Let's look at a magical place - the Sea Garden of Burgas
"Every time I see the sea from my own terrace I am reminded why I chose to live in this city. "
- resident of the block "Perla", town of Burgas
There is hardly a Burgas resident who does not have at least one romantic story from the Sea Garden of Burgas. Is there anyone who hasn't arranged a meeting at the "Mushroom", hasn't walked on the bridge, hasn't taken an ice cream near the „Flora“, in general, is there anyone who can imagine the city without the Sea Garden? Hardly.
The park is located in the immediate vicinity of the "Zornitsa" and "Lazur" complex on an impressive area of 600 acres. It's 5 km long, so it will take us more than two hours to walk the entire length and much longer to explore it. Since due to the measures imposed in connection with the epidemic, this is currently impossible, we decided to tell you about the park.
Its history is linked to an ambitious gardener who began its construction 110 years ago. The name of the man we thank today for this wealth is Georgi Dukhtev, who will later become the manager of the “Borisova” Garden in Sofia. It transformed the then empty marshy space between the city and the sea into one of the most beautiful and impressive parks in Bulgaria.
Georgi Dukhtev graduated in park management in Eisburg, Austria, and when he came back to Bulgaria, he became a gardener manager in Burgas and applied everything he learned in the creation of our beautiful Sea Garden as we know it today. Hundreds of species of plants have been planted, some of which have travelled thousands of kilometres. Part of the Sea Garden is declared a monument of park art.
Photo: The park during the spring, 2018.
Photo: Near to the Burgas Train Station
If we start our walk on the south side, which is close to the train station, we will pass through an alley filled with beautiful old houses. It is this promenade that reaches the famous so-called terrace of the Sea Casino - a symbol of the city. If we pause for a moment and look out to sea we can see the silhouette of the rocky coast of the island of St. Anastasia, one of the five islands on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.
Photo: View from the island "St. Anastasia, 2019.
Also nearby is the "Okhluva", a small stage that fills up in the summer with people attending the many concerts that take place here. If we walk a little further, a magnificent landmark will appear in front of us - Pushkin's monument, which is considered one of the most beautiful monuments to the poet in the whole world.
Not far from it is the house of the park's founder Georgi Duchtev. While he was working on the beautification of this space, the Municipality at the time gave the gardener the opportunity to live there, close to the plants he cared for daily. Today this building houses a hydrometeorological station.
Continuing our walk we reach the Summer Theatre. Maybe young people don't know, but only 20 years ago there was a zoo on this spot. Many Burgas residents associate their childhood with this place and especially with the wall of fairy tales! It is truly a magical place, decorated to tell everyone's favourite children's stories. For the now grown up children, the traditional annual rock and jazz music festival BlueZZ fest is held next to this place. It gathers popular native and world famous bands and performers. Hopefully we will be able to visit again in mid-summer.
We continue. Among the sea breeze, under the colorful shade of deciduous trees we walk for another 15 minutes and reach the heart of the park – „Flora“ Burgas. Since 1981, every year in spring, an international flower show called „Flora“ is held here. The adorable aroma of the heavy blossoms of hyacinths, daffodils, trees and shrubs arranged in beautiful compositions. A true fairyland of colours that transports us to another reality and it is magical. Our senses are filled with beauty and scents of spring.
Photo: Having a cup of coffee in the flower garden
We are attracted by the sound of the waves and head out to sea, and a majestic view opens before us.
Photo: The Bridge of Burgas
Photo: The Bridge of Burgas
People perceive the sea differently. For almost everyone it is a place of rest and synonymous with joyful summer holidays. For others it is a place for treatment, equivalent to a spa complex - mud baths, sun baths, natural swimming pool with one indispensable advantage - it gives a feeling of complete unity and harmony with nature. We assure you, this is the recipe for removing stress and tension.
Photo: Sand flower on the beach in Burgas
There is another group of people for whom the sea here is a place to practice their favorite sport or an opportunity to start a new one. Along the sea promenade we can see many people cycling, rollerblading, skateboarding. Here is also the surf school, which provides the opportunity to learn different types such as the classic wind or the increasingly popular kite, there are people who ride sports boats, jet skis and water skis.
And so as we walk near the beach, our eyes will be drawn to the colorfulness and dynamism of the many kite surfers.
Photo: Kitesurf on the Burgas beach
Photo: Windsurf on the Burgas beach
We nobly envy the people who can stay on the boards and sail at downwind speed, and continue on to reach the horse base and sand figures.
And here we find ourselves, where whatever our mood, a smile always appears on our face as soon as we step into the realm of sand figures. They transport us to a world where everything seems carefree and joyful. This sand kingdom is the Sand Sculpture Festival, which opens its doors every summer.
Before the festival opens to its visitors, the site is prepared, the sand sifted and the tireless work of the sculptors who will bring their sand characters to life begins. The popularity of this festival has grown over the years from 20,000 visitors in the first year to 100,000 people per season, totaling almost 1 million people have managed to touch the magical world of these fairy-tale creatures. Sand art sculptors from 4 continents have given their talent and heart away creating 250 compositions over a period of 12 years.
Photo: http://sandfestburgas.com/bg/gallery/index/76/
There is still a lot to see and explore in the Sea Garden, but it's time to go home. This part of the park, whose promenade leads to the Zornitsa complex, is the quietest. The air is filled with silence, the smell of flowering shrubs and sea moisture. The euphoria of the fairytale characters, the sporting adrenaline of the surfers and cyclists, the intoxicating scents of hyacinths from the flora, the monuments and sculptures, the view from the sea terrace, the ice cream and cotton candy vendors are left behind.
Here we enjoy the peace and quiet of nature. We can sit on a bench and enjoy the songs of the birds and the conversation of the wind with the treetops. This is one of the most romantic parts of the Sea Garden.
Photo: Sea garden, direction "Zornitsa"
Photo: View from floor 10 of block "Perla 8"
We are home and we look over there, the magical place of Burgas - the Sea Garden. Our dream today is to return to our normal wonderful life and visit this place not only dreaming. To be able to enjoy these opportunities, we need to keep ourselves healthy, so please stay home.
We believe that only together can we cope and get through this ordeal, "together" with physical distance but socially connected.
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Stay Healthy!
Photo: Made at home, on the terrace under the warm sun