Relax on the beach, wander through gardens, and day trip to one of the many nearby cultural towns. On a visit to Burgas, Bulgaria, you can do all of this and more. This city is definitely made for slowing down and relaxing and in this post, I’m going to cover everything you need to know about planning your visit to Burgas.
About Burgas, Bulgaria
Burgas is one of many towns dotting Bulgaria’s Black Sea Coastline. It’s a popular destination both for the beach and because of its close proximity to other nearby towns. It’s the fourth largest city in Bulgaria (behind Sofia, Plovdiv, and nearby Varna), but it’s still not a massive city. The population is only 210,000 people, though I think it felt even smaller than that.
The city has a fascinating history since this land has been occupied for nearly three thousand years. And yet, I find it interesting that as I was doing my own research of things to do in Burgas, there wasn’t a ton of cultural sites that would show up. That’s not a horrible thing, but something I definitely find interesting. To be clear, there is a local Ethnographic Museum and a handful of other small museums in the city. But compared to what you might be expecting, it’s not a lot.
Things to Do in Burgas, Bulgaria
While this isn’t an exhaustive list of everything you can do in Burgas, I think this covers most of the things that tourists will be interested in. It’s a short list, but Burgas is built for beach time and relaxation, so it’s probably good that there isn’t a huge list of sightseeing things to distract you.
Relax on the Beach
Burgas has a lovely coastline and like with other Bulgarian cities on the Black Sea, you should plan to spend some time relaxing on the beach. Like many beaches in Europe, there’s options to rent a chair and umbrella for the day, but it’s also possible to just find an empty stretch of beach and bring your own towel to lay down.
While it’s true I visited Burgas during the week (unlike Varna where I visited on a weekend), I was shocked by how much space was available on the beach. In Varna, the entire beach felt busy and in Sunny Beach, it felt chaotic and overwhelming. In Burgas, there seemed to be plenty of space for people to spread out. I wish I would had more beach time here than in Varna for that very reason.
Wander through the SeaGardens
Running parallel to the coast, Burgas has a large series of gardens that are lovely to walk through. As you make your way to the beach, you’ll be here regardless, but I’m putting it as a separate item on this list. Whether you’re looking for a shaded area to walk, some rides, some people watching, or just a place to sit and relax, consider visiting the SeaGardens.
Stroll Down the Aleksandrovska Street
Whether you’re looking for a cafe, some shopping, or just some people watching, I recommend strolling down Aleksandrovska Street. This pedestrian street goes on for several blocks and just seemed to have a little bit of everything. There’s restaurants, cafes, and some places for takeaway food. For shopping, you’ll find clothes, books, toys, luggage, and nearly anything else you might need.
For me, this street was a convenient way to get between my hotel and the train station, but I also found myself here when I wasn’t traveling between those two places.
Saints Cyril and Methodius Church
This church has become a symbol of Burgas, like so many other churches for other cities in Bulgaria (and quite frankly, all of Europe). The church of Saints Cyril and Methodius is an Orthodox Church that was built at the very end of the 1800s and into the 1900s.
Located in the heart of the city center, it’s easy to stop over for a visit. Whether you go inside to see the iconography decorating the building or just admire it from the outside, I think it’s worth popping over for at least a quick look.
Walk on the Pier
The beach in Burgas is lovely, but for a slightly different view, walk down the pier that juts out into Burgas Bay. Here, you’ll have a nice view looking back at the beach, but also out to the Black Sea.
I loved this, but I’ll admit I’m a bit biased. This reminded me of home and what it’s like walking out to the lighthouses along Lake Michigan. Even if you aren’t looking for a reminder of your home along the Great Lakes, I’d still recommend walking out on the pier.
Take a Day Trip
I know this is a list of things to do in Burgas, and usually I’m hesitant to include day trips on these lists. However, I think it’s warranted in Burgas. The city is fine, but if you’re going to stay in Burgas, you really should be looking into the day trips from the city.
Nessebar is popular because the Old Town has been recognized by UNESCO. It has one of the highest rates of churches per person anywhere in the world. While most of the churches are in ruins, the Old Town is still a fun place to wander.
Other popular day trips are the town of Sozopol and St. Anastasia Island. Sozopol is another popular resort town and has a gorgeous Old Town with centuries of history, while St. Anastasia Island is the only uninhabited island of Bulgaria.
How to Get to Burgas, Bulgaria
Burgas is well connected to many destinations.
For flights, you can look into using the nearby Burgas airport (airport code BOJ). Like nearby Varna, it’s a small airport, but you can find more flight options during the busy summer months.
For buses, there are two stations in the city. The south bus station serves cities like Varna and many of the local day trips like Nessebar, Sozopol, and Sunny Beach, though you can also reach Sofia from here. The west bus station handles a lot more domestic travel including cities like Veliko Tarnovo. Use the BurgasBus website to confirm which station you need to go to.
Burgas also has a train station. Trains in Bulgaria are slower than you think, but may offer a better alternative to your exact route. Despite the train taking longer than the bus (and having a connection) the train schedules for Burgas to Veliko Tarnovo worked much better in my itinerary than the bus schedules.
Should You Visit Burgas or Varna?
Varna and Burgas are two popular seaside towns in the Black Sea. If you have the chance, I’d say visit both cities and decide for yourself. Each has a different feel.
Varna felt larger and more developed. Therefore it felt like there were more tourists here. The beaches were lovely, but on a weekend they did feel a bit crowded.
Burgas felt smaller and more lived in, though it’s still a large city. The beaches were large and felt much emptier with more room to spread out (though I was in Burgas during the week and in Varna on the weekend). Burgas also has the added advantage of being a hub for other seaside towns.
Yes, you can reach places like Nessebar from Varna, but it’s easier to reach Nessebar from Burgas. Plus, you also have Sozopol and St. Anastasia Island as day trip options.
If you’re looking for a bigger city with more nightlife and less day trips, go to Varna. If you want to mix up your beach time with some cultural day trips, book your trip to Burgas.
Final Thoughts
Is Burgas my favorite city in Bulgaria? No, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it. In fact, I’d consider returning to this city over Varna (a place that I enjoyed slightly more). Yes, Burgas is light on sights, but its lovely beach and ease of access to smaller towns for day trips makes it a perfect addition to a Bulgarian itinerary.
