Bulgaria: Harbours, bridges and formalities for sailors
17 harbours · 1 inland lake
Bulgaria: 17 harbours, clearing in, papers and fees. Plan your trip with weather, tides and route.
Formalities
EU memberSchengen AreaEU customs unionCurrency: Euro (since January 2026)
Clearing in: Fully in the Schengen area since 2025 (sea borders since March 2024), in the euro since January 2026: no border control from Romania or Greece. From Turkey, Georgia or Ukraine, first go to a port of entry (Balchik, Varna, Burgas, Tsarevo) and call the border police on VHF channel 16 in territorial waters; after that no reporting at intermediate harbours until clearing out.
Documents: Identity card or passport, boat papers, insurance, certificate of competence according to your home country's rules, SRC.
Fees: Harbour dues per night in the few marinas (Varna, Burgas, Nessebar, Sveti Vlas, Sozopol).
Fairway: Black Sea practically without tide; fog in spring, gales from the north-east in autumn and winter. Since the war in Ukraine, sea mines occasionally drift onto the coasts: follow NAVTEX and notices to mariners, avoid flotsam and report it. The Danube forms the border with Romania (both Schengen).
Nature: Protected areas at the mouths of the Ropotamo and Kamchiya, Cape Kaliakra with a marine protection zone.
Emergency: 112; MRCC Varna, VHF channel 16 and DSC.
Sources: Auswärtiges Amt: Bulgaria, travel and safety advice, Marina Dinevi: arrival and border control (as of 2026-10-20)
Harbours by cruising area
Northern Bulgaria (Varna, Balchik)
- Balchik Marina
- Golden Sands
- Kap. G. Georgiev - Port Varna
- Kavaklar
- Palas
- Pristanishte Byala
- Pristanishte Durankulak
- Tyulenovo
Southern Bulgaria (Burgas, Nesebar, Sozopol)
Inland lakes
- Donau 134 harbours
Frequently asked questions
Bulgaria: Do I need to clear in?
Fully in the Schengen area since 2025 (sea borders since March 2024), in the euro since January 2026: no border control from Romania or Greece. From Turkey, Georgia or Ukraine, first go to a port of entry (Balchik, Varna, Burgas, Tsarevo) and call the border police on VHF channel 16 in territorial waters; after that no reporting at intermediate harbours until clearing out.
Bulgaria: Which documents do I need on board?
Identity card or passport, boat papers, insurance, certificate of competence according to your home country's rules, SRC.
Bulgaria: What fees apply?
Harbour dues per night in the few marinas (Varna, Burgas, Nessebar, Sveti Vlas, Sozopol).
Bulgaria: What is the emergency number at sea?
112; MRCC Varna, VHF channel 16 and DSC.
Bulgaria: How many harbours does Sailseer cover?
Sailseer covers 17 harbours with harbour info, weather and route planning.