At the southern end of the beach, the swathe of sand abruptly gives way to large rocks and jagged rocks. The sea, a changing canvas of emerald and cobalt, unperturbed by the change in terrain, continues to push and pull with abandon.
Not wanting to dance across the clearer shoreline in front of me, I took 10 steps back to the no-frills shoreline. I ordered Kamenitza beer, drops of condensation quickly formed as it met the hot heat; at only £ 2.17 half a liter, I ordered two more. As the sun sets on the back of my neck, I take a quick drink, put my feet on the speckled shore and ignore the familiar ping of my phone, a message from someone at home. It’s starting to feel like, in Varna, I’m on vacation.
I will arrive on this Bulgarian beach in the middle of a new wave of protests against mass tourism in Europe, with concerns about the overtourism spreading on the streets especially in Barcelona, Mallorca and Tenerife. I craved somewhere new, and, like many, wanted a summer break without breaking my bank. With the launch of a new flight route from London to the Black Sea city – Wizz Air now flies three times a week from Gatwick, from £26.99 – and the promise of a warm escape in a country often listed among the cheapest places to visit. in Europe, I’ve gone to Varna to see if it could become a new holiday hotspot for Brits.
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It wouldn’t be wrong to call Varna an undiscovered gem (although, in a straw poll, in a south London pub, 90 percent of people couldn’t even recognize it, let alone have it on their travel plans). People in search of the health-promoting qualities of the water came to the ‘sea-bathing’ town at the end of the 19th century; in 1921, Varna was officially branded as a seaside resort.
Today, it attracts about 2 million tourists a year, which is popular with Romanian, Polish and German tourists. When I stopped for lunch one day, I found myself chatting with a Romanian chap in his mid-twenties, who told me he visits every year from his home in Craiova.
“There’s fun in the sea breeze,” he said, between mouthfuls of grilled local fish. “Relaxing, yes, but this is an easy place to have a good time.”
Before it was chosen as a regular place by my new Romanian friend, Varna had a flux in its bones. In ancient Roman times, it was an important port. Over a millennium and more, it has fallen under Byzantine, Russian, Ottoman and Soviet rule; it was even renamed Stalin for seven years from 1949.
These things have been woven into the fabric of Varna, creating a delightful medley, evident from the moment I arrived. After a 15-minute taxi ride from the airport to the city center (costs 14 Lev, or about £6), I wandered through a glorious juxtaposition between brutalist blocks of flats built after the Second World War – a communist commitment to utilitarian scale and scale. on show – and Neo-Baroque and Neo-Renaissance beauty, all sculpted facades and bold decorations. The opulent Varna opera house, with its impressive dome over the main hall, and the Dormitory Cathedral of the Mother of God, where the symmetry of the Renaissance style is paired with Russian Revival features, are among the highlights.
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It is a city that you can see quickly so that you can discover the different nuances of Varna. Expect wall-to-wall prettiness, and you’ll be disappointed. The city has an inescapable grittiness that sets it apart from other, more polished tourist destinations: crumbling buildings, cracked sidewalks, and graffiti scrawled hastily on weather-beaten walls. Turn 90 degrees from the Instagram-curated images and you can easily find a vast industrial view, the vast port of Varna still plays an important role in maritime trade. I laughed at the bus driver who, unable to close the door of the vehicle as it should, grabbed the rope to hold it (almost) closed. Its hard-edged charm makes for a real purpose – it lets you, in that horrible cliche, ‘live like a local’.
Peeling paint and neglected corners make the highlights even more welcome. The Roman ruins, especially the thermal baths, the largest ancient building found in Bulgaria, offer a magnificent view of antiquity. In-trend coffee shops, brunch spots and craft beer bars are found on more modest streets; places like Surch Coffee Specialty and Art would not be out of place in hipster neighborhoods in cities around the world. To marvel at the quirk, visit the Retro Museum and the Wax Museum. One is packed with 20th century nostalgia, from vintage cars to household items, while the other brings to life famous figures with unexpected accuracy.
I stayed at the City Boutique Inn, opting for something low-key over the imposing resort-style hotel. It’s close to the main strip and the beach, but luckily, it’s tucked away peacefully in a narrow street. It is the ambiguous promise of “American Hospitality”; what I found strange, home-style welcome (shoes off when you enter, thanks), simple and comfortable rooms with a pop of color, and point-in service. There’s also an infrared sauna and a gym – two unexpected amenities at this modest property.
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The delightful owner, Magdalena, is passionate about the city. When I asked why people should visit now, he was clear: “It’s not so crowded. It feels crowded, there’s a lot of entertainment – but it can offer a quiet and secluded corner.
He suggested I have dinner at Staria Chinar, less than a three minute walk away. It’s not hard to find casual dining in the city, but there are some that are monotonous, especially by the sea. But here, under an ancient sycamore tree, rustic regional cuisine is served with unpretentious aplomb.
I decided on what the menu described as “special traditional treat”, which includes grilled lamb’s head and slices of beef tongue sauteed in butter and paprika; even though I was the only non-local in the evening restaurant, I saw no one else order from it. However, the minced beef and cheese from gourmet pljeskavica – traditional Serbian dish – there is a smoky, slowly spiced winner, cooked over a charcoal grill. I stuck to the cheap Bulgarian lager, still not up to £2.50 a pint, but had to check the wine list: a bottle of domestic red would cost £13. Magdalena later told me all the vineyards you can reach from Varna without problems – enough to make I’m thinking about coming back next year.
However, it is the beach, where Varna excels – and the key element that can lure UK holidaymakers looking for a warm, fly-and-fail break. I strolled up and down several times, and it was amazing with life: families finding a place for the day, couples basking in the rays of the sun and swimmers venturing into the sapphire water. The golden arc is supported by cafes and bars, which shine in the evening and the music is turned on, and behind it is embraced by the Sea Park, a giant of landscape architecture. If you want, the holiday can be a little more than a horizontal day on the beach.
The last hours in Varna were spent with my toes back in the sand. I have developed an affinity for the place; Is it because I’m also unlovable until you see beneath the surface? I didn’t pull the thread – the last £2 beer, the antidote to the heat on the skin, pushed the thought away. But I knew that not a word of English was spoken around me; I’ve got a line of dissatisfaction from wearing flip-flops; that I had a brilliant time and spent far less than expected. Varna should be on your travel plans – the trick is to do it before everyone else in the UK finds out.
It is important to travel
Wizz Air flies directly to Varna from various London airports: Gatwick, Luton and London City.
Stay at the peaceful Boutique City Inn, within easy reach of Varna’s beaches, shopping streets and major cultural attractions. Breakfast is included, and there is an infrared sauna and gym to use. Rooms have vintage accents and modern amenities.
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