Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast: the back story

About Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Sofia Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast runs for almost 400 kilometres, from the cliffs of the north to the forests of Strandzha in the south. Ancient Greek colonies became the towns of Nessebar and Sozopol, Varna and Burgas are lively port cities with sea gardens and museums, and between them lie long sandy beaches.

Greek colonies

From the 7th and 6th centuries BC, Greek cities founded colonies along the coast: Mesambria (Nessebar), Apollonia (Sozopol) and Odessos (Varna). Their peninsulas, walls and churches are the heart of the coast’s history.

Nessebar

The old town of Nessebar stands on a small rocky peninsula joined to the mainland by a narrow causeway. Its medieval churches, built of striped brick and stone, such as Christ Pantocrator and St John Aliturgetos, and its wooden houses make it a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is busy in summer, next to the resort of Sunny Beach.

In Nessebar, there seems to be a medieval church on every corner.

Sozopol

Sozopol’s old town of wooden houses and narrow lanes sits on a peninsula with beaches on both sides. It is a favourite of Bulgarian artists and families, and the Apollonia arts festival takes place here at the end of summer.

Varna and Burgas

Varna, the largest city on the coast, has a long Sea Garden, Roman baths and the Archaeological Museum, home to the gold of the Varna Necropolis, among the oldest worked gold in the world, from around 4500 BC. Burgas, further south, has its own Sea Garden, a long pier and lakes rich in birdlife.

Fire dancers of Strandzha

In a few villages of the Strandzha mountains, near the southern coast, nestinari dance barefoot on glowing embers at the feast of Saints Constantine and Helena in early June, a ritual recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage.

Our advice: fly from Sofia to Varna or Burgas, or take the train or bus. Visit in June or September for warm seas and fewer crowds, stay in Sozopol or Varna rather than the big resorts, and see Nessebar early in the morning before the day-trippers arrive.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast: the back story before you go.