Balchik Palace (Dvoreca)

The basics

To reach Balchik Palace, you’ll first need to make your way through the greenery and colorful flower beds of the botanic gardens. How long you spend at Balchik Palace will depend on your interest in the gardens, and floral enthusiasts often spend around two hours here—an hour more than others.

Balchik Palace is a highlight of tours that explore Bulgaria’s northern coast, whether admiring the palace from afar aboard a yacht or touring it as one of several coastal attractions on a day tour from Varna.

Things to know before you go

• To enter either Balchick Palace or Balchik Botanical Gardens, you must purchase tickets to both attractions from their respective, separate ticket booths—even if you plan to visit only one on the day.

• Credit cards and foreign currency are not accepted for purchasing tickets, so bring Bulgarian currency with you.

• Restrooms in the botanic gardens are accessible using the QR code on your palace ticket.

• The gardens and palace are not accessible for people with wheelchairs or strollers, with barriers to entry in buildings and many stairs inside and outside.

• Wear comfortable shoes as you’ll be walking a lot, including up and down stairs.

How to get there

Balchik Palace is by the coast in the town of Balchik, a 40-minute drive northeast of Varna. Buses often run between Varna and Balchik, but it’s best to confirm the schedule in advance. When taking the bus, ask to be let out at the palace/botanical gardens as the official Balchik stop is a long way away. Going by car or taxi is the more straightforward option.

When to get there

Balchik Palace is open daily throughout the year. The palace’s opening hours are longer in summer than winter to account for the longer days. May and June are generally the best time to visit as the palace’s gardens will be in bloom then and you’ll arrive before the Bulgarian coast gets busy in summer.

The Balchik Botanical Gardens

Although the Balchik Botanical Gardens sometimes are described as a side attraction to Balchik Palace, they’re often the highlight for visitors. In the gardens you can find a great variety of plants, including beds of roses and ferns. But it’s the huge cactus exhibit that puts the Balchik Botanical Gardens on the map, as it’s only the second of its kind in Europe.