Varna Province - |

Varna is Bulgaria's third largest city, after Sofia and Plovdiv. The oldest gold (dated 4200 - 4600 BC) in the world was found near the city. It was an inhabited place long before the Greeks established the colony of Odessos there about 580 B.C. Later, under the Romans and their successors, the Slavs and Bulgarians, Varna became a major port trading with Constantinople, Venice and Dubrovnik. In 1393 it was captured by the Turks, who made it an important military centre. Nowadays it is the nation's main port for both naval and commercial shipping and, adjacent as it is to the coastal resorts of Constantine and Helena, Riviera, Golden Sands, and Kamchia. Sailors on shore-leave in unfamiliar ceremonial uniforms, mingle with foreign tourists and locals as they promenade along shady boulevards, lined by dignified 19th and early 20th century buildings. The 19th century Dormition of the Theotokos Cathedral is an imposing landmark, which contains a finely carved iconostasis and bishop's throne, some interesting murals and stained glass. The 2nd century Thermae are the remains of the largest Roman public building in Bulgaria. During this century enough has been revealed by archaeologists to give a good impression of the original layout, though some parts of the building remain hidden under nearby streets. Coming across an extensive ancient building amidst the streets and houses of a modern city is not unusual in Bulgaria, but is always a delight. Further from the centre, a monument commemorates the Battle of Varna, which took place in 1444. Here 30,000 Crusaders were waiting to sail to Constantinople when they were attacked by 120,000 Turks. The Polish King Ladislaus III was killed in a bold attempt to capture Sultan Murad II. The subsequent retreat foreshadowed Christendom's general retreat before the advancing Ottomans. North of Varna there is a cluster of seaside resorts all with fine sandy beaches but differing in size and style.

Some other places of interest include (by municipality):

Avren: observatory, Petrich fortress, cave monastery, museum of ethnography in Tsarevtsi
Aksakovo: Batova chalet park near Dolishte, St. Marina monastery near Krumovo
Dolni chiflik: museum of ethnography, Sherba state hunting farm (ДДС Шерба) and chalet
Dalgopol: museum of history, Ovchaga ethnographical village in Asparuhovo, ecopark Vodenitsite in Sladka Voda
Provadiya: Lambova kashta ethnographical complex, Ovech fortress, ethnographical collections in Dobrina and Manastir
Suvorovo: museum of history, mosque, Peter Deunov house museum in Nikolaevka
Valchidol: ski run