| As the third largest city in Bulgaria and one
of the country’s most attractive towns, Varna is known as Bulgaria’s Seaside
Capital and the ‘Pearl of the Black Sea Coast’. The town is arranged in
tiers along the curve of Varna Bay, and besides being a popular beach
resort, it rivals the important cities of Sofia and Plovdiv in its wealth of
museums, art galleries, historical buildings and cultural entertainment, and
as such is a year-round holiday destination.
The 19th-century Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin is an
impressive landmark, while the extensive ruins of the Roman Spa in the
centre of town constitutes the largest ancient building in Bulgaria, dating
back to 1700. It is the main port for commercial and naval shipping and has
a casual, cosmopolitan atmosphere with a Mediterranean charm created by the
sunny climate, calm sea, beach promenades and red-tiled roofs. Varna is the
gateway to the nearby beach resorts, including Albena and the mega-resort of
Golden Sands, and numerous scenic spots along the coast are within easy
reach, such as the nature reserve at Kamchia and the crumbling rock
formations and dramatic cliffs along the Balchik coast.
Varna has one of the most interesting & entertaining beach fronts in the
world. Something is always going on. Going to the beach in here isn't an
action, it's an experience. Walking through the seaside parks, watching the
dolphins preform in the aquarium, enjoying one of the many free water parks
or just relaxing at a cafe on the beach, whatever you do in Varna, it's
going to be fun, cheap & entertaining. Varna's city center is built entirely
for pedestrians with networks of walking streets several kilometers long.
Thousands of shops & sidewalk cafes, there aren't many better ways to spend
a day shopping on a pink tiled street next to the Black Sea in Bulgaria.
Downtown Varna has a great outdoor market, it's a great place to buy
quality, yet really cheap clothes. The market is at the end of the pink
tiled walking street, just across the street from the gold domed cathedral,
that so dominates the city skyline. Night time in Varna has more of a time
than any other night you've ever seen. The beach area comes alive as the
crowds flock to enjoy the warm summer nights. Nightclubs, discos,
restaurants & cinemas, the carnival games are a whole lot of fun. Varna is a
very compact & easily navigated city. Pretty much everything is within
walking distance & there are buses every 15 minutes to Golden Sands, leaving
from the KFC. If you don't feel like walking, the taxis here are safe,
ridiculously cheap & numerous.
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