Visitor's Guide
WELCOME
TO VARNA

Bulgaria's maritime capital — 3,000 years of history, a beach in the middle of the city, and a coastline that rewards anyone with a set of car keys.

First things first

Varna is the kind of city where you can see a Roman bathhouse in the morning, swim in the Black Sea at lunchtime, and be watching the sun set over a vineyard by evening. It's Bulgaria's third-largest city, its biggest port, and — for our money — the most livable stretch of the whole coast.

It's also refreshingly walkable in the centre. But the moment you want to see what's around Varna — and you should — you'll want a car.

What to see in the city

  • The Sea Garden (Морска градина) — the heart of Varna. A vast seafront park with the Dolphinarium, an observatory, sports complexes, and cafés under the trees. Cars aren't allowed inside; park at the edge and walk in.
  • The Archaeological Museum — home to the oldest processed gold in the world (4,600 BC). Genuinely world-class, and most visitors have no idea it's here.
  • The Roman Baths — the largest Roman thermae in Bulgaria, sitting quietly in the middle of the old town.
  • The Cathedral of the Assumption — the golden-domed landmark you'll orient yourself by.
  • The beaches — Central and South Beach are lively and lined with bars; Third Buna is calmer, wider, and has a free car park right by the sand.

Where a car changes everything

The city is lovely. The coast is the reason to rent.

  • Golden Sands (Златни пясъци) — 18 km north. The big resort strip: wide beach, everything open late.
  • St. Constantine and Elena — 8–10 km north. Bulgaria's oldest seaside resort, with mineral hot springs right by the shore. The calmest water near Varna — ideal with small children.
  • Aladzha Monastery — a medieval monastery carved into a limestone cliff, in the forest above the coast. Twenty minutes from town and utterly unlike anything else nearby.
  • Balchik & the Botanical Garden — an hour north. A cliffside palace and terraced gardens above the sea.
  • Cape Kaliakra — 90 minutes north. Red cliffs plunging into the sea, dolphins if you're lucky. Worth the drive alone.
  • Shkorpilovtsi — 40 km south. Bulgaria's longest beach: 12 km of sand, dunes and oak forest, and almost nobody on it.
The local move: most visitors never leave the Golden Sands strip. Drive twenty minutes in any direction and you'll have the coast largely to yourself.

Practical things worth knowing

  • Currency: Bulgaria uses the euro (adopted January 2026). Cards are accepted almost everywhere.
  • Driving: on the right. A vignette is required for national roads — included with every car we rent.
  • Parking: the city centre is a paid "Blue Zone," 09:00–20:00 daily. We wrote a full guide — see below.
  • Language: Bulgarian, Cyrillic alphabet. English is widely spoken in tourist areas; a "благодаря" (thank you) goes a long way.
  • Season: June–September is beach weather. May and late September are the sweet spot — warm sea, no crowds.
Read next: Where to Park in Varna →

Ready to explore? We deliver to Varna Airport free of charge, and we'll happily tell you where to go — we live here.

Rent a car →