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Voykit pocket guide · Bulgaria

Varna

Варна

Give Varna 2 nights: one for the Sea Garden and Roman baths, one for the beach or a day trip to Nesebar or Balchik.

Varna is Bulgaria's third-largest city and its sea capital, a working port with a compact old centre, a long Sea Garden and beaches below it. Two nights covers the core; add a third for a beach day or a trip north. It remains a city destination outside the summer season.

ArbanassiAsenovgradBalchikBanskoBelitsaBelogradchikBlagoevgradBorovetsBurgasChiprovtsiDobrichDupnitsaElhovoGabrovoVarna50 kmdots: other places in this guide
Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.
Country
Bulgaria
Local name
Варна
Best months
Jun–Sep
Avoid
Nov–Mar (cooler; check what is open before you travel)
Stay
2 nights

Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.

Essentials

Currency
EUR
Money
Bulgaria adopted the euro (EUR) on 1 January 2026, replacing the lev (BGN) at 1.95583 lev to the euro; the lev stopped being legal tender after January 2026, but banks and the Bulgarian National Bank still exchange old notes — check.
Daily spend
Budget €45–60 excl. bed · Mid €70–100 excl. bed · High €140+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
SIM and data
A1, Yettel and Vivacom sell prepaid SIMs; bring your passport to register.
Emergency
Police, ambulance and fire 112
Plugs
Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European two-pin plugs.
Tipping
Café: Round up.; Restaurant: About 10%.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Guide or driver: €5–10 per person per day.
Water
Tap water is safe in most cities; mountain spring taps are everywhere.
Toilets
Cafés and malls; public toilets usually cost €0.30–0.50.

What things cost

ItemPrice
Coffee€1.50–3
Banitsa or a snack€1.50–3
Lunch or dinner, mid-range€10–20
Beer: draught / shop€2–3.50 / €1–2
5 km (3.1 mi) taxi ride€5–8
Museum entry€5–10
eSIM or data SIM, about a week€8–15

Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.

Get in

By air

VAR · Varna Airport
About 8 km (5 mi) west of the centre, off the A2 motorway; bus 409 connects the airport, centre and northern resorts.

Typical fares

Bus 409, airport to centre
about €1, about 20–30 min
Taxi, centre to airport
€10–15; confirm the meter or total before departure
Bus, centre to Golden Sands
about €1–2
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card

Get around

The old centre and Sea Garden are walkable; buses and trolleybuses cover the wider city. Bus 409 connects the airport, centre and northern resorts. Keep small cash for ticket machines.

See and do

Known for

  • Sea Garden
  • Roman baths (Rimski termi)
  • Varna Gold Treasure and Archaeology Museum
  • Dormition Cathedral
  • Black Sea beaches

Day trips

WhereHowTime
NesebarBus or car south along the coastAbout 1.5–2 h
BalchikBus north along the coastAbout 1–1.5 h
Golden SandsBus 409 or 9 from the centreAbout 30–40 min
SofiaTrain (7.5–8.5 h) or busAbout 8 h

Sleep

Centre / Greek Quarter
Walk to the Cathedral, pedestrian streets and Sea Garden; practical for a short stay without a car.
Sea Garden edge
Near the park and beach access; allow about 10–20 min on foot to the centre.
Saints Constantine and Helena / Golden Sands
Resort strip north-east of the city; bus 409 links it with the centre and airport. Check opening dates outside summer.

Phrase card

EnglishSay or show
HelloЗдравейтеzdraveyte
Thank youБлагодаряblagodarya
How much is it?Колко струва?kolko struva
The bill, pleaseСметката, моляsmetkata, molya
Can I pay by card?Мога ли да платя с карта?moga li da platya s karta
Where is the toilet?Къде е тоалетната?kade e toaletnata

Etiquette, safety and scams

Etiquette

  • Yes and no: Say da or ne out loud; avoid: Relying on nods and head shakes
  • Greeting: Handshake; three kisses between friends; avoid: Skipping hello in small shops
  • Home visits: Bring flowers in odd numbers, wine or sweets; avoid: Even numbers of flowers
  • Religion: Cover up in churches; light a candle if you wish; avoid: Photos during services
  • Conversation: Food, wine, mountains, football; avoid: Lecturing on communism, the Ottomans or North Macedonia

Scams and watch-outs

  • Use a metered taxi or confirm the full fare before starting; the airport has a contracted operator, Triumf Taxi.
  • Ask for the total before ordering where menu prices are not displayed.
  • Check what is open before travelling outside summer.
  • The sea shelf drops quickly in places; watch children near the breakwater.

Varna is generally safe by day and in the centre at night. The real risks are taxi overcharging, unpriced resort bars and pickpockets on the busy beach strip in August.

One and two days

No timed day plan for Varna yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

  • Sea Garden
  • Roman baths (Rimski termi)
  • Varna Gold Treasure and Archaeology Museum
  • Dormition Cathedral
  • Black Sea beaches

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

VarnaВарна

До този адрес, моля

To this address, please

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

  • Police, ambulance and fire112

Most embassies are in Sofia; check your country's official consular information for any consulate in Varna.

112 works from any phone, including foreign SIMs.

Voykit · checked 2026-09

Printed from Voykit (/varna). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.