Pomorie Lake is located north of the town of Pomorie. It is a very salty, naturally formed lagoon which is part of the Burgas Lakes. A sandy shore and an artificial dike separate it from the Black Sea. The sand on the shore is black, due to its iron oxide contents.
The lake has a rectangular shape, with a length of 6.7 kilometers and a width of 2 kilometers. It is connected to the Black Sea through a channel on its southern side. The climate is particularly favorable, with plenty of sunshine and moderate temperatures in the summer.
The bottom of the lake is covered with black mud, rich in minerals and trace elements. This gives the mud healing properties, which have been utilized since ancient times. Pomorie is a preferred destination for spa and wellness vacations in the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Today, the mud is used to treat skin diseases and musculoskeletal ailments, as well as for cosmetics and beauty treatments.
The northern part of the lake has been used for salt extraction for more than 20 centuries. The high salinity has created a unique environment that is suited for a variety of plant and animals organisms.
There are over 87 different plant species, as well as 71 species of algae in the waters of Lake Pomorie. There are 200 types of fish, and 17 types of amphibians and reptiles, some of which are rare and endangered globally: the Greek Tortoise (Testudo Graeca), Hermann’s Tortoise (Testudo Hermanni), plain pond turtle (Emys Orbicularis), Balkan Green Lizard and the Crimean Lizard (Podarcis Taurica). The sand that separates the lake from the sea is host to many different species of vegetation.
The second largest bird migration route in Europe – the Via Pontica – passes over Pomorie Lake. This explains the great variety of birds here. There are about 269 bird species which nest here and migrate during the winter. There are 57 species which nest in the lake area year round.
There are 31 species of mammals, including the smallest mammal in the world, the Etruscan pygmy shrew (Suncus Etruscus).
To protect its biodiversity, Pomorie Lake was declared a protected area, with a total area of 760 hectares. Internationally, the lake is classified as a Ramsar site by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands.
You can get more information at the center dedicated to the conservation of the lake. In the halls there are many pictures and information about the lives of the inhabitants of the lake, as well as movie screenings. The second floor offers a beautiful view of the reservation where you can monitor the wild residents of the reserve with the provided binoculars.
You can also take a walk along two marked trails. The first is great for bird lovers, the second for lovers of botany.
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