Car & Van Hire in Varna

As a port on the Black Sea, Varna is particularly popular in summer. Holidaymakers from across Bulgaria and beyond flock here for the good weather and great nightlife. If you want to spend your holiday hopping from beach to club, you're in luck - but there's a lot more to Varna than just that. Here, you'll find an exciting mix of natural and cultural things to see and do.

Many visitors head straight for the Archaeological Museum, which contains a unique exhibit: the oldest gold treasure ever found in the world. The pieces on display here were recovered from a nearby Thracian necropolis and date back a whopping 6,500 years. The sheer amount of gold on display is incredible - one tomb alone had 1.5 kilos of the shiny stuff - but its age makes the exhibit all the more exciting.

As you walk around town, be sure to stop to admire Varna Cathedral. It is topped with enchanting copper domes that gleam in the sunlight. Built in a Russian-inspired style, it is filled with all the beautiful icons that you would expect from an Orthodox cathedral.

A more recent sight is the popular Retro Museum, which takes a look back at 20th-century Bulgaria. The main attraction here is the display of cars, including all the most popular vehicles from the days of the Iron Curtain. There's also a vast collection of memorabilia from everyday life, showing just how much Bulgaria has changed since the fall of communism.

Use car hire in Varna to explore the surrounding area. One of the best choices for a day out is Stone Forest, which is a unique and rather creepy sight. Here you can see an area full of columns of stone, some as tall as 7 metres. The stone columns cover around 13 square kilometres. As you get closer, you'll see that they are hollow. They are a natural geological formation, but scientists are still debating over exactly what caused them.

Another fascinating natural place that you can visit by car or van hire in Varna is the Wonderful Rocks. These enormous limestone needles, stretching 50 metres high, look like a natural fortress on the banks of the river. They're a real treat for amateur photographers - but they're even more exciting for rock climbers! If you're not keen on heights, you'll find lots of great hiking trails around the base of the Wonderful Rocks.

Varna is most popular in summer. At other times of the year, the roads aren't too congested, but in peak season, this tourist destination gets a lot busier. It may take you longer to find a parking space, particularly if you're heading to the beach. To avoid the rush, plan your trip carefully. You'll have an easier time if you go to the beaches from Monday to Friday, leaving the weekend to explore the city itself.

There are free car parks close to Varna's main beaches. Try to arrive early, so you can leave your vehicle in the shade of a tree. The summer here can be very hot, and it's never a good idea to let your car bake in direct sunlight if you can help it.

In the city, there is a mixture of free and paid on-street parking. You can either pay using the parking meters, which only accept coins or payment via SMS. This second option can be a lot more convenient, but you'll need a Bulgarian phone number. Helpfully, you'll receive a message five minutes before your parking session runs out. Always take care when parking in Varna. The Bulgarian authorities are known for towing illegally parked cars away very quickly, particularly in seaside towns during high season.

When driving in Bulgaria, you will need to keep your headlights on at all times of day, or you risk a fine. You will also need to have a vignette sticker for your car if you are driving on roads outside the city. Petrol stations will generally accept euros as well as the local currency, the lev, which is more convenient for some visitors.

There are no toll roads to worry about in Bulgaria, and it's generally best to stick to the highways, which are kept in fairly good condition. The back roads may be poorly maintained, and very large potholes are a common sight. Signs and lighting are also missing in a lot of places.

Varna sees some snow between December and March, with January being the snowiest month. While things are never as severe as in other parts of the country, you should still be prepared to drive in difficult conditions if you're visiting in winter. Take things slowly and pay close attention to weather reports. Roads will be closed quickly in the event of heavy snowfall. Finally, watch out for treacherous black ice on the roads outside the cities.