The Bulgarian city of Burgas has been confirmed as the host city for the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest. Situated on the Black Sea coast, it is Bulgaria's fourth-largest city and beat the capital Sofia to the hosting role.
The contest, including rehearsals, the semi-finals and the grand final, will be held at Arena Burgas, the country's newest sports and entertainment venue, which opened in 2023. The event will take place from 12 to 15 May.
This will be the first time the competition is held in Bulgaria, following the country's first-ever victory in May with Dara's party anthem "Bangaranga".
Eurovision director Martin Green said in a statement: "It is a dynamic and welcoming city on the Black Sea coast with a strong musical and cultural identity, which possesses the ambition, infrastructure, and passion needed to welcome the big Eurovision family."
For visitors, the city offers the Sea Garden, a 5km green space along the waterfront, as well as Central Beach and North Beach. Sarafovo Beach, 8km north of the city, is noted for its shallow seabed and is a good option for families. A sand sculpture festival runs between July and October.
Burgas is also known for birdwatching, with several wetlands on migratory routes nearby, including Lake Atanasovsko and Lake Burgas. The city has around 189,000 residents and is described as walkable and affordable.
Jet2 and easyJet both fly regularly to Burgas from UK airports, with an average flight time of three hours 25 minutes. Burgas International Airport is located 10km northeast of the city centre, with a regular bus route into town. A direct train to Sofia is available, though the nearly 400km journey is long and delays are common.