The Roman Baths lie in the southeastern part of the present-day city of Varna. Covering more than 7,000 square metres, they are the largest ancient public building discovered in Bulgaria to date. Their scale gives the site a special character: in ancient Varna, the baths were a centre of public life. Those interested in the city’s history will find not only a large structure here, but also a starting point for reflecting on life in ancient times.
Ancient Finds and Varna’s History
The Varna Archaeological Museum was founded in 1887 by the brothers Karel and Herman Shkorpil. Its original finds span from the Palaeolithic period—with finds dating to around 100,000 BC—to the Middle Ages, including the 7th and 8th centuries. This brings very different periods together, from early human history to later centuries.
The Chalcolithic Necropolis of Varna is particularly closely linked to the city. Its treasure is considered the oldest technologically worked gold in the world. Most of the necropolis’s objects date from 4600 to 4200 BC and are now held largely in the Archaeological Museum. For museum visitors, this means the finds can be connected with their specific discovery site and a clearly identified period.
Coastal Park and Beach
Varna’s Sea Garden stretches along the coast for more than 850 decares. It is suitable for walking, sports and sightseeing. The park is also home to the Festa Dolphinarium, described as the only attraction of its kind in Bulgaria. The Sea Garden therefore brings together different themes, while offering more than just one way to visit.
Golden Sands Beach is more than 3.5 kilometres long. Activities mentioned there include beach sports, various water sports and other attractions. It can be reached by city bus routes 9, 109, 209b and 409, as well as on foot or by car. The stops listed are “Travel,” “Madara,” “Aqva park,” “Republika,” “Direktsiyata,” “Zora” and “Kukeri.” If you plan to travel by bus, check the routes before setting off: transport connections can change.
Botanical Garden and Visits to Euxinograd
The University Botanical Garden – Varna Eco Park contains more than 300 species of exotic trees and shrubs, as well as more than 100 species of herbaceous plants. In the garden, the Academic Jockey Club offers riding lessons with an instructor, free riding for advanced riders, and tours by carriage, cabriolet or painted wagon along the Eco Park route. The range of activities thus extends from plant collections to horse-related pursuits.
The visitor route at the Euxinograd Residence also takes in several stops: the greenhouses, the palace building, a sundial given as a gift by Queen Victoria, the “St. Demetrius” chapel and the cellar. The residence can be reached by city bus routes 9, 31A, 109 and 409 to the “Evksinograd” stop. For the Archaeological Museum, routes 7, 12, 31, 31A, 148, 9, 14 and 409 are listed, along with the “Muzeya” and “Sevastopol” stops. You should check these connections before travelling, too.
Traditions and Events
Varna holds Todorov Den every year. The programme includes traditional races, competitions with horse-drawn carriages and donkey carts, and prizes for the most beautiful horses. Another chapter in the city’s history is the International Music Festival “Varna Summer”: it was founded in Varna in 1926 and is considered Bulgaria’s first music festival. These two examples represent different forms of cultural life—a recurring tradition and a festival tradition rooted in history.
The Wider Destination of Varna Province
The wider destination of Varna Province also has its own attractions. The Varna Aquarium offers information about the flora and fauna of the Black Sea, as well as its hydrological and hydrochemical characteristics. Ovech Fortress has two periods of historical use: from the 3rd century to the first decades of the 7th century, and again from the 10th or 11th century until the end of the 17th century. Visitors can see, among other things, the bishop’s church, the Knights’ Prison, a 79-metre-deep well described as speaking, the tower with the Devil’s Path, and the monks’ holes. These sites belong to the wider destination and add to the picture of the region without replacing Varna’s city attractions.
Discover more destinations: Varna, Sveti Konstantin I Elena, Golden Sands, Kamenar, Zvezditsa, Vetrino, Devnya, Avren.
Go to the wider travel overview: Varna Province.
