Things to Do in Black Sea Coast

Also known as the Summer Palace of Queen Marie, Balchik Palace sits along Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, together with a popular botanical garden. The palace was built for Queen Marie of Romania between 1926 and 1937, when Romania controlled the region. Designed by an Italian architect, the palace is part of a complex that includes several villas, a wine cellar, a monastery, a chapel and several other buildings. Buildings within the complex feature architectural elements inspired by a variety of cultures and religions, including a minaret, a Christian chapel, Thracian, Greek and Roman symbols, and a mix of Bulgarian, Gothic and Islamic designs. The palace rooms open to the public display original furnishings, as well as some local ancient artifacts and photographs of Queen Marie. The nearby botanical garden was established in 1940 and covers 65,000 square meters. It is home to 2000 plant species, including a collection of large cactus species, only the second of its kind in Europe.

Set in the western part of Sunny Beach along the Black Sea coast, the Action Aquapark was the first water park to be built in Bulgaria. Covering 36,000 square meters, it boasts more than 30 water attractions, bars and restaurants and features a variety of tropical palm trees, Mediterranean shrubs, geysers and fountains throughout the grounds. Popular rides include a free fall slide that lets visitors plunge at up to 70 kilometers per hours, the 18-meter high Kamikadze slide and the 150-meter long Black Hole slide. Those looking for a more relaxing experience will enjoy floating along the 330-meter Lazy River. For the kids, there is a mini-zoo with pigs, goats, ponies, peacocks and emus, and the H2O Adventure Island, with eight slides, climbing tunnels and rope bridges.