Marine Tourism

The Bulgarian Black Sea coast is a wonderful place for a summer holiday. Cape Emine is the place where the Balkan Mountain ends at the sea shore, and this place conditionally divides the Black Sea coast into north and south part. The coast line is 378 km long and it has 209 beaches with total area of 16 square kilometers. A large part of them are wide, others are small and nested in picturesque marine bays. The beaches and the sea offer conditions for practicing various types of water sports (surfing, water ski, diving, underground archaeology) and fishing (including underwater). In 2011 with a blue flag are awarded the beaches in Albena, Bunite (Varna), Dyuni, Elenite, Pomorie (east beach), Harmanite (Sozopol), St. Vlas (central beach and Venid beach), Sunny Beach (north and south beach) and Sunny Day. The salinity of the Black Sea is low (in the coastal waters – 16-17‰), and the high and low tides are insignificant. During the summer, the average water temperature is 22-24°С, and in the shallow parts up to 26°С, which makes it particularly pleasant for swimming.

During the past few years a part of the elite marine complexes and resort towns acquired yacht ports. The ports in the resorts Rusalka, Tyulenovo, Balchik, Golden Sands and Varna offer serious opportunities for yachting along the northern Black Sea coast. Options for yacht tourism on the southern Black Sea coast are offered in Burgas, the resorts St. Vlas, Nesebar, Sozopol, Dyuni.

Besides the combination of sun, sand and sea, the Black Sea resorts offer hiking, biking and horse riding tourism, as well as eco tourism, photo safari, visiting of natural, cultural and architectural landmarks. In the northern part of the Black Sea there are 3 golf courses, offering conditions for world level practicing of this type of sport.

Some of the Bulgarian rivers flow into the Black Sea. Their mouths are surrounded by dense and breezy moist loving forests. A part of the rivers are floatable (Ropotamo, Kamchia, Veleka) for small motor boats and offer unforgettable trips along the currents for tourists. The unique dense forests of the rivers Batova, Kamchia, Ropotamo and Veleka are suitable for nature admirers. At the Southern Black Sea you can enjoy the coolness of Strandzha and the centuries old traditions in the villages, nested in the mountain. Tourists can also enjoy the wonderful Black Sea lakes: Alepu, Arkutino, Atanasovsko lake, Balchik Tuzla, Beloslav lake Burgas lake, Varna lake, Durankulak lake (where an Eneolithic settlement mound 4600 - 4200 years BC was found, as well as a temple of the goddess Kibela), the Ezeretsko lake, Nanevska tuzla, Orlovo swamp, Pomorie lake, Stomoplo (swamp) and Shabla lake. Multiple rare plants and animals can be seen in these coastal lakes (lagoons and firths), and deposits of medicinal mud (firth mud) had been found, based on which mud treatment is performed – Pomorie lake, Varna lake, Balchik Tuzla, Shabla, Rusalka and Atanasovsko lake.

Along the coast line there are also mineral springs, and the combination of these natural facts is the reason for the successful combination of spa, balneological and wellness tourism with sea holiday.

Tourists also have the opportunity to visit the five Black Sea islands – St. Anastasia, St. Ivan (where the relics of St. John the Baptist were found), St. Peter, St. Kirik and Yulita, St. Tomas.

The resorts, located on the Black Sea, are suitable for family vacation, as well as for individual holiday and entertainment: Albena, Rusalka, St. Konstantin and St. Helena, Riviera, Obzor, Elenite and Dyuni are some of the most preferred mostly for families with children.

Younger tourists prefer Sunny Beach, Golden Sands, Primorsko, Kiten, Lozenets, because of the large number of clubs, bars, and entertainment options. Sunny Beach is the largest resort complex in the country and it is often a host to the parties of world famous DJs and performers.

Sozopol and Nesebar (UNESCO) are famous for their combination of beautiful coastal nature and historical landmarks. These two towns with thousands of years of history attract the romantic summer tourists.

Excellent conditions for relaxation are offered in the resorts Kranevo, Chayka, Sunny Day, St. Iliya, St. Vlas, Ravda, Pomorie, Chernomorets, Tsarevo, Ahtopol and Sinemorets.

The Bulgarian Black Sea resorts offer various accommodation options – from luxurious 4-5-star hotels to small romantic family hotels, which correspond to global standards.

A part of the hotels in the Black Sea resorts work all year long and offer options for congress tourism, conducting of various events and incentive undertakings. Visitors of the Bulgarian Black Sea shore have the opportunity to enjoy multiple cultural events, including Kavarna Rock Fest, Varna Summer, Apolonia, Spirit of Burgas, the International Folklore Festival in Burgas, fire dancing shows, etc.

Cultural Tourism

As a country with thousands of years of history and heritage left of ancient civilizations, Bulgaria has a lot to offer to its guests, which have interests in the area of history, culture, ethnography, religion, architecture and arts. Unique archaeological discoveries are scattered all over the country – ancient settlement mounds of the Neolithic age, Thracian sanctuaries and tombs, remains of Roman cities, Byzantine and Medieval fortresses, architectural reserves, ethnographic complexes, churches and monasteries, tekkes and many others.

Despite the fact that it occupies only 2% of the territory of Europe, about 40,000 historical monuments have been registered in our country (7 of them are included in the UNESCO List of Global Cultural Heritage), 36 cultural reserves, 160 monasteries, about 330 museums and galleries. This includes prehistoric finds, Thracian tombs, sites of the Greek Age, Roman fortresses, historical monuments of the time of the First and the Second Bulgarian Kingdom, as well as architectural landmarks of the Age of Revival.

Emblematic for Bulgaria are the monuments, included in the UNESCO List: the Kazanlak Tomb (4th – 3rd century BC), the Thracian Tomb by the village of Sveshtari near Razgrad (3rd century BC), the Madara Horseman (8th century), the Boyana Church (10th – 11th century), the Ivanovo Rock Churches near Ruse (10th – 14th century), the Rila Monastery (10th century), the Old Town in Nesebar.

The Karanovska settlement mound was the foundation on which the Karanovska chronical system was established. It serves as a model of synchronization of the European prehistoric cultures. Of great interest is the Valley of the Thracian Kings, in which more than 15 tombs have been discovered. Perperikon is also located in the territory of our country. It is considered to be the temple of God Dionysus containing a prophecy room, which is of equal importance to the one of Apollo in Delphi. It is believed that this was the capital of the Odryssian Kingdom. The largest Thracian royal complex with a mausoleum temple in Southeast Europe was discovered in the region of the village of Starosel. The oldest gold in the world was discovered in the Varna necropolis. Many Thracian golden treasures have also been found – the Panagyurishte, Valchitran, Rogozen, etc. treasures. There are multiple remains of the Thracian, Hellenistic and Roman culture. Entire Roman city complexes have been found – Augustra Trayana, Trimontium, Nikopolis ad Istrum, Pautalia, Akre, Mesemvria, Apolonia, Serdika, etc.

Many monasteries are also preserved in the country. They have protected Bulgarian faith and culture. Some of them are the Rila Monastery, Bachkovo Monastery, Troyan Monastery, Zemen Monastery, Rozhen Monastery, Kilifarevski Monastery, Sokolski Monastery, etc. In the country there are also many churches, unique with their models of the Bulgarian iconographic, woodcarving and painting schools. They store multiple valuable manuscripts. The relics of St. John the Baptist were found on the island of St. John.

The Revival spirit and culture of Bulgaria can be found in many Bulgarian cities, towns and villages – Kotel, Koprivshtitsa, Karlovo, Kalofer, Sopot, Elena, Tryavna, Bansko, Melnik. the Old Plovdiv, Gela, Shiroka Laka, Momchilovtsi, Orehovo, Smilyan, Arda, Dolen, Leshten, Kovachevitsa, Pletena, Bozhentsi, Ribaritsa, Zheravna, Oreshak, Medven, Skandalo, Arbanasi, Balgari, Kosti, Brashlyan, Mladezhko, etc. There are multiple options by which tourists can get to know the Bulgarian crafts, such as woodcarving, embroidery, pottery, knitting, etc. Such options are offered in the architectural and ethnographic open-air museum Etara near Gabrovo, the ethnographic complexes The Old Dobrich and Chiflika near Albena, Bansko, the ethnographic complex Kulata - Kazanlak, the ethnographic areal complex Zlatograd, Varosha – Blagoevgrad, the ethnographic complex Brashlyan – Malko Tarnovo, etc.

In the country there are also many options for acquaintance with the traditional economic activities in our lands – manufacturing of rose oil, wine, etc.

Bulgaria has exceptionally diverse folklore calendar. It includes a lot of traditions and customs, by which tourists can reach Bulgarian lifestyle and culture - Surva (St. Vasil’s Day), St. Jordan’s Day – Epiphany, St. John’s Day, St. Anton’s Day, Trifon Zarezan, Martuvane (giving martenitsas), the first Sunday before Lent, Mummer’s Day, St. Todor’s Day, the Annunciation Day, Easter, St. George’s Day, the Day of Virgin Mary, St. Dimitar’s Day, All Souls Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas. Many Bulgarian villages have preserved ancient traditions and customs, which have been practiced to the present day. Such are St. Lazar’s Day, Palm Sunday, Mummers, Carol-singers, Fire-dancers and many others. Exceptionally attractive are also the folklore festivals and gatherings – the International Mummer Festival “Starchevata” (Razlog), the International Festival of Masquerade Games “Surva” (Pernik), the Ethnicities Gathering (municipality of Beloslav), the International Folklore Festival (Veliko Tarnovo), the National Folklore Festival “Rozhen”, the International Bagpipe Festival in the village of Gela and many others.

More than 200 museums function in the country - the one of a kind Museum of Yogurt in the village of Studen Izvor (Tran region), the Museum of Rose in Kazanlak, the Museum of Transport in Ruse, the Museum of Fretwork in Tryavna, the Museum of Humor in Gabrovo, the Museum of Medicine History in Varna, the Museum of Mosaic in Devnya, the Museum of Salt in the town of Pomorie, the Museum of Polytechnics in Sofia City, the National Museum of Anthropology in Sofia, the Museum of Aviation in Plovdiv, the Museum of Wine in Pleven, the National History Museum, the museum “Earth and People” and many others.

The country calendar is abundant in cultural events. Some of them are Sofia Film Fest, the festival “Love is Folly” – Varna, the festival “Varna Summer”, the “Music Days in March” in Ruse, the “Sofia Music Weeks”, “Apolonia”, “Spirit of Burgas”, Kavarna Rock Fest and many others.

Bulgarian Multiple resorts

Multiple resorts are located on the territory of Republic of Bulgaria, which are exceptionally diverse in their profile. The following resorts are located along the Black Sea Shore: Rusalka, Albena, Kranevo, Golden Sands, Riviera, Chayka, Sunny Day, St. Konstantin and St. Helena, St. Iliya, Obzor, Sunny Beach, Elenite, Dyuni, Nesebar, Ravda, Kiten, Pomorie, Chernomorets, Sozopol, Lozenets, Tsarevo, Ahtopol and Sinemorets.

The holiday settlement Rusalka is an inheritor of the French club “Mediterrane”. It is located in the natural park Tauk Liman.

In Albena tourists can enjoy more than 5-kilometer long coast line and water temperature of 24 ˚С during the summer.

Golden Sands possesses a 3.3-kilometer long coast line, reaching up to 100 meters width, with water temperature of 24 ˚С during the summer, and average summer air temperature of 27 ˚С.

The holiday club Riviera possesses a wonderful beach and is located in a park with centuries old trees.

St. Konstantin and St. Helena and Sunny Day are resorts, distinguishing with mild climate, tranquility and quietness.

The larges one of the Bulgarian Black Sea resorts is Sunny Beach. It has a 5.5-kilometer long sand stripe, where water temperature in the summer is 26 ˚С, and the average summer air temperature is 28 ˚С. The resort St. Vlas is located nearby.

Mediterranean is the style of the villas built in the resort Elenite, and the resort Dyuni is located amidst a pine forest on the sea shore.

A part of the hotels in the Black Sea resorts work all year long and offer options for congress tourism. The Black Sea beaches are divided into large ones (over 100,000 square meters) – Durankulak, Albena-Kranevo, Golden Sands, Kamchia-Shkorpilovtsi, Obzor, Sunny Beach, Pomorie, Atanasovo, Alepu, Primorsko south beach; medium sized (from 50,000 to 100,000 square meters) – Krapets, Shabla, St. Konstantin, Varna city beach, Asparuhovo, Shorpilovtsi-south, Obzor-south, Irakli, Burgas, Kavatsi, Stomoplo, Nestinarka, Ahtopol, etc.; and small ones (from 10,000 to 50,000 square meters) – they are mainly located along the south Black Sea coast.

The Black Sea coast is also famous for its mud deposits: Pomorie, Varna, Balchik, Shabla, Atanasovsko Lake, Taukliman. Also famous are the mineral waters in Krapets, Tyulenovo, Rusalka, Kavarna, Balchik, Albena, Golden Sands, St. Konstantin and St. Helena, Varna, Lower Kamchia, Emine, Medovo and Burgas.

Globally famous are also the mountain resorts Pamporovo, Borovets and Bansko. Pamporovo is located on 1,650 meters above the sea level in the Rhodope Mountain. The snowy days are more than 150, and the tracks are from 800 to 3,800 meter long. In Rila, on 1,350 meters above the sea level lays the resort Borovets. It offers excellent tracks, and the biathlon track is one of the best in the world. The fastest developing mountain resort in Europe is Bansko. Besides offering world level ski tracks, in Bansko there are also more than 140 monuments of culture. The renowned Bansko icon painting school originates from there. Good conditions for skiing are also offered in the mountain resorts: Malyovitsa, Panichishte, Batak, Beklemeto, Ribaritsa, Osogovo, Momchilovtsi, Chepelare, Kom-Berkovitsa, Uzana, Yundola, Belmeken, Bodrost-Kartala, Predel, Semkovo and Aleko.

Bulgaria also offers excellent spa, balneological and wellness resorts: Hisar, Velingrad (the spa capital of the Balkan Peninsula), Sandanski, Banya, Kyustendil, Narechen, Pavel Banya, Kostenets, Varshets, Burgaski Mineralni Bani, Momin Prohod, Slivenski Mineralni Bani, Starozagorski Mineralni Bani, Haskovski Mineralni Bani, Sapareva Banya, Teteven, Tryavna, Apriltsi, Kotel, Elena, Govedartsi, Dryanovo.