The Giro d'Italia countdown begins for the start in Bulgaria: "An extraordinary opportunity to promote our beauty around the world."

by Lorenza Cerbini

The country that will host the first three stages of the race is investing approximately thirty million euros, half of which will be revamping its roads and infrastructure. Sports Minister Dimitar Iliev: "We will consolidate excellent relations with Italy."

The countdown to the Giro d'Italia's "Grand Departure" from Bulgaria began on Thursday, April 16, from St. Alexander Nevsky Square, the totem with the stages of the 2026 edition in front of the basilica dedicated to the saint. "It's an honor for my country to host a major event like the Giro, an opportunity to consolidate our already excellent relations with Italy," said Dimitar Iliev, Bulgaria's Minister of Sport. The Giro will arrive in the capital on Sunday, May 10, with its third stage from Plovdiv after 175 kilometers of medium difficulty. A sprinter's stage, the final ten kilometers pass through the main road leading to the city center (for the first time in its history, it will remain closed for nine hours) and features a final sector of cobblestones painted gold.

The countdown totem attracts curious onlookers, children on bikes, tourists, and a school group from Treviso. Many Italian tourists are discovering this truly European capital: "In 2025, they accounted for about 20% of the national total, over 200,000 people ," says Iliev, a former professional rally driver and multiple Bulgarian champion, whose Italian is fluent, "learned by racing at least a dozen Mille Miglia races."

In Sofia, the great pink celebration will begin in a few days with a rich program also developed by the Italian Embassy: "Relations between the two countries are excellent, and the Giro will be an extraordinary opportunity to promote the beauty of this city to the world ," says Ambassador Marcello Apicella. The embassy itself is organizing a broad program of collateral events: "We're starting with a conference with architect Paolo Gandolfi and several leading green mobility experts to introduce Sofia to the experience of Reggio Emilia, a virtuous city that has adopted a bike plan and 270 km of bike paths," says Apicella. " The Giro d'Italia is also an invitation to improve the quality of life within cities. We will also organize an event dedicated to the bike economy, a photography exhibition featuring the best images of the Siena stage won a year ago by Wout Van Aert , and another exhibition on the history and evolution of the bicycle from the 1940s to the present day." Furthermore, on May 9, in collaboration with the European Commission, we will organize a walk open to Ambassadors, their staff and communities present in Sofia."

Bulgaria is investing around thirty million euros in the Giro d'Italia, a major event for the country, half of which will be revamping its roads and infrastructure. "This is a long-term investment. We want to showcase the country's natural beauty to the world," says Irena Georgieva, Minister of Tourism.

Bulgaria's three stages, from the Black Sea to the capital, will pass through some of Europe's most important, vibrant, modern cities. History, nature, and sports: there's so much to discover in this country of six and a half million inhabitants in the heart of the Balkans.

The first checkered flag of the 2026 Giro d'Italia will be lowered in Nessebar , a UNESCO World Heritage site. Cyclists will ride through it, set against the backdrop of the remains of Roman and Byzantine civilizations. A destination for tourism and relaxation, it boasts a stunning marina. The first sprint on the Black Sea will take place in Burgas, a city of 220,000 inhabitants, already accustomed to hosting stages of the Tour of Bulgaria and major sporting events : "We have thirty-meter-wide beaches, open-air gyms, over seven kilometers of promenade, and an enviable city bike fleet available for rental via an app," says Deputy Mayor Manol Todorov .

Since January 1, Bulgaria has adopted the euro, so European tourists no longer need to exchange currency. The lev is still holding its own, but will be permanently retired in June: "Italian tourism in the country is growing. It surprises young people with its vibrant nightlife and older people with its natural beauty and seaside. Bulgaria is among Italy's top five trading partners," says Alessandro Geretto , president of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Bulgaria.

Burgas also hosts the start of the second stage, which will conclude in the ancient capital of Veliko Tarnovo after 221 kilometers of countryside and mountains. The route heads north through fields of wheat, bright yellow rapeseed, and expanses of vineyards (the dominant grape is the indigenous Mavrut, a deep red with red fruits on the palate). The surprise for the caravan? The great Tzarevetz fortress , with its long walls, "will be completely illuminated in pink," says Deputy Mayor Georgi Nedev. A town to be enjoyed, with its history closely tied to Bulgaria's independence from the Ottomans, its streets lined with artisan shops and small cafes.

From Veliko Tarnovo, the Giro will move to Plovdiv (European Capital of Culture 2019), from where it will set off towards Sofia. The city is focusing entirely on the combination of sport and culture, and it's succeeded: "It will be Instagrammable," says Mayor Kostadin Dimitrov : "Cyclists will pass through under a pink cloud. We are the second largest city in Bulgaria, with a Roman theater that we still use today for music and shows, an artists' quarter full of graffiti, and we are also preparing a broad program of collateral events, including a six-kilometer bike ride open to citizens on the same route as the Giro." Plovdiv will then light up in the summer with the Phillgood Festival, with performances by The Cure, DJ Moby, and Gorillaz . Leaving Plovdiv, in the countryside there are giant solar power plants that produce 33% of the country's energy needs: "Bulgaria offers many opportunities to Italian companies that want to invest here," says Nunzio Coraggio , president of Confindustria Bulgaria: "Energy, steel, semi-finished products, small footwear factories, and manufacturing in general are the driving sectors."

For those planning to visit the country during the Giro d'Italia, there are three airports ( Sofia, Burgas, and Plovdiv ) with international connections. In Sofia, the metro connects the city to the airport at a truly affordable price, and the surprises of a city with a thousand-year history emerge from underground: "On buses, with signage, and through local media, we are educating citizens about this great event. Furthermore, we are ready to welcome fifty thousand tourists to Sofia alone, and it will truly be a great celebration," concludes Deputy Mayor Dessislava Zhelyazkova.