In the east of the Balkan Mountains is sunny Bulgaria. The coast of this country, its gorgeous golden sand beaches have always attracted tourists from all over the world. There are many mineral springs, thanks to which Bulgaria gained fame not only a beach resort, but also a balneological resort. The city of Varna is especially rich in hot keys. The name of this resort comes from the word "var" (hot), which indicates that back in the XII century (before the city was called differently), local residents discovered mineral springs and their beneficial properties. And since then, the city began to attract people who want to improve their health with the help of the miraculous power of thermal waters.
What was Bulgaria called in antiquity? Varna and Odessos - two names of the famous resort
The territory on which modern Bulgaria is located today, in ancient times was called Thrace. It is said that the ancient Greeks borrowed the art of winemaking from the Thracians, as well as other aspects of culture. As for Varna, it is mentioned in the annals somewhere from the VI century BC under the name Odessos. She was a well-developed Greek colony. However, discoveries made by archaeologists suggest that 7 thousand years ago, on the site of Varna, there was a civilization that was ancient both Egyptian and Mesopotamian. Really incredible? That's Bulgaria! Varna, it turns out, is not only a popular beach resort, but also the richest cultural and historical center of world significance. And its main attraction, of course, is the Varna Necropolis (fifth millennium BC), which dates back to the Chalcolithic era. During his excavations, the most ancient gold jewelry in the world was discovered, including symbols of power.
Varna: general description
Varna is one of the largest cities and the largest seaport in Bulgaria. It is rightly called the summer capital of the country. In terms of population (about 350 thousand people), it is the third in the country, but in terms of popularity, perhaps, it occupies a leading position. Back in Soviet times, the dream of tourists from the USSR was sunny Bulgaria, Varna and the resorts nearby were associated with a prestigious upscale vacation.
Location
The distance from Sofia to the resort is approximately 500 km, as much as 5-6 hours by road. However, in Varna there is an airport (more on this later in the article), as well as a railway station. But many residents of the Bulgarian capital and other areas remote from the coast prefer to come to rest on their own cars and stay either in hostels (guest houses), or in motels, or in campsites. But tourists mostly use air transport.
This port city is located near the border with Romania, in the north-east of the country. There is a ferry service between Varna and the ports of Ilyichevsk, Kavkaz (Temryuk district of the Krasnodar Territory), Poti, Istanbul and Batumi. They are mainly used for transportation of goods.
Administrative division
Varna is divided into five districts: Primorsky, Mladost, Odessos (in honor of the ancient name of the city), Vladislav Varnenchik, Asparuhovo. The most densely populated of them is the Primorsky district. Here, most of the major hotels and tourist facilities of the city are also concentrated.
Varna, airport: history of formation
Even during the First World War in Bulgaria near the city of Varna appeared the country's first airport Tigina. A few years later, flights began to be operated between the capital and the city, but they were erratic. In order to establish regular flights, a new, more spacious airport was needed. By 1947, a new air terminal was built near the village of Akskakovo. The terminal and the runway were built much later, by the mid-70s of the last century. Well, when in June 2006 the airport was transferred to AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide (for 35 years), two years later a completely new terminal was built that meets all international requirements.
Today, from many cities of Russia (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Samara, Kaliningrad, Ufa, Krasnodar, Odessa, etc.) there are charter flights to Varna. The annual passenger turnover is about two million people, which indicates the growing popularity of the resort city among lovers of beach and educational recreation.
Features of rest and hotels
In terms of its climatic characteristics and level of service, Varna and the surrounding resort villages may well compete with the Black Sea and Mediterranean resorts. There are all conditions for this, namely: wonderful sandy beaches with "golden" sand, fashionable hotels and restaurants, many unique cultural and historical sights, etc. In short, Varna (Bulgaria), whose hotels are mainly classified 3-4 *, can become a competitor to resorts in Turkey, Croatia, Montenegro and even Greece. By the way, there are hotels in the city that belong to global hotel brands (Best Western, Golden Tulip, etc.), which, of course, speaks only in favor of this resort. Some deluxe hotels operate on an all-inclusive basis, but most hotels still adhere to half board (HB) type of service.
For the attention of the most fastidious tourists: all the hotels in Varna fully comply with European quality standards. This is very strict here. However, their distinguishing feature is the relatively low prices for accommodation and other services.
Climatic features of the resort
Of course, resort Bulgaria (Varna, Burgas, Nessebar, etc.) owes its popularity to excellent climatic conditions that are close to Mediterranean. Varna is located on the outskirts of the subtropical zone. In the beach season, which lasts from late April to mid October, the average air temperature is +30 degrees, and the water in the sea reaches +24 degrees. Thanks to the excellent conditions and moderate humidity, many species of Mediterranean plants grow here, for example, kiwi, pomegranate, dates, laurel, figs, etc.
Historical sights
As already noted above, the territory of Varna and the surrounding areas are very rich in historical and even prehistoric monuments, the main of which is the Varna Necropolis (fifth millennium BC). Other not less significant sights for the history of the city are Roman baths (II-III centuries AD) located on the most ancient street of Varna - Khan Krum. And the baths that are located in the central port area date back to the 4th century. They are much better preserved: here you can see part of the stone walls, spacious halls, as well as a heating system, which impresses with its genius. This ancient building is the third largest in Europe. Here it is, the city of Varna (Bulgaria). The photos presented in the article clearly demonstrate the beauty and unusualness of this ancient city.
Fans of medieval architecture can visit the oldest surviving churches of the city - St. Anastasia Cathedral (XVII century). A younger Orthodox shrine is the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin, which dates to the end of the 19th century. It is notable for its frescoes and carved decoration of the patriarchal throne. The archaeological museum of Varna stores the oldest collection of gold products, which was discovered by scientists near the Varna necropolis.
By the way, tourists in most cases want to make excursions on their own, without a guide. In this case, they will definitely need a Varna card, which can be bought at any kiosk.
Modern attractions
Returning to the topic of attractions, it should be noted that of the modern ones, the Maritime Museum, located in the area of the Marine (or Seaside) park, is the most interesting for visitors to the country. Tourists are also advised to visit the Wish Bridge - one of the symbols of the city, an aquarium, a zoo and a terrarium. I would especially like to dwell on the description of the aquarium, because it is one of the oldest in Europe, and was founded in 1911. Particularly impressive is its facade, which is decorated with bas-reliefs of marine inhabitants. By the way, underwater inhabitants of not only the Black Sea, but also other seas and oceans live in its walls. However, the most visited place for 30 years is the only dolphinarium in Varna on the entire Balkan Peninsula. It is also located in Seaside Park, in a bizarre glass building overlooking the bay. The capacity of this building is 1200 spectators.
Beaches
No matter how interesting the excursions are, however, tourists who come to a sea resort are primarily concerned about the condition of the beaches. From this side they can be absolutely calm. Everything here has a pleasant beach holiday. Despite the fact that it is a port city, the beaches of Varna are clean and well maintained. The coastline of the resort is divided into many zones. Here are the names of some of them:
- "Southern".
- "Central".
- "Officer".
- "Rush."
- "Bunite-2" and others.
On all beaches, the sand is very fine and golden. It is very nice to sunbathe, especially to people who have problems with the musculoskeletal system. Although on particularly hot days it is able to heat up to very high temperatures, and then you cannot do without sun loungers. On private beaches owned by hotels, guests can use umbrellas and sunbeds for free, while on urban beaches all this is provided to tourists for a fee. Fans of water activities will find many interesting attractions, and partygoers can stay here until the evening and participate in fiery dances. Along the beach line there are many cafes, bars, discos, night clubs, retail outlets, etc. In short, each of the vacationers will find something to do here for their interests. If, after reading this article, you are interested in the country of Bulgaria, Varna is worthy of becoming the first of the resorts that you will visit on your very next vacation.