BALCHIK
The Roman poet Ovid (43 B.C.-17 a.d.), exiled here by Augustus Caesar, wrote:
"Hail, whitestone city and thy unique beauty." Set amidst terraced
white limestone cliffs, Balchik - dubbed the "Silver Riviera"
- has perhaps the most distinctive natural setting of any town on the coast.
Like most of the other coastal towns, it was founded by Ionian Greek colonists
during the 6th century b.c. Originally known as Krunoi (Springs) it was
later named Dionysopolis. According to legend a storm washed up a wooden
statue of the god, which the locals took as a sign to build a temple and
to change the name of the town. The Greek colonists also believed that the
goddess Aphrodite emerged from the sea here. The colony thrived during the
3rd-2nd centuries b.c.; coins minted during this period feature the image
of Dionysus. Under the Romans, it was a bastion for their defense of the
northern empire until overrun by barbarians.
Destroyed by a tidal wave in the 6th century, the inhabitants rebuilt the
settlement - and constructed a fortress - almost 200 meters above sea level.
The fortress didn't deter the Bulgarians, who subsequently occupied the
town and kept it for 400 years. They built a fortress of their own on nearby
"Echo Hill" (later the site of a church, which was destroyed by
the Turks and rebuilt in the mid-19th century to function as both church
and school).
During the medieval era, Balchik (the town had since acquired the name of
a local ruler, Balik) was of secondary importance to nearby Kavarna. It
achieved more prominence when regional Turkish administrators allowed the
port to begin exporting Dobrudzha grain. Balchik's harbor was favored due
to its protection from the prevailing north winds. Trading houses and other
businesses run by Christians from Constantinople, Genoa, and Greece were
founded and soon became numerous. At the beginning of this century, it was
a thriving grain port and community with eight daily newspapers (today there
is just one).
The town, along with the rest of the Dobrudzha, was ceded to Romania by
terms of the 1913 treaty which marked Bulgaria's ignominious defeat in the
Second Balkan War. It remained under Romanian control until 1940 when it
was wrested away by the Bulgarian army. Following liberation, 67, 000
Bulgarians relocated from the northern Dobrudzha to the south, making the
economic situation difficult as the south was poor and undeveloped.
Today, Balchik's motto should be "We Try Harder." This pleasant
place is populated by helpful locals who aim to please, a refreshing change
from the jaded attitude one tends to encounter in the major resorts. Steep,
cobblestone streets lined with whitewashed, red-tiled houses are tucked
amidst the terraces and ravines which dominate the landscape and give the
town a distinctive skyline. Balchik's sizeable Gypsy community has by and
large replaced the once-numerous Tatars, who now mostly reside in nearby
villages. Settled here by the Turks to guard their empire's northern frontier,
many Tatars elected to stay in the region following the 1878 liberation.
Besides tourism, agriculture plays a significant role in the local economy.
There is also some industry, such as Elprom, a soft drinks works. The one
thing lacking is a significant town beach; sand is shipped in every spring
to create a small strip in front of the Palace.
What to See and Do
The Palace (tel 0579/2559, 2 kilometers -west of town, $4 admission) Queen
Marie of Romania had this Italian-designed palace villa built in 1924 and
summered here from 1931-38 when the Dobrudzha was part of Romania (1913-40).
The "Quiet Nest" as it was known was supposedly also a love nest
for the 60-year-old monarch and her 20-year old Turkish lover, Hasan. Marie
belonged to a sect whose aim was the reconciliation of the Christian and
Muslim religions and she apparently practiced what she preached. The villa
architecture is primarily oriental, but includes old Bulgarian and gothic
styles as well. Topped by a distinctive spired minaret, the upper two floors
contain original furnishings. The main floor has been turned into a restaurant,
Luna, frequented by swim-suit clad bathers from the neighboring beach. Nearby,
a series of six terraces represents each of Marie's children, the smallest
for her youngest who died in infancy. In front of the villa is a stone throne
with crescent moon and a star. The villa has subsequently served as a rest
home for the Bulgarian Union of Writers.
Queen Marie died in 1938 while reputedly attempting to intercede between
her two sons dueling over a woman. Her wish to have her heart buried in
the small chapel east of the villa was fulfilled; guarded by soldiers, it
was removed to Romania two years later when Bulgaria re-captured the Dobrudzha.
On the chapel door, Marie is depicted holding a church in her hands and
her daughter, Irina (patroness of the sea), a ship.
The botanical gardens were begun in 1955 by horticulturist Daki Yordanov,
remembered by an attractive caretaker-cottage just inside the main entrance.
In the past, 3000 species of plants graced the extensive grounds, including
many white poplar - some over 300 years old - and 1000 cacti, the second
largest such collection in Europe. Some 450 botanical gardens worldwide
contributed to the collection. Today, the cacti and rose beds are bare (see
sidebar). The grounds also include springs, waterfalls, and summer pavilions.
There are amphorae from Spanish Morocco, stone crosses and grave stones
from Moldavia and Besarabia, a marble throne from Florence, and a whole
church transferred from a Greek island.
Art Gallery (#4 Otets Paisii St, tel 0579/4130, 7: 30am-noon and 1-4: 30pm,
guided tours 75 cents) Opened in 1977, the gallery occupies a large white
building - formerly a school. The first floor galleries have temporary exhibitions,
changed every 15 days from among the vast collection of works by Bulgarian
and foreign painters. Perhaps most impressive are the impressionist-style
scenes of Balchik by Romanian artists from the 1920's and 30's. The second
floor has traditional and contemporary works by Bulgarian painters, graphic
artists and sculptors. The museum galleries, which are large and bright,
feature a number and variety of works matched only by the Varna Art Gallery.
The gallery sponsors a "Process Space" festival for twelve days
in early June which attracts Bulgarian and foreign artists. Across the street
is a Greek Church used as a concert hall for performances by town choirs.
Excellent acoustics make the Orthodox chants a memorable experience. A trip
here is normally included as part of organized tours.
Revival Complex (#4 Hristo Botev, tel 2177; off-season, contact the museum
for access) This National Revival-style house, rebuilt in its entirety in
the 1980's, contains a one-room mutual school that functioned until 1909.
The schoolroom contains rows of desks with sand-trays for writing; beneath
the teacher's desk is a "student prison" where miscreants were
kept. A slogan on the back wall bears the following admonishment: 'Children,
learn while you are young so you aren't sorry when you are older."
A second room displays nationalistic materials from the Revival period,
including books and sketches. Another smaller room provided residential
living quarters for teachers, all of whom came from other towns.
Located nearby is a* church. Built on the spot of Balchik's first Bulgarian
church (1841), which was destroyed by the Turks, the present Saint Nikola
dates from 1865 and was restored in the early 1980's to commemorate the
1300th anniversary of the founding of the Bulgarian State. The church has
services only on Christmas, Easter and December 6th - Saint Nicholas Day
(patron saint of fishermen). The interior, including the exquisitely painted
blue-and-white ceiling, is beautifully restored and decorated with 19th
century icons by Tryavna masters. Above the iconstand is an unusual icon,
the history of which is unknown: when viewed from varying angles it depicts,
separately, the Holy Trinity. The balcony also has a display of icons but
is inaccessible as the flooring is deemed unsafe.
* History Museum (#3 Vitosha St. tel 2177, daily 8am-noon, 12: 30-5: 30
pm) This museum is small but surprisingly diverse and its two rooms do a
commendable job of covering the area's long, rich history, from fossilized
mammoth bones through World War II. Of note is the fascinating collection
of exhibits and old photographs chronicling the town's role in the Balkan
and World Wars, in particular of the 1940 liberation. The prison garb, shackle
irons and photos of Bulgarian prisoners were gifts from Romania. Items from
antiquity include Greek and Roman coins, pottery, and funereal statuary.
Of special interest is an actual-sized model of a Thracian carriage, patterned
after remains (exhibited nearby) unearthed from a first-century b.c. mound
that was discovered during construction of the local airport in 1965. There
is also a maquette of a Roman tomb discovered by the Shkorpil brothers in
1907. Although the Varna museum has most of the finds, as it sponsored the
dig, some of the tomb's contents can be seen at the original site - now
the Krunoi restaurant, located on Cherno More near the bus station.
The museum building itself has an interesting history. Built in 1907 as
a trading house, it later served as the town hall for Romanians and then
Bulgarians. It was altered significantly to its present appearance in 1961
when it opened as a museum. Prior to then, the contents of the museum (the
Dobrudzha's first) were housed in another building near the harbor. When
the Romanian authorities fled in 1940, they took the museum contents with
them. Balchik has been negotiating for their return.
* Ethnographic Museum (opposite the history museum, same hours) The exhibits
in this authentic 1860 house are as diverse as those across the street.
The first floor highlights local crafts and trades: fishing, tailoring,
barrel-making, coppersmithing, woodworking, stock-breeding. In addition
to tools, implements and photos, there are master's diplomas issued by industrial-trade
councils authorizing the craftsmen to practice their respective trades.
The second floor has a furnished room from a tum-of-the-century town house
and a work room from a village. There are also traditional costumes and
clothing from Dobrudzha and Kotel.
A sketch of Balchik by a British naval officer in the 1860's shows the town
skyline dominated by five mosques.
Food and Drink
The most popular dining area is along the waterfront, recently developed
to accommodate the swelling numbers of tour buses which descend upon the
area bringing in day-trippers from the nearby resorts. A half-dozen snack
bars are lined up like ducks in a row and cater mostly to a younger crowd,
getting quite boisterous in the evening hours. Further west are several
new restaurants, the White House and the New Beach (Nov Plazh, tel 6268).
Continuing the lineup is a spanking-new outdoor complex of swimming pools
and water slides; a large, tour-group sized pavilion restaurant; and a thumping,
neon-lit disco. The strip is completed with the small, sandy town beach.
In town, the Vechernaya Odessa opposite the port terminal has authentically
styled decor and traditional Russian cuisine. The Koraba (Emona St, tel
2269) is hard to miss as the circular patio is shaped like the prow of a
ship and juts out from the steep hillside overlooking the town. Reached
by a long flight of terraced stone steps guaranteed to work up an appetite.
An arts festival is held in early June (for specifics, see "Art Gallery").
The municipal hospital is at #34 Dr Zlatko Petkov St (tel 26-91, emergency
24-42); the bus station is on Cherno More (tel 21-61); the post office is
at #1 Ivan Vazov (tel 40-60) and the police station is at #4 Ivan Vazov
(tel 166).
Vicinity
Heading east from Balchik the scenic coast road winds past windswept rolling
hillsides covered with peonies and scrub broom and sage. To the south, the
seaside cliffs are a habitat of birds: the alpine swift, black-headed bunting,
and pied white ear, the latter a summer visitor with a mainly Asiatic distribution
as this is its only regular breeding site in Europe. Touslata, at the end
of a spur road six kilometers east of Balchik, is the site of a salt lagoon-lake.
Its strongly mineralized mud is used for treating poliomyelitis and chronic
bone disease at the nearby sanatorium. Aside from that, the area is of limited
interest.
The coast road soon passes the Sandrino campground. The setting is dramatic
as steep cliffs form a backdrop for rows of villas which open onto a small,
sandy beach. Regrettably for the casual tourist/camper, this very pleasant
spot has been fully booked for the past six summers by organized tour groups
of Russian children. A bit further along the coast is the sprawling Beliyat
Bryag (White Coast) campground complex. Owned by the Bulgarian Automobile
Club, it is currently leased to a private firm which also caters to organized
groups of Russian kids. Unlike at nearby Sandrino, though, the facilities
- two hotels and 62 bungalows (there's even a villa furnished in a "communist
grandeur style") spread over a 503 decare area - are expansive enough
to accommodate visitors. There are sports facilities and mineral hot
springs on the grounds and the enlarged harbor can accommodate yachts with
up to two-meter drafts. According to the affable manager, the scenic area
- which supposedly resembles western Crimea - was a popular film locale
for Russian and East German cine-matographers. Eight buses a day connect
it with Balchik.
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balchik, patricia baddiley (05-04-2007, 21:26:53)
I bought a small house in Balchik 2 years ago. I love the town and though I don't live there, I like to spend a couple of weeks in spring and as much time in summer as I can. I would be very interested to meet other people who live or have a house there. The pearl of the black sea coast it most definitely is.
I have been visiting Baltchik every year since 1992 and I love Baltchik. It is relaxing and peaceful being there. Last summer my wife and I stayed stayed one week before we went to Albena. Unforgettable. This year we'll the same.
balchik, sue hall (11-02-2006, 05:49:40)
We were staying in golden sands and we hired a car and arrived in Balchik. We fell in love with the place as it is so peaceful and uncomercialised we have now had a house built and are hoping to retire there soon. people are so friendly we have made many friends already.
wonderful and relaxing holliday, Tina Nordvig Nielsen (04-11-2005, 13:29:49)
Hi! My family and I from Denmark spent 2 wonderful and relaxing weeks in Balchik in july this summer. We think that the town is a quiet and nice place with very nice and helpfull people. We enjoyed the botanically garden, the beach (without to many people) and the weather! We are planning to return in summer 2006.
A splendid botanical garden, diana (20-09-2005, 12:11:04)
Me and my husband visited Balchik in september, 2005 and it was very, very beautiful. The botanical garden is splendid. It is a paradise of nature. You must visit this place!
Balchik, Maria (18-07-2005, 07:24:20)
Hi, I'm from Bulgaria. I live in Rousse but I think that Balchik is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Amazing history, splendid landscape, calm and unique town. Go there, have fun and relax.
Beautiful, Rafal_Poland (14-03-2005, 06:46:50)
Beautiful a magic place. I proposed to my girl in botanic garden last year.
Balchik - the city of nature, trpimir (24-12-2004, 21:14:39)
Imagine a city where you can see the most of the botanic nature in one place ! That's Balchik. I went there twice to visit my wife's relatives. I definetly want to live there. I just can't forget the most beautiful sinset by the shore folowed by jentle music coming from the many caffee-s. Maybe I'll be back some day.
Natural & Beautiful, Christian (London) (21-12-2004, 12:31:31)
I have been to Balchik and it is very naturally perserved and laid-back coast town. The mud spa and spring is a must if visiting Balchik. The food were excellent, reasonably priced and importantly the people are very friendly. This is a great contrast compared to the commercialised Albena, Golden Sands and Sunny beach which was getting over-crowded. The sunset is breath-taking from the apartment I stayed and I will definitely bring my family and friends along next summer.
Balchik, Richard & Liz O'Keeffe (21-08-2004, 11:35:34)
Recently bought a house in Balchik so that we can retire to from the UK. We are back over again in October. Superb views over the bay. This year was our first visit to Bulgaria. We really loved the place and found the people very friendly.
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