The Black Sea capital of Bulgaria; the third-largest and fastest-growing city in the country; the pearl of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast; home of the oldest gold in Europe. These are the usual definitions you will read in most of the travel guides and websites about the city of Varna. This article will not try to prove or disprove these claims that the city had managed, over the past few years, to turn into its advertising hallmark. On the contrary, the goal of the article is to offer a list of a few reasons why Varna is worth a visit in the coming summer months.

Arriving in Varna either by car, bus, train, boat or plane, you would not fail to notice that the city is unique in its infrastructure. The whole road network of the city is developed to bring you to the sea. No matter where you are standing, if you go east you will soon find yourself facing the sea, and while you are driving or walking the boulevards you will be able to enjoy all the greenery that covers the city’s boulevards. An example of this is the Sofia-Varna highway, which flows directly into the city and almost goes to its end.

You will not miss the second-largest Bulgarian cathedral The Assumption of the Holy Mother if you enter Varna by car or bus because it is right at the end of Vladislav Boulevard, the prolongation of the Sofia-Varna highway. You only need to drive straight ahead and at the end you will see on your right the magnificent view of the cathedral, built in 1886.

The cathedral’s most spectacular feature was completed in the winter of 2000, when the domes were adorned in golden paint.

The cathedral’s grandeur and magnificence is most appreciated after dark when powerful lights illuminate the walls and the golden domes. Entrance is free of charge, but you need to turn in your cameras to enjoy it. Outside the cathedral on the square is the city’s main taxi park. No matter the time of the day or the night, you will always be able to get a taxi there. Drivers usually get around with English, German and Russian, so you will not have to worry about communication. The taxis, however, are more expensive than Sofia’s, but the distances in Varna are shorter so it makes up for the price difference.

The cathedral is at the end of the highway-boulevard, which is the start of the pedestrian zone in the city. It leads directly to the city’s central square Nezavisimost (Independence), where on your right again you can enjoy one of the most beautiful buildings in the city – the opera house, all in red and white.

The square hosts another one of Varna’s attractions. One must-see event for all visitors are the spectacular fountain displays on Nezavisimost Square. The displays continue throughout the day and late into the evening. The fountains are in a public area so there is no charge to watch. After you have seen the show, you can relax in some of the surrounding coffee shops. It is a nice and inexpensive experience to watch the people go by. The prices are the same as in all Bulgarian cities, so do not worry about being overcharged.

Next you can walk the pedestrian zone, something not found in Sofia. It is long and full of shops, offering everything from Italian-made suits and shoes to cheap imported Turkish and Chinese goods. Strolling along you will inevitably reach a crossroads. You will not fail to miss it because a certain very popular US fast food chain has a shop there. It is the most famous corner in Varna, called Sevastopol. Remember that name because it could be useful for you. It is where the night life of Varna summers starts. It is the meeting point of everyone in the city. On summer nights you will see hundreds of people waiting there or just enjoying the view.

It is right next to the other hallmark of Varna: the Cherno More Hotel, which some say is the tallest building in the city. It has seen better times, but its size makes up for it. From the corner of Sevastopol, just go east and you will find yourself on the most beautiful boulevards in Varna. During the busy season, they are full of street musicians and artists whose performances you can enjoy while sitting in some of the numerous cosy cafes. For those who have been in some of the Mediterranean cities, this will not be a new feeling. It feels exactly like Barcelona’s calle Las Ramblas.

A few metres more and you will find yourself facing the entrance of the Sea Garden with a panoramic view of Varna’s bay and the cape Galata.

Here we can talk about symbols, because that it is what the Sea Garden is for Varna. A symbol. It is vast and very well kept with beautiful alleys and numerous fountains and meadows. The Sea Garden is the home of summer theatre in Varna, a famous cultural centre for all Bulgaria during the summer months. The natural green surroundings of the theatre give it a certain sense of magic, making the night shows incredible.

The garden is open day and night and has a high level of security, so do not be worried if you stay late. From the garden you can go directly to the Varna shore. This area is just proof that Varna is a city with more than one face.

If the garden symbolises the calmn and peaceful mood of Varna, the beach area in the summer months is exactly the opposite. Those who expect the calm and comfort of the south will be disappointed. At night Varna is good only for people who feel and want to remain young. Come evening, the beach area is the loudest, noisiest, probably dirtiest and certainly the most crowded place in all Bulgaria. Numerous disco clubs and open bars exist one next to another: a walk on the beach will give you a perfect impression of all musical styles possible. The music blends from one disco club to another, creating an amazing, chaotic world atmosphere. Pop, jazz, house music, Latino, retro, chalga – it is all there. It is the perfect example of the Varna culture, which unites both Occident and Orient under one sky.

If you feel strong enough to face the challenge, you will experience a wonderful night under the open sky. With the all clubs situated just a couple of metres away from the shore, an experience is guaranteed. You will be surprised to see that the clubs remain full until 5 or 6am. Entrance at disco clubs during the work week is usually free and at the weekend it is not more than three leva. The pubs maintain relatively reasonable prices, and for people coming with foreign currency it will be easy to buy anything. The same applies for the numerous fish restaurants along the beach. There is no language barrier since almost every waiter can get along with words of English and German. After all, Varna relies on its tourists to survive.

At the sea restaurants you will be offered a dish traditional for Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast – tsatsa (fried whole sprats) – as well as with other fish delicacies such as mussels. A plate of tsatsa usually costs no more than two leva, so it is a definite must. The combination of tsatsa and beer will put you back no more than three to four leva.
It will be interesting to see the beach area during the day, as it has a completely different look. The discos operate as beach-front bars, with people sunbathing and swimming. However, when it comes to sea shores, Varna does not offer much. It has beautiful beaches but the fact that the city port is so close makes it a less-than-good location to spend your daylight hours.

Very often during the summer days the beaches are overcrowded, which is why most of the local people just go a little bit north to the summer resorts St Constantine and Elena, Golden Sands or Albena, where the long beaches and clear water guarantee a good time. You can hire a taxi to the resorts. Some advice: negotiate the price of the trip in advance with the driver; it should cost you no more than 30 leva. The other option is to take one of the buses from the bus station in front of the cathedral. The tickets are sold inside the buses by a special person and cost no more than two or three leva. The journey takes half an hour and the buses run from 7am to 9pm. An information centre is located across from the cathedral, next to a location of the American fast-food chain of fried chicken, where you can get all the information about which buses go where.

After a night spent in the disco, you might want to visit one of Varna’s other symbols, the Dolphinarium. It is located in the Sea Garden. Varnenets take pride in it because it is the only Dolphinarium in the Balkans. It is also one of the funniest attractions of the city.  и и A 45-minute show presents the incredible intellect and joyfully character of dolphins. It is a wonderful place to which to bring your children. If they are lucky, they might even get the chance to be pushed in a boat by the dolphins, which, no doubt, will make you your children’s most loved person.

From the cafe you can use observation glasses to watch the underwater games of the dolphins. The complex is really proud of the fact that in 1992, its first dolphin was born.

The Dolphinarium is open every week between Tuesday and Sunday, with shows starting at 11am, 2pm and 3:30pm. For adults, tickets cost 16 leva and for children under 12, the price is 10 leva.

If you are a fan of astronomy then Varna is your place as well. The city offers two observatory-planetariums. The national planetarium and observatory Nikolai Kopernik was opened in 1968 and is situated right next to the entrance of the Sea Garden. It is open every day except Sunday. Shows start at 5pm and 6:30pm with tickets priced up to 10 leva. The other planetarium, part of the Navy Academy in Varna, is the biggest and most modern planetarium in the Balkans. This planetarium is open only for groups of at least 20 people, and visiting hours are between 8am and 4:30pm every day except weekends.

As a sea city, Varna also offers its visitors an aquarium, located in the Sea Garden. The same applies for the city zoo and terrarium.

In terms of museums, Varna’s guests can visit the archaeological museum, which stands in the middle of the park next to the second-tallest building in Varna – the municipality building. One of the most beautiful buildings in the city – the old Varna girls’ high school – houses the museum. The late Baroque-style building is definitely worth seeing. The museum is open the whole week with visiting hours between 10am and 5pm. Tickets cost six leva.

Varna is among the ancient settlements in Bulgaria and has many sites to satisfy fans of archaeology. Close to the sea lay the 2nd century thermae, or the remains of the largest Roman public building in Bulgaria. During our current century, enough has been revealed by archaeologists to give a good impression of the original layout, though some parts of the building remain hidden under nearby streets.

Speaking of beautiful buildings, the city’s train station definitely places on the list. Recently repaired and modernised, the building has preserved its original architecture from the beginning of the last century.

A real tourist always likes to look around and Varna offers perfect possibilities for day trips to nearby tourist locations.

A summer holiday is something that we all like to plan well, so that incredible memories are guaranteed. Varna offers the unique combination of the noise of the big city and the calmness of the Sea Garden and beaches. “See Naples and die”, a poet said about one of the gems of the Mediterranean. Do not worry, however; while Varna will not threaten your life, it is definitely worth seeing.

Communications
Bus tickets during the season cost no more than 25 leva from Sofia to Varna, but be sure to book in advance. The same applies for the train station, which has recently been modernised.

The airport is very busy during the summer with numerous seasonal charter flights arriving from abroad. There is a connection with Sofia. The flight to the capital takes no more than 50 minutes; booking in advance is a must. Information can be obtained at www.varna-airport.bg