5 Days in Varna: The Perfect Itinerary for a Relaxing Getaway
Astor Garden Hotel garden and pool
We just came back from our trip to Varna, and we completely fell in love with the place. Located on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, the city combines beaches, wellness, history, great food, and relaxed seaside vibes without feeling overly touristy or hectic.
We honestly wish we’d spent more time there, so this itinerary includes a mix of things we personally did and things we would’ve loved to do if we’d had a few extra days.
In a hurry? Plan your trip to Varna now!
We’ve gathered top-rated recommendations for transport, accommodation, services, and tours below:
- Best all-around: Astor Garden Hotel (9.4/10)
- Exclusive beachfront: GRIFID Noa (9.1/10)
- Boutique design: HVD Boutique Hotel Oasis (8.8/10)
What’s the best time of the year to visit Varna?
Varna is a destination you can enjoy year-round. In winter, it has a calmer feel, with thermal spas and wellness resorts making it ideal for a quiet escape. It’s also a great time to avoid crowds and higher prices.
Summer is when the city really comes alive, with beaches, restaurants, beach bars, and boat trips all fully open, creating a much more vibrant atmosphere. Inevitably, prices tend to go up during this period.
We visited in early May and already had great weather, although some activities, like boat trips, were only just starting as the summer season began.
Getting around Varna
Varna’s public transport system is solid, with buses covering almost every corner of the city and trains connecting you to other destinations across Bulgaria. The easiest way to buy bus tickets is through the official Ticket Varna app (Apple Store or Google Play). It is so much more convenient than dealing with cash or messing around with the physical ticket machines! To stay effortlessly connected and navigate the city on the go, we’d recommend checking out eSIM deals from Jetpac, but do remember to check whether Bulgaria is already included in your home data plan.
Varna airport departures
From the airport, we highly recommend pre-booking a private transfer through GetTransfer.com. A ride to the city centre costs around €15, to St. Constantine and Helena around €25, and to Golden Sands or Riviera Holiday Club around €30, so it’s all very reasonable. If you prefer a budget public transport option, Bus 409 leaves right from the front of Terminal 2 and will most likely be the exact route you need.
However, if you are looking for flexibility to visit sights, beaches, spas and more, at your own pace, we’d recommend renting a car through QEEQ. We always use QEEQfor our own trips because they consistently offer the best deals, and the booking process is really smooth and easy to use.
Once in the city centre, it’s very walkable, so you won’t really need to use transport.
Where to stay in Varna?
Varna City Centre: Best for sightseeing. You’re close to restaurants, shops, nightlife, the Cathedral, and the Sea Garden. Perhaps not ideal if you are looking for relaxation, thermals and beaches.
St. Constantine and Helena (WHERE WE STAYED!): A quieter, more upscale resort area just outside the city, far enough to feel peaceful but still close enough to the city centre for sightseeing. Personally, our favourite area! It’s known for its mineral springs, wellness hotels, and peaceful atmosphere. Great if you’re focusing on relaxation and spa-style stays. We stayed at Astor Garden Hotel, a five-star beachfront hotel with free access to Аquahouse Thermal & Beach. We’ve actually written a blog post sharing a bit more about Astor Garden Hotel, Best Hotels in Varna with a Private Beach (2026 Guide), so be sure to check that out if you're looking for an incredible place to stay!
Golden Sands: A classic beach resort area about 30 minutes from Varna. It’s definitely the most lively and tourist-focused of the three spots, featuring massive stretches of fine sandy beach, buzzing beach bars, and tons of hotels (many of which offer all-inclusive packages). Because it's the busiest area around, it definitely has a more crowded and high-energy feel. It’s absolutely ideal if you want your trip to be purely focused on sun, sea, and a vibrant holiday atmosphere!
GRIFID Vistamar Hotel - 24 Hours Ultra All inclusive & Private Beach
Includes free access to the GRIFID Aquapark
Book Now →
Sentido Marea Hotel - 24 hours Ultra All inclusive & Private Beach
Family room includes free access to GRIFID Aquapark
Book Now →
Astoria by Astoria Collection- All Inclusive & Private Beach Club
Themed dinners, live music shows, performances, and fully renovated Beach Club
Book Now →Riviera Holiday Club: despite the name, it’s not a single venue but an exclusive gated resort area with only five hotels. It offers a mix of nature and beachfront, making it one of the most peaceful options. Best suited for couples, families, and travellers looking for more seclusion. Since options are more limited in this area, we’d recommend either HVD Boutique Hotel Oasis or HVD Nympha Hotel.
We have written a dedicated blog, Where to Stay in Varna: Best Areas for Every Traveller, which may interest you to help you decide where to stay during your trip.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s jump into the perfect 5-day itinerary!
Day 1
On day one, we arrived in the afternoon and went straight to our hotel, the beautiful Astor Garden Hotel. We actually didn't know this beforehand, but booking the Deluxe Double with Balcony & Sea View, we were treated to a delicious welcome platter of fresh macarons and red berries right when we arrived!
For the rest of the evening, we explored the hotel grounds to familiarise ourselves with the facilities, coming across the indoor pool and spa, the games room, and the outdoor gardens and outdoo swimming pool. It’s fair to say we got really excited seeing that everything looked even more sophisticated in person.
If you’re renting a car and arrive in Varna early in the day, we’d recommend visiting the Stone Forest straight from the airport (if not, don’t worry, we’ll be mentioning it on day 4). It’s located a bit outside the city (see image below), so visiting it on arrival can save you extra driving time later in the trip.
Location of the Stone Forest (Pobiti Kamani)
The drive from the airport takes around 12 minutes and is pretty much a straight line. There’s also a free car park right next to the Stone Forest for visitors. Entry into the Stone Forest costs around €3, which we found very reasonable, and there’s no real need to book online, you can simply buy tickets on arrival.
The Stone Forest is one of Bulgaria’s most unusual natural phenomena. Massive stone columns rise directly from the sand, creating a landscape that almost feels desert-like. One theory suggests this area was once covered by an ancient sea millions of years ago, which would explain the sandy surface.
What we loved most, besides the unique rock formations, is that you’re free to walk around and explore the area at your own pace, which makes it especially fun for families with kids.
After exploring the Stone Forest, best to head to Astor Garden Hotel (or your chosen hotel) to check in and relax for the evening. If you've rented a car, they do offer secure private parking on-site, which costs around €7 per day.
We booked half-board, with breakfast and dinner included, and we’d totally recommend it! It made our evenings so stress-free because we barely had to think about where to eat after a long day of travel. While the hotel has a couple of different restaurants on the property, the half-board dinner is served buffet-style and features a totally new menu every single evening. The selection felt absolutely endless, packed with everything from fresh salads and local Bulgarian pastries to delicious meat and fish dishes, roasted potatoes, and impressive desserts. There were always plenty of completely different options to try each night.
Nightlife is not really our thing, but Varna has plenty of it, especially in Golden Sands and the city centre, so if this is something you are into, there are plenty of options. A few good spots are Black Sea Culture Club @ Panorama Bar, Kultura Speakeasy Bar, and Cubo, but if you’d like to see more bars, food spots, landmarks, spas, beaches and more, we’ve created a Google Maps list for Varna with over 70 locations that will really help during your trip.
Varna: 70+ Best Locations
Discover the top food spots, landmarks, spas, beaches and more with our custom Google Maps list for Varna. Over 70 filtered locations for less than €3.50, literally less than the price of a coffee!
Instant delivery. Compatible with any device.
Day 2
To start the day, the breakfast buffet is an absolute must.
During our time in Varna, we found the perfect balance by exploring in the mornings and early afternoons, then slowing things down with time at the hotel and spa later in the day.
Try arriving at the Dormition of the Mother of God Cathedral just before 10 am to give yourself plenty of time to explore, plus, it is completely free to enter! This cathedral is one of the largest Orthodox cathedrals in Bulgaria and one of the most important symbols of Varna itself. Built in the late 19th century, shortly after Bulgaria was liberated from nearly five centuries of Ottoman rule, it’s also one of the most beautiful cathedrals we’ve ever seen inside, with sophisticated frescoes covering almost every corner.
Free walking tour group
At 10:30 am, free walking tours begin just opposite the cathedral. This was, without a doubt, one of the highlights of our trip. It’s an incredible way to learn about Varna’s history in a short amount of time. The tours last around two hours and are led by licensed guides who are genuinely passionate about the city and its history. Just keep in mind that they don’t run every single day, so before you go, make sure to check the latest schedule on the official Varna Municipality website.
Tourist Information Center in Varna
The meeting point is at the Tourist Information Center, and there’s no need to pre-book, simply turn up and enjoy.
The free walking tour usually ends at the Sea Garden at around 12:30 pm, which works out perfectly. From there, you can enjoy a scenic walk through the park and along the beach towards the Port of Varna.
Ideally, make your way towards Primorski, ul. “Kapitan Georgi Georgiev”, a coastal street beside the Sea Garden, lined with beach bars, restaurants, and sea views that make it a great place to enjoy a relaxed walk.
For lunch, we’d highly recommend our favourite food spot in Varna, Staria Chinar, located near the Port of Varna. If you’d like to read more about the restaurant and why we think it’s so incredible, check out our dedicated blog, Best Seaside Restaurant in Varna with Unique Black Sea Views.
Varna: 70+ Best Locations
Discover the top food spots, landmarks, spas, beaches and more with our custom Google Maps list for Varna. Over 70 filtered locations for less than €3.50, literally less than the price of a coffee!
Instant delivery. Compatible with any device.
After lunch, it’s a great time to visit the Varna Museum of Archaeology. The museum follows a mostly chronological layout, explaining the different civilisations, discoveries, and historical periods that shaped Varna and the surrounding region. If this feels like too much, you can always visit the museum on day 5, before your flight.
But the museum’s most famous exhibit is definitely the Varna Gold Treasure. Dating back more than 6,000 years, it’s considered the oldest processed gold in the world.
Afterwards, you can make your way back to the hotel and enjoy the facilities at the Astor Garden Hotel or visit Аquahouse Thermal & Beach. Guests staying at Astor Garden Hotel have complimentary access to the spa, which makes it an easy and worthwhile way to unwind after a day of exploring.
Our favourite part was the Finnish sauna, which features stunning panoramic views looking straight out over the Black Sea!
Day 3
Day 3 is the perfect day to enjoy the beach and the weather.
Beach two minutes walking from Astor Garden hotel
Staying at the Astor Garden Hotel, you have several options. If you’re more of a beach person, you can walk to Sahara Beach; there’s also a beach just two minutes’ walk from the hotel. If you’re a guest, you can enjoy free sunbeds at Astor Garden beach. Make sure to ask at reception for the location of these.
Radjana Beach
Let’s clarify something though, all beaches in Varna are public. While some hotels offer free sunbeds to their guests, and others rent out sunbeds along certain sections, you are always allowed to simply lay down a towel and enjoy the beach freely.
The second option is renting sunbeds at Redjana Beach, which is pretty much a beach club. We didn’t spend time here, since the weather for us wasn’t ideal, but reading reviews, sunbeds for two people can be rented for around €25/day and cocktails are around €13.
The third option is to simply enjoy the hotel facilities.
Day 4
The start of day 4 can vary depending on your travel style. If you’ve rented a car and already visited the Stone Forest on day 1, then this morning you can focus solely on Aladzha Monastery.
However, if you haven’t rented a car and haven’t visited the Stone Forest either, we highly recommend booking a guided tour that includes both the Stone Forest and Aladzha Monastery, so you can easily experience both without worrying about transport. This is an activity we highly recommend:
Transport, tickets, and the guided tour are all included, and the guide, Hristina Nedelcheva, is the same person who led our free walking tour. She’s incredibly knowledgeable and genuinely enthusiastic, with a real passion for bringing the history of each place to life in an engaging way.
This activity finishes around lunchtime, and since it may have been a fairly long morning, we suggest two alternatives.
The first option is to book a table at La Terrasse, located within Riviera Beach Club. It’s a spot known for its elevated dining experience paired with beautiful coastal views, making it a great place to slow down after the morning’s activities.
Varna: 70+ Best Locations
Discover the top food spots, landmarks, spas, beaches and more with our custom Google Maps list for Varna. Over 70 filtered locations for less than €3.50, literally less than the price of a coffee!
Instant delivery. Compatible with any device.
Views of the Black Sea from the balcony at Riviera Beach Resort
What makes this option our stronger recommendation is the beach. The restaurant sits right on the beachfront, and this stretch of coastline is noticeably quieter compared to other beach areas around Varna.
There are sunbeds for the nearby hotels in the area (which are generally very calm and low-key), but there’s also plenty of open space if you simply want to lie down on a towel and enjoy a more relaxed beach day.
It’s also worth grabbing a few drinks and snacks from the restaurant or nearby spots so you can spend a good few hours by the sea without needing to move around too much.
The second alternative is to revisit the beach area opposite the Sea Garden, or simply enjoy the rest of the day around the hotel.
Day 5
If this is your last day in Varna, try to cover the things in this itinerary you left until the last day. In our case, we had our return flight at 4 pm, so we went back to the city centre to stroll around more calmly. This is when we saw a dolphin at the Port of Varna. These are some pictures we took on our last day:
If you are wondering where to leave your suitcases, storage is available at the city’s main transport hubs, including the Central Bus Station (price is €1/hour for a small bag/suitcase and €1.50/hour for a large bag/suitcase) and Central Railway Station (Price is €2.56 per bag /24 hours, regardless of size).
Although it’s a bit more expensive, the Central Railway Station is more conveniently located.
Hopefully, our 5-day itinerary helps you plan your own perfect Bulgarian escape! If you enjoyed this blog, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
