Bourgas, Bulgaria

Bourgas

In addition to the many art galleries and museums, there are various festivals that run throughout the year.

Beaches

Flanked by lakes and the dark sands of Bourgas Bay on the Black Sea, Bourgas is well sited for beach holidays as well as eco-tourism. Water-sports available include water-skiing, surfing and para-gliding.

Things to Do

Bourgas hosts numerous festivals throughout the summer. The Spirit of Burgas music festival, in conjunction with MTV, is held on the beach every August and in addition to the main stage there are 5 other stages dedicated to genres including Jazz and Blues, Rock and Hip Hop.

Other annual events include the International Sand Sculptures Festival, the International Flower Festival, Burgas and the Sea, promoting Bulgarian music; the International Folklore Festival, the Sea Garden Beer Festival and the Blues Festival.

Out and About

The Sea Gardens run for approx 2km along-side the beach, from the port to the Lake Park. These landscaped, floral gardens house a number of statues and monuments as well as cultural and entertainment venues; the Casino, the Summer Theatre and the Pantheon. Here you will also find tennis courts and summer activities.

Heading into town from the Port, the Customs Building, the former Catholic Church and the Church of St Mary provide attractive examples of late 19th and early 20th century architecture.

Clustered in the centre of town, you can visit Bourgas Art Gallery, the Archaeological Museum, the Natural History Museum and the St. St. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral or, you could take a boat trip to St Anastasia Island, home to an 11th century Monastery.

Nearby Attractions

The lakes of Bourgas are home to a vast variety of hibernating, migrating and nesting colonies of birds and the Poda Nature Centre has large bird-watching platforms and a 2.5km nature trail.

Beyond here, the lake fronted Radinovo Castle (30km), which has been designed to look like a medieval castle and has an art gallery and large gardens.

There are water parks at both the historic town of Nessebar and the beach resort of Sunny Beach, approx 35-45 minutes drive away.