Balgarianovinite.com Bulgaria is preparing to host the start of the 2026 Giro d’Italia cycling race, with officials describing the event as a landmark moment for sport, tourism and the country’s international image.
Caretaker Minister of Youth and Sports Dimitar Iliev said the Giro d’Italia represents a “historic moment” for Bulgaria, noting that such a large-scale sporting event is being held in the country for the first time. He said preparations are at a high level and thanked all institutions and municipalities involved, stressing that the race route showcases Bulgaria’s natural landscapes and will leave a strong impression on both athletes and spectators.
Caretaker Minister of Tourism Irena Georgieva said the Giro d’Italia is more than a sporting competition, calling it “the beginning of a story” through which Bulgaria will present its best face to the world. She said the event reflects the spirit of tourism itself—enthusiasm, passion and emotion—and will provide an opportunity to promote the country’s Black Sea coast, mountains, history and cultural heritage to a global audience. Georgieva also cited analyses suggesting a long-term tourism impact of up to 24 months following such events, with a significant share of visitors returning.
Burgas Mayor Dimitar Nikolov said organisers had rated Bulgaria’s preparations as “perfetto,” adding that all routes had been completed and cleaned according to requirements. He highlighted strong cooperation between local and state institutions, as well as enthusiasm from residents, who have decorated the city in Giro d’Italia colours. Nikolov said hotels are fully booked and interest is high, describing the event as a unique investment in Bulgaria’s long-term international image.
In 2026 Bulgaria is hosting the Grande Partenza event of the 109th Giro d’Italia. Running through key centres of culture and wonders of nature, the route is divided into three stages, each taking one day from May 8 to 10. The race will start on May 8 in Nessebar and finish in Burgas, before continuing to Veliko Tarnovo on May 9 and to Sofia via Plovdiv on May 10. Bulgaria Prepares for historic Giro d’Italia Start, Officials Hail Major Tourism and Sporting Milestone 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-05-06 18:10:18 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law