Excursion (26.05.2006)

13:30 Departure from Recreation and Conference House of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

14:10 Arrival in Balchik

15:30 Departure from Balchik

16:30 Arrival in Kaliakra

18:00 Departure from Kaliakra

19:30 Arrival in Villa Sagona

20:00 Dinner

Kaliakra is a beautiful cape close to the Romanian border. The cape stretches 2km deep into the sea and consists of 60-70m-high limestone rocks, the inaccessibility of which has been the main reason for the construction of an ancient fortress named Tirisis there. The fortress was successively used by Tracians, Romans, Byzantines and Bulgarians. According to legends, the fortress was guarding the treasuries of Lyzimah, successor of Alexander the Great. For more information, please visit http://www.bulgariansearesorts.com/kaliakra_cape_general_info.html.

The town of Balchik is situated 31 km north of Varna in a beatiful inlet. Struck by the natural beauty of the place, the Romanian Queen Maria built a summer palace and a botanical garden there. The royal complex also included a chapel and a villa for Romanian aristocrats. The town turned into a luxurious resort at the time (after 1913). The palace complex consists of a central palace with a high tower, numerous buildings, a terraced park, summer houses made of stone and propped up on marvellous columns facing the sea, a throne under an old tree where Queen Maria loved to watch the sunset, and a small chapel where her heart is preserved. There are more than 3,000 rare and exotic species of plants in the botanic garden, which has made it a part of the teaching facilities of Sofia University. For more information, please visit http://www.bulgariansearesorts.com/balchik_general_info.html.