The legends of Bulgaria's Black Sea coast come to life during this tour of Cape Kaliakra and Balchik. From the beauty of the cape's red cliffs to the air of nostalgia in Balchik Palace, you'll be enchanted from the word go. Elena, one of our local guides, says, ‘The palace's cactus garden is one of the most extensive in Europe and it holds more 250 species. The entire palace grounds are superbly located overlooking the coast – I can see why royals chose this spot for their summer residence.'
Your first stop is at a ceramic workshop en route to a snail farm in Bulgarevo. Here, you'll get to taste snail-based delicacies. Then, it's on to Cape Kaliakra, where you might spot rare bird species. Elena says, ‘Kaliakra is Bulgarian for beautiful – it's the red tones of the cliffs here that make the cape so striking.' Next, you'll head to the resort of Balchik for a lunch of typical Bulgarian dishes in a local restaurant, plus a tour of a former royal palace.
Balchik's most famous resident was Queen Marie of Romania, who spent her last decade in her summer palace. She found solace here in the 1930s, wandering the palace-s botanic gardens and meditating in her eclectic Baha'i temple. To round off, there'll be a wine tasting experience in the aptly named Queen's Winery, where you can try up to seven local varieties. Bulgarian wine is becoming better known, but it's still great value, so it makes a great souvenir.
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