Varna

Varna is Bulgaria's third largest city. It was an inhabited place even before the Greeks established the colony of Odessos there about 580 B.C. Later, under the Romans and their successors, the Slavs, Varna became a major port trading with Constantinople, Venice and Dubrovnik. In 1393 it was captured by the Turks, who made it an important military centre. Nowadays it is the main port for both naval and commercial shipping and, adjacent as it is to the coastal resorts of Golden Sands, St. Constantine (Drouzhba) and Albena, it has a cosmopolitan atmosphere. Sailors on shore-leave in unfamiliar ceremonial uniforms, mingle with foreign tourists and locals as they promenade along shady boulevards, lined by dignified 19th and early 20th century buildings. The 19th century Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin is an imposing landmark, which contains a finely carved iconostasis and bishop's throne, some interesting murals and stained glass. The 2nd century thermae are the remains of the largest Roman public building in Bulgaria. During this century enough has been revealed by archaeologists to give a good impression of the original layout, though some parts of the building remain hidden under nearby streets. Coming across an extensive ancient building amidst the streets and houses of a modern city is not unusual in Bulgaria, but is always a delight. Further from the centre, a granite monument commemorates the Battle of Varna, which took place in 1444. Here 30,000 Crusaders were waiting to sail to Constantinople when they were attacked by 120,000 Turks. The Polish King Ladislas was killed in a bold attempt to capture the Sultan Murad. The subsequent retreat foreshadowed Christendom's general retreat before the advancing Ottomans. North of Varna there is a cluster of seaside resorts all with fine - sandy beaches but differing in size and style •

Golden Sands

The largest is Golden Sands set on well-wooded terraces, the last foothills of the Balkan range reaching down to the sea. Its four kilometre beach slopes gently into water which has no dangerous currents. There is a wealth of sporting and other facilities available, all very moderately priced. Water-skiing, wind-surfing, paraskung, snorkelling, tennis, volleyball, mini-golf and croquet can fill the visitor's day, and a choice of restaurants, bars, discos and nightclubs provide evening entertainment. Many hotels have recently been refurbished and upgraded. Kamchiya South of Varna a minor road leads to Kamchiya, where the river of the same name widens into a big lagoon before flowing into the sea. A small picturesque resort spreads along the wooded river banks. The nearby 500 hectares of nature reserve, Longoza, is an area of marsh and forest with dense almost tropical undergrowth. Ancient trees with a variety of climbers

interwoven amongst them form a canopy. This is a typical deltaic formation, which, in spring, is regularly flooded, inundating a huge area. Here there are pelicans, kingfishers and water birds of all kinds. Museums The Varna Museum is full of treasures from all periods of the city's history, and will interest both the informed archaeologist and the casual visitor. In 1972 excavations in the Varna Necropolis revealed almost two thousand gold artefacts from about 4000 B.C. One stunning display case has the bones of a tribal leader arranged with skilfully-made jewellery and personal possessions around him. Some of the finds are displayed behind magnifying glass to reveal the complex and minute details of the craftsmanship. Some items are thought to be the oldest worked gold so far discovered. Other exhibition halls contain Greek and Roman antiquities, including some fine ceramics; icons, weapons and materials from the 19th century struggle against the Ottoman Empire. Other museums include the Ethnographic Museum, with interesting displays of costumes and jewellery, and examples of folk customs such as the embroidered masks used in the Kukeri and Survakari rituals, and different-shaped loaves baked for festival days. The Natural History Museum focuses on coastal flora and fauna. Botanical Garden The chief attraction of the place is the wonderful Botanical Garden, a branch of the University of Sofia. Its ten hectares surround the small summer palace of the Romanian Queen Marie. (The area was part of Romania between 1913 and 1940). The attractive villa has the unusual addition of a minaret, said to have been built for the Queen's Turkish over. The gardens are set on a steep hillside, and descend in six terraces to the sea - supposedly one for each of the Queen's children. There are over three thousand varieties of shrubs, roses and flowers, set among streams, waterfalls, and ornamental channels. There is a rock garden, a formal French one with clipped box cones and geometric beds, and an astonishing collection of cacti. Interspersed are stone thrones, seats, pillars and ornaments collected by the Queen. Euxinograd Palace Just north of Varna is the Euxinograd Palace which was built as a royal summer residence in 1882. The palace and its wonderfully kept formal gardens resemble a French chateau. It is set in beautiful wooded parkland which reaches down to the fine sandy beach. On the edge of the estate the famous and delicious Euxinograd wine, cognac and rakiya are bottled Stone Forest About 20 kilometres west of Varna is the so-called Stone Forest, a curious collection of stone columns up to 7 metres high. The first impression is of a ruined temple but scientists have discovered that it is a geological formation of stalagmites some fifty million years old. Cape Kaliakra North of Balchik the coast is virtually untouched by tourism, the road passes through Kavarna, a port from where much of Dobrudja's grain is exported. A minor road leads to Cape

Kaliakra, with its prominent red cliffs rising 60 metres above the sea. According to local tradition forty girls, the sole survivors of a Turkish attack, tied their long plaits of hair together and jumped to their deaths, rather than be raped by the victors. Today it is a peaceful nature reserve, where hooded cormorants nest, seals and dolphins cavort in the sea, and pink starlings and rock blackbirds frequent the cliffs and caves. Aladja Monastery About 4 kilometres from Golden Sands is the Aladja Monastery. Here the monks' cells and rooms were hewn out of the soft white limestone cliff. This was a retreat, a refuge, not a confident statement of conviction like Rila or Bachkovo monasteries. The medieval murals are few and faded, though they must once have been striking and colourful enough to earn the monastery its name, which means "multi-coloured" in Turkish.