Varna city guide

Set in a lush landscape of verdant hills, sandy beaches and abundant thermal, mineral water sources it is easy to understand why Varna attracts as many visitors each year as it currently does. In fact, Varna is one of the nation’s “summer towns” – so named because of the sheer number of tourists that descend on the city every summer to enjoy the charming cafes, partake in the fresh seafood and dance the night away in one of the city’s hot nightclubs.

Varna is one of the oldest cities of Europe. It was first settled by Thracians followed by the Greeks and then the Romans. During the middles ages, Varna exchanged hands several times between the Byzantines and the Bulgarians but by the 13th and 14th centuries it was a thriving commercial hub.

Today Varna is a vital and growing economic center for both Bulgaria and the Black Sea region. Naturally given its attributes much of Varna’s economy is service and tourism based. In fact, 61% of the city’s revenue comes from trade and tourism. However, along with the neighbouring towns of Beloslav and Devnya, Varna forms the Varna-Devnya Industrial Complex, which is home to some of the biggest chemical, power generating and manufacturing plants in the country.

However, given the importance of tourism in the city it comes as no surprise that Varna’s real estate sector is one of the hottest in the country. The property market is simply booming and it has some of the highest residential real estate prices in Bulgaria – even higher than in Sofia. Commercial real estate projects are visible all over the city with the development of major international office towers among the more prestigious projects around. Varna is one of Bulgaria’s best performing cities from an economic standpoint.

Living in Varna is all about the summer. When the temperatures start to rise all of the seasonal homeowners arrive and the city really comes alive. It has a wealth of entertainment for people of all ages from historic tours to theatres, cultural events and more. However, Varna is also known as a popular sporting town for the more active among those who want to visit.

Although the cost of living in Varna is expectedly higher than that of living in other Bulgarian cities, in general it is still highly affordable when compared to other European resort towns. If you are seeking employment opportunities, they are mainly based in the tourist/hospitality sector.

If you are looking for a great place for a summer home then Varna should definitely be high on your list of places to invest.

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