Shabla between Lighthouse and Lagoons
Accommodation in Shabla
Shabla brings together coastal landscapes, lagoons and traces of different eras. Shabla Municipality has about 40 kilometres of Black Sea coastline; its beaches account for 22 percent of all beaches on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast. Cape Shabla is Bulgaria’s easternmost point. The Shabla Lighthouse stands there: dating back to 1768, it is the oldest lighthouse still in operation in the Black Sea–Mediterranean region. For planning a trip, this striking geographical landmark and long maritime history come together here.
File:Shabla lighthouse, Shabla region, Bulgaria.JPG
Photo: Sborisova via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Coast, lagoons and birdlife
South of the cape, limestone cliffs, caves and underwater rock formations shape the coastline. Reefs and steep sea cliffs are also part of the landscape around Tyulenovo; there are also unexplored sea caves there, above water, partly underwater and entirely submerged. The rocky coast north and south of Tyulenovo forms part of the Natura 2000 sites “Kaliakra” and “Kaliakra Complex.” Those interested in coastal formations will find a different focus here than in the lagoon landscapes.
Durankulak Lake (Durankulashkoto ezero) is both a Ramsar wetland and a BirdLife International Important Bird Area. The lake is a shallow, enclosed lagoon: former coastal bays were separated from the sea by a sandbank. It is globally important as a wintering site for waterbirds, particularly because of the large gatherings of geese. The Shabla Lake protected area (Shablensko ezero), in turn, comprises two coastal lagoons, Shabla Lake and Ezerets Lake, connected by a channel. A total of 247 bird species have been recorded in the Shabla-Ezerets Lake complex.
Another type of landscape is Shabla Tuzla (Shablenska Tuzla), a natural brackish-water lagoon separated from the sea by a sandbank about 80 metres wide. Its mud is used for mud therapy. These different bodies of water and coastal formations offer more than one view of the Black Sea shoreline: lagoons, rock formations and stretches of beach each give the landscape its own character.
Lighthouse and archaeological sites
At Cape Shabla, the Karon Limen archaeological complex lies beside the oldest lighthouse on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast. The surviving remains include a Roman bath and a fortress wall. The combination of these monuments and the lighthouse offers a tangible way into the history of the coast, without requiring any one era to define the entire stay.
On the shore of Durankulak Lake, near the village of Durankulak, lies the “Durankulak-Hamandzhiya” archaeological complex. It includes the “Big Island” settlement mound and associated necropolises. The complex features the oldest stone architecture in continental Europe as well as the largest excavated prehistoric necropolis, dating to the 5th millennium BC. Here, the area’s archaeological significance can be experienced alongside the lagoon landscape: the lake is an important wetland, while the complex tells the story of early settlement.
Different ways to enjoy your stay
Krapets has an undeveloped beach about 7.5 kilometres long, with dunes. Activities and initiatives at the village’s Narodno chitalishte “Slantse 1871” are aimed at both local residents and visitors. Tyulenovo is another destination for visitors interested in sea fishing or underwater tourism.
When looking for a holiday apartment, it can help to decide first what you want to focus on: beach and dunes in Krapets, coastal formations and underwater tourism in Tyulenovo, or lagoons, birdlife and archaeology around Durankulak Lake. This makes it easier to choose where to stay based on the experiences that interest you most. The municipality is served mainly by the I-9 highway; it is designated as E-87 and forms part of the international corridor between Romania and Turkey.
Discover more destinations
Discover more destinations: Shabla, Tyulenovo, Krapets, Durankulak, Ezerets, Gorun, Bozhanovo, Kavarna.
For the broader travel overview: Dobrich Province.
