Private Cape Kaliakra & the Balchik Botanical Gardens from Varna

Name: Private Cape Kaliakra & the Balchik Botanical Gardens from Varna
Brand: Visit Bulgaria On
SKU: 8728P119
Price: 109.56 USD
Rating: 5.0 (3 reviews)

Varna, Bulgaria

From $109.56

Price varies by group size

Select Date and Travelers

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

8 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Explore Bulgaria’s spectacular Black Sea coast and countryside on a full-day trip to Cape Kaliakra and Balchik from Varna. Travel by comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle to craggy Kaliakra, a peninsula nature reserve renowned for its wild beauty. Take a stroll to witness the steep cliffs and wave-lashed coast, and explore the remnants of the cape’s ancient fortress. Then, after lunch and time at a snail farm, explore the beautiful botanical gardens at Balchik, pausing to enjoy a delicious wine tasting. Finally, stop at a fascinating medieval monastery before returning to Varna.

Private day trip from Varna to Cape Kaliakra and Balchik
Explore the ruggedly beautiful Cape Kalakria to see its cliffs and ancient ruined fortress
Stop at a snail farm and enjoy an included lunch in the farm restaurant
Visit the gorgeous botanical gardens at Balchik's Summer Palace of Queen Marie
Sample some local wines at the Queen’s Winery House in the gardens
Visit the 15th-century St Athanasius monastery and learn about its history
Enjoy in-depth attention and personalized commentary from a private guide

What's Included

Wine tasting
Hotel pick up and drop off (if the privately-guided option is booked)
Professional local guide (if the privately-guided option is booked)
Personalized E-guide with sights info for your convenience
Entrance fees (if the privately-guided option is booked)

Food and drinks, unless specified
Personal expenses, lunch and insurance

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Meeting point

Cape Kaliakra
9660 Kavarna, Bulgaria

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Start time

Opening hours

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View tour option

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Meet your private guide in central Varna in the morning, and journey north by comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle, following Bulgaria’s picturesque Black Sea coast.

As you travel, soak in the scenic views, and make your first stop at Cape Kaliakra, a protected nature reserve set on a craggy peninsula that’s considered one of Europe’s most beautiful.

Enjoy a guided walk along the promontory, taking in awesome views of the steep cliffs and steppes. Scour the ruins of the cape’s ancient fortress, learn how it was used by the Romans, Byzantines and Bulgarians, and hear some of the legends associated with this wild and windswept peninsula. Hear the famous story of how 40 Bulgarian girls threw themselves in the sea from the cliffs here to escape the Ottomans, plaiting their hair together to ensure their deaths.

Next, continue into the surrounding countryside to visit a local snail farm. Discover how the snails are kept and bred, and then enjoy an included lunch at the farm restaurant before traveling on to one of Bulgaria’s top golf courses.

See the course, classed as one of the five best in the world, and then head for Balchik, a Black Sea resort famous for its botanical gardens and Palace of Queen Marie, an early 20th-century villa built for the queen of Romania’s King Ferdinand.

Wander around the beautiful, differently themed gardens, including the rare giant cacti collection, and visit the quaint Queen's Winery in the grounds to sample some local wines.

Then, return to your vehicle and drive to your last stop, the atmospheric St Athanasius (Akiazala Baba) monastery. Admire this 15th-century sanctuary that’s held sacred by both Christians and Muslims, before departing for Varna, where your tour concludes.

Kaliakra (Pass By)

Cape Kaliakra

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

The Mussel Farm "Dalboka" Ltd.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

The Mussel Farm "Dalboka" Ltd.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Balchik

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Palace and Botanical Gardens of Balchik

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Queen's Winery House

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Ak yazula baba Mosque

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Experience Bulgaria (Pass By)

BlackSeaRama Golf & Villas

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Lighthouse Golf

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Varna

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible

Most travelers can participate
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Operated by Visit Bulgaria On

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Reviews

5.0

3 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-3 of 3 reviews

Highly personal guide, picture worthy stops

Karisa_D, Jun 2022

I can't say enough great things about this tour our guide. If you have an opportunity to go to Varna and you want to do something other than just sit at the beach, than take this tour. Our guide, Radul Kovachev, was so accommodating for us. We didn't get in to Varna to start the tour at 8 but he still made it work and we saw lots. The Botanical gardens are beautiful withany different colored roses Radul said that May is the time to see them the best. Next stop was Cape Kaliakra. The view and the pictures you take from this part of the stop are worth it for the entire tour. The Black Sea is so clear and blue. Some of the trip can be a hike so I wouldn't recommend little kids but my 9 year old was fine. We ate at a Mussel farm and the food was great but you had better want to eatussels because that all except a few fish items that are on the menu. The only thing youay not like on this stop is the very steep climb down and up but it is worth it. The rest of the stops are picture worthy stops. It was a long day but you see souch and you get a wonderful tour and information from Radul that it is worth it. The weather was gorgeous and if you are in the area you should take this trip.

Response from Host, Jun 2022

Hello Karisa, thanks for your great review for the Private Cape Kaliakra & the Balchik Botanical Gardens from Varna experience! We truly appreciate it! The product is wonderful in the area with excellent ratings and you described it brilliantly from your point of view! We are happy to have had you as a customer given the fact that you booked it so long time ago. It's a pity that the weather did not allow you to experience our other product with the boat which you booked separately for a different day. We welcome you back whenever you visit Bulgaria again even for more off-the-beaten path experiences! Best regards, Hristo

WONDERFUL DAY TRIP!!

MaryEllen_S, Jun 2022

I've been day-tripping around Bulgaria for over a month now, and this is the best tour in the Varna area! My guide was amazing and took me to so many places that I would never have seen if I were exploring on my own! Not just the typical tourist spots, so many hidden places, special overlooks, off-the-beaten-path spots. And he took extra time when we got back to my hotel to show me places to visit that were an easy walk from my hotel, and where the bus stops were for other places I could go. He made me feel so welcome and comfortable.

Response from Host, Jun 2022

Hello MaryEllen, Thanks for your great review of the Private Cape Kaliakra & the Balchik Botanical Gardens from Varna in its privately-guided option! Our people are always going the extra mile for all our customers. We are very happy that you explore Bulgaria with us. You even booked another tour in the Varna area with us :) We welcome you back for more tours, activities and experiences that you would need. Best regards, Hristo

Amazing Varna experience

Rose_K, Mar 2020

Alex, our guide was very knowledgeable, personable & has a great sense of humor. Places we visited were explained clearly.

Response from Host, Mar 2020

Hello Rose, Thanks for your review. Cape Kaliakra and he Botanical gardens of Balchik from Varna is an experiece not to forget. Your wine tasting and lunch were traditional Bulgarian for which you also enjoyed part of our lifestyle and culture. We welcome you back anytime in Bulgaria. Also, coronavirus is nowhere here so all customers could be calm. Best regards, Hristo