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Introducing Balchik
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 like a world away from the likes of Albena, whose lights can be seen winking across the bay at night. The main attraction here is the palace, with its stunning botanical gardens, a couple of kilometres down the coast, and there are a couple of small museums to muse over. The biggest, fenced-off patch of sand (open 8.30am to 6.30pm) is in front of the Helios Hotel, just east of the centre. Otherwise, there’s only one Lilliputian sliver of humanmade beach crammed with parasols – the rest of the very narrow shoreline consists of rubble and boulders – although there are several concrete jetties used by some tourists for sunbathing and there are plenty of places to swim.
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Although it’s an easy day trip from Varna, Balchik makes a great base from which to explore attractions in the countryside, such as Dobrich and Kaliakra Cape, as well as the beach resorts to the south.
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
