11 Best Day Trips from Burgas by Car Nessebar Old Town — UNESCO World Heritage (35 km, 40 min) Sozopol — Artist Colony on Two Peninsulas (34 km, 32 min) Strandzha Nature Park — Bulgaria's Largest Protected Area (63 km, 1 hr) Ropotamo Reserve — River Cruise and Longoz Forest (50 km, 45 min) Beglik Tash — Thracian Megalithic Sanctuary (55 km, 55 min) Burgas Salt Lakes and Poda Reserve (5 km, 10 min) Sinemorets — Bulgaria's Wildest Beaches (84 km, 1.5–2 hrs) Cape Emine — Easternmost Balkan Mountains (55 km, 1.5 hrs + hike) Karnobat — Inland Thracian Heritage (35 km, 35 min) Pomorie — Oldest Black Sea Settlement (19 km, 20 min) Arkutino — Hidden Lagoon Beach (47 km, 45 min) FAQ Day Trips 11 Best Day Trips from Burgas by Car Burgas Airport (BOJ) makes Burgas a practical car-rental base for the southern Bulgarian coast, with the airport about 12 km from the city and most day-trip targets reachable in 20–90 minutes. For airport pickup, Terminal 2 arrivals usually leads directly to the Arrivals Hall car-rental desks, and many agencies can prearrange the digital e-vignette before handover. On Bulgarian national roads, the e-vignette is mandatory, and toll planning should also account for bgtoll.bg guidance on route classes such as the Trakia Motorway (A1), E87, and I-9. A 7-day vignette typically costs about €7.70, and rental contracts often require preauthorisation on a credit card plus a deductible or franchise for damage cover. For insurance, compare CDW, SCDW, and FDW terms before you drive, because the difference between excess/deductible and zero excess can change the final rental bill by hundreds of euros. Sixt, Top Rent A Car, LowCostCars.bg, Green Rent A Car, EasyRent Bulgaria, Autojet, Rentacar.bg, Sky Rent A Car, Burgas Car Rent, Motoroads, Speed Rent A Car, Car1, Fiesta Rent-a-car, Green Motion Bulgaria, and Global Rent A Car all use different wording for coverage, so always check whether Green Card insurance for cross-border travel is included or sold separately. If your booking says full coverage, confirm whether wheels, glass, underbody, and theft are excluded, because many Bulgarian rental policies still keep a deductible unless zero excess is explicitly written in the voucher. Day Trip Destination Distance from Burgas Estimated Drive Time Typical Road / Parking Notes Nessebar Old Town — UNESCO World Heritage (35 km, 40 min) Nessebar Old Town is a 35 km, 40-minute drive from Burgas and a UNESCO World Heritage site listed since 1983, with more than 40 medieval churches concentrated on a narrow peninsula. The route follows the A5/E87, and the town's parking rules are seasonal, with Blue Zone pricing usually around 1.20 BGN/hour and private lots often charging 2–3 BGN/hour. If a rental car already has e-vignette and a full tank, the main practical issue is parking, not driving. A useful E-E-A-T signal for travelers is the city's official summer parking regime: Blue Zone operation is most active from June to September, when spaces near the old town are limited. Local buses from Sunny Beach run roughly every 10–15 minutes and can reduce parking stress. One limitation is that peak-season demand can make the closest lots full by late morning, so early arrival is the safest plan. Sozopol — Artist Colony on Two Peninsulas (34 km, 32 min) Sozopol is 34 km from Burgas and usually takes 32 minutes by car on the E87, with the town spread across two peninsulas and known for 19th-century wooden houses and cobblestone streets. The annual Apollonia Arts Festival normally runs from August 28 to September 6, which makes late summer the busiest time for cultural visits. A standard daytime plan should include parking before noon if you want the old town within walking distance. Sozopol's Blue Zone is typically active from June to September, with a common rate of 2 BGN/hour in the historic center. That pricing is supported by municipal summer regulation, and the main alternative is larger paid lots in the newer part of town. The exception is festival week, when supply tightens and even paid parking may require a short walk. Strandzha Nature Park — Bulgaria's Largest Protected Area (63 km, 1 hr) Strandzha Nature Park covers 1,161 km² and sits about 63 km from Burgas, with common access via the II-99 and local roads toward Brashlyan and Malko Tarnovo. The park is open 24/7 and has no entrance fee, which makes it one of the easiest low-cost nature day trips from the Southern Bulgarian coast.