Burgas is the largest urban resort in Bulgaria. There is always a warm Black Sea climate and a long beach season: you can swim, depending on the weather, from June to the end of September. As well as throughout Bulgaria, there are excellent wide sandy beaches, so the city is great for relaxing by the sea. In the bay, the water warms up faster than in other resorts in the country, and besides the sea, there are three more lakes. They have bathing areas, waterfowl watching areas, and fishing spots.
Beach holidays are perfectly combined with sightseeing, entertainment and shopping. The city has several museums, a beautiful well-kept center, nightclubs and discos, huge shopping centers, a market, an extensive children's infrastructure: attractions, playgrounds, stadiums. There is always something to do and where to go for a walk, and besides, from here you can easily go anywhere in the country.
Burgas districts
Administratively, Burgas is divided into 14 large districts, but tourists are most interested in the city quarters, from which it is easiest to get to the sea, lakes and the city center:
- Lazur;
- Centre;
- Pearl;
- Zornitsa;
- Victory;
- Copper Mine;
- Safronovo.
Lazur
The central, most "beach" and greenest part of the city. Its main decoration is the huge seaside park "Morskaya Gradina", in front of which there is a strip of the beach. The park has attractions for children, exhibition centers, many playgrounds, cafes and restaurants, and an equestrian center. The heart of a Russian tourist will be warmed by the monument to Alexander Pushkin installed in the center of the park, and besides it there is also a war memorial from the Soviet era.
From the park you can go down to the beach: the central section is the section from the restaurant "Fiesta" to the long mall. Its length is about 2 kilometers, it is perfectly landscaped: there are sun loungers, changing cabins, toilets, a pool with entertainment. The beach is free municipal, and you will have to pay for the use of sun loungers.
Burgas is one of the few places in Bulgaria where the waves are strong enough to go surfing - a surfboard can also be rented on the beach. The popular nightclubs Caribbean and Pillow are located in the Central District.
The northern part of the beach is the wildest and wildest, there are areas for nudists. If you go even further to the north, then a sand spit will begin, where the famous mud baths are located: this is a strip of land between the sea and Atanasovskoye Lake. In the lake, they smear themselves with mud, and then wash it off into the sea.
Lazur is the best neighborhood for family beach holidays in Burgas. However, it should be borne in mind that even in this quarter there are no hotels "on the first line" - the hotels closest to the sea are outside the park, except for literally one or two exceptions.
Centre
The central quarter of Burgas lies closer to the port, respectively, farther from the beach. But on the other hand, this is the most beautiful and interesting part of the city: there are ceremonial buildings, public buildings, squares with fountains, a university. It is here that the main attractions are concentrated. There are historical, ethnographic and natural science museums in Burgas. They are located next door to each other, and all occupy old beautiful buildings. Keep in mind that one day is not enough for a tour: each of the museums has a large and interesting collection. The main churches of Burgas are located in the same area: the Cathedral of St. Cyril and Methodius, the Armenian Church, as well as an opera and a puppet theater.
From the port you can reach the small island of St. Anastasia: this is an island 6 kilometers in the sea, with a church, a small beach and the remains of a pirate ship - a very nice and romantic place. There is a bus station next to the port, from which buses run along the entire coast, and next to the station there is a city market where you can buy anything. The most comfortable and green part of the central quarter is considered the residential complex "Vozrozhdenie".
Victory
A narrow block between the sea and Burgas Lake with old buildings from the 70s. Despite the fact that it seems to be surrounded by two strips of water - just to the bathing places, on the sea, on the lake, it is far from it. However, it is along the lake that you can walk here, although this is not a park, but just a road that leads along a green wasteland. Most of the places where you can settle are located on the lake. But in order to get to the sea, it is best to use public transport.
An absolute plus - it is not hot here, and a light breeze always blows. Since the area is not new, the infrastructure here is well-developed and rich: there are playgrounds, green areas, many shops for every taste. But everything was repaired here for a long time, so the area does not differ in beauty and well-groomed, and of all the sights from here it is the closest to the port. Most of the Roma community of Burgas lives in this area.
Once upon a time, it was here, on a strip of land between the sea and the lake, that there were sources of fresh water that supplied the Burgas water supply until the beginning of the 20th century. And even earlier there was a Thracian settlement here. Finds from excavations on the territory of this settlement can be seen in the archaeological museum.
Pearl and Zornitsa
Two very close quarters. They are located between Primorsky Park, Izgrev Park and Atanasovskoe Lake, so they can be safely considered the greenest and most beautiful districts of Burgas. They are ideal for those who love walking. There are several large hotels here, in Perl there is an elite residential complex with all the infrastructure, these are prestigious and well-groomed quarters.
Zornitsa is a little to the north and simpler than Pearl, but it has also been actively built up lately. There are several attractions here: Izgrev Park with the Trinity Church (it is very beautifully illuminated in the evenings), the Church of Athanasius the Great in 1888, Velika Park in the center of the Zornitsa quarter. A section of Primorsky Park runs along the Atanasovskoye Lake and you can walk along the shore.
Perhaps the only drawback of the districts is that it is not too close to the sea and the beach from here (and the nearest stretch of the beach is the wildest). But the closest from here to the Atanasovskaya Spit and the healing mud. A little in the depths of the block is the main shopping center of Burgas "Gallery Mall", from which there is a free bus to Sunny Beach.
Copper mine
Quarter, located quite far from the sea and the city center. It has a good infrastructure: there are shops, bank branches, several large supermarkets, children's and sports grounds. If you are going to rest in Burgas for a long time, then this is a good choice. But this is far from the most prestigious area, housing here is mostly cheap panel houses, there are no expensive hotels or interesting restaurants. If you are interested in a beach holiday, then this area is not suitable - it is unrealistic to get to the sea from here on foot, only by car or by public transport.
Much closer from here to Lake Mandra is a freshwater lake, which is a nature reserve. Many waterfowl nest here: swans, ducks, pelicans, cormorants. You can fish on the lake - but only with rods and a special permit (which is easy and inexpensive to obtain). There are several ecological trails around the lake, and there are special bird-watching observation decks with information posters and guides. So this is a good option for those who come here in spring, not for the sea, but for the study of nature.
Safarovo
A relatively new area, just a few years ago, officially included in the city structure of Burgas. It is about 10 kilometers from the center, it is 10 minutes away by public transport. For lovers of cycling trips to Burgas there is a bike trail.
This is the quarter of Burgas closest to the airport. The noise does not always reach, but for those who sleep especially lightly, and who have poorly located windows, it can be disturbed. There are several inexpensive hotels here, but mostly budget apartments are rented. There is a bank branch in Safarovo, there is one round-the-clock shop and several ordinary ones. There is a casino and a night bar on the beach, and at the Atlantis hotel there is a bowling alley and a disco. The city itself is located just above the beach line, to the sea you will need to walk a few minutes and go down a little, even if you live on the first line.
Safarovo is a place of inexpensive and quiet rest. There are no attractions and active entertainment, but it is quiet and calm, and the beach itself and the sea are no worse than in neighboring Burgas. The beach here is not as golden as in Sunny Beach - mostly it is covered with small pebbles with coarse gray sand, the entry is smooth everywhere and shallow water goes for quite a long time, that is, this beach is perfect for children. In addition, the beach offers a beautiful view of the sea and the coast.
The sights include the church of St. Nicholas, it is new and therefore unusual modern architecture. In addition, it is not so far from here to Atanasovskoe Lake, with its bird watching and healing mud.
