senseofburgasFor a couple of years in a row Burgas has been chosen to be the best Bulgarian city to live in. There is a good reason for that. The infrastructure of the city, the sea cleanness and the pollution of the air have been significantly improved.
But in my opinion this is not what makes Burgas so attractive and popular. What makes it truly special is its spirit. It may be difficult to feel that for just a day or two, but for people like me who were born, raised and spent their lives here, it is so tangible. The walk on “Bogoridi” Street, the occasional encounters with friends and acquaintances, the aroma of linden in June, the sound of the seagulls yelling in the morning gloom, the sea garden – all of this combined can be captured as a skillfully interwoven fishing net that creates a sense of tranquility and coziness.


When you think about it, there is nothing so specific in Burgas. Everything is in a frame and there is nothing extraordinary, but nevertheless, or perhaps for that reason, it feels so nice to be here. For many tourists the walk starts from the city center. Hotel “Bulgaria” which is the highest building in the town, is like the mast of the Burgas ship. It rises over the old part of the town serving as a landmark, a starting or gathering point for guests and tourists. The garden with the old clock in front of it is a favorite place for mothers and small children. It is also the venue of many of the cultural events that happen here.


From “Bulgaria” hotel, after a pleasant 10-minute walk along the “Bogoridi” pedestrian street, outlined by buildings of the 19th century with many shops and cafes, one can reach the place without which Burgas would not be the same – the Terrace. It is a small square in the southern part of the sea garden, finished with a beautiful balustrade which opens a wonderful view to the sea and the beach. From this place the whole Burgas bay from Atiya and Kraimorie could be seen, the view flows through the island of St. Anastasia, then the eyes could capture also Sarafovo and Pomorie. But the Terrace is not just a sight, it is a memory of young love and inspiration. It is the noisy laughter of friends, the quiet conversation of a couple or the hundreds of questions a child has to ask. The Terrace is a part of the soul of Burgas because it has collected so many memories, emotions and life events.

bogoridiburgasAnd if the Terrace is a noisy and crowded place, just 100 meters away from it there is another place that offers the same wonderful view but accompanied by a strange sense of privacy. Many people stop by for a few seconds or more, just because there seems to be another sort of energy around. The energy of the bright orange sun, slowly emerging behind the horizon in the mornings or the freedom of the seagulls flying above the sea. You can only contemplate the infinite expanse.
The charm of this place is complemented by paragliders taking off from here. It is enchanting to watch the breeze take over the multicolored parachute and the endless number of ropes that suddenly, manage in some kind of harmony, to grab the paraglider and let him live the dream of flying that mankind has cherished for ages, at least for a while.
One of the greatest merits of Burgas is that in the seaside no construction and access of cars was ever allowed. Thus, it is still a wonderful and peaceful place to walk and reach out to nature, which is so much missing in other modern city life.
In the northern part of the seaside, in the “Ezero” park, the Sand Figures Festival (www.sandfestburgas.com) is taking place for ten years in a row. It is interesting how little does it take for a person to become a child again. I have seen adults striking strange and funny poses while strolling between the sculptures of fairy-tale and film characters. Those sand figures are made really well. The entrance fee is symbolic and the walk through the sandy town guarantees a fun spent half an hour.

Close to the place where the Festival of Sand Figures takes place, there is the beginning of the newly built pedestrian and bicycle path that connects Burgas with the salt-mines and Sarafovo. In the summer evenings this promenade offers coolness from the sea breeze and it is a nice option for a family walk or for skating and cycling. On one side of the alley is the Atanasovsko lake and on the other side – the North Burgas beach. For those who can not walk the whole distance, the Municipality of Burgas has organized open-air trains, which will take you across the Sea Garden from the salt-mines to Burgas Sea Station. The ticket costs only 1 BGN.
At the beginning of this promenade there are also situated small food wagons. They are a very popular place for a beer and sprats for the locals. These are a couple of small restaurants, located next to the beach, which mainly offer seafood and cold beer. The working day of many citizens of Burgas ends here with a portion of calamari or sprats and a bottle of local beer.
If you are interested in history and culture, the Ethnographic, Historical and Archaeological Museums, which are within 3 minutes away from each other, can give you many facts about the past of Burgas. How Burgas was founded as a town and what happened in its region. However, if you want to know whether the seagull is a gull or the gull is a gull (local joke), then there are the other two possibilities – the Natural Science Museum and the Nature-preservation center “Poda”. “Poda” is located on one of Europe’s liveliest birds migration routes - Via Pontica, where you can watch various rare bird species all year around on their way to the north or south.


Although it is one of the largest cities in Bulgaria, Burgas is actually very calm and quiet city. Perhaps because of the many pedestrian zones, because of the mentality of the people living here or simply because of the sea. In Burgas somehow you can’t feel the dynamic rhythm of Sofia and the life flows more calmly and slowly. Maybe that’s why you have been enjoying it much more already.

burgasmorskagradinaAnd if the Terrace is a noisy and crowded place, just 100 meters away from it there is another place that offers the same wonderful view but accompanied by a strange sense of privacy. Many people stop by for a few seconds or more, just because there seems to be another sort of energy around. The energy of the bright orange sun, slowly emerging behind the horizon in the mornings or the freedom of the seagulls flying above the sea. You can only contemplate the infinite expanse.
The charm of this place is complemented by paragliders taking off from here. It is enchanting to watch the breeze take over the multicolored parachute and the endless number of ropes that suddenly, manage in some kind of harmony, to grab the paraglider and let him live the dream of flying that mankind has cherished for ages, at least for a while.
One of the greatest merits of Burgas is that in the seaside no construction and access of cars was ever allowed. Thus, it is still a wonderful and peaceful place to walk and reach out to nature, which is so much missing in other modern city life.
In the northern part of the seaside, in the “Ezero” park, the Sand Figures Festival (www.sandfestburgas.com) is taking place for ten years in a row. It is interesting how little does it take for a person to become a child again. I have seen adults striking strange and funny poses while strolling between the sculptures of fairy-tale and film characters. Those sand figures are made really well. The entrance fee is symbolic and the walk through the sandy town guarantees a fun spent half an hour.

Close to the place where the Festival of Sand Figures takes place, there is the beginning of the newly built pedestrian and bicycle path that connects Burgas with the salt-mines and Sarafovo. In the summer evenings this promenade offers coolness from the sea breeze and it is a nice option for a family walk or for skating and cycling. On one side of the alley is the Atanasovsko lake and on the other side – the North Burgas beach. For those who can not walk the whole distance, the Municipality of Burgas has organized open-air trains, which will take you across the Sea Garden from the salt-mines to Burgas Sea Station. The ticket costs only 1 BGN.
At the beginning of this promenade there are also situated small food wagons. They are a very popular place for a beer and sprats for the locals. These are a couple of small restaurants, located next to the beach, which mainly offer seafood and cold beer. The working day of many citizens of Burgas ends here with a portion of calamari or sprats and a bottle of local beer.
If you are interested in history and culture, the Ethnographic, Historical and Archaeological Museums, which are within 3 minutes away from each other, can give you many facts about the past of Burgas. How Burgas was founded as a town and what happened in its region. However, if you want to know whether the seagull is a gull or the gull is a gull (local joke), then there are the other two possibilities – the Natural Science Museum and the Nature-preservation center “Poda”. “Poda” is located on one of Europe’s liveliest birds migration routes - Via Pontica, where you can watch various rare bird species all year around on their way to the north or south.


Although it is one of the largest cities in Bulgaria, Burgas is actually very calm and quiet city. Perhaps because of the many pedestrian zones, because of the mentality of the people living here or simply because of the sea. In Burgas somehow you can’t feel the dynamic rhythm of Sofia and the life flows more calmly and slowly. Maybe that’s why you have been enjoying it much more already.

 

Author - Kiril Valkanov, Travel blogger
www.Iskamdaletya.com