Results of the Annual Ranking of the Campsites in Bulgaria 2019

The Annual Rankings of the Bulgarian Campsites #BestBGcamp  has ended. The study has been conducted for the fifth year at the end of the summer season. It has been carried out by Camping.bg with the help of Market Links and SportDepot. A record 835 people voted in the poll. For the first time this year, the questionnaire also had a full English version. It targeted foreign guests who accounted 8.5% of the total number of participants.

Among the Bulgarians prevails the share of women who voted. For the foreigners the gender distribution is equal. The most active responders were the residents of Sofia, Burgas and Plovdiv. Just over half of the respondents are between 36 and 50 years old.

Here is the final ranking of the Bulgarian campsites in the different categories:

1. Favorite campsite on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast:

A favorite camping at the sea:

I place: Silistar 
II place: Yakoto miasto
III place: Gradina

Silistar is a second time winner for the last 2 seasons. After acquiring new hosts in 2018, the campsite is undergoing rapid development and is becoming increasingly liked by Bulgarians and foreigners. The second place is taken by Yakoto miasto (the Cool Place), which steps again in the top three after it lost positions in 2018. Gradina is an annual favorite in the top 3. 

Asked "What attracts you to your favorite campsite?" Silistar's fans put the beautiful nature around first, those of the Cool Place - the freedom of the children, and for Gradina it is the vicinity to the sea.

2. Favorite campsites inland:

I place: Kapinovski Monastery campsite
II place: Emanuil 
III place: Batak eco-camping

Kapinovski Manastir and Emanuil campgrounds have once again confirmed their positions as favorites in the country, and Batak eco-campsite, which was briefly absent from the rankings, took a top position again. The leading factors that make guests choose a vacation in these three campsites are the beauty of the surrounding countryside for Kapinovski Manastir, the hospitality for Emanuil, and again the beauty of nature for Batak.

TOP 10 of the favorite campsites in Bulgaria:

1. Kapinovski Manastir, Veliko Tarnovo
2. Silistar
3. Yakoto Miasto
4. Emanuil, Zhrebchevo dam
5. Batak, eco-camping, Tsigov Chark
6. Gradina
7. Irakli
8. Veliko Tarnovo, Dragizhevo village
9. Dospat, eco-camping
10. Offshore Camp 

3. Category "Hygiene":

This year, the category "Hygiene" evaluates the overall convenience and hygiene of bathrooms, tourist kitchens and dishwashing areas. The winners are:

I place: Kapinovski Monastery - 4.59 points
II place: Zora camping, Obzor - 4.47 points
III place: Emanuel camping - 4.43 points

4. Category "Convenience of Campsite's pitches" 

Here, the respondents evaluated the accommodation in the campsites in terms of pitches' size and ground cover, power supply, water supply, shade, and proximity to the bathrooms.

I place: Kapinovski Monastery - 4.65 points
II place: Emanuil - 4.50 points
III place: Zora - 4.42 points

5. Category "Additional Ammenities" 

The "Additional Ammenities" category includes the additional facilities that campsites offer, such as a playground, sports fields, swimming pool, bicycles and boats for rent and more. In this category, the three leading campsites are:

I place: Kapinovski Monastery - 4.52 points
II place: Yakoto Miasto (The Cool Place campsite) - 4.33 points
III place: Emanuil  - 4.22 points

This year's leader, the Kapinovski Monastery, climbs 2 positions compared to 2018 and 2017 and takes the top spot. Emanuil remains one position back from 2018, displaced by Yakoto Miasto, which returns to its 2017 position.

6. Category "Additional Services and Accessibility"

This category evaluates guests' accessibility to shops, restaurants and essentials. The leaders this year are:

I place: Zora - 4.63 points
II place: Yakoto Miasto - 4.49 points
III place: Kapinovski Monastery - 4.16 points

Zora and Yakoto Miasto climb one position up from 2018 and push out of the ranking of Oasis, Zverino, who remains in fifth place, preceded by the Kapinovovski Monastery and the new Campsite Atliman in Kiten.

7. Category "Hospitality"

The "Hospitality" category is new and rates guests service and attitude towards them in 2019.

I place: Kapinovski Monastery - 4.59 points
II place: Emanuil - 4.53 points
III place: Silistar - 4.51 points

8. Category "Development and Improvement of the Facilities"

The respondents rated the campsites they have visited at least twice in the last 5 years. The three leading campsites in that category are:

I place: Kapinovski Monastery - 4.69 points
II place: Silistar - 4.46 points
III place: Yakoto Miasto 4.41 points

9. Category "Service Improvements" 

In this category, the respondents evaluated campsites based on at least a double stay for the last 5 seasons.

I place: Zora  - 4.77 points
II place: Atliman - 4.67 points
III place: Kapinovski Monastery  - 4.66 points

The Kapinovski Monastery, which has been the leader for the last 3 seasons (2016 - 2018), has been displaced by two key sea camps this year. Built 10 years ago, Zora is a pioneer of new campsites in the country and attracts guests from around the world, making year-on-year investments in the development of accommodation and park layout. Atliman opened doors in 2018 not quite ready, but in 2019 made a serious request to become a European-class campsite.

10. Category "Location and Surroundings" 

The three most preferred campsites by the Bulgarians because of their location and the surrounding nature are:

I place: Silistar - 20,5%
II place: Kapinovski Monastery - 14.9%
III place: Yakoto Miasto - 12,8%

Text: Tsvetomira Tsotsova
Camping.bg