Thermal springs and mud therapy on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast

On this episode of Postcards, Euronews takes in the waters of Bulgaria's Varna region along the Black Sea coast.

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It’s an increasingly popular holiday destination with its elegant resorts, golden beaches, like the famous one of Albena, and natural hot springs.

And, of course, its famous spas.

In the town of St Constantine and Helena, Bulgaria’s oldest Black Sea resort, one traditional regional treatment is mud therapy, where locally dredged mud is applied to the body and left to dry.

Thermal waters

The Black Sea coastline is also rich in thermal and mineral waters, which are said to have healing properties. In Europe, Bulgaria is second only to Iceland for its number of hot springs.

"This place has a very long history, starting 112 years ago," says Lyubo Stamboliyski, Director of Sales and Marketing for St Constantine and Helena.

"It was first the favourite place of our last tsars. They used to enjoy the seaside, the seashore, the beach, the thermal water that is everywhere in this resort. Since then, we have tried to interpret this historical concept, this past time, into a modern resort. It’s a favourite place for people who come here for health purposes, to improve their physical health, their mental condition."

Sustainable tourism

Over the years, new hotels have sprung up along the seafront, many such as the Albena Resort, offering a variety of spa treatments and top of the range facilities.

Bulgaria has a sustainable approach to tourism to ensure its many wonders can be enjoyed by today's visitors and also for generations to come.