The Bulgarian

Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Rom ...

Coast (), also known as the Bulgarian Riviera, covers the entire eastern bound of

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...

stretching from the

Romanian Black Sea resorts The Romanian Black Sea resorts or the Romanian Riviera stretch along the Black Sea coast from the Danube Delta at the northern end down to the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast in the south, along 275 kilometers of coastline. The most important re ...

in the north to

European Turkey East Thrace or Eastern Thrace ( tr, Doğu Trakya or simply ''Trakya''; el, Ανατολική Θράκη, ''Anatoliki Thraki''; bg, Източна Тракия, ''Iztochna Trakiya''), also known as Turkish Thrace or European Turkey, is the pa ...

in the south, along 378 km of coastline. White and golden sandy

beach A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological sources, such as mollusc sh ...

es occupy approximately 130 km of the 378 km long

coast The coast, also known as the coastline or seashore, is defined as the area where land meets the ocean, or as a line that forms the boundary between the land and the coastline. The Earth has around of coastline. Coasts are important zones in ...

. The region is an important center of tourism during the summer season (May–October), drawing millions of foreign and local tourists alike and constituting one of the country's most popular tourist destinations. Prior to 1989 the Bulgarian Black Sea coast was internationally known as the ''Red Riviera''. Since the

fall of the Iron Curtain The Revolutions of 1989, also known as the Fall of Communism, was a revolutionary wave that resulted in the end of most communist states in the world. Sometimes this revolutionary wave is also called the Fall of Nations or the Autumn of Natio ...

, however, its nickname has been changed to the ''Bulgarian Riviera''. The Bulgarian Black Sea Coast has a humid subtropical climate (

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

''Cfa''), with considerable

maritime Maritime may refer to: Geography * Maritime Alps, a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps * Maritime Region, a region in Togo * Maritime Southeast Asia * The Maritimes, the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prin ...

and

continental Continental may refer to: Places * Continent, the major landmasses of Earth * Continental, Arizona, a small community in Pima County, Arizona, US * Continental, Ohio, a small town in Putnam County, US Arts and entertainment * ''Continental'' ( ...

influences. The area's average air temperature in the summer is about 28 °C, with the average water temperature at 26 °C. There are more than 240 hours of sunshine in May and September and more than 300 hours in July and August. The Balkan Mountains cross the country reaching to the edge of the Black Sea at

Cape Emine Cape Emine ( bg, Нос Емине ) is a headland located at the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. It is located south of Varna, north of Burgas and south of Obzor. It forms the tip of Stara Planina. Cape Emine is said to be Bulgaria's stormiest ...

, dividing the coastline into a southern and northern part. Parts of Bulgaria's northern Black Sea Coast feature

rocky ''Rocky'' is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It is the first installment in the ''Rocky'' franchise and stars Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, and Burge ...

headlands where the sea abuts

cliff In geography and geology, a cliff is an area of rock which has a general angle defined by the vertical, or nearly vertical. Cliffs are formed by the processes of weathering and erosion, with the effect of gravity. Cliffs are common on co ...

s up to 70 metres in height. The southern coast is known for its wide

sand Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural class o ...

y beaches. The southernmost section is included in

Strandzha Nature Park Strandzha Nature Park ( bg, Природен парк Странджа ''Priroden park Strandzha'', also transliterated as Stranja Nature Park) is the largest protected area in Bulgaria spanning a territory of in the Strandzha Mountain in the ...

. The two largest cities and main seaports on the Bulgarian Riviera are

Varna Varna may refer to: Places Europe *Varna, Bulgaria, a city in Bulgaria **Varna Province **Varna Municipality ** Gulf of Varna **Lake Varna **Varna Necropolis *Vahrn, or Varna, a municipality in Italy *Varniai, a city in Lithuania * Varna (Šaba ...

(third largest in the country) and

Burgas Burgas ( bg, Бургас, ), sometimes transliterated as ''Bourgas'', is the second largest city on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast in the region of Northern Thrace and the fourth-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia, Plovdiv, and Varna, with a pop ...

(fourth largest in the country). Varna is located on the northern part of the coast and Burgas is located on the southern coast. The two cities' international airports,

Varna Airport Varna Airport () is the airport of Varna, the historical maritime capital of Bulgaria. Varna Airport is the third largest airport in Bulgaria. It is located 10 kilometers from the center of Varna near the town of Aksakovo. The airport serves V ...

and

Burgas Airport Burgas Airport () is an international airport in southeast Bulgaria and the second largest in the country. It is near the northern neighbourhood of Sarafovo approximately from the city centre. The airport principally serves Burgas and other ...

, are the main hubs servicing the region. In addition, the

Trakia motorway The Trakia motorway (, ) or Thrace motorway, designated A1, is a motorway in Bulgaria. It connects the capital city of Sofia, the city of Plovdiv and the city of Burgas on the Black Sea coast. The motorway is named after the historical region of ...

(A1) was completed in 2013, providing fast access between Burgas and

Sofia Sofia ( ; bg, София, Sofiya, ) is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria. It is situated in the Sofia Valley at the foot of the Vitosha mountain in the western parts of the country. The city is built west of the Iskar river, and h ...

, the capital of Bulgaria, and Plovdiv, the second largest city.

Hemus motorway The Hemus motorway (, ) or Haemus motorway, designated A2, is a partially built motorway in Bulgaria. Its planned length is 418 km, of which 191 km are in operation . The motorway in operation is divided into two sections — the first ...

(A2), scheduled to be completed after 2020, would make the trip from Sofia to Varna substantially easier and faster, while the

Cherno More motorway The Cherno More motorway or the Black Sea motorway (, ) is a Bulgarian motorway planned to link the major coastal cities of Varna and Burgas, passing along the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. It is part of the Pan-European Corridor VIII and is estimat ...

(A5) is planned to connect Varna and Burgas. Major road I-9 runs along the Black Sea coast between the border with

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Moldova to the east, and ...

, at the village of

Durankulak Durankulak ( bg, Дуранкулак ) is a village in northeastern Bulgaria, part of Shabla Municipality, Dobrich Province. Located in the historical region of Southern Dobruja, Durankulak is the north-easternmost inhabited place in Bulgaria a ...

, and the city of Burgas.

Largest cities

Tsarevo Tsarevo ( bg, Царево, , also transliterated as Carevo or Tzarevo) is a town and seaside resort in the Municipality of Tsarevo, Burgas Province, Bulgaria. Etymology In the past, it was known as Vasiliko ( el, Βασιλικόν), and betwe ...

Balchik Balchik ( bg, Балчик ; ro, Balcic) is a Black Sea coastal town and seaside resort in the Southern Dobruja area of northeastern Bulgaria. It is in Dobrich Province, 35 km southeast of Dobrich and 42 km northeast of Varna. It spr ...

Nesebar Nesebar (often transcribed as Nessebar and sometimes as Nesebur, bg, Несебър, pronounced ) is an ancient city and one of the major seaside resorts on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, located in Burgas Province. It is the administrative cen ...

Kavarna Kavarna ( bg, Каварна ; ro, Cavarna), is a Black Sea coastal town and seaside resort in the Dobruja region of northeastern Bulgaria. It lies northeast of Varna, from Dobrich on the international road E87 and south of the border with R ...

Sozopol Sozopol ( bg, Созопол , el, Σωζόπολη, translit=Sozopoli) is an ancient seaside town located 35 km south of Burgas on the southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. Today it is one of the major seaside resorts in the country, known for th ...

Pomorie Pomorie ( bg, Поморие ), historically known as Anchialos (Greek: Αγχίαλος), is a town and seaside resort in southeastern Bulgaria, located on a narrow rocky peninsula in Burgas Bay on the southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. It is ...

Major resorts and attractions

* Krapets *

Shabla Shabla ( bg, Шабла ) is a town and seaside resort in northeastern Bulgaria, administrative centre of the Shabla Municipality part of Dobrich Province. Shabla municipality includes the following villages: Bojanovo, Chernomortsi, Durankulak, ...

* Tyulenovo * Kamen Bryag * Yaylata * Rusalka * Balgarevo *

* Bozhurets *

Beglik Tash Beglik Tash ( bg, Беглик Таш, tr, Beylik Taşı), is a prehistoric rock sanctuary situated on the southern Black Sea coast of Bulgaria, a few kilometers north of the city of Primorsko. It was re-used by the Thracian tribes in the Iron A ...

Topola Topola ( sr-cyrl, Топола, ) is a town and municipality located in the Šumadija District of central Serbia. It was the place where Karađorđe, a Serbian revolutionary, was chosen as the leader of the First Serbian Uprising against the Ottom ...

* Tuzlata *

Albena Albena ( bg, Албена) is a major Black Sea resort in northeastern Bulgaria, Balchik Municipality, situated from Balchik and from Varna. Albena is served by Varna Airport. Since 2005 is considered as a settlement by the National Statistic ...

Kranevo Kranevo ( bg, Кранево) is a coastal village on the northern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, part of Balchik Municipality, Dobrich Province. It is located in the historical region of Southern Dobruja. Between 1913 and 1940 it was part of Romania ...

Golden Sands Golden Sands ( Bulgarian: Златни пясъци, ''Zlatni pyasatsi'' ) is a major seaside resort town on the northern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, adjacent to a national park of the same name in the municipality of Varna. Located 17 km n ...

Golden Sands Nature Park Golden Sands Nature Park ( Bulgarian: ''Природен парк "Златни пясъци"'') is a nature park on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast in Varna Province. Geography It covers . The park is long and on the average wide; it was decla ...

* Holiday Club Riviera * Chaika * Sunny Day (Kokodiva) * Constantine and Helena * Galata * Fichoza * Kamchia (resort) * Kamchia (biosphere reserve) *

Shkorpilovtsi Shkorpilovtsi ( bg, Шкорпиловци) is a small village and sea resort in Dolni Chiflik Municipality on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, located only 100 m away from one of the beaches on the Moesian Black Sea Coast. Its proximity to the sea ...

* Karadere * Byala *

Obzor Obzor ( bg, Обзор ) is a small town and seaside resort on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria. It is part of Nesebar Municipality, Burgas Province. On February 28th, 2021, the citizens of Obzor and six nearby villages voted in a referendum to sepa ...

Irakli Irakli, Irakly ( ka, ირაკლი), or Erekle ( ka, ერეკლე) is a Georgians, Georgian version of the Greek name Heracles, and is a popular masculine name in Georgia (country), Georgia. Notable people with these names include: Erek ...

* Elenite *

Sveti Vlas Sveti Vlas (also known as St. Vlas; bg, Свети Влас; ), is a town and resort on the Black Sea coast in Nesebar municipality, Burgas Province, Bulgaria. In July, 2007 its population was 3,869. History The town is located at the foot of th ...

* Sunny Beach *

Ravda Ravda ( bg, Равда, ) a coastal village and seaside resort in southeastern Bulgaria, situated in Nesebar municipality, Burgas Province. Ravda is a small seaside resort on the Black Sea, located 3 km from Nesebar and 5 km from Su ...

* Sarafovo * Atia *

Chernomorets Chernomorets ( bg, Черноморец ) is a town on the Black Sea coast of southeastern Bulgaria. Administratively part of Sozopol Municipality, Burgas Province, Chernomorets is a popular seaside resort. Chernomorets lies some southeast of ...

* Kavatsite *

Dyuni Dyuni (Дюни, "Dunes"; also Duni or Dyunite) is a holiday town and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, 40 km south of the Bulgarian city of Burgas and 7 km from Sozopol. The construction of the resort began in 1987 by a ...

Primorsko Primorsko ( bg, Приморско ) is a town and seaside resort in southeastern Bulgaria, capital of homonymous municipality, part of Burgas Province. A well-known resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, it is located 52 km south of Burga ...

* Kiten * Lozenets *

* Varvara *

Sinemorets Sinemorets ( bg, Синеморец; also ''Sinemorec'', ''Sinemoretz'', "place on the blue sea") is a village and seaside resort on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria. Etymology The current name dates back to 1934; prior to that, the village was k ...

Rezovo Rezovo ( bg, Резово, ) is a village and seaside resort in southeastern Bulgaria, part of Tsarevo Municipality, Burgas Province, in the coastal Strandzha geographical region. Geography The village is in Strandzha Nature Park. Lying at th ...

Historic sites

Aheloy Aheloy ( bg, Ахелой ) is a town and seaside resort in Pomorie Municipality of Burgas Province. it had 2,175 inhabitants. It is situated in eastern Bulgaria, on the Black Sea Coast between the major port of Burgas to the south and the bus ...

Ahtopol Ahtopol ( bg, Ахтопол , ) is a town and seaside resort on the southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. Geography Location It is located on a headland in the southeastern part of Burgas Province and is close to the border with European Turk ...

Euxinograd Euxinograd ( bg, Евксиноград , also transliterated as ''Evksinograd'') is a late 19th-century Bulgarian former royal summer palace and park on the Black Sea coast, north of downtown Varna. The palace is currently a governmental and ...

Kaliakra Kaliakra ( bg, Калиакра; ro, Caliacra) is a cape in the Southern Dobruja region of the northern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, which ends with a long and narrow headland east of Kavarna, northeast of Varna and southwest of Mangalia. Th ...

(

UNESCO World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

) *

Islands

* St. Anastasia Island * St. Cyricus Island *

St. Ivan Island St. Ivan Island ( bg, остров св. Иван, ''ostrov Sveti Ivan'') is the largest Bulgarian island in the Black Sea, with an area of . It lies off the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast near Sozopol, a town with rich history and a popular tourist pl ...

* St. Peter Island * St. Thomas Island

Rivers

Batova The Batova ( bg, Батова) is a river in northeastern Bulgaria. The river flows in a wide valley between the Dobruja plateau to the north and the Franga plateau to the south, ultimately flowing directly into the Black Sea. The Batova is only 3 ...

* Dvoynitsa * Fakiyska * Hadzhiyska *

Kamchiya The Kamchiya (also Kamchia and Kamčija, bg, Камчия ) is a river in eastern Bulgaria. From its longest source, Golyama Kamchiya (Big Kamchiya), it has a total length of (. The river Kamchiya proper starts from the confluence of the two ...

Provadiya Provadia ( bg, Провадия ) is a town in northeastern Bulgaria, part of Varna Province, located in a deep karst gorge (Provadia syncline) along the Provadiya River not far from the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. It is the administrative centr ...

Rezovska The Rezovo (also Rezovska, Rezvaya and Rezve; bg, Резовска река ; tr, Mutludere ) is a river in the extreme southeast of Bulgaria and northernmost part of European Turkey. The river is situated in Bulgaria's Strandzha Nature Park. ...

Ropotamo The Ropotamo ( bg, Ропотамо , from the Ancient Greek word Ροπόταμος ''ropotamos'' meaning "border river") is a river in south-eastern Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bu ...

* Shkorpilovska *

Veleka The Veleka ( , ) is a river in the very southeast of Bulgaria (Burgas Province), as well as the very northeast of European Turkey. It is 147 km long, of which 108 km lies in Bulgaria Tourism in Bulgaria Tourism in Bulgaria is a significant contributor to the country's economy. Situated at the crossroads of the East and West, Bulgaria has been home to many civilizations: Thracians, Greeks, Romans, Eastern Romans or Byzantines, Slavs, Bulgars, and ...

Riviera ''Riviera'' () is an Italian word which means "coastline", ultimately derived from Latin , through Ligurian . It came to be applied as a proper name to the coast of Liguria, in the form ''Riviera ligure'', then shortened in English. The two areas ...

, featuring links to articles on the many coastal strips around the world which are known as Riviera *

References

{{coord, 42.368, 27.708, type:landmark_globe:earth_region:BG, display=title Landforms of Burgas Province Landforms of Varna Province Landforms of Dobrich Province Black Sea Coast Coasts of the Black Sea