Things to Do in Varna, Bulgaria: Attractions and Beaches
Varna is a city by the sea with many things to do, from historic sites, museums, and churches to long sandy beaches. A must-see sight in the city is the cathedral, which is stunning. The Sea Garden is a fun place to hang out and has easy access to the beaches.
Disclosure! Keep in mind that some links in these posts are affiliate links. If you click one of them, I may earn a small commission (for which I’m extremely grateful) at no extra cost to you. Thanks for visiting!
For visitors who enjoy history, the Roman sites and museums in Varna are well worth visiting. Besides that, the city has some great places to dine out, including some on the beaches with sea views.
Best Attractions and Things To Do
You can find a range of guided tours and excursions on the GetYourGuide website.
Dormition of the Mother of God Cathedral
The Dormition of the Mother of God Cathedral is very distinctive from the outside and appears in tourist literature for the city. It’s a lovely building with distinctive gold domes, and it’s free to visit.
The Dormition of the Mother of God Cathedral is the third-largest cathedral in Bulgaria. The largest is St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia. They opened the cathedral in 1886 after laying the foundation stone in 1880. The site has changed over time, including the addition of furnishings inside, such as the bishop’s throne. The distinctive golden domes are pretty new and were gilded in 2000, replacing damaged copper domes.
Inside, the cathedral is gorgeous, with Orthodox Christian artworks. It’s an active place of worship, so there’s often something going on. On my visits, there have been small prayer services and the Easter festivities.
The Sea Garden
The Sea Garden is Varna’s large seafront park between the city and the beaches. It’s good for walks, sea views, shade and access to attractions such as Children’s Corner, the Naval Museum and the Pantheon.
Amusement Park
One of the many activities over the weekend is a visit to the amusement park. They have a Ferris wheel, dodgems and a rollercoaster, to name a few. I found it best to visit in the evening, as the sun is going down, when the atmosphere is vibrant.
Children’s Corner
Children’s Corner is a family-friendly area in the Sea Garden with fairground-style rides, dodgems, crazy golf, a boating lake and a treetop adventure area.
Museums
Archaeological Museum
The Archaeological Museum is housed in a neo-Renaissance building near the cathedral. They founded in 1888 and has a collection of artefacts. Collections include Roman, Thracian, Ancient Greek, Ottoman and prehistoric artefacts. The most popular exhibit is the Gold of Varna, the world’s oldest gold treasure.
Naval Museum
The Naval Museum is an interesting place to visit while in the city. It is at the southern edge of the beaches. The museum has two parts: a garden with military hardware and an indoor section that tells the story of the Bulgarian navy.
Exhibits include historically used equipment and uniforms. They had some beautiful works of art and models of ships that were used. Outside in their garden are helicopters, boats and naval equipment. This included torpedo systems, boat engines, and even a lighthouse.
Museum of Modern History
The Museum of Modern History is in a lovely building and set over three floors. They provide English-language details to help you explore the museum.
They had exhibits on display inside from 1876 to 1944. The exhibition includes details of the city’s transformation into a holiday resort, its coffee culture, and the Freemasons. A Masonic logo really caught my eye while I was visiting. They also covered the area’s aristocracy and industry.
Beaches & Seafront
Varna Beach
Varna Beach is sandy, and it runs alongside parts of the Sea Garden. There are bars and restaurants at the top of the beach.
We found the beaches and beach bars to be dog-friendly. The Black Sea was a bit cold for our April visit but was OK for a quick paddle with shoes off. It is lovely in the mornings and a great place to watch the sunrise.
Rappongi Beach
Rappongi Beach is to the north of the coast. It’s a sandy beach with nice scenery nearby. There are bars and a beach volleyball court.
During the spring, Rappongi Beach is quiet; however, at weekends and during the holiday season, it is vibrant. It has a reputation as one of the best beaches in the city because it’s quieter and cleaner.
Officer’s Beach
Officer’s Beach is sandy, has calm water for swimming and a jetty you can walk along out into the Black Sea. Officer’s Beach also has some cafes for refreshments.
First Buna & Fisherman’s Beach
The First Buna is basically a jetty that heads out to sea, and there are a few up the coast. The First Buna is a quiet spot to sit and chill out or watch the sunset.
The jetty is part of the sandy Fisherman’s Beach. The beach has a few bars and restaurants overlooking it.
Trakata Beach
A small, quiet beach north of the city is Trakata Beach. To reach the beach, I took the bus near it, then walked down some country lanes to the Black Sea. The beach was sandy and good for a paddle. In the area is a small marina and a few restaurants for refreshments.
Seaport Lighthouse
The Seaport Lighthouse is a pleasant spot for a stroll along the seawall, offering splendid views, especially at sunset. If you walk around the base, you will see a mosaic depiction of St Nicholas.
Sunrise & Sunset
Sunrise and sunset are both special times in the city. Sitting on the beach, waiting for the sun to appear over the Black Sea, is tranquil.
For sunset, my favourite area to watch it was in the port. There are plenty of spaces to relax, or you could walk out to the lighthouse. Many people are out in the area, especially on the weekends. This includes people fishing off the docks.
The Hot Water – A Thermal Pool
For when the sea is cold, and you fancy a dip, “The Hot Water” might be the place to visit. It’s thermal waters in a pool next to the Officer’s Beach and the beach waterfall.
The Port of Varna
The Port of Varna is industrial in parts, and as a result, there are some intriguing things to see. There is a funfair, lighthouses and restaurants with sea views.
They also have a Port of Varna sign, which is popular with tourists taking photos and locals fishing from the seawall in the port. You can learn about boat trips in the harbour.
The Little Lighthouse
The little lighthouse is a nice place to walk to, with seats and views of the docks. We saw people fishing from here and found it to be quite chilled.
Historic Sites & Notable Buildings
Opera Varna
Opera Varna is a distinctive red building near the cathedral. This is the city’s opera house, which opened in 1947. The theatre, however, dates back to 1912. An observation is that theatres in Bulgaria seem to be painted the same shade of red. Find out what’s on or arrange tickets on their website.
Saint Nicholas Church
Saint Nicholas Church is on the major boulevard in the city, halfway between the sea and the cathedral.
This is a Bulgarian Orthodox church dating back to the 1860s with some interesting features. Inside, there are Orthodox religious decorations. It is free to enter; however, there are places to donate, buy candles, or purchase souvenirs. Saint Nicholas Church is well worth visiting to see what’s inside.
Varna Roman Baths
Another interesting aspect of the city is stepping back in time to visit the Varna Roman Baths. The Roman Baths were called the Roman Thermae of Odessos and date back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries during the rule of Emperor Septimius Severus. The Varna Roman Baths are the 4th-largest public bath discovered in the European provinces. The site gives an insight into what the city was like during the Roman era.
There are information boards throughout the site that explain the function of each part of the ruins. These boards included artists’ impressions of the goings-on. The Roman baths included both hot- and cold-water rooms, changing areas, and a public toilet. There is also a basilica in the ruins.
Also, the Roman Baths of Odessos are towards the port and a short stroll away from the main Roman Baths. These can be viewed from the street above.
The Pantheon
The Pantheon is one of the main landmarks in the Sea Garden, set on a hill with wide flower-lined paths leading towards it. It commemorates people who died between 1923 and 1944 and is one of the more striking monuments in the park.
Clock Tower of Varna
Near the cathedral is the Clock Tower of Varna. It was under renovation during our visit to the city, so we couldn’t visit, but you could view the tower from nearby parks and boulevards. There has been a clock tower at the site since the 1700s. The impressive current version was built in 1888.
Armenian Orthodox Church
In the Greek neighbourhood is the Armenian Orthodox Church. They built this church in the mid-1800s after it was destroyed by fire in 1843. From above, the church is cross-shaped. The Armenian Orthodox Church has a bell tower, which is typical of both Armenian and Georgian temples.
Palace of Culture and Sports
The Palace of Culture and Sports is an indoor complex. They built the Palace of Culture in 1968, and it has sports halls, gyms, and entertainment venues. They host events at the venue; find out what’s on during your visit by seeing their What’s On Guide.