Fichoza Beach Veteran, Varna, Bulgaria: The 2km Unguarded Split Beach Below the Priboy Forest — Rocky Shallows for Divers in the North, Wide Sandy Strip in the South, Sun Gone Early

Bulgaria | Galata | Varna Municipality, Varna Province

The beach is named twice because it’s two beaches that share a coastline without quite connecting. The northern section is Veteran — shallow water over underwater rocks, good for divers, full of shells and large snail casings, algae near the shore. The southern section is Fichoza — a wide sandy strip with deep water that drops off more quickly. The forest above both sections means the sun disappears behind the cliff earlier than on open-coast beaches. Come prepared for that, particularly in the afternoon.

Fichoza–Veteran stretches for over 2 kilometres below the Priboy area, just past the Galata district, about 17 kilometres south of Varna city centre by road. To the north it borders Galata Beach; to the south, Chernomorets Beach — though there’s no direct connection between them along the shore. The beach attracts with clear waters, diving spots, secluded areas between the rocks, as well as a wide beach with restaurants and drinks, and a wonderful sea view. There is something for every taste.

The essential practical notes: the beach is unsupervised and does not have umbrellas or sunbeds. There are bars nearby, but nothing is provided on the sand itself. Large rocks in places mean water shoes are recommended. No disabled access. Parking is along the roadside — unofficial but workable.

Getting There: Bus 60 From Varna Plus a 3km Walk, or Car to Roadside Parking — Car Is Significantly Easier

By public transport, take Municipal Bus Line 60 from Varna city centre. From the stops along the Galata–Rakitnika road, the walk to the beach is over 2 to 3 kilometres through the forest or along the access road. The closest stop is labelled “Veteran”. This is not a casual walk — it’s a proper hike, particularly in summer heat. The bus-plus-walking combination suits those who specifically want the exercise as part of the visit; everyone else should drive.

By car, the road leads directly to the Veteran section of the beach and you can park along the roadside, just a few steps from the sea. This is the access that the local visitors use. There is no official parking area; the roadside is the convention.

Hiking trails marked from Galata also lead to the beach — useful if you’re already in the district on foot or want to combine a forest walk with the swim.

By kayak from Asparuhovo Beach Bulgaria, paddlers sometimes launch from the Karantinata area and navigate the cliff-lined coast south to reach Fichoza. The approach by sea reveals the full scale of the forested cliff above the beach that road access doesn’t show.

Veteran Section (North): Rocky Shallows, Divers’ Territory, Shell Collecting, Algae at the Shore

The Veteran section has shallow waters and a rocky seabed — a paradise for divers, as the official Varna tourism description puts it. The sand on this section hides sea treasures for collectors: pebbles, shells of large sea snails (rapana), mussel shells. The rocky terrain creates the tide pool character that the source article describes accurately — secluded spots between the boulders, calm areas protected from any swell.

The water near the shore has algae in places. Once past this, the water is clear. This is not a deterrent so much as a practical note: water shoes and a willingness to move through the shallow entry zone reach the clarity quickly. The rocky underwater shelf that produces the algae also produces the fish habitat that makes the diving worthwhile.

This section is not for families with toddlers — the rocks underfoot and the lack of lifeguards put it firmly in the category of supervised older children and adults.

Fichoza Section (South): Wide Sandy Strip, Deep Water, More Open

The Fichoza southern section is the contrast: wider beach, fewer rocks, deeper water. It’s the section that families tend to prefer over the Veteran rocks, though the water deepens more quickly here than in typical shallow family beaches. The wide beach strip gives the space that the rocky northern section doesn’t, and the views south along the coast toward Chernomorets are the best from this end.

The Forest Above: Why the Sun Disappears Early

Due to the tall forest above the sandy strip — similar to Galata Beach — the sun sets early. This is worth planning around. The beach gets full morning and midday light but is in shadow well before official sunset. Arriving early and planning to leave by mid-afternoon, or accepting an afternoon of shade and cooler temperatures, are the two approaches that fit the beach’s natural conditions.

The Rapana: The Black Sea Whelk Worth Looking For

The rapana — the large predatory sea snail (Rapana venosa) native to the Sea of Japan and accidentally introduced to the Black Sea in the 1940s via ship ballast water — is now abundant along the Bulgarian coast and particularly visible at Veteran beach. The shells are substantial and distinctive. Collected by locals and sold at beach markets across Varna, they’re the specific souvenir of the northern Bulgarian Black Sea. On Veteran’s rocky shallows, finding live specimens and empty shells is part of what draws the collectors.

Fichoza Beach Veteran is the 2-kilometre unguarded split beach 17 kilometres south of Varna — Veteran in the north with rocky shallows, algae near shore, divers’ territory, shell and rapana collecting; Fichoza in the south with the wide sandy strip and deeper water; no lifeguards, no sunbeds, no umbrellas anywhere; water shoes for the rocky sections; forest above means sun gone early (plan around this); bus 60 plus a long walk or car to roadside parking; bars nearby but nothing on the sand.

Drive down. Park on the road. The forest path opens onto the boulders.

Stay for the morning light on the rocks before the forest takes the sun away.