Varvara Voyage Tips and guide

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Varvara (Bulgarian: Варвара) is a village on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria, within Nature Park Strandzha. Its rocky coast and small beach have limited its appeal to mass tourism, but it has earned a reputation for attracting artists and other creative types. Better beaches are not far, at Ahtopol.

Varvara (pronounced var-VAH-rah) is 55 km (34 mi) south-east from the province capital Burgas, and about 40 km (25 mi) of the nearest border crossing with Turkey (at Dereköy/Malko Tarnovo). Along the coastline, Varvara falls between Tsarevo and Ahtopol, 7 km (4.3 mi) south-east of Tsarevo and 4 km (2.5 mi) north-west of Ahtopol.

Varvara has a permanent population of about 300 people (2021). It's one of the two Bulgarian villages with that name (the other is in Pazardzhik Province), both named after St. Barbara ("Varvara" is the pronunciation of the name in Koine Greek, which was adopted in Slavic languages). Until the 1850s, in the place of the village there was only a small chapel dedicated to the saint, used by the people of Tsarevo.

As the coast is rocky (but not high), Varvara is some 300–900 metres (330–980 yd) from the sea. Both the fishing harbour and the main beach are some distance away in two different directions.

Express buses leave from Burgas bus station next to the train station, run several times daily and pass Varvara on the way. Travel from Burgas takes about 1 hr and costs 10 лв.

Quite easy to do on foot, however part of people opt for cars to go to the beach.

Varvara's main draws are its calmness and nature, and there's little in the way of local sights.

• 42.12590427.9111141 The Iron Tree (Желязното дърво, Zhelyaznoto darvo) (on top of the cliffs overlooking the Dardanelles bathing spot; road splits off from the road to the main beach). An art installation made of rusty iron tubes, created for the 1980 Bulgarian movie The Great Night Swim (Golyamoto noshtno kapane), which achieved cult status among 1980s counter-cultural youth. It's claimed that one of the first observances of "July Morning" was done here. Coordinates are approximate. (updated Apr 2025)
• 42.119427.9082 Fishing Harbor (accessed by road that splits off Road 9901 at the southern exit of the village, before the bridge). At the mouth of a stream south-east of the image. Like in some other places along the coast, fishermen pull their boats out of the water on improvised slipways with rails. (updated Apr 2025)

• Swim, rest and play at the beach. The beach is small, but not crowded in comparison to more touristic places around. It is a 10-15 min walk from the main road. There's a WC and small food and drink bar at the beach.
• For a bigger beach; locals say there is a Delphin beach (with camping) some 2 km off the village. Locals tell there are good diving places there.
• Play with kids in a playground in the center of the village.
• Walk to the Strandja mountain. The road goes through the forest.

There are a couple of food shops and a drug store.

There are some restaurants offering quite rich menus with local salads taking the lead.

• There are some marked hotels and guesthouses at the main road.
• At least some (and maybe many) local people run room rental business. These are nice offers where you could get an attractive quality/price deal (i.e. 25 лв for a night in a nice room with two beds, a double one for parents and a single one for kid). These places are unmarked—you have to ask locals to find them.

• Sinemorets – Much more touristic, but has very good beaches. You have to catch an express bus from Burgas (you can find timetables at municipality in the center of the village).