The area's average air temperature in the summer is about 28 degrees C, with the average water temperature at 25 degrees C. There are more than 240 hours of sunshine in May and September and more than 300 hours in July and August.
The Balkan Mountains cross the country reaching to the edge of the Black Sea at Cape Emine, dividing the coastline into a southern and northern part. Parts of Bulgaria's northern Black Sea Coast feature rocky headlands where the sea abuts cliffs up to 70 metres in height. The southern coast is known for its wide sandy beaches.
The largest city on Bulgarian Black Sea Coast is Varna (also the third largest city in Bulgaria), located on the northern part of the coast. Another big city is Burgas, located on the southern coast. The two cities' international airports, Varna Airport and Burgas Airport, are the main hubs servicing the region. In addition, the A1 and A2 motorways, currently in construction, would make the trip from the capital Sofia to the coast substantially easier and faster, while the A3 is planned to connect Varna and Burgas.
The Black Sea
The Black Sea is an inland sea between South Eastern Europe and Anatolia that is actually a distant arm of the Atlantic Ocean by way of the Mediterranean Sea. It is connected to the Mediterranean by the Bosporus and the Sea of Marmara, and to the Sea of Azov by the Strait of Kerch.
There is a net inflow of seawater through the Bosporus, 200 cubic km per year. There is an inflow of freshwater from the surrounding areas, especially central and middle-eastern Europe, totalling 320 cubic km per year. The most important river entering the Black Sea is the Danube. The Black Sea has an area of 436,400 square km, with a maximum depth of 2200 m. (7,218 ft.)
Countries bordering on the Black Sea are Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Russia, and Georgia. The Crimean peninsula is a Ukrainian autonomous republic.
Important cities along the coast include: Istanbul (urban area of 10,018,735), Constanţa (urban area of 401,613), Mangalia, Burgas, Varna (urban area of 357,752), Odessa, Sevastopol, Yalta, Kerch, Novorossiysk (281,400), Sochi, Sukhumi, Poti, Batumi, Trabzon, Samsun and Zonguldak.
