“THE SEA BRINGS TOGETHER ALL THINGS FROM AFAR”
John Exarch, Bulgarian medieval author
To experience Burgas is to experience your dreams.
The caress of the salty sea breeze, the scent of the sea, the peaceful harmony filling the tiny streets, the great many smiling eyes welcoming you…
This all is Burgas – …the city that is opened to everything new and strange, the city with the most beautiful lakes, the city which gave birth to a number of talented artists who then moved throughout the world, the city hosting festivals that attract huge audiences from near and far. Burgas will make you laugh, walk barefoot on the sand, fall in love, be yourself… and for sure it will make you want to come back again and again.
Welcome! It is our great pleasure to meet you in Burgas!
BURGAS
Burgas is the biggest city in South-East Bulgaria, located on the Black Sea Coast. The city is regional and administrative centre of Burgas Region that includes 13 municipalities. The city has its own international airport, sea port of Burgas, a railway station and two central bus stations. Highway A1 “Trakia” connects the city to the capital Sofia. There are good connections by road between Burgas and all other Bulgarian Black Sea Coast cities and towns. The European Transport Corridor No. 8 passes through Burgas, which is the shortest terrestrial connection between the Adriatic and the Black Sea Coasts. Whichever means of transport you chose to come to Burgas – whether by plane, train, bus, car or by sea, you cannot go wrong. There is one thing for sure – Burgas is closer than you can imagine and the trip to over here is definitely worth it.
NATURE
The natural resources of Burgas are undoubtedly one of the reasons for the city to be a preferred place for tourism and recreation. Wherever you look at it from, Burgas is surrounded by water – both sea and fresh water. To the east is the Black Sea, to the west of the coast there are three lakes – Burgas, Atanasovsko and Mandrensko Lakes – they form the larges complex of seaside lakes in Bulgaria and are declared protected natural territories.
One of the most valuable treasures on the territory of Burgas is the coastline and the sandy beaches with fine golden sand, gradually deepening sea level, calm and clean water, light and pleasant breezes. The Bay is homeland of around 140 different fish species. One of the largest air “highways” for seasonal migration of birds in the entire European continent – Via Pontica – passes over the Burgas lakes.
15 km away from the city centre is another treasure of nature – Burgas Mineral Springs – one of the oldest mineral springs with water temperature of 41.5oC. To the south of Burgas is the largest Bulgarian nature park – Strandzha Mountain.
The climate in Burgas is classified as humid subtropical climate with both sea and continental influence. The average temperature in the summer reaches 22.7oC with occasional maximum day temperatures of over 20oC to be noticed as late as November. The average monthly number of sunny hours is 328.6 in July. During the winter, the weather is still milder in comparison to the inland areas and snowfalls are rare.
HISTORY
A number of unique archaeological findings are proof of the millennia of history in the area – ancient village mounds from the Neolith, Thracian sanctuaries and tombs, ruins of Roman cities, Byzantine and Medieval castles, architectural protected zones and ethnographic complexes, churches and monasteries.
Some of the biggest battles of the Bulgarian State against the Byzantine Empire took place in the area of Burgas. The victories of Khan Tervel at the Anhialo field in 708 and Khan Kardam at the Markeli fortress in 792 approved the Bulgarian state. During the rule of the Ottoman Empire, the city evolved as an educational and cultural centre. In the 18th century, the Port of Burgas is the largest port to the south of the Balkan Mountain. Burgas won its liberation from the Ottoman ruling on 6 February 1878. In the beginning of the 20th century, the city is developing, modernizing and very quickly becomes a commercial, industrial and a cosmopolitan center that has connections by land, air and sea.
CONTEMPORARY BURGAS
In the last few years, Burgas has established itself as one of the most dynamically developing cities in Bulgaria and has acquired the looks of a modern European city. Today, Burgas is an important industrial, commercial, transport, cultural and tourism centre. Several times the city has been selected as the “Best City to Live in Bulgaria”.
Burgas holds a leading position among Bulgarian municipalities in terms of economic potential – it is a port city with its own international airport as well as excellent terrestrial infrastructure.
If you ask around Burgas which is the most romantic place, most of the people will tell you it’s the Seaside Park. The Seaside Park is not just a park by the seaside, it’s the heart of the city, the muse and inspiration of generations of artists, poets, and musicians; it’s been the stage of a thousand love stories…
The Seaside Park was built back in 1910 by the landscaper Georgi Duhtev who turned the bare windy space between the city and the sea into one of the most beautiful parks in Bulgaria. His passion for exotic plants brought hundreds of plant species to the park from all continents; they bring an exotic atmosphere to the park even today. The old part of the Seaside Park has been established as a monument of park art. The park spreads over 600 decres and is more than 5 kilometres long. You will need a few hours if you want to walk around it.
Enchanted by the beautiful view, you will walk past the colourful and refreshing fountains, telling the city story with its sprays, past the Sea Casino which is now both a culture centre and a favourite place for leisurely activities, past the open stage of the “Snail”, where everyone gathers every day to listen to music during the evening concerts or just to relax outdoors.
The Gramophone is one of the city symbols, located at the oldest largo of Burgas – Bogoridi St., which is an architectural monument of culture. The Gramophone, designed by the talented artist Rusi Stoyanov, even today draws curious looks and is one of the many attractions of Burgas.
The Gramophone is quite imposing, standing at around 2 meters tall. You can often see children around it, competing to turn the handle fastest; but don’t be shy – you can indulge your inner child and spin the gramophone yourself – for luck or just for fun.
Curious fact: Old Burgas citizens say that when you turn the gramophone handle and listen really carefully, you can hear the name of the person who loves you…
One of the indisputable symbols of Burgas is the Clock at the corner of Bogoridi St. and Alexandrovska St. built in the beginning of 20th century. It has been the favoured place for meeting up with friends for generations of Burgas citizens. The Clock even today keeps not only perfect time, but also the memory of many first dates, heartfelt hugs and enamoured looks.
Burgas citizens often joke that if you have time to kill and nothing to do, you can always stand near the Clock and pretend you are waiting for someone…and no one would think you were alone. Who knows…someone might actually turn up…
Every summer season Burgas Marine Station is a hotspot for events such as Spice Music Festival, Teen Boom Fest, concerts of world stars such as Lenny Kravitz. The area is a favourite place of fishermen, sports people, Burgas residents and tourists.