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The city of Varna (population 314 539) is situated at the Bay of Varna,
470 km east of Sofia. Varna is the biggest city on the Bulgarian Black-sea
coast. It is situated at the same latitude with Cannes, Nice, Monaco and
Livorno. It is nestled in the deep valley between the Frengen Plareau and
the Avren Plateau.
Varna has a history that can be traced back for thousands of years. In 6th
century BC a Greek polis (settlement) inhabited by colonists and settlers
from Millet emerged here under the name of Odessos. The town became a fishing
and farming colony and later on in the 5th century BC it turned into a real
centre of commerce.
Up to the Roman domination the Thracian god Darzalas was worshipped rather
than the common gods Apollo and Dionyssus. Old Greek and Roman sources evidence
that in Darzalas’ honour processions, mysteries, games and competitions
were organised.
The town had been under the siege of the troops of Alexander of Macedonia
in the middle of the 4th century BC but after the siege was put down the
town was given autonomy within the limits of his Empire. After the uprising
and its liberation during the rule of Lisimah the town re-established its
supremacy at the north Black Sea coast. Up to the 1st century BC it was
an independent polis (town) and minted coins with the effigy of its patron
god. Conquered by Mark Lukulus’ legions, it became a Roman regional
centre of great importance. There the great epic poet of Rome Ovidii stayed
in his way to the town of Tommy (nowadays Kyustendzha, Romania) where he
was sent on exile.
Gradually Odessos lost its supremacy in the region, which was then gained
by the town of Martsianopolis (nowadays Devnya) founded by the emperor Trayan.
Beeing conquered and devastated several times during the barbarian invasions
it was for some time within the Byzantine Empire then out of its territories.
In 9th century it was already called Varna. It is supposed that the name
originates from the horse people in Central Asia – toponymy (name
of an area) and hydronymy (name of a water basin) in India (the river that
runs into the Ganges at Varanassi) and from the concept of caste (colour).
After the numerous wars between Bulgaria and Byzantine, the town was included
in the territory of Bulgaria in the beginning of the 13th century during
the reign of king Kaloyan. Its defence system consisted of three strongholds:
one - at the Cape Galata; other - at Cape St. Dimitar and the third, called
Petrich was near the lake of Beloslav.
Despite its reliable defence system, the town was conquered by the Turks
in 1391 and it soon declined. In 1444, during the crusade of the Polish
king Vladislav Yagello (Varnenchik) and the Hungarian leader Yanosh Huniady,
the town was under the siege of the knights. Despite the fact that the troops
of the Christian coalition fought bravely they suffered a complete defeat.
The young king Vladislav was killed. The citizens of Varna built a mausoleum
in his honour.
In 1878 Varna was finally liberated from Ottoman rule and became the most
important Bulgarian seaport town. At the end of the 19th century it was
connected with Sofia by railway. Many factories were opened, and industrial
fishing was developing. Varna quickly established as a seaside resort as
well, enhanced by the European fashion in architecture and water transport.
Entertainment establishments and holiday houses were built. Varna won the
fame of a favourite place for Bulgarian cultural elite.
Varna became a centre of the North Black Sea coast and a starting point
for the design and building of the numerous resorts around it. Marine business
was developing – from fishing to the transfer of goods between the
East and the West. Nowadays Varna is an industrial city - the third biggest
one in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv.
Varna offers a virtually unlimited number of accommodation facilities. A
well - known joke says that in summer Varna grows to the dimensions of Sofia
whereas Sofia shrinks to the dimensions of Varna. As a rule the greater
part of holiday-makers put up at private lodgings. There are several Accommodation
Bureaus in the city which all exchange current information. The hotels at
the disposal of the guests are a great number and continuously increase.
Luxury hotels are the Black Sea Hotel, Odessa Hotel, Varnenski Bryag Hotel.
The Moussala Hotel and the Orbita Hotel are cheaper ones. The latter is
a hotel for international youth tourism. There are about 60 private hotels,
most of them are 1- or 2-star hotels. The prices there are moderate. One
of the best is the Breeze-II Hotel nearby Pochivka bus stop. Private lodgings
can also be found directly not through the lodging offices.
Varna’s most popular luxurious and offering special cuisine restaurants
are: the Indian Maharany Restaurant, Maggy Restaurant and the Moussala Restaurant
with a Viennise Cafe, the Paraklisa (the Chapel) Restaurant, the FEB Restaurant,
the Morska Sirena (The Mermaid) Restaurant, a chain of restaurants Mustang
Food Bar, Happy Bar and Grill chain, Loza Restaurant, Morsko Konche (Sea
horse) Restaurant, and the Galateya Restaurant. Middle class restaurants,
numerous private pubs and taverns are available even in the distant residential
quarters of the city. Many of them are open 24 hours, others - as long as
there are clients to be serviced. For those who prefer cooking for themselves
there is a large chain of supermarkets with non-stop or regular working
hours. There are a lot of market places as well. The most popular one is
called Kolhoz.
A lot of small pizza shops and snack-bars that offer typically Bulgarian
snacks such as sheeted pastries, cheese buns, dough nuts, boza (soft drink
made of millet), and others. There are a great number of canteens, especially
along the beach and in the Sea Garden Park where fish and seafood are offered.
Every day one can buy freshly caught fish from the local fishermen at the
sea station.
The fastest way to get to Varna is by airplane, it takes 50 min from Sofia
to Varna. Varna’s airport functions throughout the year. Planes in
both directions fly 6 or 7 times a day during the summer. The airport’s
phone number is 052 573323; the Balkan Ticket Office answers the phone number
052 222248. The sea station provides sea buses to Balchik, Slanchev Bryag
(Sunny Beach), Nessebur and Bourgas. The railway station’s phone number
is 052 630414. The phone number of the booking office is 052 632347.
Varna is connected to all of the main railway lines in the country. There
are express trains to Sofia and Plovdiv that reach for 7 and 4.30 hours
respectively. Seats are limited so it is advisable to book sleeping car
tickets a week before.
The bus station is 1.5 km away from the city centre. Its phone number is
052 448349. Buses for all the main destinations in the country start including
Sofia from here. The Group Private Bus Company offers bus lines to all destinations
(tel.: 052 256734). Buses travel to Athens and Istanbul as well as to some
cities in Central and Eastern Europe. Their bus stop is in front of the
cathedral. Varna’s public transport offers over 60 bus lines that
travel to various destinations. Some of the buses travel to the nearby resorts
(20 km away from the city). There are trolley buses available in the city
as well.
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