Even if you are going to rest on the beach and bathe in Varna, you will definitely want to see the local architectural monuments and natural wonders. They are well-known all over the world, and the farthest of them is just 45 minutes of driving from the city.
If you rent a car in Varna, you’ll see and take great pictures of The Stone Desert (18km from the city), which is a desert-like rock phenomenon with amazing natural rock formations up to 7 meters high. Located 10 minutes of driving from the city are the town of Devnya and its karst springs, the “bottomless lake” with a mill, and the natural underwater fountain.
You’ll see the marvellous Euxinograd Palace and Aladzha Monastery (15km from the city). Visit Ovech Fortress (53km from Varna), extremely deep tectonic Lake Varna, the protected Kamchia River (25km from the city), and be sure to see Cape Galata in the north-east part of Avren Plateau, one of the main jewels of the region.
Car hire in Bulgaria enables you to see the whole country feeling the absolute freedom without being dependent on the routes and bus schedules (both are not very tourist-friendly in Bulgaria).
The most popular cities for car hire in Bulgaria
Car hire prices in Varna
The average cost of a one-day car rental. The number is calculated based on the bookings of the previous three years. It takes into account the rental of cars across all classes.
What you need to rent a car
To rent a car in Varna, you’ll need:
- ID or passport
- Driving license
- Bank card
You must be 22 years old and have driving experience over 2 years.
How to book a car
↵The car booking process is very easy:
- Select the photo of the vehicle you like.
- Read the specifications and choose the optional services you need.
- Select the “Book” button.
- Complete the form and make the advance payment (15% of the order amount).
- Your voucher is sent to your email address. Done!
If you arrive in Bulgaria by aeroplane, you can have your rental car delivered to Varna Airport. Of course, you can hire a car at one of the rental counters at the airport, but it's cheaper to make your order online.
The insurance (TLP or CDW) is already included in the car rental cost. Some vehicles can be provided with Super Cover (SCDW) and Theft Protection (TP).
The deposit amount is paid in cash or blocked on your card when you pick up your hire car and is returned when you drop off the vehicle.
You can pick up your rental car at Varna Airport and return it in the city.
The demand for car rental services in Varna
The occupancy rate of the car rental fleets by month. For example, most cars are being rented in August, which means that this month has the smallest amount of available vehicles. The higher the percentage of the car fleet workload, the earlier it is worth booking a car to choosing the best option at the best price.
Features of traffic rules and fines in Bulgaria
↵The Bulgarian roads are easy to drive, and the traffic rules are as easy as ABC for drivers. You can even hit the serpentine mountain roads in Bulgaria.
Local road police are not very hard on foreign tourists driving hire cars. Traffic officers issue a big fine or confiscate driver’s license only in case of drunk driving (blood alcohol concentration limit is 0,49 per mille).
Most fines are issued for:
- Speeding
- Wrong parking.
- Read the full article
Parking in Varna
There are paid parking facilities in the city that will cost you about 2 euro per hour. But you can park your vehicle for free even in the downtown (in the side streets and yards).
If you do not feel like wandering the narrow streets of an unfamiliar city, you can easily find a paid parking space in a "blue zone". It is possible to pay not only per hour but also for a half-hour of parking. You are charged via SMS, in Varna Parking app or at a parking meter. Electric vehicles can be parked free of charge at the paid parking spaces.
Filling stations
The fuel stations in the city are a kind of diversified enterprises that, in addition to fuelling, offer many other services (even sell cinema tickets). 8 in 10 filling stations are not automated, so you’ll need to drive up and tell the worker the required fuel type and quantity. You are offered a choice of 98 RON and 95 RON petrol, diesel, and gas cheaper than in other EU countries.
Mobile service in Bulgaria
When driving a rental car, you need to stay in touch. It's rather easy. The mobile service in the country is offered by three mobile network operators: M-Tel, Vivacom, Telenor (Globul). SIM-cards are available at any of their offices, and their personnel will also help you set up your mobile data connection. You'll need it on the go to share your great travel photos immediately.
