Free Varna Tour says goodbye to season 2012

It has already been 6 months from the very start of the project Free Varna Tour, the second big project of Free Sofia Tour Association. The biggest challenge of this project was to break up the well-established stereotype that there are almost no English- speaking guests visiting Varna. Well, it’s been six months now – six months during which the guides of Free Varna Tour have managed to show our sunny city to almost 1500 guests from all over world.

Key achievements of Free Varna Tour can be summarized into:

• 1500 guests from 70 countries and 6 continents. Top 5 foreign countries visiting the tour were Germany, UK, France, USA and Spain. However, there were visitors from a lot of “exotic” countries such as Peru, Chile, Singapore, South Africa and New Zealand!
• Around 270 tour groups. There were babies and grandparents, families and backpackers, even disabled people.
• The tour became No 1 attraction in Varna on Trip Advisor with 10 reviews and not a single negative one!
• More than 500 Facebook fans that are growing everyday.
• A network of friends and partners – public institutions, media, businesses and NGOs.
• Flyers in more than 100 locations across Varna and the nearby resorts, including hostels, hotels, museums, companies and others.
• Wide media coverage in Varna and Bulgaria – TV, radio, newspaper and online media – both on local and national level.
• Made the first step to show that Varna has so much more to offer than all-inclusive sea vacations 🙂
• Last but not least, one of the greatest achievements was that the tour was visited by many Bulgarians – both from inside and outside of Varna – and they were more than glad to discover new things about Varna.

A tour with one guest With Denislava

A tour with many guests with Iva

A tour in the shade with Maria

A tour in the sun with Niki

One of the most exciting stops during Free Varna Tour is the bridge of wishes

. You need to close your eyes and walk backwards over the bridge, while smiling and making a wish. And it really works – your wish will come true!

At the end of the project, the guides collected some feedback from the guests about Varna. Here are some inspiring insights:

Words that best describe Varna: sun, feeling of freedom, parks, seafood

Best experience from Varna: Walking from town to the end of the beach road along the shore

Comments about Free Varna Tour: Wonderful way to see the things that you need to focus on and to ask questions

Guest number 1000

After six months hard work, we need to say “goodbye” to the summer and season 2012. But don’t worry, Free Varna Tour will be back again in April 2013! Until then, you can contact the volunteer-guides via email (info@freevarnatour.com) or phone (+359 887 699 875) and request a tour for your winter stay in Varna!

Free Varna Tour Team