Burgas

Burgas (Byprac)
The Thracians and Romans settled in Burgas because of the mineral springs, but Burgas really took off in the late 1800's when the railway arrived. Hemmed in to the coastline by the expansive Burgas Lakes the suburbs have grown up rather than out. The centre of town still has several attractions worth noting and its tree-lined avenues and several pedestrianised boulevards make it pleasure to stroll around.
The small Archaeological Museum displays finds from throughout the town's history, concentrating on the Roman era including the only wooden Thracian tomb found along the coast.
Brakalov House is home to Burgas Ethnological Museum It has displays of costumes, furniture and traditional arts and crafts dating from the late 19th century when the house belonged to Burgas mayor Dimitar Brakalov. The upper floors have some colourful costumes used in traditional Bulgarian folk dances but all information in the museum is in Cyrillic only.
Burgas Art Gallery unusually housed in an early 20th-century former synagogue, has an interesting collection of contemporary art by Bulgarian artists, juxtaposed with a small collection of icons.
Between the town and the sea lies Maritime Park, the place where everyone goes to relax or take an evening stroll. With a mixture of formal and informal spaces dotted with sculptures andseveral cafes, it is also the venue for many activities during Burgas cultural festivals, the principal event being the International Folklore Festival in late August.

Four large shallow lakes on the landward side of Burgas comprise the largest wetland habitat in Bulgaria. Covering almost 10,000 hectares, it is home to over 170 species of birds but not all of it is protected and it sits uncomfortably beside the fast-growing port and industrial area with all its attendant pollution concerns.You'll find the Poda Conservation Centre at Lake Mandrensk; around 7km south of Burgas town. The centre co-ordinates all park activities. including guided tours and specialise.: overnight field trips. From the two viewing platforms at the Poda building you can look out across the lake, the heart of the Poda Protected Area, to spot waders such as ibis or spoonbills or divers such as cormorants, which seem to be the most prolific species -hundreds of their nests adorn numerous nearby power pylons. A 2.5km nature walk leads deeper into the park, where it's possible to get a little closer to the birds.
Lake Vaya to the north of Mandrensko is a seawater habitat and summer home to a vast population of migratory pelicans (best seen Apr-Oct). A boat trip is available but arrangements need to be made through The Poda Conservation Centre.
Burgas is a great location for access to 4 of the biggest Bulgarian national parks ideal for bird watching, hiking and mountain sports. More Information