BULGARIA – NORTH (Sofia, Veliko Tarnovo, Vidin, Ruse, Pleven, Shumen) April 30- 2019
Madara Horseman (Rider). Discovered in 1872, this is a bas-relief carving of an actual size horseman about 30m up on a cliff face. His right hand holds the reins and his left a drinking horn. The horse is prancing with his left leg raised. There are several inscriptions in Greek carved on the cliffs. A lion is stabbed by a spear.
The carving represents the Bulgarian Khan Tervel (701-21) who helped the Byzantine emperor Justinian to regain the throne and was rewarded by being proclaimed Caesar. It is the oldest Bulgarian official document. Bring binoculars to see it well. It is a World Heritage Site. 5 BGN
There is also a rock shrine, tombs, 2 churches. 2 caves, a fortress, grain storehouse and a Roman villa nearby.
SHUMEN
Museum Lajos Kosut. In a house built by the Hungarian politician Haskan Kehakott, Note that it is closed from 12-1 and I waited the hour for it to open. 6 GBH
Monument to 1300 Years of Bulgaria (Founders of the Bulgarian State Monument) is a large monument on a plateau above the city. It was built in 1981 to commemorate the 1300th anniversary of the First Bulgarian Empire.
The monument is built in concrete in a Cubist style, and designed by Bulgarian sculptors Krum Damyanov and Ivan Slavov. It is reached by a processional concrete stairway from Shumen, or by road. It stands at a height of 450 m above sea level and can be seen from 30 km away.
Belintsi Windmill, Belintsi. In a very rural agricultural area, this is a nondescript village. At the northern edge of the village, this has existed here from the early years of the XX century. It is completely wooden and still working, but only as a museum exhibit for demonstrations of grinding grain. Entry is possible upon request.
Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari. A World Heritage Site, this royal tomb is in a large tumulus made of layers of dirt and yellow rock. There are two other tumuli nearby, #12 with the entrance covered by an ugly rusted metal Quonset hut and #13 with a small plaster house over the entrance. All sit on a small rise in the middle of fields.
Discovered in 1982 in a mound, this 3rd-century BC Getic tomb reflects the fundamental structural principles of Thracian cult buildings. The tomb’s architectural decor is considered to be unique, with polychrome half-human, half-plant caryatids and painted murals. The ten female figures carved in high relief on the walls of the central chamber and the decorations of the lunette in its vault are the only examples of this type found so far in the Thracian lands. It is a remarkable reminder of the culture of the Getae, a Thracian people who were in contact with the Hellenistic and Hyperborean worlds, according to ancient geographers.
In 2012, archaeologists uncovered a significant treasure near the village. The treasure included a golden ring, 44 female figure depictions and 100 golden buttons, found in 150 tombs from the 4th century BC. It has been suggested that it is part of the site of the Getan city of Helis.
A small exhibit in the ‘museum’ shows gold jewelry and a few artifacts. Drive on some punishing roads to get here. Note that it is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays with the last entrance at 4:30. 10 BGN
The 120km drive to Ruse was on a pot-holed disaster of a road. To complicate matters, there was a spectacular storm. At 4 pm it was as dark as half an hour after sundown. It rained so hard the road was a river on the edges as it drained so poorly.
RUSE
Ruse is the largest Bulgarian city on the Danube (which forms the border with Romania). In the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, it adopted European ideas and trends in architecture.
Ruse Neo-Baroque and Neo-Rococo Architecture. A NM “Sight”, the main street of the city is “Aleksandrovska”. It is an architectural ensemble of buildings in Neo-Baroque, Neo-Rococo, and other architectural styles. The regional library “Lyuben Karavelov” is located on the square and is decorated with baroque ornaments – leaves, pearls and rosettes.
National Transport Museum. It is housed in the first railroad station in Bulgaria built in 1866. Outside are some rusty locomotives and inside tired displays that bely the “National’ moniker. 5 BGN
Museum of Urban Life Kaliopa House. This house was built by a Turkish governor in 1878 and in 1886 purchased by a Russian ambassador who was in love with a woman by the name of Kaliopa. He remodeled it and had the inside lavishly painted.
Downstairs is an odd collection of local history: fashion dresses, toys, tiny shoes and fancy dishes. Upstairs are four rooms that are over-the-top with all surfaces painted in designs, lovely furniture originally from Vienna and velvet curtains with tassels. It was restored in 1974. There is no English and I was given a brief account of the history. 6 BGN
Regional Museum of History. Housed in a lovely building in the Neo-Rococo style, this has all the typical stuff of regional museums with a reasonable account of Roman, Byzantine and the three Bulgarian kingdoms. I arrived shortly before closing and was given a personal tour by the guy at the desk. The most interesting was the exhibits on “Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Danube Limes in Bulgaria a tentative WHS (01/04/2016). The Danube was the north border of the Roman Empire for much of its length. To defend it, they built forts along the river (“limes”) – there are 15 in Bulgaria alone (Colonia Ulpia, Almus, Cebriss, Zonus, Variana, Oesus, Utas, Novae, Trimammium (to the west of Ruse, it was the winter port of the Roman Navy), Sexaginta Prista (to the east of Ruse), Tegra, Tranamause, Nigurius, Candidiana and Durostorum) and all were abandoned by the 6th century. 6 BGN
Sveta Troitsa Cathedral. Downtown on the east end of the square, descend two flights of stairs in the frescoed entrance with a lovely high dome in the tower. Inside are carved wood icon stands, armchairs for pews, wall frescoes, the ceiling in geometric triangles – blue over the aisles and red on the nave, a gilt altar with 48 small and 8 large icons, lovely stained glass and 3 glass chandeliers. There are no domes and the church presents a very low profile. Free
Monument of Liberty. Ruse has a very nice huge square with several fountains and gardens. Commemorating the victory of Bulgaria and other Balkan states over the Ottomans, this imposing monument has a bronze “liberty” on a stone block column, and two bronze lions and 2 cannon on the corners of the base. Brass bas-reliefs depict events of the Balkan Wars. Free
Catholic Cathedral of St. Paul on the Cross (SV Pavel of Krasta). I saw this early in the morning and had this nice church to myself. It was a welcome change to see a typical Catholic church after all the carved wood and icons in Orthodox churches. The columns, arches, apse and back wall are painted in geometrics. There are 3 glass chandeliers, nice polychromes on each of the four columns and wonderful stained glass displaying saints and Bible stories. Free
I had a bad day today, but not as bad as Google Maps – she was a real screw-up many times (refer to many of the posts of where to avoid her advice). First I got a €35 ticket for not having a road toll tax “vignette”, then escaped a speeding ticket by whining a lot and finally brushed a car while trying to park (I gave him €45 for the damage).
Rock-Hewn Churches of Ivanovo. 20 km south of Ruse, this is a World Heritage Site. Hundreds of premises, part of old monasteries were cut into the cliffs of the Rousse Lom River valley. The largest is the Royal Monastery of the St Archangel Michael founded in the 1220s by the spiritual mentor of Tsar Ivan Asen II who returned Bulgaria to the Orthodox Independent Bulgarian church in 1235.
Only this church is open to the public. Climb up about 100 steps along the cliff face to the Church of the Rock (it has many names, all in the same place) – divided into the Church of St Mary (frescoes of Bible stories and the king and queen painted on all the walls and ceiling in 1476) with a small balcony and the Chapel of St Jerome (frescoes showing him curing the paw of the lion and then him riding the lion).
Access to the cave was by a horizontal wood platform clinging to the cliff. The entrance now is by an opening cut by French archaeologists in 1936. The frescoes are quite bright but lack details in the faces. 5 BGN
There are also some cave “apartments” near and 2 chapels, 2 churches and an apartment across and up the valley that are closed.
Roussensky Lom Nature Park (01/10/1984). The wooded valley is very picturesque with vertical rock faces and a stream. It is home to 149 bird species, of which the Egyptian vulture is detailed on a storyboard. There are several trails to walk.
The ancient town of Nicopolis ad Istrum. A tentative WHS (01/10/1984), this Roman town was built in the 1st and 2nd century AD on the Odessus (Vana), Marcianopolis (Devaya), Melta (Lovech), Serdica (Sofia) road that connected to the road to Istanbul and the eastern Roman empire. Enter at the north gate that was rebuilt after the disastrous Costobok assault of 170 AD and reconstructed after the Goths invaded in the 3rd century. The town is a square with the typical 2 main roads (350 and 407m long) and 4 gates. The most impressive parts are the 6-7m-wide road made from huge 2 m-long limestone blocks and the exposed sewer system. The forum and the remainder of the buildings are ruins with foundations remaining. A 25km aqueduct was built to carry water to the town.
The Byzantines constructed a massive wall in the 5th century and Christians 2 basilicas in the 5th and 6th centuries, all destroyed by the Avars and Slavs in the early 7th century.
Arbanasi. A NM “small town”, this cute touristic town sits on a hill and is full of hotels. All houses and properties are surrounded by rock walls topped by terracotta tiles.
VELIKO TARNOVO
Tarnovo was the capital of Bulgaria from the 12th century until liberation and was where the constitution of Bulgaria was written, a liberal document for its time. Although in a pretty setting, there is little worth seeing in this touristic town.
Trapezitsa Fortress. I took the funicular up and down (10 BGN + 6 BGN) to the fort, of which only wall remnants remain. Except for the views and a nice small museum, it is not worth coming up here and walking would not be difficult. The hill is not that high but the woman would not refund my descent ride. Google Maps directs you to a very narrow street on the north side but the funicular is on the south. This is where I swiped the car trying to park.
Holy Forty Martyrs Church. In the 12th century, a monastery complex was built around a church, all rebuilt in 1230 to commemorate the Bulgarian victory over the Epirus army near the village of Koprivshtitsa. The Ottomans captured the city in 1393 after which everything declined, the church became a mosque and it returned to Christianity at liberation in 1878.
This is very disappointing and not worth paying any entrance fee. It was renovated in 2004 and has modern white plaster walls and a new marble altar screen around the apse area containing the 5 graves of Bulgarian kings from the 12th and 13th centuries. The old part (the nave – the Temple of Great Monastery) has some frescoes but little to see. The roof is mostly missing and covered by a new wood roof. There are several ruined walls of the original monastery complex. Park down the road near the bridge, not to where Google Maps directs you. 6 BGN
Tsarevets Fortress. Built in 814-31m the impressive wall surrounds the entire river side of the fort on the south and east. On the top of the hill are a large church and the ruins of the palace of the Bulgarian kings. Walk up the ramp and enter through a reconstructed gate. There was a scad of tourists here. Free
Monument to the Asen Dynasty (1188-1241). Easily the highlight of the town, this impressive monument has the four Assen kings astride horses surrounding a metal spire. It was built to commemorate the 800-year anniversary of the rebellion against Byzantine rule.
Tarnovo Archaeological Museum. Don’t drive to where Google Maps directs you – along a narrow cobble road along the river, but park at the Revival Museum at the top and walk down. This is a poor museum with the usual tired exhibits (although there are a few nice gold pieces including a breastplate on a skeleton). I like terse labels but these were ridiculous – “brass jug”, and “pot” with no dates. 6 BGN
Bulgarian Revival Museum. The large totally wood interior holds the constituent assembly where the constitution of liberated Bulgaria was written by 213 delegates in 1879. They sat on high padded benches with no backs. The museum has 14 portraits, guns, swords, documents, photos and personal effects commemorating the April 1876 uprising, the liberation of 1877-8 and the assembly. There is also an incongruous large exhibit of cameras. 6 BGN
Dryanovo Monastery (of St Archangel Michael). Situated on the lovely Andaka River (great rocks and waterfalls), the church has 2 domes covered in frescoes and hundreds of framed icons. I entered one of the monastery buildings where about 15 people were sitting around. I asked if anyone spoke English to try to find out what was going on. Only one young guy answered, “we are waiting to pray”. In 1876, rebels had a 9-day battle against the Turks here and the Turks burnt down the monastery.
Bacho Kiro Cave. Walk along the lovely river and waterfalls to the cave that is a few hundred meters long and has a few speleothems and corny labels. The cave had evidence of Neanderthal habitation 100,000 years ago. 6 BGN
Tryavna. A NM “small town”, it was a tortuous drive here. Supposedly known for its Revival Architecture, I could find little consistent architectural style – several abandoned factories, ugly Soviet-style apartment blocks and 20th century buildings surrounding the nice pedestrianized square.
Bojintsi. A NM “small town”, this is an out-of-the-way place, at the end of an 11km road. It is well known for its architecture of two-story white houses – the bottom of stone, the second floor half-timbered and with a slate roof. This was the home of the founder of the Gabrovo industry, a blacksmith.
I slept along the road high above Tryavna at one of the many huge limestone monuments scattered all over Bulgaria.
GABROVO
House of Humour and Satire is an exposition of traditional local humour art, including cartoons, photographs, paintings, sculptures, and verbal humour. The House combines features of a museum and an art gallery. The House’s art collection Humour of the Peoples includes over 51 620 works of art by over 9000 authors from 173 countries around the world: among them approximately 22 000 caricatures, over 3000 satirical graphics, over 1000 picture works, around 1000 sculptures, around 9500 photos, over 200 posters, over 300 carnival masks and costumes. I lost out in the Bulgarian humour. 6 BGN
Interactive Museum of Industry. This is a good museum opened by the municipality in 2014 with a heavy reliance on video interaction. The women “guide” gave me a personal tour, necessary to see the introduction on each floor in English and explain how everything works.
Each floor covers a period of Gabrovo history as the industrial powerhouse of Bulgaria. Initially, there were textile and wool factories, then knitwear, leather, metal, cotton, gunpowder and iron, most of them based on a good supply of hydro-generated electricity. With communism, all the industries were nationalized and many merged resulting in an initial loss of jobs. Metal machining, loom manufacture, cranes, chemical and plastic factories, cutlery and military industries (including land mines) were developed. The contemporary section after 1989 resulted in privatization and many of the factories were abandoned. At the end of the tour watch a 3D video on the city and some of the surrounding towns. 6 BGN
Etar Architectural-Ethnographic Complex. This open-air museum presents Bulgarian customs, culture and craftsmanship in 50 exhibits, including water installations and houses with craftsmen’s workshops attached. The pre-existing Karadzheyka water-mill, built around 1780, was thoroughly reconstructed, with the other objects being constructed later. Opened in 1964, it became a national park in 1967. Bulgarian revival houses have two floors and bay windows. Wood-carving, pottery, coppersmith, furriery, cutlery making and needlework are demonstrated.
Sokolski Monastery. A 6.5km climb, this isolated monastery was established in 1834. Set in a nice garden of hedges and tulips, this lovely church has frescoes on the copper dome, façade and portico. Inside the walls, apse and dome likewise have bright frescoes.
Shipka Monument and Pass. A 16km steep climb off the main highway through lovely forest to the top of this mountain (1361m), was still very worthwhile. Climb 204 steps to the platform on which the towering stone monument sits. Then it is another 177 steps to climb to the top of the monument for commanding views of Central Balkan National Park and the plains to the northeast. Inside are 5 floors of exhibits commemorating the Russian-Turkish War of 1877-78 ending 500 years of Turkish rule, on which the monument is based. The decisive battle occurred on the peak, much of it in winter. 3 BGN, 1 reduced
I then drove over the pass on a different road and entered Bulgaria South.
After one day in Bulgaria South, I returned to Bulgaria North on May 3, primarily to see Sofia and area.
Vrana Palace. In 1879-98, a German by the name of Bone Petrov built a farm with a house, mill and outbuildings and then lost everything to gambling. Prince Ferdinand bought the property, added more land, built a mansion and called it Vrana (“crow”) homestead. Of the 2550 acres, 1200 was turned into a park with 4 ponds, 4 greenhouses, 4 rockeries and created his own brand of ecological agriculture. He planted 821 trees and shrubs from 178 plant families. After 1946, Prime Minister Demetrov settled in the park in a small log cabin.
The park and mansion are open to the public every Saturday and Sunday from 9-4. I returned on Saturday morning, walked past a lily pond with a log cabin, two rockeries, the palace (a lovely 2-story mansion that appears to never be open to the public), the greenhouses and completed the circuit back at the parking area. It is an extremely serene area for a walk. 5 BGN
Snail House. In the NM “Bizzarium” series, this odd structure is in SW Sofia. It is a large building of blue, green, red, white and orange sheet metal plates riveted together. The front door frame, nose and eyebrows are concrete. House ventilation balls form the pupils, hang from the eyebrows and rotate. There are two large garage doors on the front, several snail planters and a yellow sidewalk surrounding it.
Boyana Church (Kaloyon’s Church). A World Heritage Site (1979), this small church is renowned for its medieval mural paintings – noted for their accurate depictions and rich colour palette.
From the outside, the three stages are obvious. The original is all brick and the addition is brick/stone/wood layering.
The original church was built in the 2nd half of the 12th century/early part of the 13th century and called St Nikola. In 1259, Sebastacutor Kaloyon built a narthex second floor and dome over the original, called that section St Pantelemon Church and totally repainted the interior. In 1845, an external narthex was added.
Of the frescoes, only parts in the nave and narthex are well preserved, the best are the portraits of Kaloyon and his wife. Buried here are Patriarch Kiril and Exarch Stefan who prevented exporting Jews to Nazi concentration camps in WWII.
You need a reservation to visit as the tiny church only accommodates 8 visitors at once. 10 GBN, 12 GBN combined ticket with National History Museum.
National History Museum. This is an archaeological, ethnographic, and history museum with exhibits not ordered by date. The highlight was easily the special exhibition called “Goldsmithing” with the best ancient gold I have ever seen. Made in late 4th/early 3rd centuries BC by the Odyssian ruler Serithes (r. 330-306 BC), the collection is called the Panagyurishte Treasure and consists of 9 pieces of intricate heavy gold – 6 cups (two of women’s heads, one man’s head, 2 with stag handles, a ram’s head and a goat head), a wonderful jug and a large round disc (phial).
There was also some history of the 1887-8 Russian-Turkish war, a large number of ethnic costumes, and a nice exhibit of Neolithic artifacts including amazing gold for being 7,000 years old. The docent got pissed with I gave a bell a rap. 12 BGN combined ticket with Boyana Church.
Bellissimo. In the NM “Modern Architecture: Buildings” series, this building has 2 sections of black reflective glass connected at the lobby. One is a 4-story cylinder with a sloped roof and the other an 11-story triangular building. All the windows can be opened slanting outwards. It is an office building with stores on the bottom of the cylinder. Paradise Center. This large modern shopping mall in south Sofia has 4 floors of shopping spread over 2 large corridors that meet at the ends. The restaurants are on the 3rd floor. I had a shower at the Fitness Centre on the 4th floor, shaved in a baby change room and bought a shirt.
This day was an initial drive about to see things on the outskirts of the centre and then a huge walk-about to see everything else.
Sofia Zoo. Zoos can be depressing and this was no exception as it is quite dated with a huge concrete monstrosity for the bears, but the price was right. The grizzly bear didn’t look like the grizzlies I have seen in the wild but was a very active animal. I hate seeing wolves pace their small enclosure. The Siberian tiger was a magnificent animal who came over to the glass to look at me and then sprayed. An enclosed building had a lot of great snakes and a poor aquarium. 1 BGN reduced
I then returned 18 km south to see Vrana Palace which was only open on the weekends.
Malashevtsi Flea Market. In NW Sofia, this large flea market consisted of some metal stands with good stuff (tools, car products) and a lot of blankets spread on the ground with everyone’s junk. I was there on a Saturday morning and possibly this only occurs on the weekends. The food stands were very cheap. 4 BGN to park up top.
Sofia Central Train Station. In north Sofia, this modern station has a large waiting area and is nicely arranged to buy tickets and access the platforms. There are two nice large mosaics on the walls.
Monument to the Soviet Army. In a large park, this is a wonderful sentimental monument full of the warm feelings between Bulgaria and the Soviet military. Two small monuments show Bulgarian citizens thanking Soviet soldiers. The large monument is a stone column with a soldier and his arms around a family. On three sides of the base are great bas-reliefs of war scenes and a third with a politician and general. A few years ago, two of these bas-reliefs were painted in garish colours. The paint has since been removed but traces are still visible. Free
Red House. In the NM “Entertainment/Things to do” series, there was not much to do here at this two-story red house. A small room had many posters in Bulgarian Cyrillic that appeared to be political. The Red Point restaurant is at the back of the building.
Earth and Man National Museum. Don’t miss this spectacular collection of rocks and minerals. In the centre of the bottom floor are at least 100 giant crystals from Brazil collected by a Bulgarian, the heaviest weighing over 1,400kgs. Very few minerals form crystals: quartz, calcite, gypsum, beryl, tourmaline, feldspar, and mica. Amethyst geodes always amaze me. Surrounding these huge crystals are glass cases on two floors with thousands of good rocks and minerals, all labeled in English but few explanations of the method of formation or the locations. It ends with man-made materials, bricks, glass, semiconductors, and steel. 4 BGN, 2 reduced
As I was walking from here, there were many posters on a pedestrian bridge detailing the visit of Pope Francis on May 5-7th.
National Palace of Culture. In the NM “Modern Architecture” series, this monstrous octagonal building has several performance venues and a cinema. Around the bottom are a dance studio and a couple of coffee shops. A large plaza fronts the building, busy with people out for a walk. The building could not be entered on a Sunday or probably anytime there is not a performance happening.
Bulgarian National Film Archive. On an obscure side street, this NM “Modern Architecture” building was a little underwhelming – a small one-story cream building that looks like it was built in the first half of the 20th century with four fluted cement columns as part of the façade.
As I was walking from here, a bird shit on my phone. That has never happened before. It is surprising what a mess it makes, and another good reason to always carry some toilet paper with you.
St. Georgi Rotunda Church. This is surprisingly not in the NM lists as it is a magnificent ancient church. Entirely brick inside and out, it is the oldest building in Sofia in good shape. Dating to the Roman Empire in the 4th century, Justinian converted it from a baptistery into a church. The vault was destroyed several times: by an earthquake, the Visigoths in the 4th and the Huns in the 5th. In 1512, the Ottomans converted it into a mosque and plastered over all the frescoes. It was then neglected until 1878, in 1915 the minaret was removed and the plaster removed and frescoes uncovered. It is a magnificent round building with some very faded frescoes in the dome and upper walls.
in a grass roundabout is a magnificent black marble column topped by a great sculpture of a woman with a gold head and forearms holding a wreath and dove.
Sveta Petka Samardjiyska (Church of St Peter). Next to a large archaeological dig below the present ground level, this tiny rectangular church looks ancient from the outside with bare rock walls. Dating from the 11th century, the faded, very dark and fragmented frescoes are from the 15th. Enter in the basement and climb a spiral staircase into the nave. 2 BGN
Central Sofia Market Hall. Built in 1952, this steel girder building has 2 floors of shops, meat, veg, fish and 2 bars in the middle.
Banya Bashi Mosque. The façade is exposed rock with one minaret and one big dome with the usual geometrics and writing from the Koran and a plain white mihrab and mimbar.
The walk from here was obstructed by all the preparations for the Pope’s visit – stages, bleachers +++, many police and a lot of plastic ribbon cordoning the entire area.
National Gallery. Established with art collected by Prince Ferdinand, there are portraits, landscapes, pastoral scenes and war art from the 1887-8 Russian-Turkish War. 6BGN, 3 reduced
National Museum of Natural History. This typifies the worst of natural history museums: thousands of stuffed critters in glass display cases and no surrounding environment. There were thousands of birds on tiny wood perches on the 1st floor, a lot of mammals on the second and a lot of insects on the third. 4 GBN, 2 reduced
St Nikolas the Miracle Maker Church. Not on the NM list, I was prevented from entering because of my flip-flops!! That was a first – I have been wearing flips almost continuously for 13 years of travel, about the only thing I have successfully accomplished. Jesus wore sandals.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. Built from 1904-16, the highlights are all the nice marble (walls, sculptures, altar screen and throne with lions), the gold/silver/gem encrusted icon jackets and the 52m-high dome (gold on the outside). The frescoes are faded. Free
National Art Gallery/National Gallery for Foreign Art/Museum of Socialist Art. These three galleries were together in one mammoth space – 3 floors in two wings. I actually liked a lot of the Bulgarian art and there was thankfully little modern art.
The foreign art was diverse with a lot of African wood carvings, Buddhas, Japanese prints, Indian and Vietnamese sculpture, and nice Goa polychromes. 10 BGN, 5 reduced
University Botanical Garden. This small square garden has two greenhouses with orchids and tropical plants and a nice garden but with few flowers blooming at this time of the year. There were two rockeries and a huge 130-year-old English oak that was 1.5m in diameter. Free
This was my last place of the day where I entered 10 minutes before closing at 17:50. When I got to my car, it had been towed. Foolish me. But it was fast to get a taxi and fetch it 103 GBN later.
Cultural Centre G8. This is a cinema with three screens. I watched Green Room, the only one in English. The tiny theatre was packed – I was surprised at all the folks who entered late. 8 GBN, 2 GBN for the popcorn.
I was off early for a big drive day to see the southwest of Bulgaria. It was cool and rained most of the day. I actually put on shoes for 3 hours.
BOROVETS
A NM “Sight”, Borovets is a popular mountain resort situated in Sofia Province, on the northern slopes of Rila, at an altitude of 1350 m. Borovets is 10 km from Samokov, 73 km from Sofia and 125 km from Plovdiv.
Borovets is the oldest Bulgarian winter resort with a history that dates back to 1896. Borovets was originally established at the end of the 19th Century as a hunting place for the Bulgarian Kings. Borovets gradually developed into a modern ski resort with hotels, restaurants, bars and a network of ski runs and lifts along the slopes of the Rila Mountains, providing for a whole range of winter sports. The resort has twice hosted World Cup Alpine Skiing rounds(1981 and 1984), while the Biathlon track is one of the best in the world.
The Super Borovets project is one of the largest and most expensive investment and development projects in Bulgarian history. The plan is to enlarge Borovets town to encompass the nearby towns of Samokov and Beli Iskar.
The ski resort is at an altitude of 1350 m. 58 km of marked pistes cover the generally north-facing slopes up to an altitude of 2560 m, with many runs terminating near the village centre allowing skiers to ski almost to their hotel door. The longest run is a gentle 12 km return to the resort along the maintenance road.
During the summer, there are mountain and forest tracks and more recently, mountain biking has many dedicated routes which include purpose-made jumps. The lifts are working in the summer and bikers can take their bikes up on them. Different lifts work on different days. Hiking is also popular as is fishing at the local trout fishery.
Kings Palace (Tsarska Bistritsa) is open from 10 till 5 Friday to Sunday and cost 3 leva entry.
Tsary Mali Grad Funicular, Belchin, About 30kms NW of Borovets, the funicular (4 BGN, 2 reduced) takes you to the top of St Spa’s Hill. There is a cult complex (Pagan temple 3rd century, early Christian Basilica 4th century, early Christian church 6th century, medieval church 15th century), a large reconstructed gate complex with 2 buildings of exhibits, low wall ruins to the south, and a 3-story reconstructed battlement on the west. It is not really worthwhile to come here except for the view. 4 BGN, 2 reduced
I then continued my drive about by heading west and then along the far west of the country, hoping to enter North Macedonia at the end of the day.