Working salt pans north of the city that run pink in the warm months.
A shallow salt lake and a reserve, still harvested for salt the traditional way. The brine turns pink as the season warms, and the dykes between the pans make a flat, open walk with birds on both sides.
It is one of Europe's great migration bottlenecks: pelicans, storks and raptors pass over in enormous numbers. Bring binoculars, sun cover and water — there is no shade.
- Getting there
- About 4 km north of the centre, along the coast road towards the resorts
- Cost
- Free to walk the public trails; guided visits and the salt and mud trail are run by the reserve
- Best time
- Spring migration, and evening light on the pans
- Respect
- Stay on the marked dykes; the pans are a protected habitat
Practical
Nearby
Sources
- Salt of Life — Atanasovsko Lake(third-party site)
The salt pans, the mud and salt trail and the reserve's visitor rules. Checked August 2026.