Constantine and Helena

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Sts. Constantine and Helena monastery
Sts. Constantine and Helena monastery

Constantine and Helena (Bulgarian: Св. св. Константин и Елена) is a resort town on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast within a landscaped park 10 km north of downtown Varna, 2 km east of its Vinitsa quarter, and 7 km south of Golden Sands. Bulgaria's oldest Black Sea resort was also known in the past as Druzhba (Дружба) and Varna Resort (Курорт Варна). It is served by the Varna International Airport and regular bus lines of the Varna public transit system.

Landmarks include the 16th-century Eastern Orthodox monastery of Sts. Constantine and Helena, the Euxinograd royal summer palace, park and winery, and the Sofia University Botanical Garden, also known as Ecopark Varna. The best preserved medieveal settlement in the country, Kastritsi, also mentioned in 1444 as Macropolis, was recently unearthed in archaeological excavations inside Euxinograd. In the mid-14th century AD, Kastritsi was apparently a bustling Second Bulgarian Empire port frequented by Venetian, Genoese, Ragusan, and Byzantine merchant ships.

Constantine and Helena also comprises the St. Elias and Sunny Day luxury resorts and several villa communities. The fine sand beaches, punctured by rocky promontories, hot mineral springs, modern hotels, sports and health facilities, including spa centres and yacht marinas, and reasonable prices attract a broad international clientele.