The Atanasovsko lake is a nature reserve located in the North-East of Bourgas in the direction of Varna. In the 70 years of the twentieth century, the Northern part of the lake, with an area of 170 hectares, declared a protected area, in the 80s she became a nature reserve. Since 1980, the lake is included in the Ramsar Convention, according to which habitats are water intensive birds should be protected.

The road Burgas-Varna splits the lake in half, so we will have the Northern and southern parts. Their average depth of 30 centimeters.

In the past the lake was a place where evaporated salt. In 1906 the Atanasovsko lake given under concession, when there was established the first salt works. Construction was halted because of world war I, and with its end resumed. A German company, under whose concession was given to the lake, expanded the area of the salt works, and the first products appeared in 1934. Used the salt works until 1973. By the way, on the territory of the lake are still working the evaporator, producing sea salt. But thanks to the primitive methods of production, this in no way affects the residents of the reserve.

In the area of lake revealed 316 of 400 species of birds. 14 of them are under threat of extinction not only in Bulgaria, but all over the world. Among them: corncrake, red-breasted goose, ferruginous duck, Dalmatian Pelican, lesser white-fronted goose, slender-billed Curlew, pygmy cormorant. In addition, these 316 170 species are protected in a special way, and 83 were in Bulgaria in the Red book.

In winter the lake freezes, making him the center of wintering water-demanding species of birds. Among the other lakes around Burgas, Atanasovsko is one of the most favorable places where sleeping pelicans and storks on the way between the Bosphorus and the Danube Delta. Summer at the lake you can see black-winged stilts, avocets and other birds. The symbol of the reserve is collared Pratincole. The lake is the only place where multiply blackhead gulls, gull-billed and sandwich terns.

As for flora, there is an abundance of wild orchids, which in Bulgaria are protected in a special way.

In the reserve there are 17 species of fish, almost everything is included in the Red book. In addition, there are about a dozen species of rodents, bats and insectivores.

Lake access is only possible on a pre-marked trails.