- Sights of Burgas
- Lakes in the vicinity
- Everyone to the park!
- St. Anastasia Island
- City museums
- Delicious points on the map
Burgas is one of the five largest cities in Bulgaria and occupies consistently high places in the rating of the Black Sea beach resorts loved by tourists. The founders of the settlement of Pyrgos, which existed on the site of modern Burgas, were Greek colonists. In ancient times, they went in search of new lands. The Greek colony then turned into a fishing village, giving rise to the now flourishing Bulgarian resort.
The climate ideal for a beach holiday, modern tourist infrastructure, affordable prices for hotel rooms and meals in restaurants are the main reasons for the popularity of the city. When composing an excursion route and choosing where to go in Burgas, do not forget about the picturesque surroundings of the resort.
Sights of Burgas
There are no too old buildings in the city, but its center looks very interesting for fans of the Art Nouveau architectural style. Most of the buildings in the center were built in the first third of the last century.
One of the oldest buildings in Burgas is the largest city church. The first stone in the foundation of the temple was laid in 1895, and ten years later the church was consecrated in honor of Cyril and Methodius. Funds for the construction were collected by the whole world, and the Italian architect Toscani was the author of the project and the head of the work. The temple is decorated with stone carvings, spiral staircases are located in each of the two bell towers, and the stained glass windows above the main portal depict the saints to whom the temple is dedicated. There are several highly revered icons in the church, and among them is the Mother of God from Russia. The image is known for the fact that the face of the Virgin Mary was pacified after they began to build a parking lot near the temple.
Another famous landmark of Burgas, where any vacationer should definitely go, is the pedestrian street Aleksandrovskaya. In addition to a cafe with traditional Bulgarian dishes on the menu, the local Arbat is famous for the monument to the suitcase. The image, made of bronze, symbolizes the luggage of a tourist who came from the beaches of Burgas. The suitcase is full of seashells that have brightened quite a bit from the touches of vacationers who want to rub them "for good luck."
Lakes in the vicinity
Standing on the shores of the Black Sea bay of the same name, Burgas is surrounded by three more lakes. Ponds are often on the list of must-see excursions for tourists interested in bird watching:
- Lake Vaya bore this name until the mid-40s. last century. Now it is called Burgas Lake. This natural body of water stretches for almost 10 km in length. The shallow depth and proximity to the Black Sea coast create ideal conditions for the habitation of a huge number of birds on the former Vai. In the reserve, organized on the Burgas Lake, there are more than 250 species of birds, and some of them have a special protected status in Europe. Above Vaya lies the "air corridor" of seasonal bird migration. Birds fly here twice a year: in the spring from Africa to the Old World, and in the fall - back.
- Mandra is a reservoir south-west of Burgas, which was salty half a century ago. After the construction of the dam, its area increased, and the water gradually became fresh. The reserve occupies a large part of the lake and you can watch birds on the banks of the Mandra from towers and with the help of telescopes.
- The mineral-salt composition of the water of Lake Atanasovskoye makes it an ideal place for mud therapy. On the banks of the reservoir, you can sunbathe, enjoy mud wraps, take natural mineral baths and spend a day with health benefits. Birds on the shores of Lake Atanasovskoye are another reason for its popularity among tourists.
Between the lakes and the Black Sea, the Poda nature reserve has been created, where not only birds are protected, but also the ecosystem that has developed there. If you love nature and outdoor activities, go on an excursion to Podu. You can go for a walk with a guide and watch the birds that live in the vicinity of Burgas.
Everyone to the park
There is a seaside park in almost every beach resort, but in Burgas this place is special.
Firstly, the length of its green zone is more than 7 km.
Secondly, every year in the second half of summer, a festival is held in the park, the participants of which compete in the creation of sand sculptures. For this purpose, 2,500 tons of bulk material are brought into the part of the park called the Lake. It has special properties and differs from ordinary sand in its resistance to moisture. The festival attracts creative people from many countries of Europe and the world, and the height of some masterpieces reaches 7-8 meters. The theme of the festival changes every year and sculptors follow it, depicting space and cinema, scenes from theatrical performances and even portraits of world celebrities, scientists and actors.
And, finally, children of all ages can go to the Seaside Park of Burgas: playgrounds, a cafe with a menu for kids and a mini-zoo in the city's green zone can captivate and delight young tourists.
St. Anastasia Island
In the Seaside Park you can take a ferry going to the island of St. Anastasia, which is located one and a half kilometers from the resort of Chernomorets. A small rocky area of land is famous for a monastery that has existed here since the 15th century. The legends of the island tell about pirates who plundered the monastery, and St. Anastasia, who defended the monastery from raids. Thanks to her prayers, the corsairs were wrecked, and the wreckage of their ship found eternal shelter in the coastal rocks.
To this day, only a church has remained from the monastery, which is protected as part of a natural and archaeological reserve. Other attractions of the island of St. Anastasia include the lighthouse built in 1912 in the northern part, and a couple of interesting rocky formations created by time and winds.
City museums
As befits a tourist center, Burgas has a quite impressive list of museums, whose expositions can be of interest to travelers with a wide variety of hobbies.
The list of the oldest art museums in the country rightfully includes the gallery in Burgas. It is worth going here if you love painting and are interested in old architecture. The collection is exhibited in a former synagogue built by an Italian architect at the beginning of the last century. Over the 60 years of its existence, the gallery has collected more than 2,500 works under its roof, including valuable icons (some dated to the 7th century), works of marine painters, landscape painters and portrait painters. Most of the exhibits, including sculptures, were created by Bulgarian craftsmen.
Ethnographic museums are of constant interest among tourists all over the world, and Burgas museums are no exception. Its exposition acquaints guests with the past and present of the region, with the crafts of its inhabitants, with the life of ordinary townspeople, their cultural and family traditions. The museum is open in an old mansion, and a huge part of the collection is made up of household items and household utensils. One of the sections of the exposition is the national costumes of the inhabitants of Bulgaria. You will see wedding and party dresses, casual clothes, and find out what representatives of different ethnic groups inhabiting the eastern part of the country wore.
It is worth taking a whole day for a trip to the village of Bata, because this excursion includes acquaintance with the traditions and crafts of local residents, and the purchase of souvenirs, and dinner with dancing in the fresh air. Batu is called an open-air ethnographic museum. The village is located 30 km from Burgas in the direction of Golden Sands, and you will be offered to buy a tour at any agency in the city. You can also go to Batu on your own in a rented car, taxi or suburban bus.
Delicious points on the map
Russian travelers are very fond of Bulgarian cuisine, because in many ways it resembles their own, adjusted for a large number of natural and healthy ingredients. You will find meat and vegetables, fruits and dairy products in the menu of any restaurant, and therefore the question of where to go to have lunch or dinner in Burgas is usually not a question for the guests of the city:
- Do you like a lot and hearty food? Head for the Glosh 3 Bistro in Seaside Park. In the reviews, its visitors note solid cuisine, large portions, perfectly grilled dishes and the best mussels in the city. The view of the sea will brighten up some of the slowness of the waiters, especially since you have come to relax and enjoy, right?
- Serb neighbors, assimilated into the Bulgarian reality, have opened a restaurant in Burgas, where you should go if you prefer grilled food. In the Beograd Serbian Grill menu you will find lamb and fish, vegetables and kebabs, in a word, everything that can be baked on coals. The wine list of the institution inspires no less respect, and the prices add confidence in the future, even if you ordered the entire menu several times.
- Restaurant Bulgaria is ideal for large companies and anniversaries and other celebrations. You will find in its menu dishes of a wide variety of culinary trends - from Balkan and classic Mediterranean to exotic oriental. The service in Bulgaria is very pleasant, the interior inspires respect, and the prices ideally correspond to all the above advantages.
- Fish dishes are worth trying at Na Keya. An institution near the Seaside Park is famous for its delicacies prepared from the freshest seafood. On the bar menu, you will find a cold white wine that matches perfectly with a fish plate, brandy, beer and many other worthy drinks.
When choosing dishes from the menu of any resort restaurant, do not forget to order cold soup Tarator, Shopska salad with feta cheese and moussaka, which is excellently prepared in Burgas.
