Description
Balchik, 40 km north of Varna, stretches along hilly terraces that descend from the Dobrich plateau to the sea. It is often called "The White City" because of the white colour of the hills.
Unlike the modern resorts more to the south, it is a small, beautiful town and fishing port under white chalk cliffs. Here, west of the boulevards, you will find your first destination for today: the palace, with its beautiful botanical gardens.
The palace was completed in 1926 by King Ferdinand of Romania for his English wife, Queen Marie when Balchik was still part of Romania. It is a relatively modest villa, although its architecture, a mix of local, Gothic and Islamic styles with a minaret, is unique. Behind the palace lie the extensive botanical gardens. The complex also includes a water mill, a winery and the small chapel of Sveta Bogoroditsa.
Enjoy the well-kept landscapes and borders with colourful flowers that decorate the paths. A pond with lotuses, waterfalls, symmetrical rows of cypresses and a park pavilion almost overgrown with ivy, and of course the highlight is the queen's summer residence.
Walking through the garden is a great sensation; this large garden is maintained and under the auspices of Sofia University.
If you think of the Romanian queen, who walks along the paths and alleys, you cannot help but be jealous, she had the garden to herself every day!
In the garden, you can also see an imitation of the old labyrinth as on the island of Crete. The local chapel is also a replica of a chapel from the 15th century of the island of Crete.