Varna - city in Bulgaria

Varna (Варна) is a large city on the Black Sea coast in the northeast of Bulgaria. It's the larger of the country's two major sea ports (the other one is Burgas), and a gateway to the seaside resorts on the northern part of the coast. With a population of nearly 350 thousand, Varna is the third-largest city in Bulgaria (after Sofia and Plovdiv) and it is often called "the sea capital" (morska stolitsa) of Bulgaria. It also holds the headquarters of the Bulgarian Navy and merchant marine, and several institutions of higher education.

Understand

Orientation

Get in

By plane

• Varna Airport (IATA: VAR), 43.231944°, 27.825278°, +359 52 573 323 (info desk). The airport receives flights from over 80 destinations all over the world (but mostly around Europe). The national carrier, Bulgaria Air, serves the only domestic line the capital, Sofia, twice daily. Bus line 409 (see below) connects the airport to the city center and the outlaying resorts (Saints Constantine and Helena, Golden Sands); make sure to have some small-denomination cash for the ticket machine (10 лв note at most). At least half a dozen car rental services have offices at the airport, and there's a taxi stand in front of Terminal 2 - the airport has a contract with Triumf Taxi (see the warning about taxis below). 2023-02-07

By train

The central train station is located within walking distance from city centre and cruise terminal, there is a bus and taxi connection to airport, bus stations, and resorts. Daily services are available from Sofia, Plovdiv, and Ruse. From Sofia you have some daily direct trains which take little more than 7 hours.

By car

Varna is the end point of the eastern segment of the unfinished Hemus Motorway (A2) to Sofia that runs in the northern part of the country (route E772 connects the segments), passing through Veliko Tarnovo and Shumen. The Bulgarian part of route E70 runs from Ruse and merges into the A2 west of Varna (around Shumen), providing a connection to Romania (Giurgiu, Bucharest) and Western Europe.

Route E87 runs in a north-south direction, and the Bulgarian part mostly follows the sea coast. To the north, it connects Varna to Mangalia, Constanta and Tulcea in Romania, and Odessa in Ukraine. In the southern direction, it passes through a number of resorts before reaching Burgas and goes inland to cross the border into Turkey at Malko Tarnovo/Dereköy, continuing towards Izmir and Antalya, with a connection via E80 to Istanbul.

By bus

• Central Bus Station (Avtogara Varna, Автогара Варна), 158 Vladislav Varnenchik Blvd (1.8 km north-west of the Cathedral), 43.2157677°, 27.8966748°, +359 52 757 044, info@autogaravn.com. 24/7. Serving long-distant connections to Sofia, Veliko Tarnovo, Burgas, Plovdiv, Istanbul, Greece, Romania, Central and Western Europe. It was built in the 1970s and it looks like it hasn't had any major renovations since then. Like many bus stations in Bulgaria, it's a hive of ticket offices: the "official" ones of the municipal transport company are inside, but it serves only short range lines; the offices of the private bus lines are all over the place. The station is right next to Grand Mall Varna. Public transport stops (see below) are right in front of the station - the one towards the center is on the opposite side of the street. 2023-02-03

By boat

• Passenger Terminal, Port Varna-East (Morska gara, Pristanishte Varna-Iztok), 43.1928°, 27.9212°. Varna is Bulgaria's only cruise destination. The passenger side of the harbor also contains a yacht marina. The terminal is within walking distance of the southern end of the Sea Garden (10 min), the Central Railway Station (15 min), and the main pedestrian street (20-25 min). There are a number of bars and restaurants and an amusement park on the grounds of the port itself, some swimming pools right next to the exit of the port street, and Varna's beaches start immediately north of the port's breakwater.
• Ferry Terminal Varna (Фериботно пристанище Варна), 43.1854517°, 27.6783953°, +359878258713, roro@navbul.com. Ro-ro ferry service run by Navibulgar, mainly used for freight transport, but they do accept personal cars and even passengers, if there are free cabins. Due to the war in Ukraine, the only operational line at the moment is to Poti/Batumi in Georgia. The interval between courses in one direction is about 10 days, refer to the timetable on the website. 2023-02-03

Get around

On foot

Most sights and attractions are concentrated in the compact old part of Varna and the Sea Garden, where you can easily get around by foot. A pedestrian zone connects the Cathedral square to the main entrance of the Sea Garden, and both are within walking distance of the railway station. There are several beaches immediately below the Sea Garden, and the alley that runs along them starts in the same place as the street leading to public part of the port, 10 min east of the railway station. Even the bus station is doable - 25 min to the Cathedral, along a commercial boulevard. Distances do add up, so plan accordingly.

By public transport

Varna has an extensive public transport network served by buses and trolleybuses (electric buses powered by overhead wires). Online maps of bus stops, routes and current bus positions can be found on VarnaTraffic.com and Easyway; both have route planners and can use your GPS position to point you to the nearest bus stop(s), but while their interface (including bus stop names) is in English, the underlying maps are unfortunately mostly labelled in Bulgarian Cyrillic. Varna Traffic also has an add-supported Android app. OpenStreetMap includes public transport routes for Varna in its Transport layer, so they can be displayed offline in apps that use OSM, such as OsmAnd or Mapy.cz; unfortunately, OSM is often late to reflect changes, including seasonal variation. Also, Varna's official tourism information site has a page on transport.

All lines are run by a municipal company (ГРАДСКИ ТРАНСПОРТ - ВАРНА, Gradski transport - Varna, shield with lion and wheel), with the exception of Bus 409, which is co-run together with a private company. Paper tickets can be bought from ticket machines at bus stops and in the buses themselves; when they work properly, the machines accept coins, small-denomination notes and credit/debit cards. Tickets are based on duration, not route, and the "clock starts ticking" at the moment of sale; you have to validate (scan) your ticket when you board a vehicle if the ticket is bought from a bus stop or when you are changing routes/vehicles. As of February 2023, the prices for paper tickets are 2 лв for 60 min, 2.50 лв for 90 min, and 4 лв for a 24-hour pass. You can also buy an "electronic prepaid card" for 10 лв that offers discount prices: 1 лв for 60 min, 1.50 лв for 90 min and 4 лв for a 24-hour ticket; the card also has to be validated when boarding a vehicle; cards can be recharged in 10 лв increments at ticket machines. The third way of payment is the TicketVarna (dead link: March 2023) mobile app (Android/iOS), which operates at the same discounted prices as the cards, but the registration procedure is somewhat awkward and the app itself can be slow and buggy. In summary: if you are going to spend a day or two in Varna, it's advisable to buy a 24-hour pass to avoid dealing with the unreliable ticket machines; for longer periods, a pre-paid card may be a more cost-effective solution.

In the private buses on the 409 line (large ЧЕНСФИЛД signs), tickets are sold by the ticket inspector; the company doesn't recognize tickets bought from the municipal ticket machines.

The lines most relevant to tourists (most stops omitted for brevity; stop names are the transcribed Bulgarian names used by the English translations of the route maps):

• Bus 409 (public-private) connects the airport, the central parts and the resorts to the north-east: actually starts at Aksakovo (small town west of Varna); Varna Airport; Central Bus Station (and Grand Mall Varna); the Cathedral (KATEDRALATA stop, on the east side); SEVASTOPOL stop (trivial walks to Archeological Museum to the north, main entrance of the Sea Garden to the south); the next six stops are along the northern boundary of the Sea Garden; Saints Constantine and Helena resort; Chayka resort; Golden Sands resort; after the last stop, instead of simply turning around, 409 loops through the southern part of Golden Sands (four stops) before merging back into the main route (winter route only?).
• Bus 9: starts at the Central Train Station (western stop, at the crossroads/turnaround); the Cathedral (KOZIRKATA stop, in front of the tourist information center); SEVASTOPOL and the same six stops along the northern boundary of the Sea Garden; Saint Constantine and Helena resort; Chayka resort; Golden Sands resort - through Golden Sands Nature Park, then hooks south to the central part of Golden Sands (4 stops).
• Bus 109 reaches the farthest north along the shore: starts at the Central Train Station and follows the same route as Bus 9, but skips most of Golden Sands to reach its northernmost parts (4 stops, the last is the PANORAMA turnaround).
• Bus 12 goes to Asparuhovo on the southern side of the bay: you can take it from the Central Post Office (TSENTRALNA POSHTA stop, right "behind" the Cathedral's park, on the side of the post office); the Asparuh Bridge over the bay; the last 6 stops are in Asparuhovo.
• Bus 17 goes to Asparuhovo and Galata: starts from the Central Train Station (ZHP GARA-4 stop: to the east, on the "other side" of the boulevard); takes the Asparuh Bridge over the bay; passes through Asparuhovo, right by the Asparuhovo Park, then by a fishing village, and ends in Galata neighborhood (several stops).

By taxi

Be careful with taxis; you may pay 10 times the right price, so check for the fare per kilometer—look at the small square paper plate located in the lower corner of the rear doors' windows. Good taxi companies are, OK Trans (OK Транс), Varna (Варна), Evro (Евро), Triumph (Триумф Такси), Alpha taxi (Алфа такси). Typical price is around 0.79 лв/km.

By bicycle tour

Several companies offer bikes for guided sightseeing.

See

Sights and landmarks

• Dormition of the Mother of God Cathedral (Dormition of the Theotokos Cathedral). 08:00 - 18:00. A symbol of the city and a major landmark due to its central location. People use the small park that surrounds it as a meeting place - "at the Cathedral" (na Katedralata). The tourism information center is right across the street. The cathedral was completed in 1886; the Dormition of Mary refers to the Eastern Orthodox belief that Mary died in spiritual peace and was then resurrected and taken bodily into Heaven. 2023-02-03
  • Other notable old Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox churches include the early 17th-century Theotokos Panagia; the St. Athanasius (former Greek metropolitan cathedral); the seamens' church of St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker; the Archangel Michael's chapel; and the St. Constantine and Helena church of the 16th century suburban monastery of the same name.
• Independence Square (Площад "Независимост", Ploshtad Nezavisimost), 43.20383°, 27.91268°. Varna's central square and the starting point of a pedestrian area zigzagging to the entrance of the Sea Garden. The square itself is adjacent to two small parks (one has an equestrian statue of Tsar Kaloyan), the pretty theater and opera building (built 1912-1932), a large fountain in front of the Socialist-era Regional Courthouse, and the New Yorker store (built in 1977 in modernist style as a fashion store in the state-run Valentina chain).
• Grand entrance to the Sea Garden (Morskata gradina), 43.2038669°, 27.9221952°. Also known under the self-explanatory name Primorski park (Seaside Park), the largest park in Varna stretches for several kilometers along the coast, one level above the beach alley. It contains multiple venues. Among those not listed elsewhere are a "children's corner" with various amusements (bouncy castle, bumper boats, etc), a petting zoo, many monuments (including an alley with busts of Soviet cosmonauts), open-air exercise equipment, and many cafes and restaurants. 2023-02-03
• Varna's centre was rebuilt in late 19th and the earlier half of the 20th century by the nascent Bulgarian middle class in Western style, with local interpretations of Neo-Renaissance, Neo-Baroque, Neoclassicism, Art Nouveau and Art Deco.
• Dragons in Love fountain. Drinking fountain sourced from a hot spring and appropriately topped with a small statue of a pair of dragons. Built in 2010, sculptor Darin Lazarov.
• Monument to Bulgarian-Soviet Friendship. A huge abandoned concrete monument dating back to the Communist era, on top of a small hill with a decent view of Varna and the sea. It was built in 1978 together with the park around it. It included a bomb shelter, a bookstore, an eternal flame, and ceremonial halls in the concrete "wings". The text above the arch used to say "ДРУЖБА ОТ ВЕКОВЕ ЗА ВЕКОВЕ" ("friendship for centuries [in the past] for centuries [in the future]"). Warning: there might be homeless people or addicts squatting in the remote corners, so be careful if you decide to explore. 2023-02-03

Museums and other institutions

• Archaeological Museum, 41 Maria Luisa Blvd ( east of the Cathedral, along the boulevard), 43.207512°, 27.915039°, + 359 52 681030, archaeological@museumvarna.com. 10:00 – 17:00 (May and Oct: closed Su M, Nov-April: closed Sa Su). The museum's collection covers many periods, from the Early Paleolithic (100 000 BC), through ancient Greece and Rome, to the Middle Ages and later. The most important finds are those from the Varna Necropolis (burial site), including some of the earliest known gold artifacts in the world (4600-4200 BC). The museum also manages two open-air archaeological sites, the large Roman baths in the city centre and the medieval grotto of Aladzha Monastery at Golden Sands Nature Park. Adult: 10 лв 2023-02-05
• Ethnographic Museum, 22 Panagyurishte Str (100 m south of the New Yorker store, then east; southward pedestrian street with a staircase; door to the yard is kept closed, so use the handle), 43.200833°, 27.913333°, +359 52 630588. 10:00 – 17:00; Apr-Oct: closed M; Nov-Mar: closed Sa Su. In a quaint Bulgarian Revival house of the "symmetrical type", built in the 1860s. The collection showcases the rich diversity in culture and lifestyle of the population of Varna in the second half of the 19th and the early 20th century - clothing, domestic crafts, everyday items. Adult: 5 лв 2023-02-05
• Naval Museum (Military-Maritime Museum), 2 Primorski Blvd (at the south end of the Sea Garden), 43.200278°, 27.921389°, + 359 52 731523. Nov-Mar: 09:30 - 17:30 (closed Su M); Apr-Oct: 10:00 - 18:00 (closed M). As the name suggests, it focuses on military history at sea, from ancient Greek wrecks to Soviet-era armaments. A nice old building (built 1890), with many items exhibited in the open. Outside the yard is the museum ship Drazki ("Daring"), a steam-powered torpedo boat that distinguished itself in the First Balkan War (1912); in the summer, it's open to visitors. 8 лв adult, various discounts (free for active military), 30 лв for guided tour (in English?); Drazki admission: 6 лв 2023-02-03
• Varna Aquarium, 43.2014°, 27.9225°. The aquarium's exhibition focuses on the Black Sea's flora and fauna which includes over 140 fish species, but also features freshwater fish, Mediterranean fish, exotic species from faraway areas of the World Ocean, mussels and algae. 2018-06-01
• Nicolaus Copernicus Planetarium and Observatory, 4 Primorski park ( south ("down and to the right") of the main entrance of the Sea Garden), planetarium.varna@gmail.com. (in English) Jul-Aug, every Th: 17:00 for children (5-10), 19:00 for adults; more frequent in Bulgarian, on a complex schedule; ticket office works for one hour before a show. Built in 1968. There's a statue of Copernicus in front of the building and a tower with a Foucault pendulum that can be glimpsed from outside. A dome with 80 seats, an old Carl Zeiss ZKP projector and some digital stuff. Two different kind of shows - one for children 5-10, the other for older children and adults, but they are in English (or Russian) on only one day of the week. Adults: 6 лв, various discounts 2023-02-05
• Varna Zoo (Zoopark Varna). Apr May Sep: 09:00 - 18:00; Jun-Aug: 09:00 - 19:00, Oct-Mar: 09:00 - 16:30. A relatively small zoo () with a variety of animals, both local and foreign. Also operates as a wildlife rescue center. Families with children under 18: 6 лв, otherwise: adults: 3 лв, various other discounts apply 2023-02-07
• Varna Dolphinarium the only dolphinarium on the Balkan Peninsula, one of the most entertaining attractions of city. Built in 1984 and has 1134 seats.
• Vladislav Varnenchik Park-Museum is memorial complex in a unique park in an area of ​​30 acres in the western part of Varna, at the battlefield where, on 10 November 1444, in the name of liberation of the Balkans and southeastern Europe, perished Polish-Hungarian king Władysław III of Varna (Varnenchik). In the exposition are the armor and weapons, paintings, flags and sculptures of the era.

Just outside of the city

• Aladzha Monastery (Аладжа Манастир). The remnants of a medieval monastery that was established in several caves on the side of a cliff. Nowadays, it's in the middle of the Golden Sands (Zlatni Pyasatsi) Nature Park, the smallest nature park in Bulgaria. The entrance fee is quite low, and it's a very beautiful, and quite weird thing to see. 2022-07-05
• Ecopark Varna (University Botanic(al) Garden - Varna). Apr-Nov: 80:00 - 17:30 (closing hour varies by moth, max 20:00 in Jun-Aug). Not to be confused with the Botanical Garden in Balchik. With an area of , it includes more than 300 kinds of trees and shrubs, 250+ kinds of irises (flowers), a rose garden with more than 70 kinds of roses, etc., as well some archeological finds and a chapel at the garden's highest point with a nice view. Adults: 5 лв, various discounts apply; guided tour in English - either 24 or 42 лв (website typo?) 2023-02-07
• Pobiti Kamani (Побити камъни). The name means literally "stones stuck upright [into the ground]". A natural formation of rock columns of unclear geological origin, up to high, resembling a stone forest. It's a protected natural area, considered to be the only desert-type biome in Bulgaria. 2022-07-05
• Slava Museum Submarine (Музей подводница "Слава", Podvodnitsa Slava). Tours every hour 10:00 - 15:00, closed M. Soviet-built diesel-electric attack submarine of the Project 633 class (NATO name: Romeo class). Slava ("Glory") was built in 1959, and served in the Bulgarian Navy between 1985 and 2011. In 2020, it was opened to visitors as a museum ship. Reaching it requires either a car, or some adventurous use of public transport: there are multiple daily buses between Varna's Central Bus Station and Beloslav (from the bus stop in Beloslav it's a 10 min walk east to the museum); there are also multiple daily trains that stop at Beloslav (all regional/commuter-class trains leaving Varna), but the train stop is on "this side" of the lake while the museum is on the "other side", so you have to take the ferry across the lake (northern terminal is 500 m east of the station; you can either take your chance by crossing the rails and following the minor road along the shore, or just follow the main road (2008) until you see the exit to the ferry branching off to the north (i.e. left) to turn under a bridge to the south; there's no ferry fee). In all cases, the museum is right next to the southern ferry terminal. Adults: 12 лв, children: 6 лв 2023-02-07

Other

• The 2.4 km long, 50 m high Asparuhov Most bridge is a popular spot for bungee jumping.

Do

There is a large tourist place where you can enjoy whatever entertainment that can be bought for money. There is something for every taste. But, you can also have nice walks in Varna.

• Football: PFC Cherno More play soccer in First League, Bulgaria's top tier. Their home ground is Stadion Ticha (capacity 8250) 1 km northeast of city centre. Their local rivals Sparak Varna are in the Second League.

Learn

Work

Buy

There are a couple of large shopping malls (Grand Mall, Pfohe Mall, Central Plaza, Mall of Varna, Varna Towers) turning Varna into an attractive international shopping destination. There are also several international big-box retailers (Metro, Kaufland, Carrefour) on the outskirts and traditional downtown shopping streets with boutiques and gift shops. Plenty of tourist stuff in the resorts sold in small stalls.

Eat

There are many good restaurants at very descent prices comparing other EU countries.

Budget

Near the beach

• Nord, 9002 Primorski, 43.2042183°, 27.9257270°. In front of the beach 2022-05-01
• Morski valk, ul. "Odrin" 21, 9000 Center, 43.2017805°, 27.9200658°. Temporarily closed as of May 2022 2022-05-01
• Arrest Bar Billiard, bul. "Primorski" №5, 43.1978035°, 27.9164341°. 2022-05-01

In the city centre

• Korean cuisine "Kimbap", ul. "Dragoman" 28, 43.2054185°, 27.9134089°. 2022-05-01
• Restorant Trifon Zarezan, ul. "Sheynovo" 14, 43.2040595°, 27.9144526°. Bulgarian cuisine 2022-05-01
• The Social Teahouse, ul. "Preslav" 53, 43.2019635°, 27.9151302°. 2022-05-01

Around the Primorkski-Park

• Dуrvenoto, ul. "Nayden Gerov" 1, 43.2100384°, 27.9297734°. 2022-05-01
• Chjou, ul. "Vasil Drumev" 3, 43.2104641°, 27.9243979°. 2022-05-01

Some blocks from the city centre around the Boteva Gradina

• Chinese restaurant Asia, ul. "Veliko Hristov" 37, 43.2090602°, 27.9077880°. 2022-05-01

Mid-range

• Alba – A variety of traditional and international dishes at very nice prices. In summer you can choose between sitting inside or the outside garden. Located just across Archaeological Museum in a yellow-green painted house. (updated May 2022)
• Sundogs – Also described as a pub by many, Sundogs is the go-to spot for many foreigners that live in Varna for its urban atmosphere and great food.
• Godzilla – A family friendly place, known for its pizzas.
• Happy Bar and Grill – A Bulgarian restaurant chain, based in Varna. Tasty kebabs.
• La Pastaria – Offering traditional Italian food, home made pasta and pizza. (Dragoman Street 45)
• BM – A nice restaurant offering mainly traditional cuisine as well as sea food. Located at the end of sea garden near to the Port of Varna.

Splurge

• Massa Kitchen – Great atmosphere with a wide range of food options
• Staria Chinar – Traditional and Black Sea food, with many locations in the city

Drink

The beach at night tends to have the most night life in the summer.

There are also clubs and bars in the city but some of them are closed during summer: e.g. Cubo, Horizont, Planet Club.

Sleep

There is a number of hotels in the city ranging from 2 to 5 stars.

North of Varna, along a continuous 20-km-long strip, are the beachfront resorts of Euxinograd, Constatine and Helena, Sunny Day, Chaika, Riviera, and Golden Sands, with a total of more than 60,000 hotel beds, plus several villa communities offering private lodgings.

Budget

• Motivi Hotel. This is a family-run hotel providing comfortable B&B accommodation. It is in the seaside resort of St. Constantine and Helena and has direct public transport connection to the centre of Varna (15 min away).
• Yo Ho Hostel, Rusie 23, 43.20346°, 27.91094°. Nice decoration. 48 лв (double room)

Mid-range

• Alekta Hotel – In the northern part of the Sea Garden, on the outskirts of the town, 200 m from the sea and about a 20-min walk from the town center, which can also be reached by regular bus services or by taxi.
• Amfora Hotel, 43.2234931°, 28.0006987°, +359 52 363979, office@hotelamfora.com. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. The hotel is nice and not far from the coast (about 15 min). 2019-04-22
• Aqua Hotel Varna, ul. "Devnya" 12 (near the railway station), +359 52 639090. This modern business hotel has six conference rooms suitable for all kinds of business events.
• Ellinis Hotel, +359 52 761 188. Built in 2005, the hotel is on the main road connecting Varna with the sea resorts "St. Konstantin and Helena" and "Golden Sands", 12 km from the airport, 1,500 m from the beach, and 5 min away from the city center. All rooms have balconies with sea views. Single: 29–40 лв, double: 40–50 лв
• Petar Enchev Apartment. 2 nice bedrooms with a lounge, dining room, kitchen and shower room about 50 m far from the central beach. 88 лв

Splurge

• Hotel Divesta – In the center of Varna, close to the main bus station.
• Boutique Splendid, Str. Bratia Shkorpil 30, +359 52 681 414, info@boutiquesplendid.net. This hotel is in the middle of the town, opposite a grand cathedral. Single: 85–101 лв, double: 94–122 лв 2017-05-26

Stay safe

Varna is in general a fairly safe place, though special caution should be taken in regards to the mafia. There have been several cases of tourists being assaulted by the mafia for improper behavior, such as an Icelandic teenage girl in 2017. Try not to give anyone who might be driving a black sports car, wearing a suit with glasses a bad eye. Common sense, courtesy and respect is always the best thing you can pursue.

Stay away from people offering money change on the street they are all cheaters. They usually are located in the area of the cathedral (kozirkata) and also it's a typical place for pickpocketers so be careful.

If you are driving a car be careful where you stop because if you violate the parking restrictions, your car may be removed by the authorities and you will need to pay a penalty fee, not to mention losing a lot of time.

Connect

As of Sep 2021, Varna has 4G from A1, Telenor and Vivacom. 5G has reached the beach strip but not the city.

Go next

Outside the city are the Euxinograd palace, park and winery, the Ecopark Varna Botanical Garden, the Pobiti Kamani rock phenomenon, the cave monastery Aladzha, and the Kamchiya biosphere reserve (UNESCO-protected)

There are many wild beaches south of town like Pasha Dere, Shkorpilovtsi, Karadere, and Irakli.

• Golden Sands Resort – 17 km north from downtown Varna. Similar to Ballermann and Lloret de Mar—restaurants are more expensive but some good hotel bargains can be found if you like beach.
• Sveti Konstantin and Helena – 10 km north from downtown Varna. It is a small, but peaceful and very green resort. Many nice hotels offer mineral water SPA services, due to the abundance of hot mineral springs all over the area.
• Albena – 30 km north from Varna. An old-style resort, with an architecture from the Communist times. Peaceful area though. Since the whole resort is owned by a single private company, it is one of the very few places on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast that does not suffer from overbuilding.
• Balchik – 40 km north. The town features a small palace and a beautiful botanical garden. A few kilometres further along the coast you can find a semi-warm hot spring, and 1 km further the Tuzlata Mud Baths, similar procedure as the Dead Sea—the water is salty but not that salty though. There is a serviced area (M-Su 09:00-15:30, 6/3 лв), but the pools can also be accessed from their southern side walking along the beach.
• Kavarna (Каварна) – 60 km north. The town holds the Kavarna Rock Fest in early July, the largest rock event in the Balkans and Black Sea region.
• Cape Kaliakra – 80 km north. The longest cape in Bulgaria. Stunning views to the sea and the red cliffs. A place with rich history and many legends. Worth visiting.
• Kamen Bryag (Камен бряг, literally: Rocky Coast) – 82 km north. The high rocky coast near the small village has been popular among Bulgarian hippies.