 81
|year humidity = 76
|Jan sun = 95
|Feb sun = 112
|Mar sun = 158
|Apr sun = 184
|May sun = 275
|Jun sun = 317
|Jul sun = 356
|Aug sun = 337
|Sep sun = 247
|Oct sun = 203
|Nov sun = 118
|Dec sun = 101
|year sun = 2503
|source 1 = Climatebase.ru<ref name= climate >{{cite web 
| url = http://climatebase.ru/station/15655/?lang=en
| title = Climatological Normals for Burgas, Bulgaria (2000-)
| publisher = Climatebase
| access-date = October 22, 2013}}</ref>
{{Weather box/row
   | metric first = yes
   | single line = yes
   | group_name = mean sea
   | label = Average sea temperature
   | Jan mean sea C= 9
   | Feb mean sea C= 7
   | Mar mean sea C= 8
   | Apr mean sea C= 12
   | May mean sea C= 18
   | Jun mean sea C= 24
   | Jul mean sea C= 26
   | Aug mean sea C= 27
   | Sep mean sea C= 24
   | Oct mean sea C= 19
   | Nov mean sea C= 14
   | Dec mean sea C= 11
}}
|source 2 = Holiday Check<ref name="sea temp">{{cite web |url=http://www.stringmeteo.com/synop/sea_water.php?year=2011#sel |title=Архив морска вода » 2011 |website=www.stringmeteo.com |access-date=9 May 2014}}</ref>
|date=October 2013 }}

==Media==
The BBC has broadcast the programme ''Booze, Bar Crawls and Bulgaria: [[Stacey Dooley Investigates]]''.  This focussed on the negative aspects of the Sunny Beach resort such as excessive drinking, overpriced private medical treatment and the availability of illegal drugs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03c5fp3|title=Booze, Bar Crawls & Bulgaria, The Truth About..., Stacey Dooley Investigates - BBC Three|website=BBC}}</ref>

The UK's [[Channel 4]] have commissioned [[Dragonfly Film and Television Productions]] to film three episodes of the next series of ''What Happens in Sunny Beach, Bulgaria''. The show portrays the activities of Britons who escape their mundane lives to enjoy the lawlessness of Sunny Beach.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.channel4.com/programmes/what-happens-in-sunny-beach-and-kavos/episode-guide |title=What Happens in Sunny Beach and Kavos... - Episode Guide - Channel 4 |access-date=2014-01-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140112050549/http://www.channel4.com/programmes/what-happens-in-sunny-beach-and-kavos/episode-guide |archive-date=2014-01-12 }}</ref>

In 2022, Channel 4 also commissioned Parable to produce the 6-part documentary series ''Emergency on Sunny Beach'', covering how local emergency services and frontline workers handle the summer peak in tourists, and what they think of the British tourists.<ref>{{Cite web |title=E4 declares an Emergency on Sunny Beach {{!}} Channel 4 |url=https://www.channel4.com/press/news/e4-declares-emergency-sunny-beach |access-date=2023-05-04 |website=www.channel4.com}}</ref> The series was broadcast in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Emergency on Sunny Beach {{!}} Channel 4 |url=https://www.channel4.com/programmes/emergency-on-sunny-beach |access-date=2023-05-04 |website=www.channel4.com |language=en}}</ref>
{{Panorama|image=File:Bulgarian Black Sea Coast WV banner.jpg|height=230|align=center|caption=View from hotel Kuban in 2005}}

== Gallery ==

<gallery mode="packed">
File:Sunny Beach sea.jpg
File:Hotel Imperial Bulgaria Sunny Beach.jpg
File:Bulgaria-Sunny Beach-01.jpg
File:Bulgaria-Sunny Beach-02.jpg
File:Bulgaria-Sunny Beach-04.jpg
File:Bulgaria-Sunny Beach-05.jpg
File:Bulgaria-Sunny Beach-06.jpg
File:Bulgaria-Sunny Beach-07.jpg
File:Bulgaria-Sunny Beach-08.jpg
File:Bulgaria-Sunny Beach-09.jpg
File:Bulgaria-Sunny Beach-10.jpg
</gallery>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.webcams.bg/211/hotel_golden_ina/ '''Sunny Beach''' – PTZ web camera] {{in lang|bg}}
*

{{Nesebar}}
{{Bulgarian Black Sea resorts|state=autocollapse}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Sunny Beach| ]]
[[Category:Geography of Burgas Province]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Burgas Province]]
[[Category:1958 establishments in Bulgaria]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1958]]