Varna in 5 days

Bulgaria's Black Sea capital: sea gardens, Roman baths, gold-age treasure and summer beach clubs. Best time to visit: June and September. Average daily budget: $60 to $120 USD.

Day 1, Get oriented

Base: Centre (Knyaz Boris I), The pedestrian shopping spine with cafes, the cathedral and the Roman baths nearby.

Morning: Varna Archaeological Museum. See the Varna Necropolis gold, the oldest worked gold ever found.

Afternoon: Explore Centre (Knyaz Boris I), The pedestrian shopping spine with cafes, the cathedral and the Roman baths nearby.

Evening: Roman Thermae. Walk through the 2nd-century baths ruins right in the city centre.

Eat: Grilled tsatsa, tiny fried Black Sea sprats

Day 2, Iconic sights

Base: Sea Garden, A vast seafront park of alleys, terraces, the aquarium and the beach below.

Morning: Sea Garden and the beach. Stroll the park to the aquarium, then drop down to the city sand.

Afternoon: Explore Sea Garden, A vast seafront park of alleys, terraces, the aquarium and the beach below.

Evening: Day trip to Balchik. Visit the Romanian queen's palace and its cliffside botanical gardens.

Eat: Shopska salad with white brine cheese

Day 3, Local neighbourhoods

Base: Chayka & Briz, Residential hillside districts with sea views and calmer stays.

Morning: Aladzha Monastery, cut into a cliff face in the forest north of the city.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Chayka & Briz, Residential hillside districts with sea views and calmer stays.

Evening: The Retro Museum's hall of restored socialist-era cars and wax figures.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Mussels in white wine from the local farms

Day 4, Day trip or nature

Base: Golden Sands (Zlatni Pyasatsi), The resort strip 18 km north with the big hotels and summer clubs.

Morning: Pobiti Kamani, a field of natural stone columns 20 km inland.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Golden Sands (Zlatni Pyasatsi), The resort strip 18 km north with the big hotels and summer clubs.

Evening: The Naval Museum's torpedo boat Drazki moored on the waterfront.. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Eat: Rakia and Bulgarian Mavrud red wine

Day 5, Slow finish

Base: Asparuhovo, Across the bridge with a long quiet beach and local seafood spots.

Morning: Slow start: coffee in Asparuhovo, then an unhurried walk before the heat or the crowds.

Afternoon: Explore Asparuhovo, Across the bridge with a long quiet beach and local seafood spots.

Evening: Dinner at Grilled tsatsa, tiny fried Black Sea sprats, then a quiet drink wherever the locals are in Asparuhovo.

Eat: Grilled tsatsa, tiny fried Black Sea sprats

Hidden gems

Aladzha Monastery, cut into a cliff face in the forest north of the city.
The Retro Museum's hall of restored socialist-era cars and wax figures.
Pobiti Kamani, a field of natural stone columns 20 km inland.
The Naval Museum's torpedo boat Drazki moored on the waterfront.

Getting around

Varna Airport is 15 minutes from downtown with heavy summer charter and low-cost traffic. The centre and Sea Garden are walkable, city buses are cheap and reach Golden Sands in about 40 minutes, and taxis are inexpensive if metered. Buses run along the coast to Balchik, Kavarna and Nesebar; a car helps for Kaliakra cape and the inland stone forest.

Safety

Varna is generally safe, with summer petty theft on crowded beaches and around nightlife strips the main risk. Insist on metered taxis or use Maxim and TaxiMe apps, since airport and resort taxis overcharge heavily. Black Sea currents and sudden drop-offs catch swimmers out at unguarded beaches. Golden Sands nightlife can get rowdy in peak season.

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