Dobrich

In northeastern Bulgaria, the wheat and sunflower fields of Dobruja stretch right up to the edge of cliffs that drop steeply into the Black Sea. A trip to Dobrich combines this vast farmland with beach resorts such as Albena and Krani­­evo and the summer palace of a Romanian queen in Balchik.

The coast between Albena and Shabla

The resort of Albena near Obrochishte, with its broad sandy beach, and Kranevo are the best-known destinations in the province. To the north lies Balchik, a small harbor town set against white limestone slopes. Between 1913 and 1940, southern Dobruja belonged to Romania, and Queen Marie had her summer palace built here, along with a botanical garden that is now one of the most visited attractions on the coast. Farther east you'll find Kavarna, with golf courses on the cliffs, and Cape Kaliakra, a narrow promontory with fortress ruins, a lighthouse, and sheer cliffs that dolphins pass by in spring. Near Shabla stand Bulgaria's oldest lighthouse and two coastal lakes where red-breasted geese rest in winter.

Dobrich and the hinterland

The city of Dobrich is the center of one of the country's most important grain-growing regions. At the Old Dobrich open-air museum, craftspeople work in reconstructed workshops, and locals spend their evenings in the city park with its summer theater. The plateau is flat and windy; it's no coincidence that numerous wind turbines turn around Kavarna. Near Durankulak, close to the Romanian border, lies another coastal lake with an island where archaeologists have uncovered the remains of one of Europe's oldest settlements and a large Neolithic burial ground. The Kavarna rock festivals of the 2000s also earned the little town a reputation as a gathering place for rock fans.

Food, getting there, and the best time to visit

Typical of Dobruja are bread and pastries made from local wheat, along with lamb dishes and, on the coast, mussels and fish. The best way to reach the province is via Varna Airport, about 45 minutes from Balchik. The best time for the beach is June through September; birdwatchers come to Shabla and Durankulak in fall and winter.