Bourgas

Location: Bourgas is the second largest city on the Black Sea coast. It is situated in the western part of Bourgas Bay and is 390 km east of Sofia. The low level of the coast helped the formation of three beautiful lagoon-lakes. Atanassovo, Bourgas, and Mandren lakes are famous tourist attractions, which impress with their natural environment and beauty. Bourgas is situated between the sea and the first two lakes.

History: In ancient times Bourgas was a small Roman town called Deultum. Later it was called Develt. In the Middle Ages a small fortress called Pirgos was erected and it was once used as a watch-tower. In the 17th century Bourgas was given its present name.
Ever since the town has grown and has became the centre of the Southern Black Sea coast, famous for its tourist sites.
Nowadays Bourgas is the second-largest city on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and is also the fourth largest by population in the country, after Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna. Bourgas International Airport is a connecting point to major Black Sea resorts in Bulgaria such as Sunny Beach, Nessebar, Sozopol, Dyuni, Elenite and many others.

Sightseeing: There are plenty of places of interest in Bourgas, representing the Bulgarian culture and spirit at the Black Sea coast.
The first spot of interest is the District Museum of History. It was found in 1925 and today houses an archaeological hall with rich collection of the old colonies at the Black Sea coast. There are exhibitions of ceramic vessels, objects from everyday life, ancient coins and jewellery, Thracian tools, and miniature models of ancient settlements. There are also exhibits of modern history and objects, trailing the history of Bulgaria. The Art Gallery was established in 1945 and features halls, exhibiting foreign art, works of Bulgarian artists, and icons painted by Revival icon-painters.

The Sea Garden Park is another great place, where tourists can sit and relax amongst the beautiful nature of Bourgas.
It is situated on a high shore, flecked with beautiful flowerbeds, trees and sculptures.
A casino, a small zoo and the open-air theatre, which houses the annual International Folklore Festival, are within the park. The event is held under the motto "Nature - Man - Harmony" and one can feel the rhythm and enjoy the dances of the International contest for standard and Latin and American dances.

The central beach is situated below the Sea Garden Park, a beautiful staircase, forked in verdure leads to the beach.
The St. St. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral is another landmark, interesting for its marvelous frescos and wooden altar.
The Ethnographic Museum also deserves special attention. An interesting collection of traditional masks of koukeri, costumes typical for the region, and ritual accessories impress the tourists. There is a video-hall, where one can watch ethnographic and historical films.
The Museum of Nature and Science features exhibits, describing the geological characteristics of the earth, the region, the flora and the fauna.

Cultural Life: The cultural atmosphere of the city is outlined by The Philharmonic, the Opera House, the Theatre of Drama and the Puppet Theatre. There are numerous festivals and holidays held in the city of Bourgas: Five days of the Classical German and Austrian music - at the end of April, International Festival of Children's Choirs - at the end of May, Three-week Festival of Opera and Classic Music - July, International Folk Festival and A Week of the Arts for Children - August, International Pop and Jazz Session called "Bourgas and the Sea" - September and International Tournament in Standard and Latin-American Dances - December.

Transport: Bourgas Airport is open for domestic and international flights throughout the year. The flight to the capital city takes 40 min.
The railway station in Bourgas connects with all main directions around the country.
The express train to Sofia travels approximately 5 hours and a half, and it takes 3 hours to get to Plovdiv. The bus station is located next to the railway station, which is a starting point to many directions, including Sofia.

Accommodation & Dining: The city has many hotels of different categories, many private lodgings. The city is full of restaurants, pubs, beer-houses, taverns, and grocer's shops. Most of the luxury restaurants have live orchestra music and other entertainment too. The practical tourists may use the services of the traditional bakeries, pizza houses, and self-service establishments.

Vicinities: Bourgas Lake is the largest natural lake in Bulgaria, with an area of 27.60 square km. The lake is inhabited by a wide variety of species, including 60 fish, 60 invertebrates and 254 bird species (of which 61 endangered in Bulgaria). It is a nestling site of numerous pelicans, ibis, and herons.
Atanassovo Lake is situated between the airport and the city. It is a nestling site of many marsh and sea birds. There is a biosphere reserve nearby. The lake offers opportunities for fishing, swimming and relaxation.
Mandren Lake is located 10 km south of the city and is also an important ornithological reserve with a large bird population in summer. Small beautiful lagoons are formed in it and make it natural relaxation place.
The St. Anastassia Island is situated six kilometres east of the city. There is a well - preserved old church on the island, which impresses with its architecture style.
The mineral public baths are 13 km north-west of the city in the direction to Aitos. The remains of the old Roman town called Aetos were built round the mineral springs. A special curing mud for balneo-spa procedures is found there.
The Otmanli Park is 15 km away from Bourgas near Cape Choukalya. It is situated in a thick forest on a territory of 6000 decares. There is a hunting reserve and bungalows for recreation situated in the area.

Photos from Bourgas