Golden Sands and St Constantine and Helena: Varna's resort coast
Just north of Varna lie St Constantine and Helena, Bulgaria's oldest resort with warm mineral springs, and Golden Sands, set in a protected forest.
North of Varna the coast becomes a chain of resorts. The two best known are St Constantine and Helena, Bulgaria’s oldest seaside resort, famous for its warm mineral springs, and Golden Sands, a large beach resort set against a protected forest about 17 km from the city centre (Wikipedia). Both lie within Varna Municipality.
St Constantine and Helena
The resort takes its name from a monastery dedicated to Emperor Constantine and his mother Helena. Visitors came here for the sea and the springs already in Ottoman times, and the first hotel opened in 1908, which is why it is called the oldest resort in Bulgaria. From 1957 to 1992 it was known as “Druzhba”. Today it is a quieter, greener resort with spa hotels using the local warm mineral water.
Golden Sands
Golden Sands (Zlatni Pyasatsi) was developed from 1957 on a stretch of coast backed by the forest of Hachuka, protected since 1943. That forest is now the Golden Sands Nature Park, extended to more than 1,300 hectares, with marked walking trails just behind the hotels. In summer the resort is busy with beach life and nightlife; outside the season many hotels close.
Aladzha Monastery
About 3 km west of Golden Sands (Wikipedia), the Aladzha Monastery is a medieval rock monastery carved on several levels into a karst cliff. It was used by hermit monks from the 12th century, during the Second Bulgarian Empire, and is one of the most rewarding short trips from the coast.
Euxinograd
Between the city and the resorts lies Euxinograd, a former royal summer palace with a park and winery.
How to get there
City buses connect central Varna with St Constantine and Helena and Golden Sands, and in summer line 409 links Varna Airport, the city centre and Golden Sands. Taxis and cars use the coastal road.
Where can you read more about the resorts?
For spa stays on the mineral springs, see our guide to thermal spa hotels in Golden Sands and St Constantine. Opening hours and tickets for the rock monastery are in the Aladzha Monastery guide, and guided tours of the royal palace in visiting Euxinograd.
Back to the Varna neighbourhoods guide.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
How far is Golden Sands from Varna?
About 17 km north of central Varna along the coastal road. In summer bus line 409 takes about 50 minutes from Varna Airport.
Is St Constantine and Helena part of Varna?
Yes. It lies within Varna Municipality, on the coast between the city and Golden Sands.
What is there to see near Golden Sands besides the beach?
The Golden Sands Nature Park forest and the medieval Aladzha rock monastery, carved into a cliff about 3 km west of the resort.
