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Balchik is a town and seaside resort,
situated terrace-like on a small bay on the Black Sea, 37 km
North of Varna, 39 km south-east of Dobrich and 500 km East from
Sofia. Third in significance Bulgarian port after Varna and
Bourgas, used for medium- size passenger and trade vessels.
Population of 13 500. It springs to life towards the end of the
6th C. B.C. as the ancient Greek colony Crunoi (later
Dionysopolis) in place of a Chalcolithic (4th-3rd millennium
B.C.) and a Thracian (1st millennium B.C.) settlement. Apart
from the palace complex and the botanical garden, which is the
biggest and most diverse on the Balkans, the town also appeals
to tourists with its ancient spirit, reflected into steep
pebbled streets and houses made of stone and adobe. The Balchik
Palace Complex consists of a central palace with a high tower,
numerous buildings, a terraced park, summer houses made of stone
and propped up on marvellous columns facing the sea, a throne
under an old tree where Queen Maria loved to watch the sunset,
and a small chapel where her heart is preserved. There are more
than 3,000 rare and exotic species of plants in the botanic
garden, which has made it a part of the teaching facilities of
Sofia University. Besides the palace and the botanic garden, the
Art Gallery of Balchik, which houses also the town’s museum, is
also an interesting place to visit. There is also a small
ethnographic museum and a beautiful old church called St. Nikola
Church. The coastal alley, which is about 4km long, is also a
nice place to stroll, the same way as the harbour and the small
streets of the town are. |
