01 / 04Two coasts in one
North: open steppe and white cliffs. South: dense pine forest and river mouths. They look like different countries.
A region of Bulgaria
Black Sea
Salt cliffs, river mouths, the old fishing peninsulas.
N 42° · E 27°400 km of coastlineLate May - early October
Sozopol old townKaliakra capeSinemorets dunesNessebar peninsula
Scroll into the region↓
What makes this region
From the white marble cliffs of Kaliakra in the north to the wild Strandzha mouths in the south - 400 km of coast, half-asleep most of the year, with old fishing towns built on stone and pine.
01 / 04
02 / 04Stone towns on the sea
Sozopol and Nessebar are tiny peninsulas of wooden balconies, fig trees, and 13c churches. UNESCO, but still living.
03 / 04Wild river mouths
South of Burgas, the Veleka and Ropotamo rivers spill into wide, almost empty beaches. Pelican country.
04 / 04A sea cuisine
Tsatsa, mussels in white wine, sea snails, fresh anchovies on bread. Salt, butter, lemon - simple is the point.
Best destinations
Six places to start with.
01 · Town●
Sozopol
Old peninsula, stone harbour, fig trees.
02 · UNESCO town●
Nessebar
13c churches on a tiny rock peninsula.
03 · Cape●
Kaliakra
White marble cliffs over deep blue.
04 · Village●
Sinemorets
Veleka river mouth, wild south coast.
05 · Salt town●
Pomorie
Mineral lake, ancient mud baths.
06 · Cove●
Bolata
Pocket beach beneath Kaliakra cape.
Experiences
Things to do slowly.
Choose one or two - not a list to tick. Each is a half-day or a full day, ideally with a long lunch in between.
- 01Veleka kayakWater
- 02Sozopol harbour eveningCulture
- 03Kaliakra cliff walkNature
- 04Pomorie mud bathsSpa
- 05Seafood at a konobaFood
- 06Sand dunes, SilistarWild
Seasonal atmosphere
The region in autumn.
Warm sea, no crowds, fresh catch
Map explorer
The region, drawn.
N ↑
Culture + stories
The people of Black Sea.
Story · 01
The last anchovy boat
"We leave at four, return at nine. The sea decides what we bring."
- Petar, Sozopol
Story · 02
Painter of the harbour
"I have painted the same boats for thirty years. They are never the same."
- Stefka, Nessebar
Story · 03
River-mouth guide
"On still mornings the river is a mirror. Then a pelican lands."
- Krasi, Sinemorets
Journeys through
Three ways to cross.
Route 01
5 days
Varna → Sinemorets
Black Sea route
Top to bottom, cliffs to wild south.
ViaKaliakra→Nessebar→Sozopol→Sinemorets
Route 02
3 days
Burgas → Sinemorets
South coast
Pine forest, river mouths, no rush.
ViaSozopol→Ahtopol→Sinemorets
Route 03
2 days
Varna → Varna
Cape weekend
White cliffs and pocket coves.
ViaKaliakra→Bolata→Yaylata
Next regionStrandzha
The forgotten south - fire dances, dolmens, cork forests.
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