Early January 1 January
46°F
Typical afternoon high
21% historical wet-day frequency
Bulgaria · Beach
Varna & the northern Black Sea coast
in January.
Is January a good time?
Cold days.
Fewer overnight stays than December.
January averages 44°F afternoons and 47°F seas, with about 7 rain days. Check seasonal openings.
- Afternoons
- 44°F
- Sea
- 47°F
- Visitor demand
- 4%of August peak
Historical Severoiztochen regional averages, not a forecast or a measure of queues. Overnight demand compares average stays per day. Covers Varna, Golden Sands and Balchik; conditions vary within the region.
Overall match
3.2/10 · scores & prioritiesWhat matters most?
Weather 50% · Crowds 30% · Cost 20%
#12 of 12 months here · Balanced mix
Weather1.2/10Poor
CrowdsOff seasoncheck seasonal openings; overnight stays do not measure queuesFor its size, quieter than most of Europe this month
CostCheapfor Europe; Bulgaria-wide price level
Overall combines weather, overnight demand and cost. It does not include sea temperature.
Plan your January
What to expect.
What should I pack?
Afternoons around 44°F (7°C): a warm coat; nights around 30°F (−1°C): a winter coat, hat and gloves. About 9 hours of daylight. About 7 rain days in a typical January.
Can I swim in January?
The sea averages 47°F. Our swimming guide: very cold: wetsuit weather. Your comfort will vary. This is open water near the coast, not a beach-specific reading.
Monthly coastal averages from NOAA, 2011–2025. Sea temperature is separate from the weather and Overall scores.
A typical day: temperatures & daylightAfternoons, nights, sea temperature & daylight Show detailsHide details
About 9 hours of daylight.
The sun rises about 07:40 and sets about 16:58 (local time, mid-month). Mornings start around 30°F (−1°C); afternoons reach about 44°F (7°C). Expect rain on about 7 days in a typical January.
Typical afternoon
44°F (7°C)
average daily high, 15 recent Januarys
Night low
30°F (−1°C)
average daily minimum
Sea
47°F (8°C)
very cold; open water near the coast, NOAA satellite record 2011–2025
Daylight
9h 18m
on the 15th, computed from latitude
Early, middle or late?
Early or late January?
Early and late January have similar afternoon averages. The afternoon high averages 46°F on the 1st, versus 45°F on the 31st. Historical wet-day frequency rises from 21% to 28% between those dates.
Mid January 15 January
45°F
Typical afternoon high
22% historical wet-day frequency
Late January 31 January
45°F
Typical afternoon high
28% historical wet-day frequency
Historical daily averages from 2011–2025, smoothed over two weeks. A seasonal pattern, not a forecast. This does not establish which week has the lowest prices or fewest visitors.
Public holidays · 2027: 1 Jan New Year's Day.
Daily calendar & holiday datesJanuary 2027 · historical weather & dated holidays Show calendarHide calendar
January 2027 calendar
Weather shows historical patterns, not a forecast. Holidays and events use the dates shown for 2027.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 146° | 246° | 345° | ||||
| 445° | 545° | 645° | 745° | 845° | 945° | 1045° |
| 1144° | 1244° | 1344° | 1444° | 1545° | 1645° | 1745° |
| 1845° | 1944° | 2044° | 2144° | 2244° | 2344° | 2444° |
| 2544° | 2644° | 2745° | 2845° | 2945° | 3045° | 3145° |
Afternoon high rain likely (25%+) local school holidays public holiday event
Afternoons hold at about 45°F (7°C) all month. The chance of a wet day runs 20–28%.
School-holiday dates for January 2027 aren't available in our data yet. A day without a school marker doesn't mean schools are open. Public holidays: 1 Jan New Year's Day. Elsewhere in January 2027, the share of people living where schools are out on a typical day: Germany 21%, Spain 24%, Italy 20%, Poland 17%. (School holidays: OpenHolidays, ODbL.)
Crowds and cost
Visitor season
Will it be busy?
Off season. January averages 4% of August's overnight stays per day. Fewer overnight stays than December. Check seasonal accommodation and activity openings.
Overnight stays across Severoiztochen do not measure queues, day visitors or congestion at individual sights. For its size, quieter than most of Europe this month.
Hotel price season
Will it be cheaper?
Well below usual. Estimated from national hotel prices and local visitor demand; no measured regional room rate is available.
Fewer overnight stays do not automatically mean cheaper rooms. Check actual quotes for your trip.
Bulgaria as a whole
Well below EU average
2024 restaurants and hotels price level: 53 where the EU average is 100. A relative index, not a room rate.
Year-to-year variation
How much does January vary?
Across the recorded years
In the 15 years from 2011 to 2025, the month's afternoons averaged between 33°F (1°C) and 51°F (10°C); in 11 of them they were within 3°F (1.5°C) of the typical 44°F (7°C). Rain days ranged from 1 to 11; half the years had 5–9.
Rain days in each January
Rain days
7
at least 1 mm, typical year; about 10 in a wet year
Mostly sunny days
6 of 31
cloud cover under 30%
Years with a 95°F+ day
0 of 15
no January in the last 15 years had a day at or above 95°F (35°C)
Good weather days
1 of 31
rated very good or better
See every recorded JanuaryHistorical monthly averages, year by year Show detailsHide details
| Year | Afternoon high | Rain days |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 43°F | 7 |
| 2012 | 40°F | 7 |
| 2013 | 44°F | 9 |
| 2014 | 47°F | 6 |
| 2015 | 45°F | 8 |
| 2016 | 42°F | 9 |
| 2017 | 33°F | 9 |
| 2018 | 46°F | 10 |
| 2019 | 43°F | 7 |
| 2020 | 46°F | 1 |
| 2021 | 47°F | 11 |
| 2022 | 44°F | 4 |
| 2023 | 51°F | 8 |
| 2024 | 45°F | 5 |
| 2025 | 51°F | 5 |
Checked against official climate averages for Varna. How we check
Compare dates
December, January
or February?
| Typical conditions | Dec | Jan | Feb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 47°F | 44°F | 47°F |
| Sea | 52°F | 47°F | 45°F |
| Rain days | 9 | 7 | 5 |
| Overnight demand | 5% | 4% | 5% |
December: Warmer afternoons, warmer sea and more rain days than January. More overnight demand. Check seasonal accommodation and activity openings. December guide →
February: Warmer afternoons, cooler sea and fewer rain days than January. More overnight demand. Check seasonal accommodation and activity openings. February guide →
Overnight demand measures accommodation stays, not queues. Sea temperatures are monthly coastal averages.
Compare any of the 12 monthsChoose another month and compare it with January Show comparisonHide comparison
Yellow marks the top three months on the Balanced mix. January stays as your reference.
March to April and October to November have a Weather score at least 1.0 point higher than January, without a substantially busier visitor season.
Your comparison
January or December?
Overnight stays are 5% of the busiest month; check seasonal openings.
National hotel prices and local visitor demand suggest a little below usual. No measured regional room rate is available.
Read the December guide →| Typical conditions | January | December |
|---|---|---|
| Afternoons | 44°F | 47°F |
| Nights | 30°F | 34°F |
| Sea | 47°F | 52°F |
| Rain days | 7 | 9 |
| Visitor season | Off season | Off season |
| Overall / 10 | 3.2 | 3.5 |
| Month rank | #12 | #11 |
Every month, in detail Show detailsHide details
| Month | Overall | Rank | High | Low | Sea | Rain days | Weather | Visitor season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 3.2 | #12 | 44°F | 30°F | 47°F | 7 | 1.2 | Off season |
| February | 3.6 | #10 | 47°F | 32°F | 45°F | 5 | 1.6 | Off season |
| March | 4.9 | #9 | 54°F | 36°F | 46°F | 7 | 2.9 | Off season |
| April | 6.4 | #7 | 63°F | 43°F | 51°F | 8 | 5.4 | Off season |
| May | 8.6 | #3 | 72°F | 51°F | 60°F | 9 | 7.6 | Low season |
| June | 8.7 | #2 | 80°F | 61°F | 71°F | 8 | 9.5 | Moderate season |
| July | 8.1 | #4 | 86°F | 65°F | 76°F | 5 | 10.0 | Peak season |
| August | 8.0 | #5 | 86°F | 65°F | 78°F | 3 | 10.0 | Peak season |
| September | 9.0 | #1 | 78°F | 59°F | 74°F | 4 | 9.6 | Moderate season |
| October | 6.8 | #6 | 65°F | 49°F | 66°F | 5 | 6.2 | Off season |
| November | 5.0 | #8 | 55°F | 42°F | 59°F | 7 | 3.0 | Off season |
| December | 3.5 | #11 | 47°F | 34°F | 52°F | 9 | 1.5 | Off season |
Near here
Nearby places in January
Nearby regions, nearest first. Distances are centre to centre, as the crow flies; they are not road distances or journey times.
Veliko Tarnovo & north-central Bulgariaabout 60 miles
Balanced Overall 7.1 · Good weather, 43°F (6°C) · Moderate season · Cost cheap
Burgas & the southern Black Sea coastBulgaria · about 70 miles
Balanced Overall 6.2 · Good weather, 46°F (8°C) · Off season · Cost cheap
BucharestRomania · about 100 miles
Balanced Overall 5.8 · Fair weather, 41°F (5°C) · Steady all year · Cost cheap
Romania's Black Sea coast & Danube DeltaRomania · about 120 miles
Balanced Overall 5.8 · Fair weather, 42°F (5°C) · Off season · Cost cheap
Plovdiv & south-central Bulgariaabout 150 miles
Balanced Overall 6.8 · Good weather, 46°F (8°C) · Steady all year · Cost cheap
Elsewhere in Europe
Better January weather than Varna & the northern Black Sea coast
Varna & the northern Black Sea coast's weather ranks 48 of 77 beach regions this month. These beach regions outside Bulgaria have clearly better weather on your dates, nearest first, each compared with Varna & the northern Black Sea coast.
Meteora, Pelion & the SporadesThessaly · Greece · about 370 miles
Poor weather (2.7): 9°F warmer afternoons, pricier
Central Greece & EviaGreece · about 400 miles
Poor weather (2.8): 10°F warmer afternoons, 2 more rain days, pricier
Western Greeceabout 460 miles
Poor weather (2.6): 12°F warmer afternoons, 4 more rain days, pricier
BasilicataItaly · about 610 miles
Poor weather (2.2): 7°F warmer afternoons, 2 more rain days, pricier
Amalfi Coast & NaplesCampania · Italy · about 660 miles
Poor weather (2.5): 11°F warmer afternoons, 5 more rain days, pricier
How we knowSources, regional scope & scoring method Show detailsHide details
It's off season, 4% of the busiest month and 87% below its average month. That means about 2,500 overnight visitors on a typical January night across the region, 54% of them from Bulgaria itself. Rentals booked through Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor add up to 490 more: 20 for every 100 counted above. Some are the same properties counted twice.
| Climate suitability (HCI:Beach, 0–100) | 41 |
| How our weather was checked | Official climate averages for Varna from the national weather service, every month: afternoon highs typically within 1°F (0.5°C), night lows within 1°F (0.3°C). |
| Tourist nights per 1,000 residents per day | 3 |
| Busiest month here | August · 77 |
| Visitors as share of people present | 0.3% |
| Rank among Europe's regions this month | 13th percentile |
| Domestic share of nights | 54% |
| Platform rental nights per 100 counted nights | 20 |
| Visitor share if every platform night were extra | 0.4% |
| National hotel-price season | Bulgaria historical 2024–2025 index: About usual (−4% vs its average month). Not a local room quote. |
| Population used | 827,000 |
| Statistical region | BG33 · Severoiztochen |
Crowds: Eurostat nights spent at tourist accommodation, by month and NUTS 2 region, 2024–2025 average. Overnight visitors per night is the month's nights divided by its days; the per-1,000 figure is Eurostat's, against each year's population. Platform rentals: Eurostat nights booked via Airbnb, Booking, Expedia and Tripadvisor, 2024–2025 average, shown separately because some properties are in both counts. Weather: Holiday Climate Index computed from ERA5 reanalysis with daily highs, night lows and rain days corrected from open national weather-service station records, 2011–2025, population-weighted to the region; day-by-day figures are the same data averaged by date. Heat and rain odds are counted across those years. Sunrise and sunset: NOAA solar equations, local time. Prices: Eurostat price level index and HICP, national. Full method · this region's data.