Varna is Bulgaria's third largest city. It was an inhabited place even before the Greeks established the colony of Odessos there about 580 B.C. Later, under the Romans and their successors, the Slavs, Varna became a major port trading with Constantinople, Venice and Dubrovnik. In 1393 it was captured by the Turks, who made it an important military center.
Today it is the main port for both naval and commercial shipping and, adjacent as it is to the coastal resorts of Golden Sands, St. Constantine, and Albena, it has a cosmopolitan atmosphere. Students and visitors marvel at the beauty of the town as they walk along Baroque and Mediterranean-style shopping boulevards, lined by dignified 19th and early 20th century buildings.
North of Varna there is a cluster of seaside resorts all with fine, sandy beaches - each differing in size and style.
The largest is Golden Sands, set on well-wooded terraces, the last foothills of the Balkan range reaching down to the sea. Its four kilometer beach slopes gently into water which has no dangerous currents. There is a wealth of sporting and other facilities available, all very moderately priced. Water-skiing, wind-surfing, parasailing, snorkeling, tennis, volleyball, mini-golf and croquet can fill the visitor's day, and a choice of restaurants, bars, discos and nightclubs provide evening entertainment. Many hotels have recently been refurbished and upgraded.
Popular with the younger crowd, Albena is the newest resort in the region – with luxurious accommodations, modern architecture and a youthful image. Its seven kilometer beach offers the same wide range of sporting facilities as Golden Sands, and there is a good selection of restaurants, folk taverns and other evening entertainments.
One of the main attractions of the city is the wonderful Botanical Garden, a branch of the University of Sofia. Its ten hectares surround the small summer palace of the Romanian Queen Marie. (The area was part of Romania between 1913 and 1940). The attractive villa has the unusual addition of a minaret, said to have been built for the Queen's Turkish over.
The Varna Museum is full of treasures from all periods of the city's history, and will interest both the informed archaeologist and the casual visitor. In 1972 excavations in the Varna Necropolis revealed almost two thousand gold artifacts from about 4000 B.C. One stunning display case has the bones of a tribal leader arranged with skillfully-made jewelry and personal possessions around him. Some of the finds are displayed behind magnifying glass to reveal the complex and minute details of the craftsmanship. Some items are thought to be the oldest worked gold so far discovered. Other exhibition halls contain Greek and Roman antiquities, including some fine ceramics; icons, weapons and materials from the 19th century struggle against the Ottoman Empire.
Varna is a favorite spot for European tourists - as Florida might be for Americans. A beautiful ancient, yet modern city, Varna has something for everyone.
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