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Varna

Romania & Bulgaria Travel Guide

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Beach front public pool on Black Sea.

Will Sanders

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Overview

Bulgaria’s third city and maritime capital, Varna is the most interesting and cosmopolitan town on the Black Sea coast. A combination of port city, naval base and seaside resort, it’s an appealing place to while away a few days, packed with history yet thoroughly modern, with an enormous park to amble round and a lengthy beach to lounge on. In the city centre you’ll find Bulgaria’s largest Roman baths complex and its finest archaeological museum, as well as a lively cultural and restaurant scene.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Archaeological Museum

    Archaeological Museum

    Varna

    Exhibits at this vast museum, the best of its kind in Bulgaria, include 6000-year-old bangles, necklaces and earrings said to be the oldest worked gold…

  • Roman Thermae

    Roman Thermae

    Varna

    The well-preserved ruins of Varna's 2nd-century-AD Roman Thermae are the largest in Bulgaria and the fourth-largest of their kind in Europe. Visitors are…

  • Primorski Park

    Primorski Park

    Varna

    Established in 1878, this large and attractive green space, overlooking the sea, stretches for about 8km and is said to be the largest of its kind in…

  • Natural History Museum

    Natural History Museum

    Varna

    The museum presents the flora and fauna of the Black Sea region, divided into sections representing the area's geology, botany, vertebrates and…

  • National Naval Museum

    National Naval Museum

    Varna

    The National Naval Museum hosts several galleries of model ships and uniforms. Anchors, artillery and helicopters can be seen rusting quietly in the…

  • Aquarium

    Aquarium

    Varna

    Housed in a powder-blue art deco building, the city aquarium is worth a look to see the tanks filled with seahorses, piranhas and conger eels, as well as…

  • Copernicus Planetarium

    Copernicus Planetarium

    Varna

    Varna's retro planetarium is a beautiful building in its own right, though the nightly presentations (shows start at 5pm Monday to Saturday) are in…

  • St Michael the Archangel Church

    St Michael the Archangel Church

    Varna

    St Michael the Archangel Church was founded in 1865 and is historically significant as the first place where religious services were given in Bulgarian…

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