Do you see this in the distance? It's huge and blue! Yes, it's the sea! Ironically, it's called the Black Sea, and is the biggest pull-factor Bulgaria has as a destination. There are countless of towns, resorts and villages on the 378 km long coast of the sea, which provide a 'hipster' alternative to the typical Ibizas and Santorinis where regular people go.
The beautiful ancient Nesebar and neighbour Sunny Beach provide the ideal holiday destination for familes and young people, and places such as Kara Dere provide wild beaches for camping enthusiasts.
However, we will leave the partying and relaxing aside so we can appreciate the pure beauty and grace of Balchik, one of the best places to visit in Eastern Europe!
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| Balchik - the famous Balchik palace where the queen of Romania resided image source: dvoreca.com |
Balchik is located around 40 kilometers north of Varna and dates back to Antiquity. Nowadays, it's a modest but extremely beautiful town that attracts thousands of tourists annually.
The biggest attraction is the Balchik Palace, former home of the Romanian Queen Marie. It's a villa that combines Gothic, Islamic and traditional Bulgarian architecture, and overlooks the beach.
Inside the palace, one can see the chambers of the queen, as well as a gallery of random bits and pieces such as ancient Roman artifacts and even ancient bones!
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| Image source: Fixstay.com |
Nearby the Palace, tourists can continue their visit to Balchik at the Botanical Gardens. It hosts over 4 600 species of flora, including an impressive collection of cacti (that's plural for a cactus). The garden focuses on tropical and subtropical plants, which is very impressive considering the winter temperatures in Bulgaria drop as low as -20C! Summers, however, are definitely above 30 degrees, so better visit in this season!
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| The Botanical Gardens that host over 4 600 species of flora! Image source: Fixstay.com |