Burgas is located on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria 385 kilometers from the capital Sofia. It is the cultural center of the country and one of its main resorts. The city was founded by the ancient Greeks at the very beginning of our era and was known on the shores of the Black Sea under the name Pyrgos. However, there is practically no data about that era in modern archaeological sources. The most recent mention of these places dates back to 1829, when during the Russian-Turkish war, this territory was occupied by the Turks, and the population was only five thousand people. The larger-scale development of Burgas began in 1903, after the French company “Batignolles” built a port here, seeing considerable prospects for such an investment, in the geographical position of the city and mild climatic conditions. Since then, the Burgas resort has been developing rapidly, turning into one of the most promising destinations in the Bulgarian tourism industry.

Features of the Burgas resort

Now the image of modern Burgas is formed by modern hotels, glamorous entertainment centers, shopping complexes, elite restaurants, as well as traditional streets of the old town, low houses and wooden taverns, made in a characteristic medieval style.

Climate

Located on the Black Sea coast, Burgas is an ideal vacation spot from May to the first half of September. The air temperature at this time of year rarely exceeds +30 degrees and mainly varies in the range from +24 to +30. Due to the light breeze blowing from the sea, even on the hottest days it is not stuffy here.

How to get to the resort of Burgas?

In the Sarafovo area, Burgas International Airport (Burgas Airport, IATA: BOJ) is located, which receives flights from all over Europe, including Ukraine. During the summer high season, additional charter flights are organized from Kiev and the regions of Ukraine. Domestic flights are operated by local air carriers from Sofia. From the airport to the Burgas railway station, bus number 15 follows, the journey takes about 30 minutes, and the cost is 0.45 euros.

Transport in Burgas

Public transport in Burgas is represented by buses and minibuses, which operate from 5:45 to 23:00. The average fare is 0.6 leva. To explore the city independently, you can rent a car or a more environmentally friendly form of transport – a bicycle.

Beaches in the resort of Burgas

The tourist infrastructure in Burgas is developed at a fairly high level. The wide sandy beaches of the coast are equipped with sun loungers, mattresses and umbrellas, which allows vacationers not to burden themselves with everyday problems. The city’s sandy beach of Burgas is quite popular, its cleanliness is maintained, and thanks to the gentle entrance to the sea, even small children can swim. The northern beach of the city was awarded the Blue Flag for cleanliness.

Sights

The most picturesque attraction of the resort is the Seaside Park, with historical monuments and sculptures located on its territory. Its length along the coast is more than seven kilometers. Flower beds and tall green trees, framed by dense foliage, harmoniously fit into the surrounding landscapes. Among the numerous sculptures you can see busts of famous people of the past, including the bust of the Polish poet Adam Mickiewicz, in whose work there was also a place for mentioning a small Bulgarian town. The park is home to the Summer Open-Air Theater, on the podium of which musical groups regularly perform and various festivals are held. In addition, there is a miniature zoo, which is of particular interest to children, and a picturesque pedestrian alley, along which you can go to the central part of the city.

The most important cultural component of Burgas is considered to be the city’s Archaeological Museum, built at the beginning of the twentieth century. Its halls present interesting artifacts and collections of objects from ancient times that have survived to this day since the Thracian era. Ceramics, coins, tableware and household items, tombstones made of stone, as well as piercing and cutting military weapons belonging to different cultures. Among the exhibits from later times, gold objects made by the first representatives of European civilization stand out. Not far from the archaeological museum are the Renaissance Museum, with its unique works of art and sculpture, and the Navy Museum, which presents in its halls the entire history of the Bulgarian Navy, including ship sketches and exhibits made in the form of models that tell about key battles in the waters of the Black Sea in different years.

The main religious monuments of the resort are the Cathedral Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius and the Armenian Church. It is located in the immediate vicinity of the city’s main hotel – “Bulgaria”. This is one of the oldest buildings in the region and in 1970 the temple received the official status of a cultural monument of the country.

The main historical value of the Bulgarian resort is the majestic Pyrgos Fortress, located on the shores of Lake Mandren. Today it is a majestic ruin of a once formidable fortress built by the ancient Greeks. Unfortunately, during the Russian-Turkish war the fortress suffered serious destruction and has not been restored since then. However, the picturesque places and beautiful nature of this lake region still create a unique entourage around the Pyrgos Fortress and regularly attract a large army of foreign tourists here.

Entertainment in Burgas Resort

There are water vehicle rental points right on the beach area, and for extreme sports enthusiasts there are special price lists with a description of attractions and their cost. Such sports as diving or water skiing always require the presence of an experienced instructor who, for a fee, will share his knowledge and experience with any beginner and teach you how to use all the associated attributes of these activities. All hotels have convenient and functional transport links to the city center and its surroundings.

Bicycle rides

Travelers who love active pastime and sports will find something to do thanks to the ecotourism promotion program implemented by the city authorities. A wide variety of routes are at your service. Traveling along them, you will discover the natural beauty and cultural features of Bulgaria – for this there are short ones that introduce you to the outskirts of the city, taking up half a day, and long ones – complex and multi-day, designed for those who are new to cycling. The length of the easiest route is twenty km, and the longest – more than two hundred and twenty.

Whichever route you take, any of them boasts panoramic views, introduces you to historical and cultural monuments, delights with beautiful landscapes and corners of wild nature. You will visit national parks and other interesting towns. These tourist routes were specially developed to fully satisfy the interest of visitors to the country’s sights. For example, using route number one, you will see the main attractions in Burgas, then, leaving its borders, you will get to Atanasovskoe Lake, you will reach the Thracian tombs. Every tourist, using a rented two-wheeled vehicle, is able to make such a trip and receive pleasant memories as a reward thanks to acquaintance with the beauties of Bulgaria.

Safari on ATVs

Most often, visitors from Ukraine in countries such as Egypt or Tunisia, tour operators offer active entertainment – trips on ATVs. However, recently, tour operators that organize active recreation in Bulgaria for visitors have also begun to offer such an interesting option for walks in nature. This is what the company “PH Quads” is doing here. The natural landscapes located north of Burgas are very well suited for ATV rides: these are flat fields and low hills. The instruction lasts only fifteen minutes, special skills for driving this vehicle are not required, and immediately after training you can hit the road.

This pleasant feature is very popular with tourists, so this type of entertainment is, accordingly, quite popular among them. It is better to book places for the next group in advance – especially if you are planning such an active vacation with a large company. The level of organization of trips is quite high, the company that runs this business provides tourists with a transfer to the place of riding, and charges a small fee for it. The cost of this entertainment is sixty leva, the trip lasts about an hour and fifteen minutes. During this short trip, tourists are given the opportunity to see the local landscapes, enjoy the beauty of Bulgarian nature and experience bright positive emotions.

Kayaking

These days, among tourists coming to Burgas, such entertainment as kayaking is gaining popularity. It is organized by the company “Kayak Safaris”, which offers a wide program of water mini-cruises. They are held from May to September, and the arena of this active entertainment is the Fakiyska River, which is located fifty kilometers from the city. It has a shallow depth and a slow current, so for an ordinary vacationer to cope with a kayak will not be particularly difficult. Each tourist gets his own boat, and children who have not reached the age of eleven sit with one of the adults.

During such a trip, you will be able to observe representatives of the local aquatic fauna, birds, a large number of butterflies, as well as enjoy the view of magnificent natural landscapes. You will merge into one with the natural world of Bulgaria, breathing in clean air and gaining unique impressions. To organize such entertainment, you should take care of booking a place in advance. Depending on the agreement with the organizing company, you will either be provided with a transfer to a convenient place for you (for a small additional fee), or they will wait for you at the starting point of the water walk.

Features of vacation in Burgas

If you are going to relax in Burgas, then we want to warn you right away that this city is not quite suitable for a beach holiday, or rather, it is not suitable at all. Despite the fact that Burgas has a lot of hotels and its own city beaches, the sea in the resort area is quite dirty and swimming in it is certainly not worth it.

The reason for all this is the large seaport, and the location of the city, which is located on the shore of the Burgas Bay, excludes the possibility of sea water being renewed by currents. It turns out that all port pollution, as well as all garbage that can get into the sea in the area of the city limits, is delayed in the bay until the wind blows from the coast. For this reason, even city residents, when it comes to beach holidays, try to spend their weekends outside the city.

If you are happy with the prospect of living in Burgas and going out of town every day for the beach, then go for it. But I don’t think it will be a good option. There are a large number of resorts around the city where you can relax quite comfortably. Moreover, the conditions for relaxation at these resorts are very diverse, from party and noisy, like Sunny Beach, to calm and secluded, for example Dune.

Perhaps some people are attracted to Burgas as a big city, where you can find entertainment for every taste at any time of the day or night, but then you will have to sacrifice something. Either swimming in the sea, replacing it with a pool, or the inconvenience associated with trips to country beaches.

As you can see, everything has its pros and cons, but it is worth admitting that there will be more cons in such a vacation. Naturally, with such a state of sea water, there is no need to talk about vacationing with children. After all, the essence of the vacation itself is more about improving your health, and not the risk of losing it. Therefore, you should not tempt fate and choose safer resorts. Let them be not so civilized, but they meet all sanitary standards.

Some sites write about crystal clear sea water in the Burgas area, but this is more likely for the sake of advertising real estate sales in the city. It happens to be clean, but not often. It is worth noting that the central city beach is also not very well equipped and there are very few sun loungers with umbrellas. Of course, I don’t want the article to be so negative, but it’s better for tourists to have an objective idea of a particular resort than to later curse the author for providing inaccurate information. Agree, it’s much nicer when it turns out better than what you expect than when you’re disappointed. We don’t think it’s worth paying a lot of money for such a vacation.

When is it better to relax in Burgas?

The first vacationers on the beaches of Burgas appear in May, but this does not mean that the summer season has already begun. Although the daytime temperature allows you to sunbathe, the temperature of the water in the sea is quite low and not everyone will have a great desire to swim. In reality, you can relax at this resort from mid-June to mid-September, so when planning your vacation, you should consider only these three months. I can’t say that prices will differ significantly, depending on the period falling into this period. If you are interested in a lower price for a vacation, then in this case you need to choose a time before or after the period that we have named. In May or the second half of September you can really count on some discount on the price of a tour or accommodation in the private sector.

The climate of the Black Sea coast in the Burgas area is quite mild and there are no exhausting high temperatures. Therefore, you can relax even in the hottest period, which lasts from mid-July to the end of August. As for temperature indicators, the sea from mid-June to mid-July can be within + 21 + 25 degrees, of course, in the case of this resort, which is located on the shores of the Burgas Bay, the water temperature is largely influenced by the air temperature and the presence of sunny days, as a result of which the bay warms up. The daytime air temperature at this time is also quite high and often exceeds the thirty-degree mark. But it is worth noting that closer to night it becomes quite cool, and it will not be possible to walk or sit on the terrace after eight o’clock in the evening in light clothes. Therefore, when going for a walk or an open-air summer restaurant, it is worth taking something from the appropriate clothing.

The hottest time begins in the second half of July, by August the water in the sea warms up to +27 degrees, and the daytime temperature often exceeds the thirty-five degree mark. But directly near the sea, this heat is not felt very much. You can feel the stuffiness only when you are in the city itself, where the coolness of the sea does not reach, and the heat comes from the surrounding asphalt and concrete, which are warmed by sunlight. This weather lasts for the entire following month of August. The evenings become a little warmer, although the peculiarity of the local climate is that the difference between day and night temperatures is quite large and can reach fifteen to twenty degrees, which must also be taken into account.

The first half of September is quite suitable for a beach holiday, and although the air is quite warm, and the water in the sea has not yet dropped below +23 degrees, the end of the season is already felt, as some hotels begin to close, and the number of tourists is noticeably decreasing. There is no longer that hustle and bustle, but for a holiday with small children this is a very suitable period. Although, in our opinion, Burgas is not the best option for a holiday, especially if there are children, since the cleanliness of the sea in the area of the city leaves much to be desired.

In the second half of September, tourists almost completely leave the beaches, and on those days when the weather still allows you to sunbathe and swim in the sea, mainly locals or those who did not seek to come here for the sake of a beach holiday.

Розміщення

Зупинитися в Бургасі можна як в недорогих готелях 3 *, так і більш комфортабельних 4-5 *. Місцеві жителі в сезон здають житло в приватних будинках і квартирах, але гарантії якісного обслуговування в цьому випадку немає.

Кухня

У Бургасі безліч ресторанів і кафе з болгарської, міжнародної та більш екзотичними видами кухні. Національна кухня досить проста, але смачна і ситна, обов’язково варто спробувати місцеві страви, а невеликий рахунок вас приємно здивує.

Ресторан «New Shanghai»

Уже виходячи з назви даного закладу, можна заздалегідь зробити висновок про те, страви якої кухні Вам тут запропонують. Прямо зі входу ресторан «New Shanghai» зустрічає відвідувачів східним колоритом, у вигляді відповідного оформлення – драконів, китайських ліхтариків та іншого в тому ж дусі. Заклад має гідний інтер’єр, місткість ресторану досить велика. Особливо добре бувати в ньому, коли на вулиці гарна погода. Є меню англійською мовою, в якому можна побачити качку по-шанхайський, свинину в кисло-солодкому соусі, кальмарів в клярі, а також інші кулінарні шедеври, властиві китайській кулінарній традиції. Розміри порцій дуже солідні, Ви зможете повністю втамувати голод, замовивши всього одне блюдо. Особливо, якщо візьмете до нього в якості гарніру овочі або водорості.

Всі, хто тут буває, постійно відзначають високу якість пропонованих сортів китайського чаю. Загалом, якщо Ви – любитель і шанувальник східних гастрономічних традицій, то Вам тут однозначно сподобається: адже якою б не була прекрасною місцева болгарська кухня, з часом і вона може приїстися. Вартість страв не дуже висока. Ресторан зручно розташований поблизу від Приморського парку. Можна поставити машину практично біля самого закладу – для багатьох приїжджих це великий плюс. По суті, даний ресторан є найкращим подібним гастрономічним закладом на все місто.

Ресторан «Happy Bar and Grill»

Напевно, навіть професіоналу буде вельми складно розібратися з кулінарним напрямком даного ресторану: тут Вам пропонують і японські суші, і страви місцевої традиції, і звичайні європейські … Наприклад, можна побачити спагетті «Аморе Міо» з куркою і сиром пармезан, а поруч – спагетті «Фрут ді маре» з креветкою і кальмаром – як блюдо рибної кухні; однак, глянувши на сусідню сторінку, ми можемо побачити свинячу вирізку під соусом «самурай» або філе телятини з цибулею … А на іншій сторінці погляду відвідувачів представляється величезна різноманітність японських кулінарних шедеврів … Загалом, Ви можете побувати тут неодноразово, і кожен раз пробувати якесь нове і незвичайне для Вас блюдо.

Тому-то цей ресторан такий популярний. І ще тому, що розташований він дуже зручно – на вулиці Олександрівській, яка є однією з центральних. Графік роботи цього гастрономічного закладу – з 10:00 до 24:00. В основному відвідувачі сходяться з настанням вечора, тому в такий час в ресторані «Happy Bar and Grill» народу вельми немало. Привабливий цей ресторан і своїми порівняно невисокими цінами. Вартість обіду в даному закладі на двадцять-двадцять п’ять відсотків нижче, ніж в більшій частині інших місцевих ресторанів.

Ресторан «Pri Lipite»

Назва цього закладу значить в перекладі «під липами», проте широку популярність він завоював не через свою назву, і навіть не через те, що вона відповідає фактичному оформлення закладу, чиї столики розташувалися під цими деревами, а через велику різноманітності пропонованих страв. Тут можна спробувати різні новації болгарської кухні – варіантів дуже багато. Одних супів тут не менше шести видів – такі, як суп зі шпинату, екзотичний суп-рубець або незвичайний «суп Телешко опашкі». Безліч м’ясних страв, можна спробувати курячу печінку з чорносливом, свинячу вирізку з сушеними травами, тушковану картоплю з кропом і часником, маринований козячий сир із зеленню … Тут можна покуштувати страви з усіх куточків країни. Досить популярні в цьому ресторані десерти, серед яких можна відзначити торти, що приготовлені відповідно до національних рецептів, які зберігалися протягом багатьох поколінь.

Інтер’єр цього закладу дуже затишний, господарі доклали зусиль до того, щоб він відповідав основному гастрономічному напрямку – оформлення підібрано відповідно до традицій болгарського зодчества. Ресторан «Pri Lipite» розташовується в старому будинку, вік якого нещодавно подолав вікову межу. Довго шукати цей заклад не доведеться – він розташований на вулиці Баттенберга, поблизу від «Гранд-готелю».

Шопінг

У Бургасі прекрасні можливості для шопінгу, що підтверджує безліч туристів, які вирушають сюди за покупками з сусідніх курортів – Несебра, Сонячного Берега і ін. Літній одяг і взуття можна купити як в недорогих магазинчиках, так і в торгових центрах зі світовими брендами. Варто звернути увагу на косметику і місцеву продукцію.

Маса розваг на будь-який смак, насичена екскурсійна програма і різноманітні ресторани з вишуканими меню, роблять Бургас одним з кращих курортів Болгарії.