← Varna Marathon·3 nights

Burgas: A Flat Seafront for Three Slow Days

One base on Bulgaria's southern Black Sea coast, with a long seafront park, a 1930s sea casino and a lagoon of salt pans for the third day.

Duration3 nights
TransitDirect coach from Varna Central Bus Station
DepartsVarna Central Bus Station

After the Varna Marathon: Burgas

The Route: Varna → Burgas → Burgas Airport (BOJ) Logistics: Direct coach from Varna Central Bus Station, then three nights in one hotel in Burgas, then a short transfer to the airport. Marathon Month: May Duration: 3 nights

Varna Central Bus Station ──(direct coach)──> Burgas
                                                │
                        Burgas Airport (BOJ) ◄──┘
                       (taxi or bus, check timetable)

The Varna Marathon finishes on a Sunday in mid-May. A longer stay needs somewhere that does not ask for early alarms or steps, and Burgas fits. It is a port city on the southern coast with a long seaside park beside the water, a flat centre and direct flights to a number of European cities, London among them. One hotel for three nights, no repacking.

May in Burgas: the Sea Garden is open and the trees are in leaf, but beach season has not started and sea swimming is not a plan. The salt pans of Atanasovsko Lake turn pink in July and August, so in May they are a bird-watching and walking stop and not a photograph. Coach timetables from Varna change with the season. One 18:40 departure to Burgas was suspended in one notice, and a new 18:40 service was announced from 13 July, so check the current timetable at autogaravn.com before travelling. The Varna Central Bus Station luggage room is open until 19:00.

Take the direct coach from Varna Central Bus Station. Journey time depends on the service, so check it. Luggage goes in the hold, followed by a short taxi from the Burgas station to your hotel.

Nights one to three: Burgas

The Sea Garden. Burgas's seafront park is the recovery asset. Trees were planted here more than 120 years ago, and the gardens were laid out roughly a century ago with plants brought from around the world. The architect Georgi Dutev designed them, and his house is on the grounds. Paths run beside the water for a long way, so start near the central fountain by the Aleko Bogoridi entrance and walk as far as is comfortable. The park holds a sculpture alley, a summer open-air theatre and a mini train. A former casino now serves as a cultural centre, so cafés and seats are never far.

The Sea Casino and the Burgas Bridge. The Sea Casino was built between 1936 and 1938 and stands on the coastal promenade. The Burgas Bridge reaches about 300 m into the sea. It was built in 1936 and later rebuilt. You get to it along the promenade or by the stairs in front of the Sea Casino, so take the promenade route on tired legs.

The Regional Historical Museum. For a wet or windy day, the museum runs four exhibitions: archaeology on Aleko Bogoridi Street (with a dolmen outside), ethnography, history and natural history. It is published as open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, but check the hours and prices before going.

Atanasovsko Lake. On the third day, walk from the northern end of the Sea Garden along the coastal promenade towards Sarafovo. The lake's salt factory comes first, then the salt pans. Allow about an hour each way at post-marathon pace, which is a good use of a flat day. The lake is about 9 km long and 4 km wide and averages around 30 cm deep, which makes it a bird-watching site, with trails along the western shore. Check the opening hours and entry fee at the gate.

Burgas Lighthouse. The lighthouse at the port was lit in 1899, the first port lighthouse in Bulgaria. Entry has been free. It is a short stop beside the Central Beach, which is about 2 km long.

Where to stay: base yourself on or near Aleko Bogoridi Street, which leads to the Sea Garden entrance, so every recovery walk starts at the door. Choose a refundable room and ask about luggage storage for checkout day.

Where to eat: the coast gives fish. Book ahead for a group and check the menu before sitting down.

Getting to Burgas Airport

Burgas Airport (BOJ) is the nearest airport and handles direct flights to several European cities. Arrange a taxi or check the bus timetable the day before, since early flights can leave no public service. If you are flying from Varna, take the coach back to Varna Central Bus Station and use bus 409 to Varna Airport (VAR).