1Sights & Activities
Much of the beach (h9am-6pm Jun-Sep) is carved up into private stretches of sand appropriated by the various hotels, but there are plenty of areas accessible to nonguests, too.
Sveti Konstantin & Elena MonasteryMONASTERY
(www.varnamonastery.bg; hdawn-dusk, closed Sun morning)F
This tiny church and monastery was built in the early 18th century on the site of a holy healing spring, though it has been rebuilt and remodelled since then. The spring remains, under the communion table. The church houses relics of St Valentine, as well as its patron saints.
Chateau EuxinogradeCHATEAU
(%052-393 165; [email protected]; adult/child 12/3 lv, wine tastings per person from 10 lv; htours 9am, noon & 3pm Tue-Sun)
Located about 2km south of Sveti Konstantin, along the main road to Varna, the 90-hectare Euxinograde complex boasts a 19th-century palace featuring elaborate period furnishings, botanical gardens with rare plants, and the wine collections of Prince Ferdinand and Tsar Boris III, which include a Chateau Margaux from 1904. Guided tours (in Bulgarian) are conducted three times daily. The complex also includes a winery with tastings (though the minimum number of participants is seven). Book tours and tastings in advance by email.
4Sleeping & Eating
Most of the major hotels have good restaurants, and prices are reasonable compared with the bigger resorts further up and down the coast.
International House of Scientists Frederic Joliot-CurieHOTEL$$
(%052-361 161; www.ihsvarna.com; s/d 60/90 lv, renovated 90/100 lv; pnais)
Although it looks like a remnant of another era, this ‘60s tower block west of the bus stop offers good value, and it’s definitely worth the extra leva for the neater modernised rooms. It has a mineral-water pool, a pharmacy and a cactus garden. Various balneological treatments are available. To find it, look for the high-rise hotel near the bus stop.
Sirius Beach HotelHOTEL$$$
(%052-361 224; www.siriusbeach.com; s/d 100/150 lv; pais)
With its flashy glass tower and mock-up ship restaurant, the four-star Sirius is an unmistakable landmark. Set on a narrow curve of beach, it's a typical resort-style hotel, and there are indoor and outdoor pools, a kids’ play area and a spa. To find it from the bus stop, walk toward the beach and veer to the left (north).
oBayMIDDLE EASTERN$$$
(%0887003003; www.thebay.bg; mains 15-25 lv; h11am-11pm)
Discover the best food in Sveti Konstantin, and arguably in all of greater Varna, at this beachside Lebanese restaurant and cocktail bar. The specialities are fish and barbecue, though the chef has added creative Middle Eastern touches, such as a mashed chick-pea salad flavoured with yoghurt and eggplant. The grills are outstanding, as are the views onto a small beach.
8Getting There & Away
Bus 409 leaves regularly from the bus stop outside Varna's tourist information centre to near Sveti Konstantin (2 lv, one hour).
WORTH A TRIP
GOLDEN SANDS & ALADZHA MONASTERY
Golden Sands (Zlatni Pyasâtsi), 18km up the coast from Varna, was Bulgaria's original purpose-built resort, with the first hotel opening here in 1957. Today it's Bulgaria's second-largest coastal resort, with a 4km stretch of sandy beach, and some of the best nightlife on the coast.
The usual water sports are available on the beach. Diving is also popular, and there are several outlets along the beach, including the PADI-certified Harry's Diving Center (%052-356 701; www.divewithharry.com; hMay-Oct).
Virtually all visitors staying in Golden Sands will be on a pre-booked package tour, and many of the hotels tend to be booked solid through the summer. However, there are so many hotels you should be able to find a room somewhere.
A major local attraction accessible by trail from Golden Sands is the Aladzha Monastery (%052-355 460; www.archaeo.museumvarna.com; adult/child 5/2 lv; h10am-5pm May-Oct, 10am-5pm Tue-Sat Nov-Mar). Little is known about this bizarre rock monastery; the caves were first inhabited by 11th-century hermits, but what remains today was created during the 13th and 14th centuries, including some remarkable frescoes.
Balchik БАЛЧИК
Pop 12,000
After the vast, artificial resorts further down the coast, Balchik is a breath of fresh sea air. A small, pretty town and fishing port huddled below white-chalk cliffs, it’s a low-key holiday spot that feels a world away from the likes of Albena, the lights of which can be seen winking across the bay at night. The main attraction here is the palace, with its lovely botanical gardens, a couple of kilometres west along the seafront promenade.
Balchik
1Sights
1Art GalleryC2
2Historical MuseumB2
2Activities, Courses & Tours
3Balchik BeachD3
4New BeachA3
4Sleeping
5Hotel HeliosD3
6Hotel MistralB3
5Eating
Francis DrakeB3
7Old BoatC3
1Sights
oSummer Palace of Queen Marie & Botanical GardensPALACE
(Dvorets; GOOGLE MAP ; %0579-74 552; www.dvoreca.com; adult/child 10/2 lv; h8am-8pm May-Oct, 8.30am-5pm Nov-Apr)
At the far western end of the seafront, this palace was completed in 1926 by King Ferdinand of Romania for his English wife, Queen Marie, when Balchik was part of Romania. Size-wise, it's a relatively modest villa, though the architecture – a blend of local, Gothic and Islamic styles topped with a minaret – is unique. Behind the palace are the extensive botanical gardens. The complex also includes a water mill, a winery and the tiny Chapel of Sveta Bogoroditsa.
Historical MuseumMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0579-72 177; www.dobrudzha.com; ul Vitosha 3; adult/child 5/2 lv; h9am-1pm & 2-6pm)
The diverse collection here includes valuable remnants from excavations carried out at the nearby Kibela (Cybele) Temple (referred to at the museum as the 'Temple of the Pontic Mother of Gods'), which dates back to the 3rd century BC and was buried in an earthquake 1500 years ago. It was discovered only in 2007 during construction of a hotel. There is also Roman statuary and medieval pottery, with lots of helpful signage in English.
Art GalleryGALLERY
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.dobrudzha.com; ul Otec Paisii 4; adult/child 5/1 lv; h9.30am-1pm & 2-5.30pm Tue-Sat)
The permanent collection of this gallery holds about 1500 works of art from Bulgarian and foreign artists, though the main draws tend to be the highly interesting rotating exhibitions, such as a recent exhibit on Scythian coins.
2Activities
Balchik's main beach ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Primorska; h9am-6pm Jun-Sep) is situated at the eastern end of town, in front of the Helios Hotel. New Beach ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; h9am-6pm Jun-Sep) is smaller and quieter, about midway along the seafront promenade
WORTH A TRIP
ALBENA АЛБЕНА
With its lovely 4km-long beach and shallow water, the big purpose-built resort of Albena is a great place for water sports. On the downside, it's relatively expensive and not particularly user-friendly for independent travellers, but that doesn't mean you can't drop by as a day visitor and take advantage of its facilities. Jet-skiing, parasailing, waterskiing and surfing are all available. If that sounds a little too active, several hotels in the resort have excellent spa centres.
The bus station is around 800m from the beach and there are regular minibuses to/from Balchik (4 lv, 30 minutes) and Varna (6 lv, 45 minutes). If you decide to drive your own vehicle note that entry to the resort costs 6 lv per car (10 lv Saturday and Sunday) .
4Sleeping
Balchik has a good range of hotels that are suited to all budgets, from small family-run affairs to resort complexes. There are no hostels.
Hotel HeliosHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0579-76 970; www.heliosbg.com; ul Primorska 32; d/apt 100/140 lv; pais)
Occupying the only real patch of sandy beach in Balchik, Helios is a modern, resort-style hotel and all r
ooms have balconies, many with superb sea views. Prices drop by up to 50% out of high season.
Hotel MistralHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0579-71 130; www.hotelmistralbg.com; ul Primorska 8b; s/d 100/126 lv; naW)
One of the best waterfront hotels, the four-star Mistral is an upmarket place with large rooms, all with sea-facing balconies. In addition to the usual amenities, the hotel rents bikes for guests and the open-air restaurant features pretty views out over the marina. Prices drop by up to half outside the summer season.
oHotel Regina Maria SpaHOTEL$$$
( GOOGLE MAP ; %052-953 466; www.reginamariaspa.com; r/ste 150/230 lv; paWs)
On the far western end of the seafront, 1.5km from the centre, the four-star Regina Maria offers smart rooms in a variety of styles, all with sea views. Golfing packages and fishing trips can be arranged. There's both an indoor and outdoor pool, a rocky beach out front, and a spa with loads of fitness and wellness offerings.
WORTH A TRIP
KALIAKRA CAPE НОС КАЛИАКРА
Kaliakra (Beautiful) Cape is a 2km-long headland (the longest along the Bulgarian coastline), about 13km southeast of the town of Kavarna.
Most of the cape is part of the 687-hectare Kaliakra Nature Reserve (%0896798912; www.bbf.biodiversity.bg; Kaliakra Cape; 3 lv; h9am-7pm Apr-Oct), the only reserve in Bulgaria that partly protects the Black Sea (up to 500m offshore). The reserve also protects fragile wetlands at Bolata and Taukliman (Bay of Birds), about 100 remote caves and over 300 species of bird.
Between August and October you can spot migrating birds passing by, including storks and pelicans. Most of the year, the official lookouts along the cape and near Rusalka are ideal spots to watch groups of increasingly rare dolphins.
The history of the area is explained in some detail at the Archaeological Museum, wonderfully located inside a cave.
Further north, the tiny seaside town of Krapets, makes an excellent base for exploring the region. Try Villa Kibela ( GOOGLE MAP ; %02-870 3495; www.villakibela.com; Krapets; r 80-100 lv; pas), a welcoming place that also arranges walking tours and fishing trips.
5Eating
The waterfront between the port and the palace is lined with open-air restaurants, of varying quality, most offering fresh fish. The restaurants tend to rise in price and quality the further west you walk along the seafront promenade.
Tihoto GnezdoSEAFOOD$
( GOOGLE MAP ; mains 5-12 lv; h9am-11pm)
On the far western end of the seafront promenade, just beyond the Summer Palace of Queen Marie, this small, unfussy restaurant is a welcome relief from the bigger, more touristy dining options along the water. Don't expect haute cuisine, but it does salads and grilled fish very well.
Old BoatSEAFOOD$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; ul Primorska 20; mains 6-15 lv; h8am-1am)
The Old Boat is one of the very first seafront restaurants as you walk westward along the promenade. With an attractive waterfront setting overlooking the harbour, this is a casual place for fresh fish, such as grilled mackerel, shark fillet and bluefish.
Francis DrakeSEAFOOD$$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0579-71 130; www.hotelmistralbg.com; ul Primorska 8b; mains 15-30 lv; h9am-11pm; W)
The restaurant of the Hotel Mistral is the place for some classier cuisine. Fried turbot, smoked salmon and locally caught fish are among the offerings.
8Getting There & Away
Balchik’s bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0579-74 069; www.bgrazpisanie.com) is at the top of ul Cherno More, a steep 1.5km walk from the port. Several buses travel daily to Varna (5 lv, 50 minutes, hourly), Kavarna (5 lv, 45 minutes) and Golden Sands (4 lv, 30 minutes). A couple of buses make the long-haul daily to Sofia (36 lv, seven hours). Hourly minibuses to Albena (3 lv, 20 minutes) use a handy bus stop ( GOOGLE MAP ; ul Primorska) just along the main road, ul Primorska, near the main beach.
The Danube & Northern Plains
Vratsa & Around
Chiprovtsi
Belogradchik
Ruse
Rusenski Lom Nature Park
Lake Srebarna & Around
Silistra
The Danube & Northern Plains
Why Go?
Though it's one of the poorest parts of Europe, northern Bulgaria is a rewarding region to explore. Unspoilt mountain landscapes, wild nature reserves and peaceful monasteries await discovery. The mighty Danube River shimmers along most of the country’s border with Romania, and the riverside city of Ruse, famed for its Viennese-style architecture, is the gateway to Bucharest.
The enigmatic rock churches and rich wildlife of the Rusenski Lom Nature Park and, further east, serene Lake Srebârna, home to numerous rare bird species, are well worth visiting. Away from the Danube, the bizarre rock formations at Belogradchik and the Sveshtari Thracian burial tomb are top national sights.
When to Go
AMar–May Spring days are warm and festival season begins. Late spring is ideal for birdwatching.
AJun–Aug Summers are hot and dry, and it's a great time for hiking and sunbathing.
ANov–Jan Winters can be harsh, but the countryside looks picturesque in the snow.
Best Places to Eat
A Garden Restaurant
A New House
A Riverside
A Classic Pizzeria
A Sladost
Best Places to Sleep
A Hotel Drustar
A City Art Hotel
A Hotel Kiprovets
A Pelican Lake Guesthouse
A Old Town Hotel
The Danube & Northern Plains Highlights
1 Belogradchik Rocks Clambering over massive sandstone and limestone formations, some as high as 200m.
2 Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari Peering into a perfectly preserved Thracian burial tomb that's some 2300 years old.
3 Ruse Strolling through the parks and gardens of this most elegant of Bulgarian cities on the Danube.
4 Ivanovo Rock Monastery Marvelling at the lives of monks who retreated to caves here in the Rusenski Lom Nature Park.
5 Srebârna Nature Reserve Spotting rare fowl along this Unesco-protected birdwatching biosphere.
6 Vratsa's Historical Museum Gawking at the Rogozen Treasure, a collection of more than a hundred Thracian silver jugs and plates.
History
There’s been human habitation along the Danube for at least 40,000 years. History museums in Vratsa and Silistra hold remnants of tools and artefacts used by ancient peoples in these parts.
Northern Bulgaria was home to powerful Thracian tribes, including the Getae, one of the most advanced. One of the highlights of a trip through the region is to pop into local historical museums, such as at Vratsa, and see the gold and silver bounty of Thracian civilization. The excavated Thracian burial tomb of Sveshtari is a must-visit.
The Romans ushered in another accelerated period of development in the first centuries AD. They established the province of Moesia along the Danube, and Roman fortifications arose at major towns, such as Ruse, Bononia (Vidin) and Durostorum (Silistra).
After 1362, Ottoman Turks swarmed into the northern Balkans; within 30 years, they possessed Bulgaria, holding it for five centuries. Vidin is famous for its Ottoman fortress, Baba Vida, on the Danube.
The remote monasteries here played a key role in the Bulgarian National Revival of the 19th century. They often offered sanctuary to rebel fighters in their battles with the Turks and still proudly display their nationalist sentiments.
Vratsa & Around ВРАЦА
Pop 74,700
With its striking location just below a steep, narrow gorge in the Vrachanska Mountains, Vratsa makes a handy base for exploring the Vrachanski Balkan Nature Park, as well as Lopushanski and Cherepish Monasteries. It's a quiet, well-kept little town with plenty of laid-back pavement cafes, and there are a couple of worthwhile museums to visit, too.
The centre of Vratsa is pl Hristo Botev, named in honour of the 19th-century revolutionary whose giant stat
ue stands here. Cafes and civic buildings congregate around this square, though most of the action is further east along the pedestrian street of bul Nikola Voyvodov, which finishes at the market near the train station.
1Sights
Historical MuseumMUSEUM
(%092-620 220; www.vratsamuseum.com; bul Hristo Botev 2; adult/child 4/1 lv; h9am-12.30pm & 1-6pm)
This regional historical museum traces the history of the town and surrounding area from Thracian and Roman times through to the 19th century. The pride of the collection is the Rogozen Treasure, a collection of more than 100 Thracian silver jugs and plates that were discovered accidentally by a local farmer in 1985. Also here are neolithic clay idols, Roman pottery and displays relating to local hero Hristo Botev. The 17th-century tower outside doubles as the museum's souvenir shop.
Lonely Planet Romania & Bulgaria Page 77