Varna Shopping

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Mall Varna is almost as every mall - a lot of shops and entertainment you can find there. There are playhalls, cinema, food court, supermarket and of course many little shops for clothes,suvenirs and home stuff. If the weather is bad and you have already been around the museums, it's a nice place to lose your time

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There is an old man,selling this delicious popcorns on the main street. I have no idea why they are so good but they really are. Peopl are always there,waiting on a tail to taste them. It is crowded but it worth it.

What to buy: Popcorns

What to pay: don't remember but recular price

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This is the main street in Varna. It starts from the Cathedral and then goes down to the beach. There are so many shops from gifts and sauvenirs,throught clothes and shoes,up to photos,cafes,restaurants. The street makes few turns but you can't get lost.

What to pay: Prices are different,it depends on what are you buying and where from

On my first visit to Varna I wasn't really there as a tourist as such but rather just having a bit of "time-out" and catching up with myself. I also used my time there to catch up a little with my VT pages and so spent quite a few evenings in my little hotel room bashing the keyboard of this old laptop. It is actually physically impossible for me to write without a glass in one hand and a cigarette in the other and so this little 24 hour off-licence on the main square, about 100 yards up from my hotel, became my number one favourite shop here.

I always got a warm cheery welcome from the young guy serving when I dropped in most evenings and the beer in the fridge was always cold. The prices very reasonable and they even stocked cigarette papers!

What to buy: Beer of course! Plus cigarette papers and spicy paprika Pringles - Yep, all the necessities of life!

What to pay: I can't remember the exact price but the 2 litre bottles of Zagorka were a couple of leva, similar price for the Pringles and maybe 50 ct for the papers - this is the way to do Bulgaria on a budget!

One of the things that's often a problem when travelling is buying things that are relatively common but usually only found in certain shops. Back home you know exactly what shops to use but abroad its not always obvious who stocks what.

For instance, here in Varna I broke my reading glasses. In the UK I would just go to the nearest pharmacy and pick up a new pair. In Bulgaria though it seems pharmacies don't stock reading glasses, or at least the couple that I tried didn't.

I thought there'd be no point in going to an opticians as they normally only do prescription glasses and the couple of general shops that I thought might stock ones for reading turned out only to stock sunglassses.

I'd been wandering the city for over an hour when I found a little bookshop which seemed to stock all sorts of general purpose things asssociated with books, such as stationery etc. In I popped holding my broken glasses and miming that I was looking for a new pair (I still don't know the Bulgarian for "reading glasses").

Fortunately the assistant spoke reasonable English and explained that they didn't stock them but that the opticians across the road probably would.

And so it proved. When I first went in, doing my miming bit again, the guy running the place, who also spoke good English, offered to have a pair made for me. I said that I actually needed a pair now.

He replied that he didn't normally stock them but it so happened he might have a pair and so after a little rumaging he found them.

Saved the day! And although a little expensive at 15 leva were pretty good quality and he threw in a freebie case.

Bulgarians certainly enjoy their fresh fruit, vegetables and saladstuffs. The local produce is as good as any I've tasted, both at home and on my travels. Everywhere I've visited in Bulgaria (even in Sofia!) I've usually found excellent markets. Here in Varna the main city centre market is tucked behind the Opera House just off the main square. Well worth a visit if you are self-catering.

What to buy: Not just local produce but also imported exotics such as bananas ;)

lady on street, gave her 2 photos, one of my dog who had just died and one of my god daughter, she done the two of them in chalk, absolutely spot on, fantastic you couldnt tell the difference, worked out about 30 pounds each,,,,,fabulous!!!!!!!

What to buy: bags, purses, t-shirts...etc

What to pay: bags 15 leva. purses 7 leva t-shirts 5 leva.

Along Piskulev street there are many markets where you get pick up something at a good price or otherwise just have a walk and browse

What to pay: Depends but sometimes you can barter a little especially if you are buying more than one item.