Varna (Варна)

Karin Dom Orphanage
Dom Gavroche Street Kids’ Centre

Varna is Bulgaria’s second largest city, and is located on the Black Sea coast. It is a tourist centre as well as a large city, and is a great place to visit even if you are working elsewhere in Bulgaria. There is a large pre-communist centre, including many shops and restaurants, a huge cathedral and lots of museums. There is a dolphinarium on the coast, at the end of the large sea gardens, which separate the city centre from the beach. Down on the beach you’ll find loads of bars and clubs crammed along the tideline, explaining the lack of visible nightlife up in the city centre. The city’s bus system is fairly comprehensive, but since the centre is so compact, you shouldn’t need to use it too much. The central rail station (centralna gara) is found down by the docks, and from here you can catch trains to Sofia - though these do take several hours. The overnight sleeper is well-maintained, if a little bumpy, and will get you across the country very cheaply, so long as you book in advance at the special kiosk in the station.

We visit two centres in Varna, and have had contacts with others in the past. Dom Gavrosh caters for the city’s street children, giving them accommodation, food and education, and Karin Dom is one of the city’s main orphanages.

Last updated: February 25th, 2008