Varna: the oldest gold in the world

Bulgaria's main beach resort on the Black Sea, Varna also holds a surprising archaeological primacy: the world's oldest worked gold was found here.

The center, between the waterfront and remains of ancient Odessos, can be explored on foot with ease.

At the Archaeological Museum of Varna is preserved the treasure of the local necropolis, dating back approximately 4,500 years before Christ: worked gold older than that of Egypt and Mesopotamia by over a millennium.

A few steps away, the Roman Baths of Varna, among the best-preserved thermal complexes in Europe, date from the second and third centuries after Christ.

Continuing towards the centre, one visits the Cathedral of the Assumption, built in the late 19th century with gilded mosaics and highly elaborate internal frescoes, among the most photographed in the city.

Towards evening, the Sea Garden, a large coastal park designed in the late 19th century, offers a promenade along the Black Sea before dinner, among tree-lined avenues and small kiosks.

The treasure of the Varna necropolis, discovered only in 1972, forced historians to revise their hypotheses about when humans began working precious metals in Europe.

The Roman Baths of Varna remain visible in the open air in the heart of the modern city, surrounded on all sides by buildings and streets constructed centuries after their creation.