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| Varna | ||
| Oblast | Varna | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 369.162 (2020) | |
| height | 80 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Varna (Варна, in German also Warna) is the third largest city Bulgaria and capital of the administrative district of the same name and is located on the western Black Sea coast.
background
Varna was founded in 585 BC. Under the name Odessos founded by Greek settlers. Varna experienced a great cultural and economic heyday in Roman times. Conquered by the Turks in 1391. In 1878 Varna was liberated from Ottoman rule.
The port is after Burgas currently the second largest in Bulgaria. Until 2007 it was also the home port of the navy, which was then moved to Burgas.
Varna is one of the - if not the - most important university cities, in Varna are the Free University of Varna, the Medical University of Varna, the University of Economics in Varna, the Technical University of Varna, the Naval Academy of the Merchant Navy, several research institutes for - among other things - oceanography, fishing industry and hydrodynamics.
Varna is the home port of the sailing training ship of the merchant navy SSS Kaliakra.
getting there
By plane
Varna Airport (Летище Варна, IATA: VAR). 
In the west of Varna is the Varna International Airport, which is considered the second most important airport in the country. In summer, many charter flights to / from the Bulgarian Black Sea coast take off and land here.Feature: free WiFi.
By train
By bus
There are plenty of bus connections, both in the immediate vicinity and in the wider area, but only changing special offers from travel companies are suitable for traveling from Germany.
In the street
In Varna ends from Shumen coming the A2. The A5 is supposed to connect Varna with Burgas, from there the A2 leads in parts to Sofia. Because of the huge detour, the route via Bucharest - Russe - Shumen or Drobeta-Turnu Severin - Russe - Shumen is usually preferred.
By boat
- Almost all Black Sea cruises call at Varna.
- Regular connections to Odessa and Burgas, possibly further to Istanbul, are changing. As of 2007
- With your own boat: Marina of the Yacht Club Varna behind the lighthouse hard to starboard along the mole. Prices were increased by 500% in 2007, which drove most of the club members into the lake behind the canal where there are some marinas.
mobility
- Taxis: can be found in all tourist places in Varna, but can also simply be waved over from the roadside. Danger: Fares can vary widely, so be sure to read the price label on the windshield or on the rear doors! For destinations outside the city you should negotiate the price with the driver (you can also inquire about the price for a certain route at the hotel reception in advance). The telephone numbers of the taxi offices: 052-50 00 00 or 052-68 21 01
- Subways: does not exist in Varna
- Buses: very good inner-city network, Connections to the near and far.
Tourist Attractions
Churches
- 1 Cathedral Sveto uspenie Bogoroditschno ("Mother of God Cathedral"), Mitropolit Simeon Square, in the city center. Nearby the seat of the diocese of Varna and Veliky Preslav of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.
- 2 Seafarer's Church of St. Nicholas, In the pedestrian zone. To be recognized by the anchor in front of the entrance.
- 3 Saint Michael, in extension of the pedestrian zone just before the park. Catholic Church, recognizable only by the sign on the front door. At the same time the monastery of the Missionaries of Charity, the order founded by Mother Theresa.
Buildings
- 1 Opera, south of the Cathedral of Our Lady.
- Between the center and the coast lies an area that still has many old ones Art Nouveau facades can be seen, partly eaten away by the ravages of time, partly well-maintained and / or renovated.
- 2 clock tower
- 3 planetarium
- 4 Pantheon. War memorial.
Monuments
- 5 Bulgarian-Soviet Friendship Monument (Парк паметник на българо-съветската дружба)
Museums
- 7 Ethnographic Museum
- 8 Naval Museum (Военноморски музей, Военноморски музей). E-mail: [email protected].About the creation and development of the Bulgarian Navy. The richest collection of ship models in Bulgaria is exhibited here, as well as collections of mines, anchors, cannons, uniforms, works of art.Open: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Rest days: Saturday and Sunday.
- 9 Museum of the History of Varna
- 10 Museum of the History of Medicine (Музей по история на медицината), ул. “Параскева Николау” № 7.
- 11 Museum of Natural History
- 12 Museum of the Dolls (Държавен Куклен Театър Варна)
- 13 Park Museum (Парк-музей "Владислав Варненчик")
- 14 National Revival Museum (Музей на Възраждането, Варна).Ground floor: buildings of the Archangel Michael Church, upper floor: exhibits from the 17th to 20th centuries.
- 16 War museum, 2nd blvd. Primorsky, Varna. Tel.: 359 52 731 523, Fax: 359 52 731 523, Email: [email protected].
- 17 Retro museum
Excavations
- 18 Roman thermal baths (Римски терми (Варна)).From the 2nd century AD, 7,000 m², the largest on the Balkan Peninsula.
- 19 The small Roman bath (Малки Римски терми)..From the 4th to 6th centuries AD, fed only by thermal springs.
Parks
- 1 Sea garden. The Sea Garden in Varna starts at the port and stretches for several kilometers along the coast. It is over 80 hectares in size. Concerts are often held there in the summer months.
- 2 Asparuhovo, Park & Old Bulgarian War Camp. In the historical-ethnographic complex "Phanagoria" one can get an insight into the equipment of the old Bulgarian yurt. Craft workshops, authentic folk costumes, household items and weapons are on display.
activities
The beautiful sandy beach is freely accessible.
- Sightseeing. The tourist information office offers free city tours in summer.
shop
To the west of the cathedral is a large bazaar, outside the center there are hardware stores such as Praktiker and Bricolage that can be easily reached by bus, and the Praktiker also has a grocery store and department store. Other food markets are spread across the city, one right next to the clinic.
A pedestrian zone stretches from the opera to the east as a "shopping mile", even for more sophisticated demands.
kitchen
Cheap
In addition to the usual fast food chains, there are many inexpensive restaurants with a slightly different type of "fast food": what is offered is not the ready-made "menu" - if you can call a hamburger or a sausage on a roll that way - but in a kind of "hot counter" are roasting trays and tubs, on and in which stew, roasted or boiled meat, vegetables, pasta, potatoes, rice, sauces, all in various domestic preparation variants, are offered. A particularly inexpensive eatery with a very tasty selection and - due to the great demand - always freshly prepared food of this kind is located in the pedestrian zone directly opposite the seafarer's church of St. Nicholas.
All opening times below are very likely only during the season (May to September).
medium
- 1 Grand Italia, ul. "Mihail Koloni" 20, 9000 Varna. Tel.: 359 52 605 061. Italian restaurant.Open: daily 10 a.m. - midnight.
- 2 Godzila Restaurant, 66, bul. "Knyaz Boris I", 9000 Varna. Tel.: 359 700 16 010. Open: every day around the clock.
- 3 Kaptazh, bul. "Primorski" 2, 9000 Primorski, Varna. Tel.: 359 88 884 5184. Definitely try Tarator, the Bulgarian cold cucumber soup.Open: daily 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Upscale
- 4 Bistro Europe, bul. "Slivnitsa" 11, 9000 Varna. Tel.: 359 52 603 950, Email: [email protected]. French restaurant.Open: daily 10.30 a.m. - 11.30 p.m.
- 5 Staria Chinar restaurant, 11, Preslav St., Varna. Tel.: 359 52 94 94 00, Email: [email protected]. Very busy restaurant, reservations are highly recommended, unless you are traveling alone, then it is no problem to get a table. Excellent food, freshly prepared.
nightlife
Some basement restaurants are open as long as they have guests. When the weather is right, the parks are often lively until dawn. In the summer, the beach discos (with an open roof) with a wide variety of music are open.
All opening times below are very likely only during the season (May to September).
- 1 The Black Sheep Pub, bul. "Knyaz Boris I" 62, 9002 Varna. Tel.: 359 87 862 3426. Open: daily 9 a.m. - midnight.
- 2 The Brick bar, bul. "Slivnitsa" 5, 9000 Varna. Tel.: 359 89 585 3333. Open: 7 a.m. - 2 a.m. daily.
- 4 Bar Punta Cana, bul. "Primorski" 2, 9000 Primorski, Varna. Tel.: 359 88 655 5033. Open: daily 8 a.m. - 4 a.m.
accommodation
Plenty in at least every middle to upper price range.
Cheap
medium
- 2 Aqua Hotel, 12-А, ul. "Devnya", 9000 Varna. Tel.: 359 52 639 090, Fax: 359 52 631 390, Email: [email protected]. Approx. 10 minutes to the center, 2 minutes to the train station.Characteristic: ★★★★.
- 3 Mode hotel, ul. "Stefan Stambolov" 46, Varna. Tel.: 359 52 660 910, Fax: 359 (0)52 660 920, Email: [email protected]. Characteristic: ★★★★.
- 7 Hugo Hotel, 5, Tzar Samuil Str., Varna 9000. The former Best Western, which had closed since last year.Characteristic: ★★★.
Upscale
- 8 Hotel Dimyat, 111 Knyaz Boris 1 Blvd., Varna 9002. Tel.: 359 52 910800, Fax: 359 52 910801, Email: [email protected]. Highly recommended hotel, about 15 minutes walk from the center. Breathtaking view of the Black Sea. The hotel is located directly on a busy street, but the very good insulation makes it very pleasant and quiet here.Characteristic: ★★★★★.
Learn
Work
security
Beware of pickpockets targeting tourists. Drunken guests of the beach disco clubs have also been beaten up and robbed on the beach. Civil investigators are involved in drug-related crime.
Otherwise: Excellent criminal police, first-class judicial system, fast, friendly, correct and very efficient.
health
Medical university, clinic, various hospitals
Practical advice
- Main post office, at the basilica. To the north, corner house, large lettering (Cyrillic!).
trips
- 20 Stone forest (Побитите камъни, Pobitite Kameni).is about 20 km west of Varna. These are numerous stone pillars up to 5 meters high. These look like a ruined city, but are of natural origin. Excursions are usually organized (for package tourists). Otherwise there is only a car or taxi.
- 21 Marsianopolis (Марсианополис).The place is very close by Devnja (Девня), in which one can see ruins of the ancient city Marsianopolis can be visited (3rd century AD). On the opposite side of the main street, Die Quelle is worthwhile "Magic Springs" a visit.
- 22 Alajak Monastery (Аладжа манастир).in the "nature park" Golden Sands. The Aladja Monastery is the most famous medieval rock monastery on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The rooms of the monastery are hollowed out on two levels in limestone cliffs almost 40 meters high. About 600 - 700 m west of the monastery lies a group of caves known as "the catacombs".
- The Kamchia (Камчия) is Bulgaria's largest river and flows into the Black Sea. It is located about 30 km south of Varna (to be reached via the E87). It has many tributaries on which water roses grow. Its banks are overgrown with old oaks. However, you have to leave the street to see everything.
literature
Web links
- http://www.varna.bg/ - Official website of Varna
- Varna tourist information
