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Varna, Bulgaria, is a small city that is located on the western shores of the Black Sea.

The first time we visited Varna was on a 2 night stay in 2015. We were immediately smitten with this chill city full of pedestrian routes. With only a couple of days to explore, we did our best to walk down to the waterfront and take in the seaside vibe. We vowed that we would return.

7 years later, in 2022, we made true to that promise.

This time around, we spent much longer. After we made an agreement with a hostel owner for us to paint murals in exchange for accommodation, we were set. This time we stayed for 2 full months and had ample time to explore the beautiful city.

In the time we had been gone, the aspects of the city that we had already enjoyed, had only continued to improve. The pedestrian ways had been expanded and the city noise seemed far away as we would stroll the wide walkways while taking in the bright and colorful storefronts.

One would think that a country like Bulgaria would be solemn and grey. They have been through a lot, after all. But the opposite is true. A hip underground culture is starting to come forward, and the vibe is fun and funky.

The young people in Bulgaria are very friendly, and most speak some level of English. When needing directions, this is the demographic we would speak with. The older generation speaks mostly Russian and Bulgarian and aren’t quite as friendly as their younger counterparts.

Beyond loving the large pedestrian walkways and the people, here are some of our favorite aspects of Varna

There are hot springs on the beach

One of our very favorite aspects of Varna is the abundance of hot water. In fact, much of Bulgaria has pretty easy access to hot springs of some sort. Plus, clean and fresh spring water is available in many places for drinking. Bulgaria is certainly not lacking water, that is for sure.

Different hot pools are available along the shoreline of Varna, and a visit to the local free one is a true cultural experience. People come from all walks of life to enjoy the warmth of this pool sitting directly on the shore of the Black Sea.

The waterfront has a 12 km park

Those who love to wander through parkways, especially one that lies along the waterfront, are in for a treat. During any time of the day, you can access the bars and restaurants that line the beach and shore, or you can walk, ride a bike or rent a scooter to satisfy your needs.

Varna has done an incredible job of keeping its waterfront for all to enjoy. We spent October/November in Varna, and the fall weather was spectacular. Warm temperatures meant some great days spent at the beach eating the local specialty of fried fish.

Plus, the off-season meant that there were no crowds of people to contend with.

A world-class archeological museum

We made a mistake and went to the archeological museum just two hours before closing. We had no idea that we would want to spend much longer, and sadly had to be kicked out at the closing time. The museum is home to the oldest gold in the world and has remnants of humanity dating back 6000 years! It houses an astounding collection of artifacts.

A small population but lots to do

Varna is home to just over 300 000 people which makes it on the small scale of cities. But the low population doesn’t mean that there isn’t much to do. The city is within easy access to monasteries, bird sanctuaries and even a stone forest. Making this our base allowed us to explore the surrounding areas with ease, even with public transport.

The low population keeps Varna safe and we didn’t experience any threats or dangerous encounters while in the Varna, or the rest of the country, for that matter.

Delicious freshly made food

Bulgarians still live very in touch with the land and many grow their own food. Food made in restaurants is fresh and delicious. One day we discovered a sort of outdoor cafeteria that served a huge selection of delicious home-cooked food for a very reasonable price. They also offer a covered and closed eating area which caters to people in all seasons.

Excellent public transport

You don’t need a car if you are only visiting Varna for a short time. The Varna Train station connects you to the rest of the country, and the internal bus system is efficient and affordable. Small regional buses will also carry you to some of the neighboring towns. You can even catch a bus all the way to Istanbul if you so desire.

The Varna airport is also international and accepts flights from many parts of Europe and beyond.

An unknown gem

For westerners like us, Bulgaria was a very unknown destination. But the more we explore it, the more we fall in love with the country. So far, Varna is our favorite city. It’s location along the Black Sea means that it is warmer in the winter than the rest of the country, and it’s relatively small population keeps it safe and quiet.

We have plans to return there again and look forward to discovering more of its hidden secrets.