Varna

Varna operates as Bulgaria's maritime capital—headquarters of the Bulgarian Navy, the country's largest seaport complex, and its primary trade link to Russia and the Black Sea region. The Port of Varna handles over half of Bulgaria's international maritime trade: approximately 2,240 vessels, 7.7 million tonnes of cargo, and 155,330 TEU annually. With 44 kilometers of sheltered inland waterfront on the adjacent lakes, significant expansion potential remains.

The city rivals Plovdiv for second-city status, with stronger 30-year demographic trends despite Plovdiv's recent revival. Varna leads Bulgaria in GDP per capita, with a service-dominant economy: 61% of net revenue from trade and tourism, 16% manufacturing, 14% transportation. Financial services—banking, insurance, investment, real estate—are particularly dynamic. Shipbuilding and ship repair persist as traditional industries; MTG Dolphin secured a contract from Israel Ports Company in September 2025.

Major investment signals continued confidence: the government expects 500 million BGN (€256 million) in port infrastructure renewal, announced July 2025. Port revenue reached 83.5 million BGN in 2024. The Varna-West terminal celebrated its 50th anniversary as Bulgaria's key container gateway. Five major beach resorts—Golden Sands, St. Constantine and Helena, Riviera, Sunny Day, Kamchia—anchor summer tourism while the city develops year-round cultural, congress, and ecological tourism. The December 2024 "St. Nicholas Award" for best large-enterprise economic performance confirmed Varna's position as Bulgaria's second economic center, regardless of population rankings.