Black Sea Coast
Sand beaches, resort areas and two old seaside towns along about 130 km of coast from Varna to Burgas.
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The Bulgarian Black Sea coast runs about 130 km from Varna in the north to Burgas in the south. Visitors come for the sandy beaches, the resorts along them and the old towns of Nessebar and Sozopol, both built on small peninsulas. Nessebar is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with churches and stone houses from its years as a trading and fishing port.
The coast suits a beach holiday with day trips to the old towns. Varna and Burgas are the two main cities at either end of the stretch, and Nessebar lies north of Burgas while Sozopol lies south of it. Varna, Golden Sands, Sunny Beach and Sozopol differ in size, atmosphere and nightlife, so the base you pick shapes the trip. Summer, roughly June to September, is the season for swimming in the sea.
Black Sea Coast in five
- Pick one stretch before you bookVarna and Burgas are about 130 km apart. Most trips base in the north around Varna and Golden Sands or in the south around Burgas, Sunny Beach, Nessebar and Sozopol.Varna travel guide
- Use Nessebar for the old town and Sunny Beach for the sandSunny Beach is the country's largest resort, with a beach over 10 km long. Old Nessebar sits on a small peninsula joined to the new town by a narrow isthmus, and has been on UNESCO's list since 1983.Burgas travel guide
- Fly into Varna or BurgasBulgaria has four international airports: Sofia, Varna, Plovdiv and Burgas. Choosing the one nearest your stretch saves a long transfer, and Sofia is 400 km from Burgas.
- Swim from June to SeptemberThe tourism portal gives an average summer sea temperature of 24.7 C at Burgas and a July average of about 23 C in Nessebar. May and October suit old-town walking more than swimming.
Neighborhoods
Varna
- Best for: Culture, long weekends
- To airport: Varna Airport, then taxi or bus
- Price band: $$
- Archaeological Museum and Roman Thermae
- Sea Garden along the shore
- City beaches are busy in July
Skip if you want a resort with an all-inclusive pool.
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Burgas
- Best for: Airport access, calm evenings
- To airport: Burgas Airport is 10 km from Burgas
- Price band: $–$$
- Sea Garden and seafront in Burgas
- Sozopol old town about 35 km south
- Fewer big resorts than the north
Skip if you want the largest beach resort.
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Things to do in Black Sea Coast
See all attractions in Black Sea Coast
Need to know
- Airport
- Varna (VAR) in the north, Burgas (BOJ) in the south
- Getting there
- Fly into Varna or Burgas; rail and buses link the larger towns
- Getting around
- Buses and taxis between towns; a car helps for smaller bays
- Best base
- Varna (north); Burgas, Nessebar or Sozopol (south)
- Time needed
- 5 to 7 days for one stretch; a day each for Nessebar and Sozopol
Weather by month
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryCold, quiet
- FebruaryCold, damp
- MarchCool, quiet
- AprilMild, spring
- MayWarm, old towns
- JuneWarm, sea opens
- JulyHot, peak beach
- AugustHot, peak beach
- SeptemberWarm sea
- OctoberMild, quieter
- NovemberCool, grey
- DecemberCold, quiet
Right now in Black Sea Coast
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
13
- Feels like
- 13°
- Humidity
- 87%
- Wind
- 5 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 100%
Burgas
10:38 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today17°12°100%Monday: Thunderstorms. High 17°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 100%.
- Tue14°12°100%Tuesday: Rain. High 14°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 100%.
- Wed13°8°86%Wednesday: Rain. High 13°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 86%.
- Thu10°4°35%Thursday: Rain. High 10°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 35%.
- Fri12°3°2%Friday: Partly cloudy. High 12°, Low 3°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Sat10°5°2%Saturday: Clear. High 10°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Sun11°4°0%Sunday: Fog. High 11°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 0%.
Updated 08:25 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Day trips by train
- Nessebar36 km from BurgasOld Nessebar is UNESCO-listed and pairs with the long sand of Sunny Beach next door; sleep in one and visit the other.Read the guide
- Sozopolabout 35 km south of BurgasAn old town declared a museum reserve in 1974, with two town beaches and a small harbor; the quieter half of a southern trip.Read the guide
- Aladzha Monasteryabout 14 km from VarnaA rock monastery on the road to Golden Sands, listed at 5 euros for adults by the Varna museum.Read the guide
Before you go to Black Sea Coast
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Rules for Black Sea Coast, checked
- Bulgaria is in the EU and the Schengen Area. Check entry rules on the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs site (mfa.bg) before you fly.Source
- Bulgaria is moving from the lev to the euro. Check with the Bulgarian National Bank (bnb.bg) to see which currency prices and card terminals use.Source
- Motorways in Bulgaria need an electronic vignette linked to your number plate. Buy it online at bgtoll.bg before you drive.Source
- Sunbeds and umbrellas at private beach clubs are paid. Ask the price before you sit down.
Plan around Black Sea Coast
Museums, Roman baths and the northern resorts
Read the guideBurgas travel guideThe southern gateway for Nessebar and Sozopol
Read the guideRuse travel guideLittle Vienna on the Danube, reached from Varna
Read the guideSofia travel guideThe capital, a day's travel inland from Burgas
Read the guideFlying in from outside the EUThe EES booth at Varna or Burgas comes before immigration
Read the guideAll of BulgariaSofia, Plovdiv and the Danube, plus the euro and entry rules
Read the guideBlack Sea Coast FAQ
Where is the best place to stay on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast?
Varna for culture and a big city, Golden Sands for a northern beach resort, Nessebar for the old town and Sunny Beach for the longest sand. Burgas is the practical base for the south by air.
Is Sunny Beach or Nessebar better?
Sunny Beach for the beach, with hundreds of hotels and a beach over 10 km long. Nessebar for the UNESCO old town. They sit next to each other, so many visitors sleep in one and visit the other.
Is Varna or Burgas better for a Black Sea trip?
Varna for the Archaeological Museum, Roman baths and Golden Sands. Burgas for quick access to Sunny Beach, Nessebar and Sozopol. They are 130 km apart, so pick one as your base.
When is the Black Sea warm enough to swim?
June to September. The sea temperatures in the planner above come from the tourism portal; early June and late September are cooler but quieter than July and August, and May and October suit old-town walking more than swimming.
Is Nessebar a UNESCO site?
Yes. The Ancient City of Nessebar was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1983. The old town covers a small peninsula, so it suits a half-day walk or a night.