Best day trips from Varna

Updated: October 29, 2026

The best day trips from Varna range from Aladzha Monastery, about 25 minutes away, to Veliko Tarnovo, about 3 hours each way. For most visitors the strongest choices are Balchik and Cape Kaliakra on the coast (about 1 h 10 min) and the Madara Rider with Shumen inland (about 1 h 15 min).

Varna is a good base: the coast runs north and south, and the A2 motorway leads inland to some of the oldest sites in Bulgaria. Public transport covers the main towns, but most of the interesting places sit outside them, on capes, cliffs or hills. This page ranks the options by drive time, then by what you get for the time in the car.

Day trips from Varna at a glance

Trip	One-way drive	Day length	Type	Best for
Aladzha Monastery and Golden Sands nature park	about 25 min	3 to 4 h	Rock monastery, forest	Half day, families
Stone Forest (Pobiti Kamani)	about 25 min	2 to 3 h	Natural stone columns	Short outing, photographers
Balchik Palace and gardens	about 50 min	5 to 6 h	Palace, botanical garden, sea	Couples, garden lovers
Balchik and Cape Kaliakra	about 1 h 10 min	7 to 8 h	Coast, cliffs, history	First-time visitors
Madara Rider and Shumen	about 1 h 15 min	8 to 9 h	Early medieval sites	History lovers
Nessebar old town	about 1 h 30 min	8 to 9 h	UNESCO old town	Architecture
Veliko Tarnovo	about 3 h	11 to 12 h	Old capital, fortress	Those with one free long day

Short trips: under 30 minutes

Aladzha Monastery

A medieval cave monastery cut into a limestone cliff in the forest above Golden Sands, run by the Varna Regional Museum of History. It is small, so it pairs well with a walk in the Golden Sands nature park. See Aladzha Monastery: getting there.

The Stone Forest

Pobiti Kamani is a field of natural stone columns about 18 km west of the city. The Varna museum lists seasonal hours: in summer it is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, and in December it opens only by request. Combine it with the Madara day, as it lies on the same road.

Coastal days: about an hour

Balchik is a terraced town with the summer palace of Queen Marie of Romania and a botanical garden running down to the sea. Cape Kaliakra, 25 km further north, is a narrow headland with red cliffs, fortress walls and views where dolphins are sometimes seen. Doing both makes a full day; our Balchik and Kaliakra day trip has a timed plan.

Inland history: about an hour and a quarter

The Madara Rider, a UNESCO-listed horseman carved high on a cliff, and the hilltop fortress at Shumen sit close together on the motorway west of Varna. Read Madara Rider, Shumen and the Stone Forest for the route.

Long days: Nessebar and Veliko Tarnovo

Nessebar is about 100 km south, around 1 h 30 min. Its old town on a peninsula is beautiful but crowded in July and August; go early. Veliko Tarnovo is the most ambitious trip, about 225 km each way. We explain honestly whether that works in Veliko Tarnovo from Varna: is a day trip realistic?.

In July and August the road south of Varna towards Nessebar and Burgas is busy, especially on Saturdays when hotel guests change over. Plan long southbound trips for midweek.

How to choose

• Only a morning free? Aladzha Monastery or the Stone Forest.
• Travelling with young children? Balchik’s gardens are shaded and flat near the top; the Stone Forest is short and open.
• Interested in history? Madara and Shumen give the most for the drive.
• Want the classic view of Bulgaria? Veliko Tarnovo, if you accept six hours in the car.

To book any of these, enter your start point and destination in the form above with the date and number of passengers. If you are arriving by ship, read our guide to shore days in Varna and Burgas first, as port times limit the choice.