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Overview
Varna is the largest city on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and is the
nation’s third largest city after Sofia and Plovdiv. Varna is often
referred to as the marine capital of Bulgaria and is one of the
country’s major tourist destinations.
Attractions
At the sea front there's a great beach, separated from the city by the
famous Sea Garden. This massive park area is very well kept, and filled
with attractions such as a Dolphinarium, Planetarium, a zoo,
astronomical observatory, and festival complex. In the summer the
sea-front at the city-centre end of the park really comes alive, when a
huge number of beach bars, restaurants and discos open up and locals and
tourists alike flock to the main strip.
Shopping
Varna's city centre is extremely cosmopolitan, filled with sidewalk
cafes and designer boutiques. You can pick up designer goods here for
amazing prices, but for the real bargains head out to shop where the
locals do at one of the other shopping areas around the centre, the most
popular of these being the Turkish Market, located just down the road
from the city's crowning glory, the orthodox Holy Virgin Cathedral.
Culture & Events
For culture-vultures, the Archaeological Museum boasts "the oldest gold
in the world", a collection of manufactured gold pieces dating back to
4500BC. The city itself is about 1000 years old, and has been inhabited
by the Romans; they built the third largest spa in Europe here, and you
can still visit its remains. Art lovers will enjoy visiting the City Art
Gallery and the Museum of Art and History, as well as several other
specialist museums in the city.
Surroundings
There is yet more to discover just outside of the city, including the
Aladjha Rock Monastery, the Pobitite Kamani Petrified Forest, and the
beautifully secluded sandy coves off the Galata headland.
Varna is the main port for both naval and commercial shipping and it is
adjacent to some of the most visited summer resorts on the Black Sea
Coast: Constantine and Helena, Riviera, Golden Sands, and Albena Resort.
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