Continuing the series of posts about the small town of Balchik in Bulgaria, a Black Sea resort and a favorite destination. A favorite destination of my family but also of a few friends and acquaintances, enough that I'm not afraid I'm wrong when I love this place so much.
My most recent trip, taken last week, has filled my photo archive and this is what prompted me to change the usual travel blog into several presentations that I called a series, that is to say, to be part of a series.
I have reached the fourth episode and I would like to present another attraction that may interest those who want to visit or those who just want to learn about a beautiful place on this earth.
Balchik is located in the eastern part of Bulgaria, on the Black Sea, halfway between the Romanian border and Varna, which I believe is the second largest city in Bulgaria.
Balchik is a small town that had a big chance. Of course, not by accident. Beautiful landscape, mild climate, and special light, given by the white hills that protect it. Its historic chance was that a queen.
A queen as in a fairy tale, saw the place and immediately decided she wanted to build a summer residence for the royal house of Romania.
The queen, Romania's most beloved queen, was called Maria and she built a small castle she called The Quiet Nook Palace which she surrounded with beautiful gardens. This happened in the 1930s...
Following the example of the queen, most of the nobility and the wealthy in Romania built holiday homes and lived in Balchik in the summer, which I believe contributed to the development and modernization of the city. Bulgarian historians may not agree with what I believe, I don't know that, but my logic tells me so.
Even if I am wrong, the fact that now the castle and its gardens are the main attraction of the city and attract over a quarter of a million visitors a year seems to prove me right.
Here's what it says A well-known travel website in Bulgaria which is also the source for what I put below:
The main attraction of the Balchik Palace is the wonderful Botanical Garden. Its ten hectares surround the impressive summer palace of the Romanian Queen Marie. (The area was part of Romania between 1913 and 1940).
The Quiet Nook Palace and its park are placed on an area of 35 hectares.
The wonderful Botanical Garden is the main attraction! Well, if it's the main attraction, then that's what I have to show you now!
The botanical garden is made up of several parts if I understand correctly what I visited. A large part is dedicated to roses, another part to trees, and another part to decorative flowers that are grown in large areas, where different geometric shapes are drawn, and variously colored.
Over three thousand species of plants grow in this garden!
Then follows the famous cactus and succulent garden and greenhouse.
The Garden of Cactus
This garden is unique in this part of Europe where the climate should not allow the growth of these plants, but here there is something magical. An almost Mediterranean climate that even allows an outdoor cactus garden to survive the winter.
The Garden of Cactus here is the second largest in Europe, after the one in Monaco. It is truly special and unusual for those living in this northeastern part of Europe and this explains a large number of visitors. When I'm on holiday in a foreign place, I like to look at what the place has to offer but I also like to look at the other visitors. Below you will see why I chose the title "People and Cacti"!
I love watching people so much... With my eyes after them, I also got to the more sensitive cacti, which can't survive the climate and then need a warm house in winter.
I have to say that I am not a cactus specialist, I don't know them by name or where they live. I like to look at them, I like their shape, their flowers so ephemeral and I don't think I will become a connoisseur. In the following, I will show how I saw these cacti on my visit from the greenhouse, without making many comments where I am not knowledgeable.
The big ones...
... and the little ones!
The crossing of the greenhouse leads to the sea. Because we must not forget that we are at the sea!
Because it is the sea that called us here.
Balchik is a place endowed with many beauties. In this fourth series, I wanted to show a more exotic part of nature here, even if it is a nature specially arranged and cared for to survive.
A short recap, for those who want to know more about Balchik.
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I just read this post and it looks incredible! The town, with its stunning gardens and the famous Botanical Garden, has become a favorite destination for me. I'm particularly intrigued by the cactus garden, which is the second-largest in Europe. The photos which you took have left me longing to visit and explore the natural beauty of Balchik. It seems like a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. Thanks for such details, we felt ourselves like we were travelling with you there!
Thank you! That's what I want most when I post about places I like. To pass that on to my readers.
I see you're new to Hive. I wish you luck! It takes a lot of patience, consistency, and interaction with others. I see you're off to a good start and I'd be glad if you keep it up.
Thank you for your kind wishes. Yes, we are new here, and it's enjoyable to read different stories and engage with people. Everything is going well for us at the moment. I hope you have a happy day!
With pleasure and thank you!
Hiya, @lizanomadsoul here, just swinging by to let you know that this post made it into our Honorable Mentions in Daily Travel Digest #1921.
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This is very pleasant news for me, thank you, @lizanomadsoul and @pinmapple team!
First, I'll like to say, that's a lot of cactus 🌵🌵🌵 ... Hehehehe... But they are beautiful 😍❤️
And despite not being a cactus specialist, your ability to capture the beauty of the gardens is impressive.
Again, I must add that the tale of Queen Maria and her creation of The Quiet Nook Palace, along with the subsequent influx of nobility and the wealthy, adds a touch of enchantment to Balchik's history.
Finally, by sharing this more exotic side of nature in Balchik, even within its specially arranged and cared-for environment, you offered me a glimpse into a hidden gem.
Thank you so much for sharing. And your shots are really beautiful ❤️
Thank you! Very nice to see someone interested in my story.
This place is very beautiful from the way we see that there are very rare types of trees and plants here, it makes a person very happy to see such natural things. People are very happy to go there, such places one must visit with his family.
It sounds like a beautiful place i especially enjoyed the photos of the cactus garden. It's so cool that there's a cactus garden in Europe!
It's fascinating to learn that the town was once a summer residence for the Romanian royal family. I can imagine that it was a very special place to live.
Yes, it was a special place to live. Chosen mostly by artists, painters, and writers.
If I was a queen I would build a castle there too! I think that I've seen a picture of Maria in one of Hohenzollern castles, so I guess she married into the family, right?
Those cacti look so healthy! I can keep almost all plants alive and rather happy except of cacti. I simply don't have luck with them and I wish that they looked like those in that botanical garden 🙂
Have a lovely day!
Thank you! It's the same with me. I can't do it with cacti. I probably give them too much water when I really shouldn't be giving them any...
You're right about Queen Mary. The first king of Romania was Carol I, he had no children and his successor was a nephew, Ferdinand. Ferdinand married Maria, the queen who chose Balchik for her summer residence.
I extracted this information from Wikipedia:
Nice
Thanks!
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