Burgas / Bourgas - Bulgaria

The town of Bourgas (population: 210 260) is the second district centre on the Black Sea coast. It is situated in the farthest western part of Bourgas bay and is 390 km east of Sofia. Due to the low level of the coast there are three lagoon-lakes: Atanasovo lake, Bourgas Lake and Mandra lake. The town is situated between the sea and the first two lakes. The climate of Bourgas is suitable for recreation -- mild winter and long sunny summer. The beaches are covered with dark black curable sand. Bourgas ranks fourth in size in the country after Sofia, Plovdiv and Varna. Museums and theatres The District Museum of History, founded in 1925, houses an archaeological hall with a rich collection of old colonies on the Black Sea coast. There are exhibits of modern history, and photos of eminent Renaissance leaders. The Art Gallery and the Fine Art Gallery exhibit foreign and Bulgarian art. The Ethnographic Museum has an interesting collection of traditional masks of Koukeri, costumes typical of the region and ritual accessories. The Museum of Nature and Science contains many exhibits describing the geological characteristics of the earth, the region, the flora and fauna. The Philharmonic, the Opera House, and the Theater of Drama are housed in three different buildings and function all through the season. Together with the Puppet Theater they outline the cultural atmosphere in the town. Landmarks Away from the busy centre of the city, the shady Sea Garden is a lovely place to stroll in hot summer days. A beautiful forked staircase in verdure leads from the park down to the central beach of the city. The sand is a mixture of various alloys of magnetite, which is the reason for its dark colour. The city also has a northern beach, located close to the Izgrev Quarter, and adjacent to the city's salt-mines. The St. St. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral is interesting with its marvelous frescos and wooden alter. Also interesting sights of Bourgas are the Armenian Church, the Catholic cathedral, the church "St. Holly Mother", and the church "St. Ivan Rilski". Festivals • Five days of the Classical German and Austrian music -- at the end of April • International Theater Festival of Small Forms called "Theater in a Case" -- May and June • Three-week Festival of Opera and Classical Music in memory of the conductor Emil Chakurov -- July. • International Folk Festival and Week of the Arts for Children -- August • International Pop- and Jazz- Meeting called "Bourgas and the Sea" -- September • International Tournament for Standard and Latin American Dances -- December. Warnings or Dangers Burgas is quite a safe place but beware of gypsies who pose as beggars but are pick pockets. Changing money on the streets should be avoided. You may encounter people around the railway station offering better rates than the banks and hotels, but don't be tempted by this. You should only change money at Banks or Hotels. Transport The airport of Bourgas receives flights from the country and from abroad all through the year. There are flights to Sofia every day. The flight is 40 min. The railway station in Bourgas has connections with all main directions around the country. The bus station is located next to the railway station. Buses to almost all directions including Sofia leave there. Distance (in hours) from Sofia: by airplane : 30 min up to 1 hour by car : about 5 hours by train : direct train - 6 hours; express train - about 8 hours The Youth on the Move Information Event is organised within the biggest and the most attractive music event in Bulgaria -- SPIRIT of Burgas, which gathers every year hundreds of artists worldwide. The fifth edition of the festival in 2012 set against the beautiful backdrop of Bulgaria's Back Sea Coast is bringing together some of the biggest names in world music scene and is expected to attract over 35,000 young people from around the world. The Youth on the Move event in Bulgaria taking place between 2 and 5 August will present to the young citizens of Burgas and other cities of Bulgaria as well as to the numerous foreign guests the opportunities Europe provides for young people that are: boosting the mobility and access of young Europeans to the EU labour market; providing access to education based on the needs of young people; raising their awareness of EU financing provided for increasing mobility. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=br1aHYchYok