Nessebar, now one of the country’s best-equipped seaside resorts, with large hotels built right along the beaches, boasts a very long history and a remarkably rich architectural heritage. It is no coincidence that this town, founded by the Thracians more than three thousand years ago, is part of the UNESCO World Heritage. Its historic centre stands on an isthmus connected to the mainland by a short asphalt road: once through the ancient city gates, visitors enter a remarkable world, characterised by typical wooden houses dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries and by a large number of medieval churches. Of the roughly 40 that once gave the town the highest number of churches per capita in the world, about ten can still be visited today. Among the most interesting are the Church of the Pantokrator (13th–14th century), built in Byzantine style; the Church of St John the Baptist (10th–11th century), with three naves and four rows of columns supporting the dome; and the more recent Church of the Redeemer (St Spas, 17th century), whose single interior space features well-preserved frescoes depicting episodes from the life of Jesus. Leaving behind the remarkable artistic gem of Nessebar, the race route heads towards Pomorie, another town of ancient origins, though repeatedly destroyed by wars and fires. Always able to rise from its own ashes, Pomorie is now a modern seaside resort as well as a renowned spa destination. Worth visiting are the still-active salt pans and the adjacent Salt Museum, where tools and reconstructions tell the story of centuries of salt extraction, the basis of the town’s economic prosperity.

The Black Sea also hosts the Giro in Burgas, where the first Maglia Rosa of the 2026 Giro d’Italia will be awarded. Despite its strong industrial and port character, Bulgaria’s fifth-largest city knows how to welcome visitors. Its beaches and the three lakes located close to the city centre offer relaxation, as does the Sea Garden with its many open-air venues. A sightseeing tour can begin in Kiril and Metodii Square, home to the 19th-century church of the same name, featuring valuable frescoes and a beautiful iconostasis. Nearby is the Ethnographic Museum, displaying interesting collections of traditional costumes and embroidered textiles. Also worth a visit is the Archaeological Museum, which houses numerous artefacts used by the populations that lived along the Black Sea coast from prehistoric times onward, including exquisite jewellery discovered in a Thracian tomb.