--- title: "Top 10 Things To Do in Burgas, Bulgaria | Wimup" description: "The 10 best things to do in Burgas, ranked and mapped. The Sea Garden and the pier, St Anastasia Island, the birds of Poda, the pink salt lake, the Roman baths of Aquae Calidae and the old town museums." url: https://wimup.com/city/burgas type: City guide updated: 2026-10-26 publisher: Wimup (https://wimup.com) --- # Top 10 Things To Do in Burgas Burgas, Bulgaria · Europe · By Wimup Editorial, 13 min read Burgas is Bulgaria's southern Black Sea port and the fourth-largest city in the country. It sits on a strip of land between the bay and three lagoons, so the beach, the Sea Garden and some of Europe's best birdwatching are all inside the city limits. ## Quick answer Give Burgas two days and a third for a day trip. Day one is the centre on foot: Aleksandrovska Street to Troykata, the Archaeological Museum on Bogoridi, then the Sea Garden and the pier at sunset. Day two goes out to the lagoons: Poda for birds, the pink salt pans of Atanasovsko for the mud, and the Roman baths at Aquae Calidae. Save the third for Nesebar or Sozopol. ## Quick facts - **Best months:** Jun · Jul · Sep - **Ideal length:** 2–3 days - **Budget per day:** €45–90 - **Language:** Bulgarian - **Getting around:** On foot, city buses, taxi - **Tourism board:** [Official site](https://www.gotoburgas.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ## The 10 best things to do in Burgas ### 1. Walk the Sea Garden Park · Morska Gradina, Burgas The seafront park laid out by chief gardener Georgi Duhtev from 1910 and finished in 1924, with the Summer Theatre, the 1938 Marine Casino and an alley of busts of Bulgarian writers and artists. Walk it north from the pier and keep going to the beach. - **Time:** 1.5 hrs - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Early evening - **Tip:** The sand sculptures stand here July to September ### 2. Watch the sunset from the pier Landmark · Morska Gradina, Burgas About 300 metres of concrete out into the bay, rebuilt in the 1980s on the line of the 1936 original and reinforced in 2013. Locals fish off it; everyone else walks to the end for the view back over the city and out to St Anastasia. - **Time:** 30 min - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Sunset - **Tip:** Bring a jacket: the end of the pier catches the wind ### 3. Take the boat to St Anastasia Island Island · St Anastasia Island, Gulf of Burgas A volcanic rock in the bay with a monastery, a church and a lighthouse a French company built in 1889. It held political prisoners from 1923, and 43 of them escaped by rowing boat in July 1925. Today it has a museum, a restaurant and rooms for the night. - **Time:** 3 hrs - **Cost:** Ticketed - **Best at:** Calm summer days - **Tip:** Boats leave from Burgas; sailings depend on the weather ### 4. Birdwatch at Poda Nature reserve · Poda Protected Area, Burgas A small wetland on the Sozopol road run by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds, with hides, a trail and a centre with telescopes. Spoonbills, pelicans and herons pass through on the Via Pontica flyway. - **Time:** 1.5 hrs - **Cost:** €4 adults - **Best at:** Spring and autumn migration - **Tip:** Open daily 9:00 to 17:00; bus 17 stops nearby Links: [Website](https://bspb.org/en/poda-protected-area/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 5. Float in the pink lake at Atanasovsko Lake · Atanasovsko Lake, Burgas A hypersaline lagoon north of the city and Bulgaria's biggest salt works. Algae turn part of it pink. The routine is brine pool first, then black mud left to dry, then a rinse in the sea about a hundred metres away. - **Time:** 2 hrs - **Cost:** Small fee - **Best at:** Hot afternoons - **Tip:** Follow the signs to the salt pans before Sarafovo ### 6. Visit the Roman baths at Aquae Calidae Archaeological site · Aquae Calidae, Burgas Hot springs that drew Thracians, Romans and Ottomans for two thousand years. Walkways and glass floors run over the Roman walls, and the restored bath of Suleiman the Magnificent shows a 3D film on the site's history. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Ticketed - **Best at:** Weekday mornings - **Tip:** It is outside the city to the northwest; go by car or taxi ### 7. See the treasure hall at the Archaeological Museum Museum · 21 Aleko Bogoridi Blvd, Burgas The Regional Historical Museum's archaeology branch, on the main boulevard. Its treasure hall shows Thracian gold, and the collection holds finds from the Roman spa at Aquae Calidae. An hour covers it. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Ticketed - **Best at:** Morning - **Tip:** Check the museum site for the season's hours Links: [Website](https://burgasmuseums.bg/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) ### 8. Stroll Aleksandrovska Street to Troykata Street · Aleksandrovska Street, Burgas The pedestrian spine of the city, from the station end north to Troykata square and its fountain. Bogoridi Boulevard branches east from it to the Sea Garden. The cafes fill both from late afternoon. - **Time:** 1 hr - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Late afternoon - **Tip:** The tourist information point at the Clock is on this street ### 9. Step inside the Church of Sts Cyril and Methodius Church · Central Burgas The city's main church, built from 1897 to 1907 to designs by the Italian architect Riccardo Toscani. It is a three-nave basilica with a central dome and looks more Roman than Orthodox from outside. Go in for the iconostasis and murals. - **Time:** 30 min - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Morning - **Tip:** Cover shoulders and keep quiet during services ### 10. Swim off the Central Beach Beach · Central Beach, Burgas The city beach below the Sea Garden, either side of the pier, with lifeguards in season and bars behind the sand. It is a working city beach, not a resort, and it is busiest on summer weekends. - **Time:** 2 hrs - **Cost:** Free - **Best at:** Weekday mornings - **Tip:** Sunbeds are paid; the free zones fill first ## Best lakes & wetlands in Burgas Three more lagoons beyond Poda and Atanasovsko, all part of the Burgas Lakes wetlands. 1. **Lake Vaya** (Lake · Free · West Burgas): Bulgaria's largest natural lake, 27.6 km² of open water on the city's western edge. 2. **Lake Mandra** (Reservoir · Free · South Burgas): A freshwater reservoir south of the city, now the largest of the group, with Poda at its seaward end. 3. **Pomorie Lake** (Lagoon · Free · Pomorie): A salt lagoon 2 km north of Pomorie with working salt pans and about 200 recorded bird species. ## Best museums in Burgas The regional museum's branches and the city gallery, a short walk from each other. 1. **Ethnographic Museum** (Museum · Ticketed · Centre): Costume, crafts and festival dress of the Burgas region, a branch of the regional museum. [Website](https://burgasmuseums.bg/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 2. **Historical Museum** (Museum · Ticketed · Centre): The regional museum's history branch, with changing exhibitions on the city's past. [Website](https://burgasmuseums.bg/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) 3. **Petko Zadgorski Art Gallery** (Gallery · Ticketed · Centre): The city gallery since 1966, in a former synagogue that Riccardo Toscani designed in 1909. ## Best landmarks in Burgas Three buildings that tell the port's mixed past, all in the old centre. 1. **Surp Hach Armenian Church** (Church · Free · Centre): The Holy Cross church, built in 1853 on the site of a wooden chapel from 1673. 2. **Church of the Assumption** (Church · Free · Centre): The Orthodox church that survives from the 1800s, finished and consecrated in 1869. 3. **Summer Theatre** (Venue · Ticketed events · Sea Garden): The open-air stage in the Sea Garden since 1958, home of the summer song and folklore festivals. ## Best beaches in Burgas Three strands inside the city limits, from the busy North Beach to quiet Kraimorie. 1. **North Beach** (Beach · Free · Sea Garden): About 1.7 km of dark iron-rich sand beside the Sea Garden, with lifeguards and a windsurf school. 2. **Sarafovo Beach** (Beach · Free · Sarafovo): About 4 km of fine sand and shallow water by the airport, calm even in August. 3. **Kraimorie Beach** (Beach · Free · Kraimorie): A small family beach on the south side of the bay, with calm, shallow water. ## Best restaurants in Burgas Four tables, three of them for Black Sea fish and Bulgarian classics. 1. **Zlatna Kotva** (Seafood · Bogoridi): Billed as the city's oldest restaurant (1927), with Black Sea fish and seafood. 2. **Bistro Oreha** (Seafood · Sea Garden): Mussels and fried baby squid at the top of Bogoridi, by the Sea Garden gate. 3. **National** (Bulgarian · Centre): Bulgarian cooking in a restored house from the turn of the last century, with a fireplace. 4. **Rosé** (Mediterranean · Bogoridi): French and Mediterranean plates in a renovated old house on Bogoridi. ## Best bars & cafes in Burgas Four rooms, from filter coffee by the beach to whisky in the old centre. 1. **Centre Point Specialty Coffee** (Specialty coffee · Centre): Filter coffee and room to work, with tables outside. 2. **Dabov Specialty Coffee** (Specialty coffee · Centre): Filter coffee, vegan options and room for the dog, on San Stefano. 3. **Albatros** (Beach cafe · North Beach): Espresso, filter and cold brew on the North Beach. 4. **Ti-Bar** (Cafe and bar · Centre): Coffee by day and more than 80 whiskies by night, in a room with vintage details. ## Best day trips in Burgas Five ways out along the coast and into the Strandzha hills. 1. **Nesebar** (Old town · 37 km · Nesebar): The old town on its peninsula, 37 km northeast and about 30 minutes by bus, on the UNESCO list since 1983. 2. **Sozopol** (Old town · 35 km · Sozopol): Ancient Apollonia, founded around 610 BC, with wooden houses on a narrow peninsula. 3. **Pomorie** (Town · 20 km · Pomorie): A salt town 20 km north, with the open-air Salt Museum beside working pans. 4. **Ropotamo** (Nature · near Primorsko · Primorsko): A river reserve near Primorsko, best seen on one of the boat trips along the wooded river. 5. **Strandzha Nature Park** (Nature · Turkish border · Malko Tarnovo): Bulgaria's largest protected area, 1,161 km² of oak forest on the Turkish border. ## Festivals & annual events in Burgas (2026) - **Epiphany** (Jan): On 6 January a priest throws a cross into the sea and swimmers race to bring it back. - **Flora Burgas** (Apr): The national flower show, running from late April into early May, its 40th edition in 2025. - **Black Sea Mussel Weekend** (Jun): A June weekend of mussels and coastal cooking from along the Bulgarian Black Sea. - **Emil Chakarov Music Festival** (Jul): The State Opera's summer season of opera, ballet and concerts at the Summer Theatre. - **Sand Sculpture Festival** (Jul): Sculptures up to 8 metres tall in the Sea Garden from early July to the end of September. - **Burgas and the Sea** (Jul): The pop song contest held at the Summer Theatre since 1973, late July or early August. - **International Folklore Festival** (Aug): Folk ensembles from Bulgaria and abroad in late August, a festival founded in 1965. - **Nikulden** (Dec): St Nicholas Day on 6 December is the city's own day, with fish dishes, concerts and fireworks. ## Must-try dishes in Burgas, Bulgaria - **Cherna mida**: Black Sea mussels, steamed or fried, the coast's signature plate. - **Tsatsa**: Tiny sprats fried whole and eaten by the handful with a cold beer. - **Safrid**: Horse mackerel, grilled or fried, the everyday Black Sea fish. - **Shopska salad**: Tomato, cucumber, pepper and onion under grated white cheese. - **Tarator**: Cold yoghurt and cucumber soup with dill and walnuts, for hot days. - **Banitsa**: Filo pastry baked with eggs and white cheese, the breakfast staple. - **Kebapche**: Grilled minced-meat rolls, served with chips and lyutenitsa. - **Lyutenitsa**: Roasted red pepper and tomato relish, spread on bread. ## Burgas transport & airports - **Burgas Airport** (BOJ): The airport is about 10 km northeast, at Sarafovo. Bus 15 runs to the centre and the South bus station in about 30 minutes; a taxi takes 15 to 20. [Website](https://www.burgas-airport.bg/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - **Trains** (BDZ): Burgas station is at the south end of Aleksandrovska. Trains run to Sofia via Plovdiv; the slowest take most of a day, so check the timetable. [Website](https://www.bdz.bg/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - **Intercity buses** (Bus): The South bus station, beside the railway station, has buses to Sofia, Nesebar, Sozopol and the resorts north and south of the city. - **City buses and walking** (Foot): The centre, the Sea Garden and the beach are a walk apart. City buses cover the lakes, Sarafovo and the airport; take a taxi for Aquae Calidae. ## Burgas at a glance - **Country:** Bulgaria - **Region:** Burgas Province, southern Black Sea coast - **Population:** 188,242 at the 2021 census, 380,286 in Burgas Province - **Founded:** Grew from Pyrgos, a Greek watchtower of Apollonia - **Wetlands:** Vaya, Atanasovsko and Mandra-Poda lakes - **Language:** Bulgarian - **Currency:** Euro (EUR), since 1 January 2026 - **Time zone:** EET · UTC+2, UTC+3 in summer - **Calling code:** +359 · 56 - **Airports:** BOJ, Burgas Airport, 10 km northeast - **Power:** 230V · Type C/F - **Emergency:** 112 ## Interesting facts - The name comes from Pyrgos, Greek for tower, a lookout founded to guard Apollonia's trade. - Lake Vaya, on the city's western edge, is the largest natural lake in Bulgaria. - Atanasovsko Lake is a Ramsar wetland with 317 recorded bird species and Bulgaria's largest salt works. - Burgas hosts the Eurovision Song Contest in May 2027, at Arena Burgas, after Bulgaria's 2026 win. - St Nicholas, patron of sailors and fishermen, is the city's patron, and 6 December is its day. ## Burgas travel FAQ ### How many days do you need in Burgas? Two, plus a third for a day trip. One day covers the centre and the Sea Garden on foot; the second goes out to Poda, the salt pans at Atanasovsko and Aquae Calidae. Use the third for Nesebar or Sozopol, each under 40 km away. ### When is the best time to visit Burgas? June, July and September for the sea; August is hottest and busiest. Spring and autumn bring the bird migration over the lagoons, and the summer festivals run from July to the end of August. ### How do you get from Burgas Airport to the city? Bus 15 runs from the terminal through the centre to the South bus station beside the railway station, in about 30 minutes. A taxi takes 15 to 20 minutes; use the official rank outside arrivals. ### Is Burgas better than Varna? Different. Varna has the bigger museums and more nightlife; Burgas is smaller and calmer, with the lagoons and their birds, and it is the closer base for Nesebar, Sozopol and the south coast. ### What currency is used in Burgas? The euro, since Bulgaria joined the eurozone on 1 January 2026. Cards are taken widely in the centre, but carry some cash for beach bars, small restaurants and the salt pans. ## Nearby guides - [Varna](https://wimup.com/city/varna.md): Day trip · 10 picks - [Veliko Tarnovo](https://wimup.com/city/veliko-tarnovo.md): Bulgaria · 10 picks - [Istanbul](https://wimup.com/city/istanbul.md): Turkey · 10 picks - [All of Europe →](https://wimup.com/europe): 149 cities Part of the [Bulgaria guide](https://wimup.com/country/bulgaria.md) · [Europe](https://wimup.com/europe.md) ## Sources - [Burgas tourism board](https://www.gotoburgas.com/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Birdwatch at Poda (official site)](https://bspb.org/en/poda-protected-area/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [See the treasure hall at the Archaeological Museum (official site)](https://burgasmuseums.bg/en/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Burgas Airport (official site)](https://www.burgas-airport.bg/?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - [Trains (official site)](https://www.bdz.bg/en?utm_source=wimup.com&utm_medium=referral) - Rankings are Wimup editorial picks. Prices, durations and budgets are editorial estimates, not live quotes; check the official site before you go.