The Bulgarian Black Sea coast is a wonderful place for a summer holiday. Cape Emine is the place where the Balkan Mountains meet the sea, and this place conditionally divides the Black Sea coast into a northern and southern part. Burgas Black Sea tourist region covers the southern part of the Black Sea coast. The beaches and the sea offer excellent conditions for various water sports such as surfing, water skiing, diving, underwater exploration, and fishing, whether from the surface or underwater. The beaches in this region – at Dyuni, Elenite, Pomorie (east beach), Harmanite (Sozopol), St. Vlas (central beach and Venid beach), Sunny Beach (north and south beach), all of them have been awarded Blue Flag.
The saline content of the Black Sea is low, just 16% to 17% ‰ in the coastal waters, and the high and low tides are minimal. During the summer, the average water temperature is 22° to 24 °С, and in the shallower areas as warm as 26 °С, which makes it particularly pleasant for bathing. Many of the beaches are large, others are small and nestled in picturesque sea coves. During the past few years, some the elite marine complexes and resort towns have built yacht ports. Options for yacht tourism on the southern Black Sea coast are offered in Burgas and at the resorts St. Vlas, Nessebar, Sozopol, and Dyuni. Some Bulgarian rivers flow into the Black Sea. Their mouths are surrounded by dense, breezy, moisture-loving forests.
The rivers Ropotamo and Veleka are navigable for small motorboats and offer unforgettable trips for tourists down the stream. The unique longose forests of these two rivers are a haven for nature admirers. Tourists can enjoy the cool temperatures of Strandzha and the centuries-old traditions of the villages nestled in the mountains. Tourists can also enjoy the wonderful Black Sea lakes at: Alepu, Arkutino, Atanasovsko, Burgas, Pomorie and Stomoplo (swamp).
Numerous rare plants and animals can be seen in the lagoons and firths of these coastal lakes, and deposits of medicinal mud (firth mud) has been found at the Pomorie lake and the Atanasovsko lake. Along the coastline, there are also mineral springs, and the combination of these natural resources has led to the popularity of tourism that combines visits to spas, balneological centers, and wellness resorts with sea holidays. Tourists also can visit the five Black Sea islands – St. Anastasia, St. Ivan (where the relics of St. John the Baptist were recently found), St. Peter, St Kirik and St. Yulita, and St. Thomas. The resorts located on the southern Black Sea coast are suitable to family vacations as well as to individual holidays and entertainment. Obzor, Elenite and Dyuni are some of the most preferred for families with children. Young tourists prefer Primorsko, Kiten, Lozenets because of the many clubs and bars, and other entertainment options.
Sunny Beach is the largest resort complex in the country, and it often hosts parties that include world- famous DJs and performers. Sozopol and Nessebar are famous for their combination of beautiful coastal nature and historical landmarks. These two towns both have thousands of years of history and attract many tourists in the summer. Excellent recreation conditions are offered in the resorts of St. Vlas, Ravda, Pomorie, Chernomorets, Tsarevo, Ahtopol and Sinemorets. The Bulgarian Black Sea resorts offer various accommodation options. Some of the hotels at the Black Sea resorts are open all year round and offer the opportunity for congress tourism, various events, and incentive events. Visitors to the southern Bulgarian Black Sea coast also can enjoy many cultural events, such as Apollonia, Spirit of Burgas, the International Folklore Festival in Burgas, demonstrations of fire dancing, etc.
