Once a beach resort for the politburo elite, Varna is much more democratic today, with beach-side cafes and some great seafood restaurants. Archeologists have unearthed remnants of a 4,400 year-old Sythian settlement, making Varna one of the oldest cities on earth. The old quarter is the site of Roman bathes and Bulgaria's largest cathedral. In Balchik, a sleepy fishing village beloved by turn-of-the-century European Royals, see Queen Marie's summer place.
