From Wikitravel

Varna is a city in Bulgaria.

[edit] Understand

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

• Varna Airport (IATA: VAR) (ICAO: LBWN), 8 km west of the city centre, [1]. Easy bus and taxi connection to city centre and resorts.

Airlines and destinations

• Air Via (Berlin-Schönefeld, Berlin-Tegel, Frankfurt)
• Arkia Israel Airlines (Tel Aviv)
• Austrian Airlines (Vienna)
• Balkan Holidays (Aberdeen, Belfast, Bristol, Brimingham, Cardiff, Doncaster, Edinburgh, East Midlands, Glasgow, Humberside, Leeds Bradford, London Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle, Prestwick, Southampton)
• British Airways (London-Gatwick)
• Bulgaria Air (Amsterdam, Berlin-Schönefeld, Berlin-Tegel, Cologne/Bonn, Dublin, London-Gatwick, Madrid, Milan-Malpensa, Vienna)
• Bulgarian Air Charter (Berlin-Schönefeld, Berlin-Tegel, Cologne/Bonn, Frankfurt)
• Condor Airlines (Stuttgart)
• Germanwings (Berlin-Schönefeld, Cologne/Bonn)
• Fischer Air Polska (Warsaw)
• First Choice Airways (London Gatwick, Manchester)
• Hemus Air (Burgas, Sofia)
• LTU International (Berlin-Schönefeld, Cologne/Bonn, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, Stuttgart)
• Malév Hungarian Airlines (Budapest)
• Thomsonfly (East Midlands, London-Gatwick, Manchester)
• Thomas Cook Airlines (Birmingham, London Gatwick)
• Norwegian Air Shuttle (Oslo)
• Ural Airlines (Yekatirenburg)
• Wizz Air (Budapest) [starts June 10, 2007]
• Vim Airlines (Moscow, Ufa)

[edit] By train

• Central train station is located within walking distance from city centre and cruise terminal, there is bus and taxi connection to airport, bus stations, and resorts. Regular connections to/from Sofia, Plovdiv, and Ruse.

International trains to/from Prague (Czech Republic), Krakow (Poland), Moscow, and Saratov (Russia).

[edit] By car

Varna can be reached by Haemus Motorway (A2) from Sofia, E70 from Rousse (and Bucharest), E87 from Constanta, Romania, and Cherno More Motorway (A3)/E87 from Istanbul, Turkey.

[edit] By bus

There are two bus stations in Varna, one serving the local area and one for longer connections to Sofia, Veliko Tarnovo, Burgas, Plovdiv, Istanbul, Greece, Romania, Central and Western Europe. They aren't that easy to find, so take a taxi. As you approach them from the city centre, the station to the left is the local one, to the right is the long distance one.

[edit] By boat

Varna is Bulgaria's only cruise destination. Cruise terminal is located near city centre, close to train station, walking distance to Sea Garden and beaches. Bus and taxi connection to city centre, bus stations, airport, and resorts. There are ferry lines (buses only) to Ukraine and Georgia.

[edit] Get around

There are a pedestrain area and a coast area with a lot of fun for leva for the tourists. There you should get around by foot. If you live in the tourist suburbs of Varna, you can come to the centre by bus, by trolleybus, by a rented car or by taxi. Take careful with the taxis: You may pay 10 times the right price.

[edit][add listing] See

City landmarks include the Varna Archaeological Museum, exhibiting the Gold of Varna, a cache of chalcolithic grave-goods, which constitute the oldest gold treasure in the world, the large and well preserved Roman Baths, Władysław Warneńczyk Park Museum, the Naval Museum, displaying the museum ship torpedo boat Drazki, the Museum of Ethnography.

The Sea Garden is the oldest and perhaps largest park containing the Varna Aquarium, the Varna Dolphinarium (opened 1984), the Nicolaus Copernicus Observatory and Planetarium], the Museum of Natural History, a terrarium, a zoo, and other attractions. The Garden is a national monument of landscape architecture.

The waterfront promenade underneath is lined by a string of beach clubs offering a vibrant (albeit noisy) scene of rock, hip-hop, American-style pop, house, and chalga (Bulgarian pop folk). The city beaches, also known as sea baths are dotted with hot sulphuric mineral springs and punctured by small sheltered marinas. Additionally, the 2.4 km long, 50 m high Asparuhov Most bridge is a popular spot for bungee jumping.

Notable old Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox churches include the metrpolitan Dormition of the Theotokos Cathedral; the early 17th-century Theotokos Panagia; the St. Athanasius (former Greek etropolitan cathedral); the seamen's church of St. Nicholas the Miracle Worker; the Archangel Michael's chapel; and the Sts. Constantine and Helena church of the 16th century suburban monastery of the same name.

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.

[edit][add listing] Do

There is a large tourist 'ghetto' where you can whatever entertainment that can be bought for money. There is something for every taste - except the good. But, you can also have nice walks in Varna looking at the more normal Bulgarian town.

[edit] Learn

[edit] Work

[edit][add listing] Buy

[edit] Budget

Varna is cheap compared to Western countries, but expensive compared to Bulgarian standards. The tourist industry distorts the general price level. But, you can have a meal for 3-4 Euro.

[edit] Mid-range

[edit] Splurge

[edit][add listing] Drink

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

[edit][add listing] Sleep

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

[edit] Budget

• Gregory's Backpackers, tel: +359 (0) 52 379909, e-mail: info@hostelvarna.com, [2]. A great hostel just outside the center of Varna in the village of Zvezditsa. With an abundance of facilities including funky bar, dvd/satellite tv lounge with comfy couches and beanbags, well equipped guest kitchen, internet cafe with all mod cons, up-to-date travel information area ,pool table, darts, book exchange.Run by a young outgoing well travelled British couple, they have a free pick-up service plus a daily shuttle to the beach and the city centre, or there is an hourly bus that takes about 15 mins (approx 75 stotinki / 0.40 euro cents.) Taxis are approximately 10lv ( 5 euros) after midnight.

[edit] Mid-range

• Ellinis Hotel built in 2005 is on the main road connecting Varna with the sea resorts "St. Konstantin and Helena" and "Golden Sands", 12km from the airport, 1500m from the beach, and 5 minutes away from the city center. All rooms have balconies with sea views.

• Alekta Hotel is in the northern part of the Sea Garden, on the outskirts of the town, 200m from the sea and about a 20 minute walk from the town centry, which can also be reached by regular bus services or by taxi.

• Amfora Hotel is situated 8 km north of Varna in St. Konstantin. The hotel is nice and not far from the coast (app. 15 min). http://www.hotelamfora.com/

[edit] Splurge

• Hotel Divesta is in the center of Varna, close to the main bus station.

[edit] Contact

[edit] Stay safe

[edit] Cope

[edit] Get out

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 Kamichiya biosphere reserve (UNESCO-protected).

• Golden Sands Resort is 20km from Varna airport.

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