Varna is a large and beautiful city in Bulgaria. On the thread of the Black Sea coast near it, small resorts are strung like precious stones. Sights are scattered around this city with scatterings of golden sand. Renting a car in Varna is a way to escape from the tenacious clutches of bus schedules, to see all the interesting corners of the city and its environs. When traveling with 2-4 friends, this is also a good opportunity to save money.
Where to rent a car in Varna?
In Varna, car rental points are concentrated at the airport and at a distance of 1-2 blocks from the main highways of the city: boulevards “8th Primorsky Regiment”, “Tsar Liberator”, “Vladislav Varnenchik”, “Prince Boris I”. Also, there are several offices of car rental companies in the suburbs of Varna – Asparuhovo. There they are located near the street of Saints Cyril and Methodius – route number 9.
One of the most famous car rental companies in Bulgaria is TopRentaCar. One of her offices is located right at Varna Airport, so you don't have to spend a lot of time looking for her. You can also book a car directly on the site through the search form, and you will be one hundred percent sure that upon arrival in Varna, the car you have chosen will be waiting for you.
Features of roads near Varna
From north to south, Varna is crossed by the E87 Odessa-Antalya highway. Buses run along this highway from Varna and Burgas to the seaside resorts of Bulgaria. The width of the track is 12 meters (3 lanes for car traffic). You need to be very careful when overtaking multi-seat vehicles so as not to crash into oncoming vehicles.
A 2-lane road of regional significance No. 29 stretches northwest to the city of Dobrich from Varna. It passes through quiet coniferous forests. There are shoulders on both sides of the highway.
The highway A2 Varna – Sofia departs to the west from Varna. It is a convenient autobahn with 2 lanes in each direction, wide shoulders and a dividing barrier.
All roads in Varna and near it have an asphalt surface, which is nowhere disturbed by pits or cracks. In the city itself, traffic lights are used to regulate traffic along the main streets. Outside it – only road signs and markings.
Parking in Varna
Free parking in Varna is available near shopping centers, the opera house, some museums, banks and government agencies. It is also easy to find a place for a car in the yards of residential buildings. Parking zones are marked in blue and a special sign indicating the parking payment method: SMS or machine. There are especially many such zones near the embankment.
There is paid parking at the airport. The price of resting a car on it is 2 leva per hour (1 euro) or 24 leva per day (12 euro). In case of non-payment of money for parking, parking employees put a blocker on the car or take it away with a tow truck. To get a car from a car impound, you need to pay a fine in the amount of 30 to 60 leva (15-30 euros).
What to see in Varna and its environs?
There are a lot of museums, parks, monuments and other beautiful places in the city itself. But most of them can be explored on foot. By car, it is worth going to Lake Varna – the largest estuary reservoir in Bulgaria. It is known for the fact that, depending on the season, the water in it changes not only temperature, but also salinity. The lake receives the waters of 5 rivers. You can go around the reservoir and admire its smooth surface using regional roads No. 9004 and No. 2008. Parking lots, barbecue rentals and barbecues can be found in hotels near Lake Varna.
You can find the best prices for hotels in Varna here:
Botanical garden-ecopark
The botanical garden was founded in 1977 by teachers and students of Sofia University. In 2002, the institution was reconstructed and it was turned into an eco-park – a fusion of natural and artificial ecosystems.
650 species of plants are planted on the territory of the institution. 260 of them belong to the iris family. The maximum comfort for guests in the park is created by: an equestrian base, football and volleyball courts, barbecue fields, shops selling soft drinks and seeds.
Ecopark is located on the northern outskirts of Varna, near the intersection of the E87 highway and 30th street. There is free parking on site.
Cape Kaliakra
Cape Kaliakra is one of the most beautiful places in Bulgaria. In 1791, a battle took place near its shores between the Russian and Turkish fleets, during which the squadron under the command of Admiral Ushakov defeated the enemy. In memory of this, in 2006, a monument to the naval commander was erected on the cape.
Cape Kaliakra has been declared a nature reserve. On its territory rises a fortress of the XV century. It is open for visiting from 10:00 to 19:00. Also in the reserve there is an obelisk in honor of 40 girls who, according to legend, chose to throw themselves off a cliff into the Black Sea instead of being captured by the Ottoman Turks. In the cape area you can see cormorants and dolphins.
Regional road No. 901 leads to the Kaliakra reserve, which starts from the E87 highway in the town of Kavarna. To fall onto the cape itself, you need to turn off the regional road onto a country road in the village of Bulgarevo, near the sign with the inscription “6 nose Kaliakra”. Near the administration building of the reserve and the monument to Admiral Ushakov there is a small parking lot where you can leave your car for free.
Longoza Nature Reserve
Longoza Nature Reserve is located 27 km south of Varna. In it, the water surface of the Kamcha River is surrounded by swamps. Landscapes in the reserve resemble the Amazon jungle. The reserve is home to a large number of birds. A huge number of rare plants grow in the swamps. You can make a trip along the Kamcha River by boats, and along its banks you can ride in jeeps. Near the reserve there are several campsites where guests can sleep and park their cars. You can get to the reserve by turning off the E87 highway onto a small asphalt road near the sign with the inscription “Kamchia”.
Shkorpilovtsi beach
Shkorpilovtsi beach is the longest beach in the Varna region. It is located at a distance of 42 km from the city, near the village of the same name. Shkorpilovtsy is distinguished by clean sand and water, as well as the presence of mineral water sources nearby. There is a forest near the beach. Shkorpilovtsi is popular as a place for wild recreation in tents or campsites. A dirt road leads to the beach from the village of Staro Oryakhovo on the E87 highway. The exit to it is located near the OMI gas station.
Kiwi.Taxi service will help you to get comfortably from Varna airport to the hotel or any other place. Book a transfer directly on the website, and at the airport upon arrival you will be met by a driver with a sign, you will not need to waste time looking for the ordered car.