Free things to do in Varna :)))

Beside Free Varna Tour and its lovely and funny guides, in Varna you can do a lot more activities.

1. One of the main attractions is our Sea Garden and the happy time you can spend there in long walks. As well you are fully allowed to make as many picnics as you want and have fun playing all sorts of games like volleyball, badminton, football or more mind challenging ones like chess, domino or even “don’t be mad man” . If you have a bike, rollers, skate or a scooter this could be the perfect place for it :)

2. Let’s not forget our beaches - no one will charge you if you lay down the sand and just sunbathe, neither will if you jump into the relaxing sea. Don’t forget picnics are allowed there and beach volleyball or football too.  

3. It is for granted and if you like  go fishing it is  for free as well. Best gathering point for all great - fish eaters are all of the piers and actually you might have a chance of a sudden trip on a boat, who knows :)

4. All of the churches, as well the Cathedral, are free of charge, of course :) The interior, the crafted works, stained glasses, very beautiful frescos and an amazing alta  is worth seeing for sure

5. Galleries are absolutely free of charge . Location, time table and exhibits  you can find  here.

6. If you’re into the fashion and you like taking pictures or being shot write the folks from Lookamazing  with best time and date for you. Just visit their website (still in Bulgarian only) or write to info@lookamazing.eu and I bet they will be happy to assist you with your desire to show what you can.

7.  Festivals - over the summer you will be able to witness many of them for free. Every single year in the beginning of May you can take part in the youth FunCity festival by playing games, making kites. There will be several different workshops for drawing, making kites and others, including sport contests (skate, bike, blade, breakdance and more) including local and invited artist will perform for the whole audience in the Sea Garden.

The cinema won’t be left behind as well - in July every year  there is an international video art festival Videoholica .

The Festival and Congress Center, which is located before the main entrance of the Sea Garden ( the big brownish building) will surprise you with many more. If you see a lot of people in front of it, there might be something interesting.

And let us not forget about our strange looking Sport Palace - there will be bazaars (Eastern, Christmas), sport challenges and  many other expositions of different kind. The information on their website isn’t updated for the past month, so we suggest you a small walk from the     Pantheon to it. This way you will make sure what will really happen there.

And many more : Easter music festival, Classical guitar festival,Golden Fish fairy tale festival,Kinohit movie marathon,Crafts fair,Dormition of the Theotokos festival, cathedral patron, Varna Day (August 15),Beer Fest,Saint Nicholas Day (December 6),Christmas festival,New Year's Eve concert and fireworks (Independence Square)

8. Free concerts or rehearsals of local rock and alternative  band are held in Yo ho Hostel .

9. Let’s not forget about our national celebrations!

We as many other countries love to celebrate, to gather, dance, parade and show how glorious and important our main holidays are. We will point a few main, as we don’t wish to bore you.  

Starting from New Years Eve on the main square with the Fountains with a concert, fireworks and traditional dances from the whole audience and the people on the stage.

1st of March, when we celebrate Grandma Marta and the many martenitzi locals are selling on special type of market place and then sharing as a gift to each other.

Then the Liberation day on the 3rd of March with even more events over the entire city.  

Nonetheless joy and markets can be seen over Easter and Christmas time.

Another important day over the year are 24th of May Day of Education, Culture and Slavonic Literature and surely you can’t pass by the city without noticing that this day is special.

And of course, but not least by meaning the Independence day on the 22nd of  September and the Revival’s Leaders Day on the 1st of November.

All these days are brings change, which can’t be left unnoticed for sure.

10. One interesting fact about Varna and Bulgaria, which makes the event free is  that there is no law restriction about  drinking alcohol and eating on the street. Varna’s people do this mainly in the Sea Garden sometimes from sunset to sunrise and back. So don’t be surprised if you see us somewhere over there chatting with friends and drinking beer after the tour.

Where to spend you money

1. Food.

In the town  you will be able to find all types of cuisine from the typical Bulgarian to Chinese, Thai, Greek, Italian, French, English, Serbian, Israelish, Turkish and many more. Mainly along the beach you will find fresh cooked seafood, which you definitely have to try.

2. Art & Culture

There are many theaters downtown and great quality of sound system cinemas in the malls, the Officers House and many international film festivals with small entrance fee in the Congress Hall of Varna.

3. Markets

Shops and markets are almost everywhere.

If you would like to try tasty national veggies you can go to Kolhozen Pazar Market, where you can buy almost everything, including fish, meat and consumption good. Don’t look for original trade marks doubt, even if they are cheap.

Another typical Bulgarian market is Chatalga Market, named on the so-called  Chatalga street.

If you are looking for books almost every bookstore should have other, but Bulgarian language books.  If you don’t wish to spend much, there is a one second hand bookstore in downtown with books in all kind of languages mainly in English, near the main square with the fountains on the street behind City hotel. It’s called “Shakespeare” and it’s located on 17 Dragoman Str..

Clothes and everything - there about 4 Malls in Varna all within 2 to 4 km away from the city center. All of them can be reached with bus line 409 stopping on the right side of The Assumption Cathedral of Virgin Mary.  In a rainy day that’s the perfect location to shop, dine and have fun.

Underground fashion lines can be found in the downtown shops like the Metal shop, Contabanda (skate and surf outfits for youths and no so much), as well “ Na Tamno and 3XS (skate, surf, blade), where as well you can find tickets for some paid Festivals.

4. Sports  

If you’re a fan of the bikes you can rent one from here or here location just right next to the Sea Garden. Ask about bike tours, if you would like to see Varna on  wheels.

Tennis courts you will be able to find just next to the Pantheon and after the Zoo. There is small fee for taking the field for an hour.

Table tennis or ping-pong you can play in the Sport Palace or any other table you think suitable for this purpose :)

and Basketball - you can either watch or participate. Every single year in the Sport Palace you can see  master games of some local and international teams. Believe us the game is worth seeing. If you would like to play in the Sea Garden, you’ll be able to either join a team, which needs a player or rent one of the fields for you buddies.

Diving club and equipment and tours you can find at the port or at the other 4  locations in the town.

Nearby the town you can find Horseback Riding Camp  even just for fun.

5. Extreme Sports

Bungeeeeee - yes there is such in here as well. If you go over the weekend on the Asharuhov’s bridge you can’t miss the jumping ones. There are some special deals for groups so you better contact Club Adrenalin. They will be able to offer you as well kite surfing, paraplanning, safaris, rafting, balloon flights and ever parachute jump.

Have you ever heard of Power Jump, one of those strange jumping stilts.   You will need a bit of training before doing this, but still if you wish you can rent them in from of the Sea Garden or contact them from here.

Wall climbing - put your tightest snickers and spent an hour or two with professional climbers with great English. With them you can do rock climbing, hiking, mountaineering, camping, diving, dynamic rope jumping. It’s all up to you, just check it out.

6. Clubs and discos

Varna as a sea capital has many of those.

There are English pubs, Rock clubs, Alternative clubs and many piano bars. Most of them are located in the heart of the town and some of them are having small entrance fee (mostly piano, rock or live clubs) which sometimes will be added directly to your final bill.

There are as well typical bulgarian pubs, called “krychma” or translated “taverns”. Usually most of them are out of downtown, but we can recommend you some, if you ask. There you are able to see what the typical bulgarian dances are.