Varna, the third-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, is an excellent place to spend your summer holidays. The seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast makes a cheap and exotic destination, especially for those who like to leave the beaten paths and look for something different from the many overcrowded and overprized resorts at the Mediterranean. The city is protected against the north and north-east winds by the hills along the north arm of the bay and has a very pleasant climate during spring, summer and even autumn season. On the city beaches you can hot (55° С) mineral water sources which are used for spas, swimming pools and public showers. Close to Varna are relaxing and clean sea resorts like Golden Sands, approximately 18 km from the city of Varna. The resort Golden Sands is located in the Golden Sands National Park and is one of the pearls of the Bulgarian Black See Riviera with a picturesque scenery, long and wide beach strips, clean sea and mineral springs.

 

Tourist highlights in the city of Varna are the Varna Archaeological Museum, exhibiting the famous Gold of Varna (burial site that is considered to be one of the archaeological key sites in the world) and the Roman Baths (Roman Thermae). Varna’s most popular place with both locals and visitors is the Sea Garden. This landscaped park offers a lot of entertainment for everyone with an open-air theatre, aquarium, dolphinarium, zoo, observatory and planetarium, the Museum of Natural History and a big amusement park. Varna has many interesting old sites and buildings like the Holy Virgin Cathedral in the very centre of the city. Next to the cathedral rises the Clock Tower and close to the Sea Garden Park is the St. Nikolas Church. Other interesting old (orthodox) churches include the Dormition of the Theotokos Cathedral, the St. Atanassiy orthodox church and the St, Paraskeva Petka Chapel. Two old mosques remain from the Ottoman times in Varna, when there were 18 of them in town. The Theatre of Drama, venue of the very first theatre performance in Bulgaria, is also worth a visit. It houses a theatre, an opera and philharmonic hall and offers during the entire summer season special events and concerts.