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Self-confident
Riviera town swaggered of the place comes as a breath of fresh air after the
more austere appearance of much of Bulgaria. It rivals Sofia and Plovdiv
with providing wide range of sights and museums, from the outstanding
treasures of the Archaeology Museum to the of-the-wall ghoulishness of the
Museum of Medical History. Of its cultural attractions most notable is the
Varnensko Liato (Varna Summer) a summer-long festival of classical music,
folklore, jazz, which attracts world-class performers. As well as being a
beach resort on its own Varna offers an access to the purpose built tourist
complexes of St. Constantine and Elena now swallowed up by the Varna
suburbs and other resorts – Sunny Day, Golden Sands and Albena to the
north. Also within easy reach are quieter seaside villages like Kranevo, and
popular daytrip destinations as the nature reserve Kamchya, the rocky
monastery at Aladzha, and Queen Marie of Romania’s formerpalace at Balchik.
 Varna
has population of nearly 350,000 and boasts with array of clubs and night
venues all around the city and the nearby complex of “Golden Sands”, while
the social life revolves around Nezavisimost Square, where the opera house
and fountain provide the backdrop for an array of restaurants and cafés. The
square is the starting point of Varna’s evening promenade, which flows
eastwards from here along bul. Kniaz Boris I. To the north of Nezavisimost
Square Varna’s main lateral boulevard cuts through the Metropolit Simon
Square, an important traffic intersection dominated by the doomed Cathedral
of the Assumption. Constructed in 1886 alongside the lines of St.
Petersburg’s cathedral, it contains splendid iconostasis and bishop’s
throne, supported by a magnificent pair of winged panthers, carved by
craftsmen from Debar and Macedonia.
 Travel
Varna is served by
international airport situated in the East outskirts of the city. Charter
flights are available from some UK airports and there are talks that
low-cost airlines are to be flying soon to Varna too. There are a few daily
bus and train connections with the capital Sofia and the other parts of
Bulgaria.
Accommodation
There is ample
stock of accommodation in Varna throughout the year, and several
accommodation bureaux around town. As to the hotels there will be no
shortage of hotel rooms, largely due to the increasing number of small
pensions and family-run hotels. If you are buying a property recommendable
is to go for the one of the central hotels which are within a walking
distance ofmost local estates agents offices, including ours which is just
opposite “Black Sea” Hotel.
Maps
Maps of Varna are
available to purchase form our
e-bay shop.
Schools/Universities/Job training
The five
universities in Varna enrol about 30,600 students.
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The University of Economics was
established in 1920 by the Varna Chamber of Trade and Commerce. Curremtly it
educates over 10,000 Bulgarian and foreign students in 13 majors, among
which are International Economic Relations, International Tourism, Finance
and Banking, Marketing, etc. Affiliated to the university is the College of
Tourism.
▪
The Naval Academy
is the center of marine education and research in Bulgaria. It trains
officers for the Bulgarian Navy and the Merchant Marine in accordance with
international standards, specializing in Navigation and Ship Engineering.
The Naval Academy is member of the International Association of Maritime
Universities and the International Maritime Language Association.
▪
The University of
Medicine and the University Hospital provide excellent conditions for
medical education, postgraduate qualification, patient diagnosis and
treatment. Currently the University is working on a project to establish a
transplantation centre.
▪
The Technical
University consists of eight Faculties and two Colleges. The university has
an Area Center for Distance Education and several Local Centers for Distance
Education located in other towns in Eastern Bulgaria. Specialist's,
Bachelor's, and Master's degrees are awarded. During the academic year
1999/2000, the University educated 5,100 full-time students, 2,500 part-time
students, 90 foreign students, and 75 Bulgarian and foreign postgraduates.
▪
The Varna Free
University has over 10,000 students and offers Specialist's, Bachelor's,
Master's and Doctor's degrees in a wide variety of majors.
Business
information and contact data
Economic
Development Agency, Varna
9000 Varna
2, Shipka Str.
Tel/Fax:( +359 52) 606 274, :( +359 52) 606 275
Mobile: +359 887/934 526
e-mail:
vardevel@mail.orbitel.bg
http://veda-varna.hit.bg/
Executive Director: Ms. Dora Dimitrova
Union of Bulgarian
Black Sea Local Authorities /UBBSLA/
Tel. +359 52 602122
Fax: +359 52 602122
E-mail:
la-varna@mbox.digsys.bg
Municipality Varna
Tel. +35952 600616
Fax: +35952 605757
E-mail:
silvivanova@varna.bg
Varna Chamber of
Commerce and Industry
9000 Varna
135, Primorsky Blvd.
Tel: (+ 359 52) 61 51 40; 23 90 18; 61 21 73
Fax: (+ 359 52) 61 21 46
E-mail:
office@vcci.bg
bozhilov@vcci.bg
tabakov@vcci.bg
htpp://
www.vcci.bg/
Financial
institutions-banks
In city of Varna is
located the only branch of the Bulgarian National Bank outside Sofia. All
major Bulgarian banks as well as a large number of leading international
financial institutions are present in the city to provide services for its
intensive business life.
Among the
international investors in the financial sector are Societe General, Allianz,
Raiffeisen bank, QBE, BNP Pariba, ING, etc. Some smaller foreign banks are
specialized in financing start-ups and SME’s. |