Buy & Sell Bulgaria Insight Newsletter

The name of Aladzha monastery comes from the Turkish word for colourful (”aladzha”) due most probably to the bright colours of its wall paintings, dating back to the early Middle Ages. The monk’s cells, common rooms and sanctuaries, dug directly into the limestone rock and situated on two levels high above the ground, were connected via an external staircase. The lower floor hosted the monks’ private cells, common rooms (i.e. kitchen, dining room) and a small church, while the upper level was dedicated entirely to a chapel. According to some historians, primitive monks’ cells were built and inhabited already in the 4th century AC. The entire monastery is considered to date back to the 12th century AC. Unfortunately, nowadays only few of the frescoes are preserved (most of these to be found in the chapel) but the experience of visiting a monastery dug high above the ground into a steep rock is unforgettable. The monastery is declared a cultural sight and houses a small museum. Less than a kilometer away from the Aladzha Monastery, you can find a similar monastery complex, called Katakombite (The Catacombs). Katakombite has an origin and history similar to those of the Aladzha Monastery, though its remains are far less preserved.

The Aladzha monastery is not a functioning cloister and does not offer accommodation or food. Nevertheless, there is a rich choice of such facilities in the nearby resorts of Golden Sands and St. Konstantin and Elena

The Aladzha rock monastery can be reached easily from Varna and Golden Sands by car or bus with the distance from the bus stop being only a five-minute walk.

The fish restaurant Villa Burov is located in the most picturesque part of the Sea Garden in Varna. More than 100 years ago, the area was the place where ministers, bankers and diplomats would choose to spend their holidays and vacations. Nowadays, the restaurant’s guests can enjoy the symbiosis of nature, the architecture, the luxurious interior and exquisite cuisine. The menu includes fresh fish’s fillet, wild fishes, octopus, squids, Black Tiger shrimps, many salads, pork fillets, beef fillets and a long wine list.

Villa Burov has outside seats in the beautiful garden and inside seats, situated in 4 guest halls on two floors, with 3 bay-windows, air-conditioner, parking lot, kid’s corner in the garden, exquisite interior and background of mainly retro or Italian instrumental music.

Rating of 9/10

The Stone Forest is a fabulous natural phenomena most known with its Bulgarian name “Pobitite Kamani”, which means “stones beaten into the ground”, a name completely corresponding to the reality. These are numerous limestone pillars as high as 10 m, hollow or solid cylinders, truncated cones, different bulgings and single rocks and cliffs.
Nowadays is believed that these carbonate-cemented sandstone structures were formed due to microbial methane oxidation around natural gas seepages - so called “bubbling reefs”. The cementation occurred in the subbottom marine sands some 50 million years ago and now are exposed by subsecuent erosion of the surrounding unconsolidated sediments and vertical tectonic movements of the earth crust.

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This is the largest park in Varna city. The planting of the park started in 1878. Since then it is continuously decorated and restored. The Seaside Garden will always be associated with the name of the Czech Antonin Novak - a park designer specialized in the Vienna castles of Schoenbrunn and Belvedere. The Seaside Garden became also known as the most beautiful park on the Balkan Peninsula. It was not only a nature reserve, but also a recreational place for the citizens. The first cafeteria was placed on piles and covered with straw, a fountain spring was also built. In 1906 the foundations of one of the city’s most famous sights were laid. The building of the Aquarium (Marine Biological Station) finished in 1911 but it was adapted for the needs of the Naval Engineering School and later on - of the Fishery School. It was not until 17 September 1932 that the Aquarium was open for visitors. A Black Sea relief was modeled in front of it.

The park separates Varna from the beach and goes all along the city

Close by, the first Open Theatre was built in 1920 and between 1926 and 1939 it hosted the Varna Musical Celebrations, forerunner of the present Varna Summer Festival. The nowadays-existing Open Theatre was built in 1960-1961.

The decision to declare Varna as a resort centre had a beneficial influence on its development. Wooden stands appeared in the Sea Park where music was played on holidays, children’s area with swings was formed, and a tennis court was allotted to the Varna tennis club. The opening of the new sea baths brought about improvements in the beach zone.

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Orient restaurant opened in 1992 initially as a fast-food restaurant. This is the first place in Varna that offered duner kebab and genuine charcoal grill. Later the restaurant was extended and modernized to turn into a popular favourite place. At present the restaurant has 60 seats and a summer garden. Here you can try out very delicious, traditional and interesting salads (Turkish salad, Tabbules and Homs), Hors D`oeuvres (Felafil, Rolled dough list with cheese and Egg plant pane), special cook (Liahmadzhun, Pide with meat, Ballon ekmek and Lavash), coal grill (Chicken Duner, Beef Skewer Kebap and Lamb Chop), fantastic sweets (Kemal Pasa, Turkish Sweet and Kunefe) and many other offers. I strongly recommend it.

Rating 9/10

In 1775 the Frenchman Chevalier visited Varna and described it as follows: “There are approximately 16000 citizens, 12 mosques, 2 churches and 1 bell-tower built 20 years ago, on top of which a clock with a bell can be seen…” From these diaries it becomes obvious that even back in mid XVIII century there had been a city clock in Varna. That clock tower was located in the green grounds behind the present theatre and it was also used by firemen as their watchtower. How did the tower look like, was it made of wood or stones? We don’t know. As we also don’t know when exactly it had been destroyed. It could have happened in the years of the 1828 siege of the city or in the fierce fire in Varna during the Crimean War.

The idea to re-build an impressive city clock tower was accomplished in 1888 at the time when Krastyu Mirski was mayor of Varna. Varna municipality assigned to architect Sava Dimitrievich the project of a stone fire tower with a clock that should be 24 meters high. The construction site was carefully chosen - the new clock tower in the city park and the Assumption Cathedral formed the city centre boundaries of those times. The same year Concordia theatre hall burned down and another hall for meetings and theatre plays was planned to be built close by the tower.

In two years’ time the new clock tower and Saedinenie (Union) Hall were ready and officially opened to visitors. Firemen used the tower since high buildings were still rare and from top of it they could watch over the entire city. At daytime they used coloured flags to signalize for fire and at night signals were exchanged by lit lanterns. Those fire prevention activities stopped in 1898, when the fire brigade was equipped with a telephone line. The clockwork was purchased from England and the prominent revolutionary Oton Ivanov fixed it on the tower.

Though it remains unrevealed to people’s glances, the clockwork itself is a real masterpiece. It is quite strange that contrary to traditions the name of the producing company was not inscribed on it. The whole system is fitted in a big wooden “box” reached by a narrow winding staircase along the stone walls. The dial-plate in front is used to control the pace of the clock, as well as to correct it. Each fourth second a system of axles and gears transmits the motion to the clock hands on the tower outside. Instead of springs used in contemporary clocks, this clockwork mechanism is driven by weights suspended in the middle of the tower. The winding up is performed by the help of a simple crank arm of a huge drum besides the main group of gear wheels, which winds the string with the hanging weights. Another axle transmits the motion to the bell knocker at the tower top. Till 1930 the bell had been measuring hours two times within an interval of one minute.

13/1/08, by Richard Payne

I had a wonderful festive Xmas and New Year with my friend in Sofia, Varna and my family in UK, which consequently lead to too many festive dinners, Xmas pudding and chocolates. With this behind us, it is time for a dreaded diet session.

On the last day in Sofia I had a meal in a restaurant with my good friend. He refused to believe I can diet to a target weight, so I wrote it down on a 50 Lev note and gave it to him. If I fail to achieve the target weight before next Xmas, he can keep it. This meant I had to keep away from nice restaurants around Varna until I discovered the Le Bacon Restaurant.

Le Bacon Salad Saloon is a new restaurant, recently opened, just before Xmas. As the picture shows: a stylish modern restaurant with comfortable atmosphere and large window facing. It is behind the blue tourist information office on a street which you can’t miss because it has a very attractive red light show outside.

While the menu is in Bulgarian, it offers a very wide selection of salads (about 40 of them) at a reasonable price. It includes pizza and pasta as well. My good friend ordered a pizza while I ordered a custom salad (chicken, bacon, cheese, etc). Taking a great care of my diet, I tried out his pizza slice and yum! yum!…it was most excellent! I was generally surprised how much I enjoyed the well presented fresh salad dish. The menu offers choices of roughly 50 different add-on bits which makes up custom salads of your desire. The wine and drink selection is comprehensive. I had a discussion with the restaurant’s friendly supervisor who promised to provide English menus in a few weeks time.

If you’re bored with the Happy restaurants or other fast food chains, I would certainly recommend this place as it offers much more choices. They’re of good value due to a balanced combination of presentation, price and low energy healthy food, which gives your diet a better chance to succeed!

Rating 9/10

The Black Sea city of Varna enjoys the best living conditions for living and working in Bulgaria, according to a survey conducted by Darik Radio in association with Bulgarian daily newspaper 24 Chassa.

The research, carried out in October and November 2007, ranked 35 Bulgarian cities according to 40 criteria. These included the availability of green areas, the number of kindergartens, road conditions, public access to wireless internet, climate, investment, unemployment rate, recreational opportunities, cleanliness, signposting, facilities for disabled people, architecture, airport availability, parking and health service as well as the crime rate and various other benchmarks.

The study’s aim is to evaluate the quality of life in Bulgarian cities at the turn of 21^st Century. The findings do not claim to be completely scientific because only some of the criteria could be assessed through statistics. Darik Radio’s listeners and 24 Chassa’s readers offered subjective evaluation of the other “quality” criteria.

Radosvet Radev, Executive Director of Darik radio, said that people living in the “best” cities would feel proud, and that residents and local governors of “under-performing” cities would be motivated to work harder to improve their surroundings. He noted that the Top 35 chart is not the culmination but rather the beginning of an ongoing process that will be followed closely by the media.

Assen Gagauzov, Regional Development and Public Works minister, said that 52 % of his Ministry’s programme, or € 800 million in absolute terms, will be allocated to restoration and infrastructure improvements in Bulgarian towns. This should result in towns to enhance their competitiveness. Real estate prices in the best-rated cities are likely to increase, Radev implied.

Here are the results of the study:

Top 5 Best Cities for Living in Bulgaria
1. Varna
2. Plovdiv
3. Veliko Turnovo
4. Sofia
5. Bourgas

The Bulgarian cities of Sofia and Varna have been identified as potential overseas property investment hotspots by analysts PropertySecrets.net. Strong demand in recent years has allowed the country to develop a robust financial sector, making investment in Bulgaria easier than neighbouring markets.

Cheap material and labour in the Bulgarian property market allowed property to be built for a low cost, before being sold for ever increasing prices.

Buying off-plan in up-and-coming locations is a key trend in the Bulgarian property market. Most people are buying off-plan because with off-plan you know what you’re getting, more or less. This is largely due to the convenience of new property.

You can see the floor plans at home, you can see the pictures, you can see the location, whereas with the existing property you need to have it checked out a little bit more, you don’t know if the room sizes are going to be right and you need to go and visit it yourself, which is a bit difficult for a foreign investor.

Cyprus has promised to lend a helping hand in developing Bulgaria’s tourism industry by training and investments. The assurance was given by Cyprus Minister of Commerce, Industry and Tourism Antonis Michaelides, who conferred in Sofia with Bulgaria’s Economy and Energy Minister Petar Dimitrov. Minister Michaelides pointed out that the Republic of Cyprus has excellent experience with Bulgarian workers and has placed no restrictions on Bulgarian jobseekers. Most of the 30,000 Bulgarians working in Cyprus are involved in its tourism industry as waiters and hotel staff, Antonis Michaelides said.

The Cyprus delegation, visiting Bulgaria, includes fourteen companies in the field of tourism, real estate property and banking. The country is the fifth biggest investor in Bulgaria with more than € 750 M invested over the last ten years.

Companies in Bulgaria’s tourism industry are finding it more and more difficult to recruit labour force and have recently warned they will be short of 30,000 workers next year.

Empty beds are only one of the Bulgarian tourism industry’s problems. Businesses have invested millions of euros to build beautiful hotel grounds, bars and other amenities, but the corresponding infrastructure, transportation and communication networks are too little or completely lacking.

Please note that there are many investment opportunities in the region of Varna, the Sea capital of Bulgaria. For more information, you may contact us directly.

The restaurant above, called “Sold bride”, is located in the registry office’s building, an old, authentic Bulgarian house at 1 Krali Marko Str. The restaurant is very cozy, there is a huge selection of wine – the bottles are lined up on a wall and you choose from there, as they would not fit on a menu. The staff is always ready to help with the wine choice. The food is very good; the menu is varied, ranging from typical Bulgarian dishes to Chinese cuisine. There are 2 halls, one which is cosier and the other furnished in an aristocratic style.

Rating: 8/10

Varna Airport offers convenient flights and very good connections during this winter season. The schedule of the air-lines, which will be flying more regularly this winter, begins from 28th Oct, 2007. You are now able to fly more often and at suitable days and time to Vienna, London and Budapest.

Every day there are flights to Sofia, eight times a week to Vienna, six times a week to Budapest, six times a week to London, new flights to Odessa and convenient connections to every part of the world – a good offer from Varna airport for the winter season. More information about the schedule of the regular flights from and to Varna, you can find at: www.varna-airport.bg

What to tell you…this was an adventure. It all started when Christopher Violaris called me into his office and assigned Stel Violaris as a Project Manager, and me, Lili, as his right hand and assistant, to organize this charitable concert, which had to launch an ongoing campaign, aiming to persuade the young generation to do good, to become someone with value and make the best out of their life. You may ask, how Christopher Violaris decided to make this gift to the teenagers, well, it is actually very simple. As he says, “You cannot expect only to receive in life, but it is good to give back also, and who is the most rightful one to give to than the young generation, our future and hope”.

The whole organisational process consisted of contacting Agents of popular Bulgarian singers, stage owners, people dealing with video screens, the Municipality, the Mayor of Varna, the Police, Security companies, interviews with the media, TV shows, getting media partners on board, finding a DJ, salsa and kick box clubs, a music quartet, a famous football star and a popular basketball team, a hip-hop ballet, making a video film with the children from “Gavrosh”, the orphanage which we decided to help first. The video was great fun, as we took some of the boys from Gavrosh for football training and some of the girls for a salsa dance lesson. The film also included a visit to the orphanage, where all the children were excited to meet us. We prepared advertising materials, such as a huge stage back drop, posters, flyers, T-shirts, an enormous cheque, donation boxes, etc. We also bought refreshments for some of the orphans to give out during the concert. The idea of using 2 large screens was to play on one of them negative images, such as drug addicts, fights, criminals, children drinking, etc. On the other screen – positive images, such as children playing football and other sports activities, playing a music instrument, studying, singing, acting, drawing, and of course our video. However, I have to mention here, that all ideas were coming from Stel! Yes, Stel, I must admit that you’re good!!!

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Oct 11th, 2007, by Sergey Stoynov, BG Reporter online news

The charity concert launched CHOOSE LIFE on the Saturday afternoon of 06.10.2007. CHOOSE LIFE is a campaign aiming to motivate the young generation to go for sports and dance activities, music, arts and education. Despite the bad weather in the sea capital Varna, more than 200 people gathered at the entrance of the popular Sea Garden, nearby the Festival and Congress Centre.

Minutes before the concert began

The most famous Bulgarian rap singer from Varna, Misho Shamara, appeared at the announced starting time of the concert. The one and only aim of the event was to give a chance to the young disadvantaged children and mainly, to collect donations for an orphanage in Varna, called GAVROSH.

Not even half an hour passed by when the spectators applauded the demonstrations of young hip-hop and rap groups, accompanied by the sound played by the famous international DJ Swed Lu. Well-known football and basketball players, as well as active citizens, part of the modern society stood out on the stage and summoned everyone to make a common cause, to give whatever we all can to the children at Gavrosh, and fill the transparent donations boxes on both sides of the platform. All the Gavroshes were wearing T-shirts, specially made by Eurolink for the campaign, and were handing out to the crowd soft drinks, snacks and T-shirts, under the ongoing sound coming from the stage.

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An Interview with architect, prof. Ivan Nikiforov - Head of the team of the General Town Plan of Varna

 - Which are the basic alterations in the position and the range of the functual zones in the New General Town Plan of Varna?

 - The habitation and repose integration is specific for Varna. In this meaning, areas zoned for summer houses and urban formations with substantial percentage of permanent occupancy are included. The General Town Plan proposes an extension of the habitation zone to north east, upon territories, stipulated for relaxation and tourism, which practically are already used for permanent residence (St. Nikola, Gorna Traka, Vayalar, Traka- extension). Provisions have been made for the southern and south-west parts of the habitation zone to be included all the urban formations in the land territories of the village of Zvezditza (Pod selo, Letishteto) and the village of Konstantinovo (Chereshova Gradina, Panorama, Pripek and Krushova Gradina) as well as agricultural areas situated between them.

 - What about the so-called “lungs” of the city?

 - The green system in the new General Town Plan keeps the existing areas in the compact city by expanding - to the south - the seaside park, situated by southern coast of the sea bay, as a continuation of “Asparuhovo” park, to the south and west - by inclusion in the city of parts of the forest massifs in the regions of Djanavara, Orehcheto and Konstantinovo.

 - The citizens of Varna hope that the procedure of solution for the transport problems of the city is going to start soon. What does the plan provides for this problem?

 - The most essential improvement of the communication - transportation infrastructure of the south part of the city is the proposed road continuation, which connects Borovets with “Cherno more” highway, to the south-west to the village of Konstantinovo. To ease the traffic on the existing road Varna-Konstantinovo and Beloslav, the plan offers a new direct link from Varna to Konstantinovo. It will serve the new parks - attraction and zoological.

We want to provide the Municipality instrument for managing the town planning, in order to keep its magnificent nature facts and civilly inheritance and to integrate the new building with them in the best way.

Minutes before the charity concert and the launch of the initiative “Izberi Zhivot” (Choose Life), the candidate for Mayor of Varna for 3rd mandate and later on elected, Kiril Yordanov, appeared on the stage at the entrance of the Sea Garden in Varna, and announced that he will give to the children at “Gavrosh”, as a present, 10 bicycles.

“I am here to personally thank Mr. Christopher Violaris (Managing Director of Eurolink Investment Group, organizer of the event) for his constant and varied charity and to summon you young people to active sport activities”. With these words, Kiril Yordanov spoke to the numerous young spectators and added, that the sport base of Varna is available and at their disposal all year round and free of charge. “Think for your future and put your best foot forward, we are right beside you”, said Mr. Yordanov, who came on a bike.

The concert “Izberi Zhivot” aims to help the children and social workers in “Gavrosh”, therefore, on both sides of the stage there were donation boxes and children from the orphanage were giving out soft drinks and snacks, as well as specially made T-shirts, provided by the organizers. MC of the concert was Misho Shamara (popular hip-hop and rap performer), and during the concert other performers also tool part, as Maria Ilieva and Grapha (other very popular singers in Bulgaria).

Dnes+, online news
06.10.2007, 19:24

Recommended by Richard Payne, client and good friend of Eurolink

The restaurant is situated not far from the centre and a few minutes’ walk from Caesar’s Casino. It is not easy to find, since the building is in traditional style and is tucked away by other buildings. I was passing by and was curious with the outdoor table layout and the BBQ at the back, so I cautiously walked in and made a wonderful discovery! It is a full fledge restaurant of two storeys, arranged in wonderful Bulgarian traditional style as the picture above.

As I walked in the central area, there was a large copper chimney with indoor BBQ grill with the bar at one side, but what amazed me was the wonderful collection of wines - lots of them!!! I would assume that indoor BBQ should be very popular in the winter.

Another point goes to the waitress who was very friendly while taking me to my table and happily serving my richly deserved desires. The meal was also very well cooked and juicy, and of very good value (6 Euros) - I can’t wait to try out some lamb meal next time!

For those wishing to experience traditional Bulgarian meal in Varna, I would certainly recommend this place - it is the perfect way to impress yourself and your friends.

Rating 9/10

Located in the Southeastern part of modern Varna, just by Eurolink’s offices, the Roman Thermae was built upon more than 7000 sq.m. and used to be the largest antic public building in Bulgaria. The architectural style and some discovered coins provide information that the construction work took place in the end of the second - beginning of the third century AC. During the relatively peaceful second century Odessos (Varna today) grew into a major economical and cultural centre of the Black Sea coast and the Roman province Moesia Inferior. Close to the end of the century the blossoming city could afford the enormous construction and maintenance operations. The daily life of the Roman citizens included visits to the baths called thermae. They were also equipped with gymnastics and sport halls, called palaestras, meeting and discussing halls, relaxation room, etc. In addition to the indoor hall, the thermae had a featured real palaestra - a big yard, surrounded with columns and shops. The palaestra is in the north part of the baths and stairs lead from it to the main hall.

The building itself was about 20 meters high (the preserved part of it nowadays - the Roman tower is 18 m high), constructed from both stones and bricks. The outer walls and the halls were decorated with marble columns, ornaments and other architectural elements. Another feature is the number of statues of distinguished citizens and Roman gods, built up together with the needed fountains. The social and political crisis from 3rd century caused damages in the Roman Empire and Odessos, as a part of it. The maintenance of the baths became very expensive and they were gradually left without proper care. The stone material and decorative elements were taken and used for the construction of other buildings, including the small baths of Odessos from the 6th century.

Villa Aqua Beach Resort in Varna is the Eastern European continuation of the tradition that started 30 years ago, in 1972, in New York with the establishment of the famous boutique hotel and restaurant The Box Tree. Villa Aqua Beach Resort is situated within 13 km of the town of Varna, in the begining of the beach resort “Golden Sands” not far from the “International Journalists house”, and 15 minutes distant from the beach. The complex has a private parking and 24-hour security guard.

“Villa Aqua” has a magnificent inner courtyard with a beautiful garden, open-air swimming pool, summer cocktail bar, jazz-club and restaurant, famous with its unique cuisine. Restaurant “The Box Tree” is a member of the “Chaine des rotisseurs” and offers remarkable French and Bulgarian traditional dishes.

“Villa Aqua” restaurant offers opportunities for unforgettable evenings, business and private celebrations, corporate events, far from the sounds of the trivial round.

Rating 9/10

In the very first years following the Liberation of the country, the Orthodox Bulgarian population in Varna increased rapidly. To confirm their close ties with Russian Orthodox faith and to manifest their separation from Greek Patriarchate, on his first visit to the town prince Dondukov-Korsakov was invited by the local municipality members to attend the official religious service at the Bulgarian St. Archangel Mikhail church. He was, however, disappointed with the state of the temple and declared that the town deserved an impressive church, the only one of its kind in the country. And he was ready to help. Soon a committee was elected and its task was to choose the place and raise the funds for the construction. Funds were raised through donations, lottery and a government loan. The town’s surrounding area offered building materials - hewn stones in good shape from the already ruined fortress were used in the construction process. Copper sheet plates from England, supplied by Velichko Hristov, were used for the roof of the church. Two lifting cranes for the heavy stone blocks were also shipped from England.

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