One-day excursion to Nessebar

Details about Nessebar

Historical-Architectural Reserve Nessebar is located in Old Town and is a peninsula about 850 meters long аnd 350 m wide. The old town was declared an architectural and historical reserve in 1956. In 1983 UNESCO included Nessebar in the list of UNESCO World Heritage.

Nessebar is one of the oldest cities in Europe, founded 3200 years ago. In ancient times, the city was called Mesambria, Messemvria in the Middle Ages, and later – Nessebar. For the ancient history of the Old Nessebar archaeological sites have witnessed. Many of them can be seen in the Archaeological Museum of Nessebar, which is located at the beginning of the peninsula. In separate rooms of the museum traced the existence of the town at the time of the Thracians, Roman and Byzantine Empire and the Bulgarian state.

According to various legends in Nessebar, there were about 40 churches, and today there is evidence of 23 of them. Apart from the churches converted into museums in Old Town can be seen several restored and in good condition temple.

PROGRAMME

Departure from Varna at 09.00am from the hotel in direction to Nessebar, located on a small rocky peninsula, is one of the most picturesque towns along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, while its thousand-year old history and numerous cultural monuments are the reason for its taking a very special place in both Bulgarian and European science and culture. Nessebar is a cultural monument enclosed in UNESCO's World Heritage List. Named by the Thracians, developed by the Greeks and the Romans, sold to the Byzantines, captured by the Bulgarians, plundered by the crusaders, conquered by the Ottomans - now it's your turn to discover Nessebar for yourself!

Feel its atmosphere by taking part in a pleasant walking tour guided by a professional guide along the cobblestoned streets of the Old Nessebar featuring the most  beautiful churches and cultural monuments on the island: the churches of Christ Pantokrator, St. John Aliturgetos, St. John the Baptist, St. Spas and St. Stefan, St. Archangels Gavrail and Michael, St. Paraskeva, St. Sofia; the Byzantine fortified walls, the wooden houses from the period of the Bulgarian Revival, the ruins of Roman baths, theTurkish bath and fountain and the Archaeological museum.

Free time for lunch and walking around the magnificent atmosphere of Nessebar.

Departure to Varna around 16.30pm.

Includes

·         Transfer with licensed coach

·         Entrance fees

·         All transportation costs along the route, fuel, VAT and parking fees

·         Official tour guide

·         Pickup and drop off

 Excludes

·         Food and drinks

·         Tips and gratuities

·         Personal expense

HALF DAY TRIP TO BALCHIK AND CAPE KALIAKRA

PROGRAMME

09:00 a.m. Departure from the accommodation place in Varna Arrival in Balchik (the journey lasts around 30 min.).

Visit at the University Botanical garden and the Palace of Balchik.

Free time for walking and sightseeing the city. Drive along the seaside to Cape Kaliakra - the site of dramatic events over the centuries. Visit the fortress of Kaliakra and photo break,

Cape Kaliakra - one of the most fascinating places on the seacoast. According to the local legend 40 Bulgarian girls, the only survivors after the Turkish attack, plaited together their long hair, held their hands and jumped into the sea from the high cliffs to run from the Turks.

Departure to Varna.

Includes

·         Transfer with licensed coach

·         Entrance fees for Botanical Garden and The Palace and Cape Kaliakra

·         All transportation costs along the route, fuel, VAT and parking fees

·         Official tour guide

·         Pickup and drop off

 Excludes

·         Food and drinks

·         Tips and gratuities

·         Personal expense

More info about Balchik and sightseeing visits.

Balchik   is  a   Black  Sea   coastal   town   and   seaside   resort   in   the   Southern Dobrudzha area of northeastern Bulgaria. It is located in Dobrich Province and is 42 km northeast of Varna. The town sprawls scenically along hilly terraces descending from the Dobrudzha plateau to the sea.

Founded as a Thracian settlement, it was later colonized by the Ionian ancient Greeks with the name Krounoi (renamed as Dionysopolis, after the discovery of  a  statue  of  Dionysus  in  the  sea).  Later  became  a  Greek-Byzantine  and Bulgarian fortress. Under the Ottoman Empire, the town came to be known with its present name, which perhaps derived from a Gagauz word meaning "small town". Another opinion is that its actual name derived from that of a local noble - Balik.

After the Second Balkan War, in 1913, the town was renamed Balchik and became part of the Kingdom of Romania. It was regained by Bulgaria during World War I (1916–1919), but Romania restored its authority when hostilities in the region ceased. In 1940, just before the outbreak of World War II in the region, Balchik was ceded by Romania to Bulgaria by the terms of the Craiova Treaty.

During Romania's administration, the Balchik Palace was the favourite summer residence of Queen Marie of Romania and her immediate family. The town is the site of Marie's Oriental villa, the place where her heart was kept, in accordance with her last wishes, until 1940 (when the Treaty of Craiova awarded the region back to Bulgaria). It was then moved to Bran Castle, in central Romania. Today, the Balchik Palace and the adjacent Balchik Botanical Garden are the town's most popular landmarks

During  the  inter-war  period,  Balchik  was  also  a  favourite  destination  for  Romanian  avant-garde  painters,  lending  his name  to  an  informal  school  of  post-impressionist  painters  –  the  Balchik  School  of  Painting  -  which  is  central  in  the development  of  Romanian  20th-century  painting.  Many  works  of  the  artists  composing  the  group  depict  the  town's houses and the Turkish inhabitants, as well as the sea.

Botanical garden and Palace in Balchik: The palace and the botanical garden in Balchik, joined in an architectural and park complex, are a piece of heaven on earth and a must-see tourist attraction on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The complex appeared as a summer residence of the Romanian queen Maria (1875-

1938).

The palace was designed by Italian architects and construction works started in 1924. One of the first buildings was the queen’s villa “Tenha Yuvah” (“lonely, solitary   nest”).   In   the   coming   years,   new   villas,   an   Orthodox   chapel,   a nympheum,  inside  Moorish-styled  patios,  a  traditional  Revival  Period  house

and fountains, decorated with fine marble medallions with mythological characters were built. The architectural design combines Proto-Bulgarian, Gothic, Oriental and Moorish elements. Many gardens are created, which also bear the impact of different cultures, styles and beliefs. The credit for this eclectic style should be given to the queen – a follower of the Baha'i religion that praises equality between religions and unity of God, of faith and of the whole human race.

As part of the residence, in 1926 the Swiss botanist Jules Jani designed and built a park complex. Twenty nine years later, the Sofia University “Saint Kliment Ohridski “ created at this place a botanical garden with an area of 65 decares. Today, it has  more  than  2  000  plant  species  from  85  families  and  over  800  genera.  The  collection  of  palm-trees,  for  example, includes 33 species, some of which more than 50 years old. Here you can see rare and exotic trees such as rubber tree, oriental raisin tree, paper mulberry, red juniper, ancient Ginkgo biloba, evergreen magnolia, etc. Of Interest is also the Metasequoia, which was considered extinct until during a scientific expedition in China a Bulgarian scholar found a living plant.  The garden is  world famous  for its  unique collection of  large-sized cactuses, which is  the second of  this kind in Europe after the one in Monaco. It is open from April to October, spreading on an area of 1 decare. The collection of 600 specimens  of  giant  succulents,  some  of  which  blooming  only  once  in  100  years  is  also  impressive.  Among  the  most beautiful flowers in the garden are the water lilies and the magnolias, as well as the magnificently arranged collection of annual plants at the entrance.

The visitors  to the  palace and the botanical garden are especially  interested  in the chapel “Stella  Maris”,  the “Alley  of wine”,  the  “Alley  of  ages”,  the  “Hanging  terraces”,  the  tomb  of  Queen  Maria,  the  “Garden  of  Allah”,  the  “English courthouse” garden, the “Garden of the cross-shaped water mirror”, the “Palace bridge and the boat garage”, the “Bridge of sighs”, the old mill, the “Silver well” and the numerous archaeological artifacts from antiquity and the Middle Ages. The palace is  supplied with  water from  the springs  “Byal Kladenets”  and “Chatal chesma”.  The villa where once the queen lived  houses  a  museum  exhibition,  which  displays  her personal  belongings,  photographs  and  documents,  as  well  as  a collection of original paintings and icons; antique pottery found during archaeological excavations of Thracian mounds near  Balchik  and  Revival  Period  weaponry.  The  hall  that  once  served  as  the  residence’s  library  is  now  a  gallery.  It displays paintings of Bulgarian and foreign artists.

A Walk in a “Stone Forest” (Pobiti Kamani) and the stunning nature around

Available: year round by request (excluding Sundays)

• Days: from Mon. to Sat.: information about availability, departure times and meeting points can be found during the booking process;
• From: Albena, Kranevo, Golden Sands, Sunny Day, St. Constantine & Helena, Varna;

“Strange” and “unusual” are definitely two words that pop into the mind when seeing the “Stone Forest” (Pobiti Kamani). The name itself is pretty telling as all around the area stone columns dot the landscape, poking out of a desert. Pobiti Kamani, roughly translated to “stones beaten into the ground” is a UNESCO World Heritage site well worth a trip if you are visiting the area. This desert landscape is filled with naturally occurring hollow columnar rock formations, showing like the remains of an ancient forest built completely out of stone.

Pobiti Kamani’s upright stones vary in size with some measuring as tall as 9 meters. They vary from hollow to solid cylinders. The stone’s diameter ranges from 0.3 to 3 meters thick.

In order to preserve this strange geological phenomenon, the site was designated a natural landmark, part of the ecological network Natura 2000. This area has a big conservation value as the largest inland sand habitat in the country with specific flora and fauna.

Program:

Pick up from your place of staying.

Hiking (around 3 hrs.), observing and exploring the unique nature of the area.

After your wish we will end up in a small restaurant or we will explore a bit more.

Back to the pick-up point.

Included Services:

» Drive with off road vehicle
» English speaking guidance.

Boat Trip Near Balchik

Available: from May till September

A half-day trip on a boat from Balchik Port (before noon + snack)

• From: Albena, Kranevo, Golden Sands, Sunny Day, St. Konstantin & Helena;

Mini Cruise Balchik – Excursion Program:

Seeing the beautiful shores of the Black Sea near Balchik on a yacht cruise is an experience not to be forgotten! The boat will float you away into the open sea where you can sunbathe, fish and relax. Onboard, you have snacks and refreshing drinks.

There is nothing better than a leisure cruise along the northern Black Sea coast – beautiful green hills, rocky bays and fine beaches. In Balchik, our captain will sail you along the coast. Rocky landscapes, small bays, beautiful houses and villas. Enjoy the sea breeze and sunbathe on deck. Keep an eye out for dolphins that may accompany the yacht. While the crew is preparing a delicious snack for you, you can swim in the cooling seawater. Then the journey leads back to Balchik Marina.

Important advice: do not forget sunscreen, a swimsuit and possibly a sun hat. Drinks and meals onboard during the cruise are included and unlimited!

Included Services:

» Air-conditioned transfer bus from Golden Sands, Albena, Kranevo, Sunny Day, St. Konstantin & Helena;
» Boat trip;
» Snack + drinks (non-alcoholic, beer and wine).

Excursion to Aladzha Monastery, hiking in Golden Sands Nature Park and wine testing

• From: Albena, Kranevo, Golden Sands, Sunny Day, St. Constantine & Helena, Varna;

Aladzha Monastery is the most popular medieval rock monastery at the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, which was inhabited by monks- hermits in the 13th – 14th century. The unusual architectural forms and numerous legends about hidden treasures and ghosts of monks wandering among the ruins create an atmosphere of mystery and mysticism, which has been attracting numerous admirers for decades.

600 – 700m west from the Monastery there is a group of caves known as the “Catacombs”. The items found by the archaeologists such as ceramics, coins, graffiti, etc., evidence that the Catacombs were inhabited during the early Christian Age (V-VI centuries).

The cave monastery is situated in the central part of Golden Sands Nature Park – a protected area with rare tree species. The beautiful nature surrounding the Monastery combined with the historical and mythological symbolism make the place a wonderful spot for cultural, eco and cult tourism.
For a century now, Aladzha Monastery has been recognized as one of the most interesting destinations along the Black Sea Coast and it is included in most of the world travel guides.

Program:

Pick up from your place of staying.

The journey begins with a convenient pick-up from your accommodation, setting the stage for an extraordinary adventure. After the visit of the monastery (around 2 hours), we embark on a invigorating hike through the captivating landscapes of the surrounding park (Golden Sands Nature Park). Stroll amidst breathtaking scenery, enveloped by the symphony of nature’s embrace. Observe the intricate balance of the ecosystem, where flora and fauna intertwine in perfect harmony.

The track continues at Dimo’s wine cellar with a wine tour around the wine map of Bulgaria. Embark on a comprehensive wine tour, guided by experts who will unveil the intricacies of Bulgaria’s captivating wine map.

Returning to the pick-up point.

Included Services:

» Drive with off road vehicle Nissan Terrano;
» English / German speaking guidance;
» Entrance fee;
» Wine tasting.