Balchik is a charming town and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, perfect for a day trip if you're staying in Varna. Despite its small size, this port city offers plenty of activities to fill your day. Stroll along the promenade lined with restaurants, cafes, and gelato shops, explore the beautiful botanic garden, visit the historic Balchik Museum, or simply unwind on the beach. Balchik is easily accessible by bus from both Varna and Golden Sands.

With its romantic grounds, Sofiero Palace makes for a popular destination. The grounds are perhaps best known for their unparalleled rhododendrons, with an incredible 5,000 bushes bursting into flower in the spring. The fairytale of Sofiero began in 1864, when Crown Prince Oskar and his wife Sophia had their summer residence built here. In 1905, Oskar — by now King Oskar ll — gave the palace to his grandson Prince Gustav Adolf and his bride Princess Margareta as a wedding present. This is when the gardens literally flourished. Princess Margareta was a keen and creative gardener, and it was she who first laid out the grounds that we can enjoy to this day. She arranged flower beds and gardens, had paving laid and wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. Every summer, the Crown Prince couple travelled from Stockholm with their four young princes and Princess Ingrid, who eventually became Queen of Denmark. When Margareta died in 1920, Gustaf Adolf carried on the work in the garden, particularly with the rhododendrons. The palace was the summer residence of the Swedish royal family up until 1973, when it was given to the town of Helsingborg. This small palace, which lies like a jewel amid the extensive lawns, is home to a restaurant where the food is prepared by some of Sweden’s finest chefs. There’s also a café with views of the Öresund Sound and Denmark.

Renowned as one of the greatest zoos in the world, the San Diego Zoo houses over 3,700 rare and endangered animals representing more than 650 species and subspecies. It also features a vast botanical collection with over 700,000 exotic plants. As a pioneer in the open-air, cageless concept that replicates natural habitats, the zoo offers a unique experience for animal and nature lovers alike.