Atanasovsko Lake

Atanasovsko Lake is located at the northeastern edge of the city of Burgas and is known as the bird paradise of Bulgaria. It is a hypersaline coastal lake divided into two parts by the Burgas–Varna road. The northern section is a protected reserve, while the southern section is a buffer zone, later reclassified as a protected area. The lake lies along the Via Pontica migration route and is of immense importance with regard to the migration of soaring birds, particularly pelicans, eagles, harriers and storks. It is no coincidence that it is also a favoured destination among ornithologists. For over 100 years now, the lake has been used not only by birds but also by people for the extraction of that most valued resource — salt. Along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, salt production has centuries-old traditions dating back to the 3rd century BC. The salt works at Atanasovsko Lake have been in operation since 1906. At present, the evaporation pans of "Chernomorski Solnitsi" AD — the operators of the lake — are situated on its territory, producing approximately 40,000 tonnes of sea salt annually. And it is right here that one of the most scenic cycling paths in the region can also be found.