'''Burgas''' (also ''Bourgas'') is a city on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria.

Get in

Buses and trains from different destinations in Bulgaria arrive several times per day.

Train

The central train station is in the very heart of the city and next its building is bus station South which is the main point to all small summer resorts and villages in the area like Sozopol or Sunny Beach. Tickets are sold in the train station building.

Bus

There are very convenient buses from every city in the country to Burgas. Most of the buses coming to the city have a few stops before reaching the Central bus station - South. There are also many buses coming from Turkey and Greece.

Every operating company has their own reservation system. Some of the companies that run bus lines to the city are Enturtrans [http://enturtrans.com/] , Union Ivkoni [http://www.union-ivkoni.bg/home] , Kaleya.

Eurolines [http://www.eurolines.bg] also run regular international bus lines to/from Burgas.

Air

Burgas airport (BOJ) [http://www.bourgas-airport.com/]is located in Sarafovo district and it accepts numerous flights from all over Europe, especially in summer.

The local air carrier BulgariaAir offers regular internal flights every day to Sofia as well. There are a few low-cost companies that offer good deals to Bourgas as well. These are WizzAir, SkyEurope, GermanWings.

In addition, charter companies offer flights from Britain, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland and Norway to Burgas from May until September each year. [http://www.flightsbulgaria.com/]

Sea

The Port of Burgas [http://www.port-burgas.com] operates mainly industrial ships. There is small marina but the public sea routes to the city are not developed.

Get around

Bourgas has well developed public busing system. Buses travel also to all resorts and cities along the coastline. Hitchhiking is also a very popular and successful means of transportation in the region.

'''Public transport''' runs regularly from 5 am to 11 pm. There are both buses and trolleys. Tickets are sold in the bus by special collectors and you should pay to them. The price for one ride is 0.80 leva (August 2008).

There are also small '''mini-buses''' that run regularly and cover some routes of the city. The cost for the ride is 0.90 leva. You should pay to the driver when you get off the mini-bus.

'''Taxis''' are another convenient way to travel around. There are many licensed operating companies. Be careful with scammers and always keep an eye to their tax-counter machine. Normally tariffs vary from 0,80 to 0,90 leva/kilometer (August 2008).

See

The city of Burgas developed after the beginning of the 20th century and most of the buildings in the city centre date from this time. The city Gallery of Fine Arts is hosted by a secession style synagogue.

The city has a huge park called Sea Garden (Morska gradina) with variety of green species and fantastic view to the Burgas Bay. The garden starts from the central bus and train station. There are small stairs to the sandy beach and in summer the coast id full of many coffees and nightclubs. There's a t-shaped pier at the sea garden - one branch of the "t" has stairs up to a viewing platform, locals boys practise diving off the other branch. It's a nice place for a walk, or you can sit at the nearby cafe and watch the world go by.

Walking in the garden little by little it becomes wilder and you reach the salt-pans. The 'salt-factories' produce many tons of salt every year. A small train runs across the salt-pans, riding it you can see how salt is made and refined.

Bourgas also has two universities and three colleges. The building of the Burgas Free University (private) is located in the city center and is one of the modern city landmarks. The Asen Zlatarov University main buildings are located at the west entrance of the city.

Do

Water sports and activities

In summer you can go surfing and kite-surfing in the bay. There are a few surf and sea sports schools, which you can find on the beaches. You can also book diving.

There are several small islands near Burgas: <br>St. Anastasia (former B__lshevik island)<br> St. Ivan (the Snakes' island).<br> You can search for a boat or small ship for an excursion to there.

Boats to St. Anastasia island leave from the Bridge. Offered in July and August, leaving at 10:00, 12:00 and 14:00.

Other sports and activities

'''Carting Speedway''', ''126 Stefan Stambolov Bul (Kolodruma), Working time: 11:00-20:30'', Speedway - length: 320 m., width: 4m

You can do also do some extreme sports like '''paragliding''' or moto-paragliding. Courses and tandem-flights are offered as well. Sky Dog Fly Center, ''4 Troykata Sq., fl.2, office 8''

Cinema

In winter you can go to see a movie. All movies are subtitled in Bulgarian and rarely there are voiceovers so if the movie is in English, you won't have problems. There are few exceptions for children's movies. Cinema: Trakia cinema (6 Tzar Asen Str.)

Museums

  • '''Ethnographic Museum''', ''69 Slavianska Str., working time: mon-fri 10:00-19:00; sat 10:00-18:00'', includes various ethno exhibitions in its program, offers summer school of Arts, Crafts and Dances
  • '''Archaeological Museum''', ''21 Bogorodi Str., working time: mon-fri 10:00-19:00; sat 10:00-18:00'', variety of exhibitions, ancient Roman, Byzantine and Greek antiques
  • '''Historical Museum''', ''31 Lermontov Str., working time: mon-fri 10:00-19:00; sat 10:00-18:00'', tells both local and national history, various guest exhibitions from other museums and countries.
  • '''Nature and Science Museum''', ''30 Fotinov Str., working time: mon-fri 10:00-19:00; sat 10:00-18:00'', covers flora, fauna, subjects of medicine, physics, various thematic exhibitions
  • There are many '''galleries''' as well, some of them are Bogoridi, Briz - Boiadzhiev, and Petko Zadgorski Art Gallery.

    Buy

    Shopping area is in the center of the town. It consists of two main streets and a few more small ones. The prices are reasonable. Some of the shops offer local brands while others are international (Benetton, etc.)

    Gold shops are pretty popular. Most of the gold is imported from Turkey.

    Eat

    Burgas has an abundance of eating establishments.

    There are many pizza places, pubs serving international food, chinese restaurants. On the main streets there are kebabs, pancakes, hot dogs and hamburgers for about 1 or 2 Euro.

    Drink

    Burgas has many cafes and small bars. On the main streets you will bump into their chairs especially in summer.

    Broadway and Silver Club are good places for a cocktail and modern dance and pop music.

    In summer the Sea Garden is full of cafeterias and beer-places or small pubs. The sandy line is covered with night-bars and discos playing all kind of music.

    Bars and clubs

  • '''Addict''', 6 Vazrazhdane Str. - disco, commercial music, open 20:00-04:00
  • '''Alibi''', located in the Sea Garden - disco, commercial music, retro parties, black parties, open 23:00-6:00
  • '''Broadway''', 6 Silistra Str. - cafe & bar with variety of cocktails, open 07:00?24:00
  • '''Caribe''', the North Beach, on the beach alley, open open air, seasonally in summer, bar & disco club, latino and pop music, open 09:00-02:00
  • '''Barcode''', on the beach alley under the Summer Theater, electro, trance and lounge music, good for after-party, open seasonally in summer, open 00:00-24:00
  • '''Dover Strait''', 12 Bulair Str, bar & cigars, open 08:00?02:00
  • '''Elite Poka Club''', located in the sea Garden, disco, pop-folk music, open 22:00-04:00
  • '''Nataly's Style cafe''', 21 Alexandrovska Str, Bulgaria hotel, bar with WI-FI, open 07:00-24:00
  • '''Silver Club''', 4 Svoboda Sq, in front of the Municipality building, cafe & bar with variety of cocktails, open 07:00?02:00
  • '''Tequila''', located in the Sea Garden - disco, commercial music, retro parties, black parties, seasonally in summer, open 23:00-6:00
  • '''Gramofona''', Bogoridi Str, 50 m. from the Sea garden's main entrance, called this after a big gramophone installation located next to it,open air cafe & bar, good place for a drink before the clubs, open 10:00-02:00
  • Sleep

    There are many new hotels in the city. Most of them offer BB for a reasonable price.

    You can also stay in the suburb called Sarafovo which is a pretty Bulgarian seaside village with easy access to the city centre (15 mins) and the airport (5 mins). Sarafovo has numerous hotels. holiday apartments and guesthouses, as well as shops, restaurants and a serviced beach. It offers a good combination of peace and tranquility with easy access to the bustle and nightlife of the city centre.

    If you need something out the beaten track you can also try the Host offers. Especially in summer many old ladies or gentlemen offer accommodation in their houses. If you get off the train or the bus, you will spot their cardboard signs. Some language barriers exist as not all of them speak English. Usually they are hospitable and are a good equivalent to hostel accommodation. If you understand each other and have a good host, sometimes they will prepare a traditional breakfast.

  • Yonat hostel. eorgy Kirkov Str.3. 00m from the main bus and train station. 884563605. 2h. .5. Yonat Hostel, 3 Georgy Kirkov Street. Is a little pretty hostel well locatied in the center of Burgas.

    Get out

    Istanbul is just some 4 or 5 hours drive from Burgas (including the time on the Custom Formalities). There are many bus-companies offering excursions by bus or just transport to Istanbul and other cities in Turkey.

    When in Burgas, you may want to visit Nesebar (also Nessebur) and Sozopol - two seaside cities, famous for their ancient and renaissance buildings. There is public transport leaving from the bus station South which is in the city center. The first buses in the morning leave at 5 am and the last bus for Sozopol is at 9 pm and for Nesebar is at 11 pm.

    Just a few kilometers from Nessebur is the large holiday complex called Sunny Beach. In summer the two villages almost merge in one big party and holiday center. Sunny Beach is sometimes called the summer party capital. There are more than 200 hotels and thousands of clubs, bars and pubs. One of the most famous party places is Cacao Beach with guest DJs like Victor Calderone, or bands like UK's Ladytron.

    A world-famous attraction in the region around the mountains Strandzha and Sakar to the south of Burgas are the authentic fire dancers, called nestinari (_~_u_____y_~_p___y). The mountains are good for biking and hiking.