Roses glow colourfully in the sun, water splashes and huge cacti bloom when I visit the Botanical Garden in the small port town of Baltschik. A beautiful green oasis that is one of the most popular destinations in the region.
Baltschik is located on the Black Sea only about 45 kilometres north of Varna. The first people settled in the region early on. There is evidence that a Thracian settlement of Ionians from Miletus existed here in the 7th century BC. In the course of the years, a Greek-Byzantine fortification was built, which was later taken over by the Ottoman occupation. There are hardly any remains of this complex today.
Later, after the Crimean War of 1853-1856, the town developed into a centre of grain trade. Much later, the coastal town also developed into a popular seaside resort on the Black Sea coast.
After the Second Balkan War, Balchik belonged to Romania from 1913 to 1940. During this time, the town was called Balcic. During this time, the then Romanian Queen Marie, born Princess of Edinburgh, wife of King Ferdinand, had a summer palace built and spent the hot season by the sea.
Only after the Treaty of Craiova, in 1940, did the city become Bulgarian again.
Visit to Baltschik
Even though the season had not really started yet, there was already a lot going on in the small town. The paid parking spaces were well filled and, with a bit of luck, the car fit between two coaches and so we were able to make our way to the Botanical Gardens and the Queen Marie’s summer palace.
Past countless souvenir stands, we went to the entrance. Entrance tickets were only available for cash and, very importantly, you need tickets for both places. Although the grounds merge into one another without any boundaries, they are managed by different operators. Inspectors walk through the site and ask to see the entrance tickets!
Botanical Garden in Baltschik
The Black Sea Botanical Garden is the largest in the Balkans. About 2000 plant species from 85 families grow on an area of 65,000 square metres.
The cactus collection is particularly large. There are about 250 species, a larger collection can only be found in Europe in Monaco. During my walk through the garden, I also passed the greenhouse with the cacti. On about 1000 m², the plants are in the most different sizes and shapes. In small glass boxes I discover tiny cacti that would certainly look good on the window sill in the flat.
However, I was much more excited by the large cacti. Some plants have grown so high that I feel really small next to them. I found the flowers on some of the spiny plants particularly beautiful. When do you ever see a cactus flower! As I follow the path through the greenhouse, I also discover large round cacti, cacti with huge spines and cacti with round fruits. What a variety, simply beautiful!
I also particularly liked the rose garden. It overlooks the Schwarte Meer and was blooming in an unbelievable variety during my visit. It seemed to me that every colour was represented. From the rose garden, you also have a great view up an artificial waterfall to the castle grounds. And if you look a little closer, you will discover a magnolia tree in one corner, which is one of the oldest trees in the Balkans.
The diversity of the botanical garden is impressive, with flowerbeds, artificial watercourses and tree plantings everywhere. I find the “Garden by the Waterfall” very beautiful. Here you walk through a shady area full of trees and bushes, cross a small bridge and look down on an impressive waterfall. The water falls several metres into the depths and then flows further towards the Black Sea coast.
Baltschik Castle
The buildings of the summer residence Baltschik Castle are located within the botanical garden. You pass them on a walk through the garden.
The Romanian Queen Marie liked Baltschik very much because of its location on the Black Sea coast. She had her summer palace and the botanical garden built there from 1924. She commissioned two Italian architects to build the castle.
The palace was built, surrounded by towers, a chapel, a guest villa and a stone throne from which the queen enjoyed the view of the sea. It is striking that the buildings on the site are stylistically quite different. Thus, one finds Bulgarian, Moldavian, Oriental and Moorish elements. There is even a minaret in the castle park. This is said to have been built for the queen’s Muslim lover, who lived by her side after the death of her husband.
You can visit the summer residence during the tour. Admittedly, I was a little surprised at how small the beautiful building is. When I thought of a palace, I thought of a pompous building. However, I think that this simple building fits much better into the whole ensemble.
Today the castle has been renovated and is a museum. When I visited, there was a picture exhibition in a large room on the ground floor. If you then wander through the rooms in the house, you will notice that oriental elements have also been incorporated into the design. In the extremely spacious bathroom, for example, there is a star-shaped ceiling that curves upwards. Colourful windows let the light fall on large tubs in the room.
The bathroom leads directly to the Queen’s private room. Here you can still see her bed and other original furnishings.
Things to see in the park
During the tour through the spacious park, I was able to discover some more beautiful places.
The main entrance at that time, for example, led through the “Villa Arc”. This building once housed the guards who checked and greeted the guests. Paths lead from there through the unique grounds.
Water mills/water wheels are located near the waterfall. These still ensure a continuous flow of water today.
I found the “Temple of Water” (Nympheum) particularly beautiful. Clear water flows out of a thick wall into your large basin. This was built in 1863 and was one of the Queen’s favourite places. She celebrated her birthday and name day here, for example. During her lifetime it was a very romantic place with flower tubs and small vases, in which a small fountain splashed and so there was a pleasant microclimate.
I come to a small church that was built in 1932. Queen Marie often came to this chapel and prayed. Before she died, Marie stipulated that her heart should be kept there after her death. In 1938, after her death in Romania, the heart was brought back to Baltschik in an elaborate wooden box. For several years, this small box stood in the chapel to the right of the entrance. When Baltschik reverted to Bulgaria in 1940, the heart was taken to Bran Castle in Romania. The Queen’s body found its final resting place next to her husband in the crypt of the Cathedral of Curtea de Argeș.
Before I went to the last point of my tour, I visited the Holy Spring. This is said to have existed long before the palace was built and was only enclosed in a building afterwards. According to legend, a blind girl once dreamt of the spring. When she was brought there on the day of St. Marina, she wet her eyes with the water. A little later, the girl could see again. To this day, people believe in the healing power of the water. It is said to have helped many a visitor to dispel the dull thoughts and tiredness of the day and to relieve pain. Does the water taste different? I don’t know, I haven’t tried it.
Queen’s Winery House
Marie, the Queen of Romania, loved not only plants but also wine. She had vines grown and the winegrowers produced some unique wines.
At Queen’s Winery House today, you can take part in a wine tasting during your visit and, of course, buy the wines you taste there.
In a small room, numerous open bottles of different wines and spirits were already waiting for me to try them. We were handed a small selection of what was on offer in small paper cups.
I found a Cabernet Sauvignon with the taste of dried plums very good. The very fruity wine is semi-dry and already smells wonderfully of plum. The plum flavour was not too dominant and only appeared pleasantly for me in the finish.
The rose wine and the almond wine, which are typical for the region, are particularly popular. The oil of green almonds is added to the almond wine. Both wines are rather sweet and full-bodied.
I was particularly curious about a schnapps with honey and honeydew melon. It has an alcohol content of 38.5% and is almost a liqueur to my taste. The smell of honeydew melon is pleasant and reminiscent of freshness and summer. The taste is dominated by honey. It tasted good to me.
Address:
kurortna zona,
9600 Dvoretsa, Balchik,
Bulgarien
Opening hours:
Botanical Garden :
May – August: 8-20 hrs
September: 8am – 7pm
October: 8.30 am – 6 pm
November – April: 8.30 am – 5 pm
Castle:
Winter: 9 am – 5 pm
Summer: 8 am – 8 pm
Admission prices:
Adults:
Palace 15 lv.
Botanical Garden: 15 lv.
Beach promenade
After visiting the Botanical Gardens and the Summer Palace, you should take a quiet stroll along the Baltschik seafront. A long section has been redesigned and there are plenty of cafés, restaurants and ice cream parlours.
At the harbour there are some good restaurants directly on the water. Here I could not only enjoy the great view in the restaurant “Rhomphaia”, but there was also excellently prepared fish and very good mussels.
The visit to Baltschik took place within the framework of a press trip to Albena.
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