Cape Kaliakra in Kavarna is one of the main historical and natural attractions on the coastline of Bulgaria. Here is where Romans established a settlement and the ruins are still visible to this day.
Is Cape Kaliakra worth visiting? YES! Why? Because… The views are stunning. Cape Kaliakra is probably the most beautiful coast of the Black Sea.
Cape Kaliakra is a long narrow headland in the North Eastern part of Bulgaria. It is close to the border with Romania and that’s why many of its visitors are Romanians.
Kaliakra is also close to Varna, which is a popular destination for tourists (especially from the nearby resorts). Keep on reading to understand why you have to visit the fortress of Kaliakra.
Before visiting Kaliakra Cape, I’ve heard of this fortress as being a beautiful place, but that was all.
I can tell you know now that Cape Kaliakra is more than beautiful. Kaliakra Cape is full of history and intriguing.
What makes Cape Kaliakra in Bulgaria so special is that and worth visiting, is also the fact that this place used to be a fortress.
The fortress of Kaliakra served to many different civilisations: Thracians, Romans, Byzantines and Bulgarians.
Read more What to expect when you travel to Bulgaria for the first time
What is Cape Kaliakra?
Kaliakra fortress is now an open-air museum and natural reservation, in which you can see the ruins of the ancient settlements.
The ground rocks of Roman buildings and baths, the walls and gate are still visible. At the very end of Cape Kaliakra, a small chapel stands.
There are many legends regarding this place. After seeing its greatness, I can understand why.
Cape Kaliakra was declared a protected area in 1941.
What to see in Cape Kaliakra?
As you walk around and visit Cape Kaliakra’s impressive ruins, you’ll also get to admire the coastline and the breathtaking views over the Black Sea.
As I said, Kaliakra is also a natural reservation and you’ll see signs about rare species of birds (250 different species) which pass by during the migration seasons.
Unfortunately, when I visited Kaliakra, on the 1st of September were no birds around.
On this patch of land surrounded by the sea, you will find a restaurant, a girl selling ice cream and a small cave. The cave is actually a small museum with free entrance, which displays some artefacts found there.
In the middle of the cave, a layout of the fortress will give you get an idea of how Kaliakra Fortress used to look like.
For an unknown reason to me, a military base was there, too.
The souvenirs stands are all over the place.
The most photographed spot in this fortress is at the very end.
There was a small boat around the cliffs, probably with some tourists. I want to do that too.
How to get to Cape Kaliakra?
The best way to visit Cape Kaliakra is by car. You can rent a car from Varna. If you arrive by plane to Sofia, then it’s more comfortable to rent a car from the airport in Sofia and get to see all the cool spots in Bulgaria.
There are also many day trips organized by touristic agencies from the seaside resorts that can take you to this place. But it gets crowded when a bus full of people starts to march around.
Personally, I dislike large groups of people and that’s why I prefer to visit such beautiful spots on my own.
You can drive there and park after you pay the entrance fee. In front of the fortress is a parking lot, which is too small during the day and you will see cars parked on the sides of the road leading to the parking lot.
I saw a few busses with tourists, but I assume there were coming from the nearby resorts. I am sure there are day trips from Varna to Kaliakra. But I recommend driving there.
How much is the entrance fee for Cape Kaliakra?
The entrance fee for Cape Kaliakra is 3 Bulgarian Leva.
I hope you get to visit Cape Kaliakra on a sunny day, like I did. The views will not disappoint you. Enjoy your visit and discover more of Bulgaria.
Take care of your stuff and what you wear, because this place is windy. I had a nice sunhat on, but I had to hold it with my hands to prevent it from flying away. The same with my dress. Ah… the things I do for a nice picture.
Have I convinced you to visit Cape Kaliakra in Bulgaria? (Because Bulgaria is worth visiting)
What other places do I recommend in Bulgaria? Grab a friend and visit Bansko this summer to discover authentic Bulgarian people
[…] been to Bulgaria before, to Sofia, Bansko and at the seaside. These are considered to be the main attraction points in Bulgaria, but now I know there are many […]