Black Sea coast of Bulgaria

The modern Bulgarian ethnographic appearance of the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria acquired only in the second quarter of the twentieth century. Prior to this, the Turkic-speaking Gagauzians , who massively moved to Russia at the beginning of the 19th century, inhabited its northern half for several centuries, and the Greeks inhabited the southern half for two millennia. The power of the Byzantine Empire in Sozopol and Mesemvria (Nessebar) remained here until the middle of the fifteenth century. The Greek-Bulgarian population exchange of 1919 forcibly completed the history of the Greeks in this region of the Black Sea . 46,000 ethnic Greeks migrated to Greek Macedonia, and 92,000 Bulgarians from Aegean Greece ^{[3] [4]} arrived in their place, to which during the twentieth century Bulgarian immigrants from Ottoman East Thrace, Asia Minor, as well as the western regions of Bulgaria were added.

In 1913 - 1940, the coast of South Dobrogea was controlled by sovereign royal Romania . The Romanian authorities tried their best to gain a foothold in this climate-friendly region: in the Balchik region, which gained fame as the only Romanian city “ where winter doesn’t come ”, Queen Maria Edinburgh (English by nationality) ordered the construction of the Palace “Quiet Nest” in 1921 . Long border disputes between the two states ended in 1947 in favor of Bulgaria, which received the Black Sea Balchik, and the exchange of the corresponding titular national minorities was carried out in 1940. Northern Dobruja remained part of Romania.

The climate of the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria is generally sunny, dry, but also relatively cool, especially in the winter-spring period. This is explained by the fact that the warmest part of the Black Sea is located in its southeastern part (near Batumi ). As the general Black Sea current moves counterclockwise, in winter, the removal of warm air masses above the sea and from its depths continues to occur in the direction from the south and southeast to northeast. As a result, currents on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria bring almost exclusively cold waters from bays adjacent to the cold and shallow plain parts of Odessa and Kherson regions of Ukraine. As a result, the average annual temperature in the more southern Bulgarian Burgas (+12.7 ° C) is colder than in the Russian Anapa (+13.7 ° C), which is located, although much more north in latitude, but in the warmer part of the Black Sea . The duration of the holiday season on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast is also correspondingly somewhat shorter.

The Balkan mountains cross the country, reaching the Black Sea in the area of Cape Emine (Emine). This cape, glorified in the Middle Ages, representing (figuratively speaking) the tip of the Stara Planina Horn ^[5] , conditionally divides the Bulgarian coast into the northern and southern parts.

The northern ( Mysian ) part of the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria is characterized by an abundance of rocky capes, where the sea abuts against steep shores, sometimes reaching 70 m in height. The southern ( Thracian or Thracian) part of the coast is known for its wide sandy beaches.

The two largest cities and major seaports on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria are Varna (the third largest city in the country) and Burgas (the fourth largest city in the country). Varna is located in the northern part of the coast, Burgas - in the southern part. The international airports of the two cities serve the entire region of the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria.

On July 15, 2013, the construction of the Trakia highway (A1) , which connects Sofia and Burgas, was completed. Construction of the Hemus motorway (A2) is ongoing, which will link Sofia to Varna. The planned A5 motorway will connect Varna and Burgas.

• Balchik
• Bourgas
• Byala
• Varna
• Kavarna
• Nessebar
• Pomorie
• Primorsko
• Sozopol
• Tsarevo
• Shabla

Since 1950, the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria has been an important tourism center in the summer season (May – October), attracting millions of foreign and local tourists and being one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country.

Until 1989, the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria was known in the world as the Red Riviera . After the fall of the Iron Curtain , the name was changed to the Bulgarian Riviera .

Major Resorts

• Albena
• Sozopol
• Golden Sands
• Pomorie
• St. St. Constantine and Elena
• Cape Kaliakra
• sunny Beach
• Dunes
• Riviera
• Varna
• Mermaid
• Gull
• Balchik
• Nessebar
• Elenite ^[6]

Sozopol and Nessebar are known for their historical significance and architectural sights. In Nessebar, the ancient part of the city on the Nessebar peninsula, which protrudes far into the sea, has been preserved. Sozopol is located on the cape bordering the Burgas Bay, in the southern part of the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria. Typical Bulgarian wooden houses have been preserved in the city. The Apollonia Arts Festival is held annually. Various festivals, contests and other events are also held at the Golden Sands resort, which is located 20 km north of Varna. The length of the beach at this resort exceeds 3 km.

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  The Veleka River at the confluence near the village of Sinemorets

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  The beach near the resort "Dunes"

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  Nessebar

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  sunny Beach

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  Kamchia River

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  Evksinograd

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  Albena

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  Cape Kaliakra

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  Cape Emine

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  Kiten

• Riviera