The sea garden is the social centre of Varna in summer, and the string of open-air cafes and bars along the promenade fills up from mid-afternoon until well into the night. Bulgarians are enthusiastic coffee drinkers — you'll find espresso bars on most central streets, many of them occupying elegant late-19th-century buildings.
In July and August the bar scene extends onto the beach and into the park. The rest of the year, the action concentrates around the pedestrianised centre, where wine bars and cocktail spots have multiplied in recent years.