The town of Varna is the district centre with a population of 312 000 inhabitants lying at a distance of 446 km northeast of Sofia. It is situated amphitheatrically in the vast Varna Bay on the Black Sea Coast. Varna is the biggest town along the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. The town has also got an international airport and a big port.

The earliest significant traces of life date from the Halcolith. Since that period is the Varna necropolis dating back to V c. B.C. It consists of 280 Eneolith tombs in 50 of which symbolic funerals have been performed. There have been discovered clay masks with golden applications, more than 400 ceramic vessels, 160 copper tools and ornaments and 3010 gold objects weighing 6,5 kg.

According to the memoirs of the Greek geographer Strabon in 560 B.C. the Miletian Greeks establish a colony under the name of Odessos. In translation it means "a place by the water". It has been one of the most remarkable colonies along the Black Sea Coast. Due to its favourable location the town quickly developed into a trade centre and in political respect it has been a typical polis town. In 511 B.C. the fleet of the Persian king Darius passed by Odessos. In 341 B.C. Philip II -The Macedonian conquered the immense Odrysian State as well as the whole coast. After the death of Alexander-The Macedonian in 323 B.C. and that of his substitute Lizimah in 281 B.C. Odessos became autonomous again.

In 29 B.C. the governor of Macedonia Mark Licinius Kras conquered a great part of Mizia and a year later Odessos also fell under the Roman domination. The Roman governors gave Odessos two privileges - independence and freedom in trade. During the period from II and III c. the town has been modernized and the town's walls fortified. Many temples, water pipes and sewage system and a theatre have been built. The Roman Thermal baths are the biggest ancient building in Bulgaria from the end of II c. and are among the numerous landmarks of Varna.

After the division of the Roman Empire the town falls in the limits of the Eastern Roman Empire. The town has preserved its significance and in 536 Emperor Justinian fortifies the town and makes it an administrative centre.

The riches of the region attract thousands of Slavs, Avars which ravage Odessos and the surrounding fortresses in 626 after an unsuccessful siege of Constantinople. The town is turned to an ash-heap. After the devastation the Slavs discover the treasures of the region and settle in its vicinities. They begin to name rivers, settlements and locations with Slavic names. One of the guesses is that the present-day name of the town is also Slavic.

In VIII c. the town enters the limits of the Bulgarian State. In XIII and XIV the town is a fortress and a trade port. In XIV c. Varna is a possession of the boyar Balik and after that of his heir the Despot Dobrotitza. In 1389 Varna falls under the Ottoman yoke. In 1444 in the vicinities of the town is killed the Hungarian king Vladislav III Yagelo and his troops are defeated by the Turkish army. King Vladislav III Yagelo has been the leader of the crusade against the Turkish army. After his death he remains in the history with the name of Vladislav Varnenchik.

During the Revival Period the town becomes an important cultural centre. After the Liberation Varna remains one of the main cultural centres of Bulgaria.

In the region of Varna are located the following holiday resort towns - Zlatni Pyasatzi/ Golden Sands/, Riviera, Saint Konstantin, Slanchev Den /Sunny Day/, Kamchiya, Evksinograd. Saint Konstantin lies at a distance of 9 km north of Varna. Since 1964 Varna is a host of an international annual ballet contest.

The tourist sights of the town are: the churches "St. Atanas" (XIII c.), "St. Nikola" (1886), the cathedral "Sveta Bogoroditza" /Holy Virgin/ (1883-1886), the building of the Drama Theatre, the dolphinarium, the archaeology museum, the art gallery, the ethnographic museum etc.

On the territory of the district are located the following natural landmarks: the "Golden sands" natural park, the reserves "Kamchiya", " Varbov Dol", "Kirov Dol", "Kalfata", the rocky phenomena - "Pobitite kamani"(Varna), "Chudnite skali"/The Miraculous rocks/( the Luda Kamchiya River), "Svinskata glava"/The Pig's Head/ (The Luda Kamchiya River) and "Kostenurkata"/ The Turtle/ (The Luda Reka River).

Within the limits of the administrative region are located the following cultural-historic monuments: Aladzha Monastery and Marcianopolis.

The most popular wineries of the region are: Varna, Byala and Evksinograd.

Tourist sights

Golden Sands lies at a distance of 17 km northeast of Varna. The resort has a wide beach line of 3,5 km fine sand and warm mineral springs.

Saint Konstantin is a resort village at a distance of 10 km northeast of the district centre. The building of the complex starts in 1948. The resort has a fine sand beach line, shallow shore sea-bottom and mineral springs.

The Aladzha Monastery in Varna is situated in a group of natural caves in the soft limestone rocks. The monastery has been established in XII c. These rocky monasteries are typical for the territory of the Near East and the Balkans. Some people think that the rocky monasteries are related to the doctrine of the divine energy- the isihasm which has been widely spread in Byzantine and Bulgaria. The monastery temple, the chapel, the tomb, the kitchen and the dining room are situated in two levels in a 40-meter-high rock. In the same rocky wreath there is another complex called the Catacombs which is proven to have existed since IV c. and is related to the early Christianity. The monastery is situated in a forest location at a distance of 14 km from Varna.

The Roman thermal baths are impressive remains from II-III c. They are built of mixed masonry. The sewage system is symmetrically built and consists of canals in the thick foundations. The Roman thermal baths have occupied an area of 7,5 thousand square meters.

The "St. Atanas" church in Varna is interesting with its icons, the wood carved altar and the bishop's throne. There is a collection of prints, lithographs and liturgical books.

The "Sveta Bogoroditza"/Holy Virgin/ church in Varna (1883-1886) is built to commemorate the Liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman yoke. The project for the church is designed by the Russian architect and the wood-carvings are done by masters from the Debar art school.

The building of the Drama Theatre in Varna is built after a Vienna pattern. It houses the theatre, the opera and the philharmonic orchestra. The construction of the building begins in 1856.

The archaeology museum in Varna has exhibitions representing the prehistoric, ancient and medieval times as well as precious icons. Here are kept the objects from the Varna Halcolithic necropolis from V-IV c. B.C.

The Dzhanavar Hill in Varna is famous for the remains of an Early-Christian basilica. The design of the church is similar to the one of "Saint Sofia" church in the capital. The basilica has been decorated with marble tiles on the walls and a mosaics floor. Under the temple have been discovered remains of two burials in a brick tomb with a valuable relics holder decorated with precious stones. According to specialists the church has been demolished by the Avars in VI c.

The Petrich Kale/ The stone fortress Petricha/ in the village of Avren, Varna District, is an ancient and medieval fortress. The fortress dates back to V c. Only the fortified walls and a 5-6 meters-high tower are preserved by the fortress.

The Evksinograd palace in Varna is located on the sea shore. Evsinograd is a governmental residence. It is designed by Rupelmayer in 1886 and is built to the likeness of the French Renaissance Castles from XVIII c. The palace has a big park with fountains and exotic plants, a port and a winery.

Kamchiya is a seaside resort at the mouth of the Kamchiya River. The region has beautiful nature and a vast fine sand beach line.