Krapets, Bulgaria
Distance to district city: 76 km.
Price Category: 3 What's this?
Sightseeing nearby: Shabla Cape - Kaliakra Cape - Dourankoulak Moor - Taukliman
Location: The village of Krapets lies about 10km to the north of Shabla and only a few kilometers away from the Bulgarian-Romanian border. Krapets is a typical rural settlement, with small one-storey houses and yards filled with livestock. Yet tourism has started to develop in recent years and a large 3-star hotel with all the needed facilities has just emerged at the seaside edge of the village. The village has a great potential to grow as a holiday place for those tired of crowded resorts thanks to its calamity, bird life, and surrounding natural reserves. Moreover, the fine and unpopulated beach of the village appeals to naturelovers with its authentic wilderness.
History: The area can boast for its rich history. To start with, the Kibela Temple, which is the oldest prehistoric necropolis in continental Europe for its remarkable age of 2500 years, was discovered during excavations in the nearby island in the Dourankulak Lake. Besides, the stone settlement found by archeologists near the temple is believed to be no less than 8,000 years of age. The Eneolithic settlement is considered by its discoverer, Dr Dimov, to have existed from 5400 to 4100 BC. Excavations have also come across other remains of historical value dating back to various periods, which are exhibited in the Historical Museum of Dobrich.
Places of Interest: Besides the Dourankulak Lake with its historical and natural sites, a can visit two more lakes with rich wild life - the Shabla lake and the Ezerets lake – both of which lie to the south of the village. These lakes are populated by various bird species, including ibises, herons and grebes. Between Krapets and the Shabla cape naturelovers can bask in the sun on deserted beaches, enjoy the view of steep cliffs all around.
Accommodation: The situation with accommodation is similar, i.e. supply is still quite limited. The above-mentioned hotel, Yanitsa, is a good three-star hotel with its prices much below the average for this category in seaside resorts. Besides, there are a few other nice-looking holiday villas with pools and neat gardens, where rooms are offered at low prices. Several entrepreneurial old ladies in the villages offer accommodation in their rural houses as well.
Catering: At the time we visited the village of Krapets, the only place to eat out there was the restaurant at the hotel mentioned above. There are a couple of other pubs in the town of Shabla but be aware that menus are simple and unimaginative and would not satisfy a more refined taste. Yet true specialties of almost any pub in the region are the fish soup made of different fish and the tasty craps caught in the lake of Dourankulak.
Transport: It is easy to get to Krapets by following the main road from Varna to the border checkpoint of Dourankulak. There is a good asphalt offroad to Krapets shortly after one passes by the town of Shabla.
