Contents - turizamiotdih.com · Bulgarians; Museum of Beer; SPA resort Starozagorski bani. For more information: Tourist Information Centre Photos: Archives of the Municipality of

ContentsBulgaria: Diversity Next Door 2

Plovdiv – 2019 European Capital of Culture 6

Two Is a Company 12

The Magical Town of Veliko Tarnovo 14

Saints Constantine and Elena Resort: 110 Years Old and Still Going Strong 20

Beach Inspector Awards for Two Bulgarian Beaches 24

Vacation Package Deals 30

UNESCO lists Nessebar on its new travel website 33

Barefoot in Little Vienna 38

The Belogradchik Rocks: A Fairytale in Stone 48

Occupation: Kayak Guide 50

Ancient Healers 54

Up and Down the Snowy Slopes 60

238

1448

54 30

24

www.tourismandrecreation.com2 Т & R

O� en paired in travel guidebooks, Bulgaria and Romania have

much in common - a common border along the River Dan-ube, shared history, charac-terful towns, wild nature and a warm welcome for strangers. To this appraisal by Kieran Meeke, freelance travel writer from Northern Ireland, we should add: common ordeal under Communism and cur-rent partnership in the EU and NATO.

So do you feel at home in Bulgaria, even if we do not share the same language and currency? Statistics say ‘yes’. Romania tops the list of incoming tour-ists from January to September 2018 inclusive, with 1 124 307 visits (out of the record-breaking number of 5 467 298 foreign guests), which makes a remarkable increase of 27,5 per cent compared to the same period of 2017. Greece comes second with 852 277 visits, and Germany ranks third with 790 972 tourists.

But, unlike ten years ago, it is not just the Black Sea beaches and the ski runs of Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo that attract tourists to Bulgaria. Cultural, historical and religious tourism, ecotour-

Bulgaria: Diversity Next DoorThere is something for every tourist – be it a family of four, a romantic

couple or an adventurous climber, skier or diver

3Т & R

a city older than Ath-ens and Rome, has been voted a 2019 European Capital of Culture – a good rea-son for visiting it.

The surreal splendor of the Belogradchik Rocks, contender for the New 7 Wonders of Nature, can now be viewed from the gondola of a hot-air balloon.

The Old Bulgarian capital Veliko Tarnovo, which bears the imprint of the grand mas-ter of Bulgarian architecture, Kolyo Ficheto, lures visitors with the restored historical for-tress of Trapezitsa, accessible by the longest and the most inclined cogwheel railway ever built in these lands.

ism and rural tourism, SPA/balneo/wellness tourism and adventure tourism have all experi-enced a veritable boom.

While visiting Bulgaria (in all 4 seasons) would be a wise decision, deciding what to do can be tricky – there is just so much on off er, writes Luana Weaver, travel enthusiast and editor at Route4Us. Apart from the beautiful nature landscapes, the mixing of diff erent cultures results in some of the most fascinating dance, music, arts, and artifacts found anywhere in the world, she adds.

That said, Bul-garia awaits you with a host of new sights, attractions and events. Plovdiv,

4 Т & R

You can engage in bird watching at the Srebarna Nature Reserve near the town of Silistra, a site on UNESCO’s World Her-itage list, which features the Dalmatian pelican, great egret, night heron, glossy ibis and white spoonbill among its 243 species of feathered inhabitants.

And, on your way to Greece, you can stop by the rapids of Struma River for an

adrenaline-pumping ra� ing boat ride.

In Bulgaria there is something for every-one – be it a family with kids, a romantic couple or a solo climber, skier or diver, who instinctively follows Paulo Coelho’s maxim that travelling means adventure.

Please, feel genuinely welcomed!

www.tourismandrecreation.com 5Т & R


7Т & R

Plovdiv was voted a 2019 European Capital of Culture – a good reason for visiting it

By Plamen PetrovPhotography the author and Plovdiv Municipality

Next year Plovdiv will add a rare jewel to its crown of a millennia-old settlement. In 1915 the South-Central Bulgarian city was designat-ed to be the 1919 European Capital of Culture, alongside the Italian city of Matera. The Togeth-er Concept, with which Plovdiv has won the se-lection process in the EU Council’s initiative, has a motto that fully � ts in with reality. The peace-ful coexistence of Bulgarians, Turks, Armenians and Jews here over the centuries has made a mark not only on the architecture but also on the mentality of the locals – they are more laid-back and negotiable compared to the inhabit-ants of other settlements in Bulgaria. They have even coined the word ‘ailyak’ to describe their

happy-go-lucky attitude to life.

Eumolpias, as the Thracians named their settle-ment on three hills along the Maritsa River, dates back to 4000 BC, thus making Plovdiv older than Athens and Rome. It ranks sixth in The Daily Telegraph list of the world’s oldest permanently inhabited cities, im-mediately after the Palestinian Jericho, the Lebanese Byblos, the Syrian Aleppo and Damascus, and the Ira-nian Susa. It sounds like a cliché, but Antiquity and

Modernity are blended in Plovdiv, o� ering opportu-nities for practicing di� erent types of tourism: cultur-al and historical (Revival Period houses, churches and antique heritage), festival (Kapana Fest, Hills of Rock, Sounds of the Ages), business (Vinaria - International Exhibition of Vine-Growing and Wine Producing, In-ternational Technical Fair), to mention but a few.

No matter what the purpose of their visit is, there is a spot that draws tourists like a magnet. This is Ancient Plovdiv Architectural and Historical Reserve, simply known as the Old Town. The easiest way to get there is to leave the cen-tral Knyaz Alexander I street and head up by the Turkish Dzhumaya Mosque built in 1363. You will pass


right by the partially excavated remains of the Sta-dium Trimontium, one of the largest ancient Roman structures in the Balkans.

Horse hoofs have once echoed in the winding cob-blestone streets of the Old Town, but today it is most convenient to traverse it on foot. Do not make plans where to go, just hang around, try hot, handmade bread with leaven, or paint a clay pitcher on the Street of Crafts, enter the Revival Period houses with

galleries, museums, cafes and restaurants, sit in their yards abounding in � g trees and ivy, and spotted with � owers and dried wells. If you are short on time, how-ever, better join the free Plovdiv walking tour o� ered by Association 365, an NGO for tourism and culture. Most hotels will have information on tour times.

One of the most beautiful buildings in the Old Town, which today is transformed into an Ethnographic Museum, can be found on Doctor Stoyan Chomakov street, next to the Tourist Information Center. The house of merchant Argir Kuyumdzhi oglu was erected

by the Rhodope master builder Georgi Hadzhiyski in 1847. It is an eye-catcher with its blue façade, its pro-truding elliptical portal with wooden columns and curved cornices inviting a comparison to the lustful curves of a woman’s body. It is also worth visiting the House of the Georgiadis’ (currently the National Liberation Warfare Museum), the Chomakovs’ House (hosting the gallery of late painter Zlatyu Boyadzhiev, famous for his explosive colourful, naive style, devel-oped as a result of a stroke), the Balabanovs’ House (organized as a gallery for contemporary painting and a concert hall) and the House of Georgi Ma-vridi, better known as Lamartine’s House, in which the great French poet, traveler and supporter of the fragmentation of the Ottoman Empire Alphonse de Lamartine had stayed during his diplomatic mission in the Orient in the 19th century.

Lamartine’s House rises at the end of a street that af-ter a sharp turn will abruptly catapult you from the Revival Period back to Antiquity. What lies in store for you is a white-stone 2nd-century Roman theatre hewn in the steep rocks above a car tunnel. Road builders came across the amazing structure by chance while digging for the highway below in 1968. Subsequent-ly, archaeologists revealed 14 rows of stone benches


with cut-out names of the neighborhoods whose inhabitants were entitled to reserved seats. A three-level stage (proscenium) with a colonnade crowned with friezes, cornices and marble sculptures rises be-low the semi-circular central platform for 3500 spec-tators. There used to be bronze sculptures there as well, but today only the pedestals with the names of the noble Romans had remained. In the 5th century Atilla’s hordes plundered everything precious, but the main part of the theatre remained intact. Nowadays its stage welcomes world-renowned musicians: from Goran Bregovic to Sting and Marillion, who take ad-vantage of its magni� cent acoustics.

Do not overlook the churches in the Old Town, the most spectacular of which is the Cathedral Church of Virgin Mary. In 1859, the � rst worship in the Bulgarian language was performed in this temple and in 1872 the Bulgarian Exarchate prelates welcomed there its � rst bishop, Metropolitan Panaret.

More inconspicuous is the Church of St Constantine and St Helen. It was erected in 1832 over the remains of an Early Christian sanctuary devoted to 38 martyrs, whom the Romans beheaded here in AD 304. The temple boasts a unique wood-carved iconostasis and old-time frescoes, one of which, on the portico itself, depicts the dream of its patron, Constantine the Great (AD 274–337), the � rst Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, declaring toleration to this religion.

Plovdiv can be thoroughly tramped, but its story can never be fully told. So keep up with what is happening in the City under the Hills and follow the calendar of cultural events at :www.visitplovdiv.com/en; plovdiv2019.eu/en


Heritage From Diverse EpochsStara Zagora, one of the big cities of Bulgaria, is located in the Thra-cian plain, the largest one on its territory and at the foot of Sarnena Gora Muntain. It is 210 km away from Ruse and 100 km from Veliko Tarnovo.

Stara Zagora boasts millennial cultural and historical heritage. Ar-chaeological monuments and museum expositions present the history of the city and the region from the Early Neolithic age (mid 6thmillen-nium BC) to this day.

The distinctive appearance of the city with its straight and lush green streets, extensive park spaces, rich cultural life, entertainment oppor-tunities, good cuisine and excellent local wines, wonderful recreational facilities in the nearby SPA resort, complement and enrich the tourists’ experience in the destination.

Places to visit in Stara Zagora:Neolithic Dwellings Museum; Augusta Trayana Vereya Archaeological Reserve; Museum of Religions; Regional History Museum; Opera Theatre; Churches; Aul Baga-Tur Complex for training and demonstration of archery, riding and � ghting techniques of ancient Bulgarians; Museum of Beer; SPA resort Starozagorski bani.

For more information: Tourist Information Centre www.starazagora.lovePhotos: Archives of the Municipality of Stara Zagora and the Association of Travel Bloggers in Bulgaria



Two Is a Company

BozhentsiTime seems to have lulled to sleep this

idyllic village with tiled-roof wooden houses, which nestles in the folds of the Balkan Range, 16 km from Gabrovo. The shutters of the workshops have been closed, the blacksmiths have stopped hammering, the hearths have gone out…

The well in the village square, the wax workshop and the St. Elija Church are almost 200 years old. And the only sounds at night are the bird choirs in the surrounding woods.

GabrovoFamous for their stinginess and their off -beat

sense of humour, Gabrovians admit that they are excellent hosts as long as their guests are staying at a neighbour’s house.

But do not take their words for granted. The longest town in Bulgaria (25 km) is known as an international capital of humour and satire, as well as noted for its Revival Period architecture (the Etura preserve is a must see).

Nearby is the Sokolski Monastery, one of the most beautiful holy places in Bulgaria.

Because of their close proximity and preserved architectural heritage, Gabrovo and Bozhenci are not to be missed




legends, the calm waters of the river and the original architecture before they get to know the town past and its importance for Bulgarian history. Soon they come under the spell of the monasteries, the other cultural attractions and the romantic atmosphere of Veliko Tarnovo. And when they choose to come back, they discover the festivals, museums, crafts and hospitality of the aristocratic town, its culinary specialities and good wine.

Having been recognised as the Balkan

capital of cultural tourism, Veliko Tarnovo stirs the imagination of the people who come here to touch the stones of its fortresses, palaces and churches. The tourists become involved in the numerous cultural events and historical re-enactments telling the story of old times when the town had been an undeniable spiritual, political and economic centre of the mediaeval Bulgarian state. It was not accidentally called ‘the third Rome’ and ‘the second Constantinople’, and considered as one of the most powerful towns, in terms of territory and population, in South-Eastern Europe in the 12th – 14th century. Old chronicles tell about its brisk trade relations with the Republics of Genoa, Venice, Dubrovnik and others.

In 1985, the unique audio-visual show ‘Sound and Light’ was staged under the night sky of

There are a lot of magical towns in Bulgaria and one of them is the Old Bulgarian capital, Veliko Tarnovo. Whenever I travel to this town, it keeps surprising me because every time it shows a different face from among the unique artefacts from its ancient past. Every time I write about this town, its annual cultural calendar, which includes more than 1000 events, is supplemented by new archaeological discoveries and colourful festivals adding to its modern rhythm. Whenever I reach the Architectural and Museum Reserve ‘Tsarevets’ – one of the most visited sites in Bulgaria – I can hear foreign speech more than often as the place is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists from Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Austria, Romania, Japan, China etc.

The amazing Tsarevgrad Tarnov (“city of the Tsars”), as it has been called in mediaeval times, is one of the most picturesque and visited towns in Eastern Europe. Its unique location along the meandering Yantra River, in which the old houses of the town have cast their refl ections for centuries, captivates both professional and amateur photographers who keep taking photos of the incredible architectural monuments of the National Revival for hours. ‘I have never seen a town that is more romantically located than Tarnovo’, one traveller wrote in his diary in 1837, telling enthusiastically about the unique location, nature and beauty of the Old Bulgarian capital.

Veliko Tarnovo attracts an ever-growing number of Bulgarian and foreign tourists from all over the world with its centuries-old cultural and historical heritage. Situated at the foot of the Stara Planina Mountain (the Balkan), on the historical hills of Tsarevets, Trapezitsa and Sveta Gora, Veliko Tarnovo combines an age-old ‘extravagance’ of unique history, incredible architectural style and awesome nature. Newcomers are attracted fi rst by the local

By Assoc. Prof. Sonya Aleksieva, PhDPhotography Asen Velikov

Its unique history, centuries-old heritage, cultural attractions and romantic atmosphere captivate tourists from all over the world


Tsarevets for the fi rst time in Bulgaria and it has been showcasing the dramatic Bulgarian history ever since. Most of the tourists are Europeans who discover the past of the town in the mediaeval museum-churches of St. 40 Martyrs, St. Demetrius, St. George and St. St. Peter and Paul and in the St. Archangels Michael and Gabriel church (in Arbanassi), in the National Revival and Constituent Assembly Museum, the Regional Museum of History, the Tsarevgrad Tarnov Multimedia Visitor Centre and in the unique Nicopolis ad Istrum Archaeological Reserve near Veliko Tarnovo. Among the foreign tourists’ favourite sites is the famous Samovodska Charshia (market), where popular masters present old Bulgarian crafts and demonstrate their skills.

Cultural and festival tourism is Veliko Tarnovo’s forte. One of the most visited events during the year is the ‘Stage of the Ages’ Summer Season of Bulgarian Opera Theatres, which turns the Tsarevets fortress into an open-air stage of opera, operetta, musical and ballet performances for two months. An ever-growing number of foreign tourists visit also the International Folklore Festival, the Military Bands Festival, the Dixie Jazz Fest, the old and new town

museums, the Arbanassi Summer Music Festival of classical chamber music, held in the nearby architectural reserve of Arbanassi.

Since 2011, the traditional Night at the Samovodska Charshia, as well as the Festival of Handicrafts have been among the autumn highlights. They attract the citizens and guests of Veliko Tarnovo with their varied art programme, displays of creativity, dances and good mood. The town which bears the imprint of the grand master of Bulgarian architecture, Kolyo Ficheto, now lures visitors with the historical fortress of Trapezitsa, accessible by the longest and the most inclined cogwheel railway ever built in Bulgaria. The only specialised cultural tourism forum in Bulgaria, the International Cultural Tourism Exhibition, was established here 15 years ago, gathering representatives of the tourism business from Europe and the Balkans every April.

There really are many magical towns in Bulgaria and Veliko Tarnovo is one of them. A town worth another glimpse. A town to dream about, where you can put the beautiful picture in a new frame with each visit, adding to your treasure trove of memories. Because life is a road and the road to Veliko Tarnovo is an experience for life.


18 Т & R

www.tourismandrecreation.com 19Т & Rwww.tourismandrecreation.com 19Т & R

Forget about clichés and trust your eyes. Discover unique antiquities – witnesses of all

human epochs. Cults, rituals, ancient legends. This museum tells a story about the thousand-year old heritage of the fairground town

of Targovishte and the region of Targovishte, displayed in the Archaeological exposition, in Hadji Angel’s House, the Slaveikov school and Sveshtarov’s House.

Feel the atmosphere of the picturesque Varosh Quarter – an echo of the annual spring Targovishte Fair, which has been held over the centuries, up to this day.

Feel the spirit of the mediaeval town of Misionis – the revived Bulgarian stronghold.

2, Metropolitan Andrei Blvd. ; 7700 Targovishte, Bulgariatel. +359 601/ 6 52 16; +359 879 183 449www.facebook.com/trgmuseum; www.facebook.com/targovishtemuseumE-mail: [email protected]

MULTICOLOURED MOSAICS FROM THOUSAND-YEAR OLD CIVILIZATIONS

1. The ‘Cyril and Methodius and Their Five

Disciples’ School /Slaveikov School/, 1863

6. Sveshtarov’s House 8. A belt buckle with an image of

gri� on. Misionis, 12th century 7. Misionis from above

2. A classroom of the Bulgarian

National Revival in the school

3. Hadji Angel’s House,

1863 /Ethnographic

Exposition/

4. A Chalcolithic cult

scene from the village of

Ovcharovo

5. The Kralevo gold treasure.

Horse am

munition. First half

of the third century BC, village

of Kralevo, region of Targovishte

REGIONAL MUSEUM OF HISTORY - TARGOVISHTE

20 Т & R

110 Years Old and Still Going StrongThe fi rst Bulgarian seaside resort, Saints Constantine and Elena,

marked an enviable anniversary

Situated 8 km north of Varna in a remarkably beau-tiful area, Saints Constantine and Elena celebrated its 110th jubilee this year as the oldest Bulgarian Black-Sea resort. In 1992 the recreational complex was named after

a local 14th – 16th century monastery, of which only a small church has been preserved, half of it dug into the ground. Older visitors however still remember it under its previous name, Druzhba (friendship).

In 1905, the construction of the fi rst seaside sana-torium in Bulgaria began there on the initiative of the Bulgarian Queen Eleonora (the second wife of Ferdi-nand Saxe Coburg-Gotha) and with the active assistance of Varna physician Dr Paraskev Stoyanov. The latter became the manager of the summer sanatorium, where children suffering from tuberculosis of bones and joints were successfully treated. He was the fi rst to introduce sea, sun and mud-bath treatment in Bulgaria, but due to disagreements with the Queen, he had to resign in 1910.

The fi rst holiday home was built in 1908, marking the symbolical birthday of the resort. In fact, it was a two-storey superstructure on one of the old monastery buildings. The hotel was named ‘Prague’ because its fi rst guests were foreigners from the Czech capital. Today, the Estreya Palace hotel is in this place.

In 1913 – 1918, a small pine-tree forest was planted, using Austrian pine seeds brought from France, while

along the sea, syca-more, lime, poplar and horse chestnut groves grew. Alleys and fl ower gardens were formed. On 10th Sep-tember 1933, a grape treatment house with 140 rooms facing the sea was inaugurated. It

functioned until the beginning of the Second World War. Under the communist regime, the resort had its name changed and was expanded. New hotels and departmen-tal holiday homes were built.

Today, Saints Constantine and Elena resort makes wise use of its heritage, including the large park with a one hundred-year-old forest and seven mineral springs which have no counterpart in Europe.


110 Years Old and Still Going Strong

22 Т & R

The Secondary School of Glasswork and Design in Valašské Meziříčí, Czech Republic awarded the Krassenska Sleda Prize for an exceptional contribution to culture to Mrs Zheni Mihaylova, Director of the Palace Cultural Centre state cultural institute, Balchik. The prize is in the form of a glass plaque and it is awarded annually in the town.The Palace Cultural Centre state cultural institute, Balchik, took part in the 3rd Edition of the

International Glasswork Symposium, which was held on 11–12 June 2018 in the School. The Symposium was arranged within the concluding conference of the Czech–Slovak–Bulgarian Modern Design Project.The Secondary School of Glasswork and Design in the town of Valašské Meziříčí is a member of the UNESCO Group of Schools and is the only school developing its own research projects in the fi eld of glasswork technologies. It is also a faculty school at the Thomas Bata University of Zlin.In the framework of the symposium and along with the conference, lectures were held in the fi eld of art and technologies, and glass companies presented their activities and products. The complementary programme comprised casting of the hands of celebrities and awarding the Krassenska Sleda Prize. These events were attended by all international partners of the School in European projects, university lecturers and curators of glass collections.

Balchik Palace Cultural Centre Awarded a Czech Prize


24 Т & R

Beach-Inspector.com, the � rst global platform for beach evaluation, has honoured two Bulgarian beaches in

its 2018 Awards. One of the Party Awards has gone to Golden Sands Central Beach on the Bulgarian Riviera, while Venid Beach in the resort of Sveti Vlas got a Classic Holi-day Award. The trained beach inspectors have sur-veyed in person 1,595 beaches in 52 holi-day regions of the world over three years. Each inspector spends one to two days at the beach assessing the services and talk-ing to people, collecting more than 120 pieces of data and taking over 100 photos and more than 50 video clips. He or she also writes a summary and a long descrip-

Two Bulgarian Beaches Given 2018 Beach Inspector Awards

continued on page 26

25Т & R

Two Bulgarian Beaches Given 2018 Beach Inspector Awards

26 Т & R

tion about his/her impressions of the beach, the infrastructure, the local sur-roundings etc. Subsequent evaluation is based on a comprehensive list of factors, such as beach condition, water purity, sanitary and catering facilities, lifeguards on duty, easy and safe access, danger, child friendliness, � irt factor and last but not least, visual beauty of the beach. Awards are given in � ve categories de-pending on the recreational and amuse-ment pro� le of the beach – Wow, Party, Watersport, Special Ambiance and Classic Holiday.We are tempted to quote in full the pres-entation of Beach-Inspector.com regard-ing the Bulgarian winners:

continued � om page 24


27Т & R


Golden Sands Central Beach Party Award 2018Golden Beach is a beach of super-latives and one of the few beaches for which the statement „every-thing is o� ered here“ might be true. But the Golden Beach became legendary with its party scene, which o� ers beats, basses and beer almost around the clock.The golden beach is one of the most famous beaches in Europe and is the epitome of a globalised holiday resort. You won‘t discover much Bulgarian culture here any-more, but you will be o� ered al-most everything you can imagine. Clubs, bars and casinos are located between gigantic hotels and small holiday apartments. The � ne sandy beach is large and extensive, but in high season it gets so crowded that it can be di� cult to get a bed. Many young party tourists visit the place, but also families enjoy the large o� er of the golden beach.

Venid Beach, Sveti Vlas Classic Holiday Award 2018Small but great! The only 250 meters long Venid Beach is developed touristi-cally brilliant and therefore a sure thing for a comfortable beach holiday. It is only a � ne line between stylish and soulless tourism. The Venid Beach has mastered this hike excellently. As a visitor to the beach, you immediately feel at home and yet you are not overwhelmed by a tourist oversupply. A perfect beach to enjoy and relax. The surroundings are well maintained and the restaurants are nice and inviting. Here you can make yourself comfortable on one of the large beach beds, treat yourself to a massage or spend your time playing beach volley-ball. Water sports enthusiasts can learn windsur� ng here or rent a SUP board. In the evening you can enjoy a sundowner in the cosy pubs.




Speaking at the Skist Global Forum in early October 2018, Richard Holden, Google’s Vice President, Product Management, shared the idea behind this vacation rental meta-search engine and the plans for its improvement and distribution:

‘Users just don’t know where to fi nd this data. There is no great place to go to understand all the packages that are off ered out there and from a transparency standpoint, we’re also trying to show people what that package travel would look like and what the component pricing looks like so they can compare right there.’

When testing the meta-search engine at skist .com in the US, along with each Expedia vacation package Google also listed the prices for booking the fl ight and hotel accommodation from diff erent sources. The tests proved that discounts were negligible. The improvement and wider use of this Google project is expected not only to facilitate the tourist in his choice but also to expand his options by forcing online tour agents to price their vacation packages more competitively.

By Georgi Stoyandzhov

More and more online tour agents are off ering vacation package deals in order to be more competitive and to meet the requirements of modern tourists. These include at least hotel accommodation and fl ight. These package deals are aimed at facilitating the holiday arrangements by off ering more attractive prices than in the case of booking each component individually. But if you have ever tried to fi nd the right package deal for you, you probably know it might be a tedious job.

First, you may come across a holiday package deal at expedia.com, for example, and you need to make sure the following things are true:

• Is this off er more advantageous than booking an airline ticket and hotel accommodation separately?

• Is there a better price available for the same package deal with another tour operator or online tour agent, such as Hotwire or Priceline.

Since the spring of 2017, Google has been testing a meta-search engine for vacation package deals in the UK, Germany, and the US to facilitate the whole process.



33Т & R

UNESCO LISTS NESSEBAR ON ITS NEW TRAVEL WEBSITE

World Heritage Journeys, a new travel site of UNESCO, popularizes the Eu-ropean destinations on its World He-

ritage list and the ancient Black Sea town of Nessebar is one of them.

The website, supported by the European Union and developed in collaboration with National Geographic includes 34 destinati-ons, selected among World Heritage sites from 19 EU member states.

Billed as the fi rst-ever web platform de-dicated to World Heritage and sustainable travel, it is accessible as of 15 September within the framework of the European Heritage Days initiative. The latter enco-urages people to travel in a ‘diff erent’ and ‘more sophisticated’ manner, beyond ma-jor tourist destinations, and experience things exceeding the usual stuff that the region can off er.



35Т & R

World Heritage Journeys also invites tra-velers to travel along four cultural heritage itineraries - Royal Europe, Ancient Europe, Romantic Europe and Underground Europe - which intertwine to tell fascinating stories of Europe’s heritage and history. The website, which is accessible in English, Chinese and French, has practical information and tools to support travelers in planning their European holidays based on local knowledge about the destinations’ cultural heritage.

Situated on a rocky Black Sea peninsula, the more than 3,000-year-old Nessebar was ori-ginally a Thracian settlement. At the beginning of the 6th century BC, the city became a Greek colony. The city’s remains include the acro-polis, a temple of Apollo, an agora and a wall from the Thracian fortifi cations. A basilica and the fortress date from the Middle Ages, when this was one of the most important Byzantine towns on the west coast of the Black Sea.


36 Т & R



Barefoot in Little ViennaRuse and environs

are overfl owing with history. A monastery bearing the name of

the patron saint of Bucharest is among

the most beautiful sites

Petyo the Musical Piece, a Jazzman and a native of Ruse, used to tell stories how the peasants, who went shopping in Ruse in the distant past, took off their leather moccasins at the Hali (Market Hall) for fear of griming the pavement and walked barefoot along Alexandrovska St., staring at the surrounding buildings with their mouths open...

This story is one of the myriad that Nikolay Nenov, direc-tor of the Ruse Regional Museum of History, has recorded during his trips round the region. ‘Field research – talking to old people and collecting stories – is my life and driving

By Plamen PetrovPhotography Archives of the magazine


force. Stories are what make the world go round,’ says Nenov, whose personality combines a former boxer, a historian, an ethnologist, a hoaxer and a sweet-voiced performer of folk songs. Nikolay speaks modestly about himself, claiming that he is just an ordinary guy who works for his hometown. And there is a reason to do so.

European architecture

Ruse owes its modern image to Ottoman reformer Midhat Pasha. In just four years, from 1864 to 1868, he managed to trans-form it from a sleepy oriental town into an administrative centre boasting European architecture, culture and healthcare.The town was dubbed Little Vienna due to its location on the Danube and its Eu-ropean architectural appearance from the late 19th and the early 20th century, which combined neo-baroque, neoclas-sicism and secession styles. Today, 267 of its buildings are registered as monu-ments of culture.

The most iconic of these aristocratic build-ings is Dohodnoto Zdanie (The Profi table Building), located in the central Svoboda Square. It was designed by Austrian ar-chitect Peter Paul Brang in the neoclas-sical style and erected in 1901. The name of the building speaks to its purpose - to earn profi t for the then Board of Educa-tion from rental fees from the theatre, the library, the casino and the shops that it housed. So it is no coincidence that Mer-cury, the winged god of trade, is perched

on its roof. Today, the Profi table Building has sheltered the Sava Ognya-nov Drama Theatre and the International Centre named a� er Ruse-born writer Elias Canetti (1905–94). ‘Everything I experienced later had al-ready happened in Ruschuk [Ottoman name of Ruse],’ wrote the Nobel prize winner in his The Tongue Set Free trilogy.

The city garden with the Monument of Freedom, the symbol of Ruse, spreads in front of the Profi table Building. The monument was erected in 1909 by Italian sculptor Arnoldo Zocchi on the occasion of the 30th an-niversary of the Liberation of Bulgaria. The two Krupp cannons behind it are veterans of the Russo-Turkish War (1877–78).


The Museums of Ruse

They showcase the 19th-century way of life and habits of the citizens of Ruse. The House of Kaliopa (1865), where the marching steps of the Prussian Consul once echoed, is now a museum of the urban lifestyle of the time. The second fl oor hosts restored interiors of the homes of wealthy notables, while the ground fl oor is a display of porcelain and silver tableware, furniture and ladies’ clothes. Speaking of local ladies, Kaliopa must have been among the most out-standing ones, given the fact that Midhat Pasha himself had presented this house to her. As city legend has it, this was an award for her victory in an archery com-petition, in which the Bulgarian woman pierced the target and... the heart of the Turkish ruler.

In the National Museum of Transport, which is one of a kind in Bulgaria, you can board locomotives and carriages used by

Turkish sultan Abdul Aziz, Bulgarian mon-archs Ferdinand and Boris III Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Soviet military commander Mar-shal Tolbuhin. Once you get off the old-time trains and walk along the Danube, you will reach the remains of the Roman fortress of Sexaginta Prista. Its name suggests that in the fi rst century AD, it was a port for 60 battleships propelled by oars. In the summertime, this ancient outdoor exposition becomes a stage for cultural events.

In Ruse you can go back even further in time – by visiting the Ecomuseum. There you can see a life-size model of a Woolly Mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius), as well as the lower jaw of Mammuthus rumanus – the only one to be found preserved anywhere. The Ecomuseum also houses the largest freshwater aquarium in Bulgaria with fi sh from the river Danube and its tributaries.


Spiritual stronghold

Two of the expositions of the Regional Museum of History are out of town, but are a must see. These are the rock-hewn churches of Ivanovo (one of the seven Bulgarian cultural heritage sites under the protection of UNESCO) and the medieval city of Cherven. Both are located in the picturesque can-yon of the Rusenski Lom river - home to the black stork, the Egyptian vulture and 190 other rare and protected bird species.

Hesychast monks, who had chosen the path of as-cetic life and meditation in order to move closer to the Creator, settled in these lands as early as the 12th Century. The intricately branched St Mi-

chael the Archangel Monastery was founded with the generous fi nancial assistance of Tsar Ivan As-sen II (1218-41) by a monk named Joachim, who was later elected as the fi rst patriarch of Tarnovo, the capital of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. In its glory days the monastery boasted 41 rock-hewn churches, decorated by artists belonging to the famed Tarnovo School of Painting. The murals, which suff ered acts of vandalism and damage by earthquakes over the centuries, have survived in just four of these temples. The Sveta Bogoroditza (Holy Virgin) Church, which was built in the 14th Century, when Hesychasm was recognised as an offi cial religious denomination in both Bulgaria and Byzantium, houses the best-preserved frescoes.

Among these top achievements of Balkan Mediae-val art is a portrait of the temple donor, Tsar Ivan Alexander (1331-71), who divided the kingdom be-tween Ivan Shishman and Ivan Sratsimir (his two sons from diff erent wives), thus contributing to its downfall. Scenes from the Passion of Christ co-ex-ist with provocative secular images that break the


church canon. The latter include the naked bodies of Atlants propping a temple on their backs, acrobats and a long-sleeved jester, who amuse the guests of a nobleman, prob-ably the boyar of the nearby city of Cherven.

Cherven was the most signifi cant city in north-eastern Bulgaria and one of the larg-est military, administrative, economic, re-ligious and cultural centers of the Second Bulgarian kingdom (12th-14th Century). Today you can spot the foundations of the walls of the inner fortifi ed city, the ruins of the Boyar fortress, the metropolitan church, and some of the houses on the main street. The best preserved building is the 12-me-tre-high watchtower – an exact copy of the Baldwin Tower in Veliko Tarnovo. During the Ottoman invasion, Cherven was destroyed, and life came to a standstill. Today, how-ever, the red streamer fl ag of the Boyar of Cherven is once again waving over the watchtower and the nobleman himself is the central character in a wedding ceremo-ny, reenacted by actors of the Ruse Drama Theatre.

The rock-hewn churches of Ivanovo are open to visitors every single day from 9 am to 6 pm. They are located 4 km (2.4 miles) from the village of Ivanovo and are acces-sible by car or train from Ruse. There is also a signposted track to the site from the

village. Prior to Ivanovo, you can stop at the village of Bassarbovo and discover what the rock temples looked like in their heyday. High up in the rocks above the vil-lage stands the picturesque monastery of St Dimitar Basarbovski, restored in 1937 by a local monk. The pa-tron of the monastery was a poor shepherd whose life took an unexpected turn when he accidentally trampled on a sparrow’s nest, killing the birds. Today the relics

of the holy man, who is also the patron saint of the Romanian capital, are kept at the St. St. Konstantin and Elena Church in Bucharest. And people say they work miracles…

You can fi nd more information about the city landmarks and accommodation opportunities:www.visitruse.info;www.museumruse.com/en


www.tourismandrecreation.com44 Т & R www.tourismandrecreation.com44 Т & R

On the bank of the great Danube River, somewhat unnoticeable from the road and nestled among the reed and willow tree foliage, lies Lake Srebarna, which shines like silver near the Bulgarian village of Srebarna, Silistra district. In all four seasons it is a mysterious magnet for fascinating destination seekers, home to our feathered friends, a preferred nesting place for migratory birds, and a really impressive nature site for sensory travellers.

Srebarna is a freshwater lake, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It has been put on the list of the most im-portant wetlands in Europe and declared wetland under the Ramsar Convention. Srebarna is a biosphere park in-cluded in the Biosphere Reserves Network under the UN-ESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme.

The biosphere park Srebarna maintains rich and valuable biodiversity. A total of 1166 genera with 2748 intra-genus taxonomic groups have been listed in the region. This includes 243 bird species (57% of the Bul-garian ornitofauna), 90 of which are species of European conservation importance; 11 species from the Red Data Book of Bulgaria; 27 amphibian and reptile species and 23 � sh species (18.1% of the freshwater � sh in Bulgaria). There are 1430 listed plant species. Srebarna is key to the biodiversity in the Bulgarian part of the continental Bio-geographical region and wetland – an important breed-ing and wintering ground of some of the most interest-ing inhabitants of the lake, such as the Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus), Lesser white-fronted goose, (Anser erythropus), several species of ducks (Anatidae), Bearded reedling (Panurus biarmicus), Great egret (Ardea alba), Mute swan (Cygnus olor), Pygmy cormorant (Phalacroco-rax pygmeus).

These facts are intriguing to a curious traveller. Walking along the eco trails, the magic of Srebarna Lake makes you feel overwhelmed by the waft of wings, the range of emotions and the surrounding peace and quiet. Staying at the centre of the bird world you want more... The Srebarna Museum of Natural History is equipped with a camera, positioned in the lake. The real-time observa-tion using CCTV is an exciting experience for the inquisi-tive traveller. Eloquent experts attract every visitor’s inter-est and you will end up loving this place for good.

When it grows dark, you can take shelter under the roof of the pretty village guest houses. Authentic dish-es from Dobrudzha are prepared there – a stew with dried plums, stu� ed peppers, grape leaves stu� ed with groats and rice (sarmi), pork and lamb barbecue, � sh, beans and lamb soups, kapama (several types of meat – chicken, pork, veal – stewed with sauerkraut and a lot of spices in a covered pot) and kavarma (traditional Bulgarian meat and vegetable stew), Sorghum treacle, round loaves (large and small), banitsa (traditional Bulgarian food made with layers of phyllo pastry sheets, whisked eggs and bits of cheese, baked in an oven), bread in a clay pot and more… In October you can be guests of the Dishes of Dobrudzha Festival held in the village of Srebarna.

Srebarna is a magic place, where birds return and people keep in their mind forever.

Srebarna 7587, [email protected]; +359 8677/ 24 69www.facebook.com/museumsrebarna/

SREBARNA – AN EL DORADO FOR BIRDS AND DELIGHT FOR SENSORY TRAVELLERS

45Т & R

For yet another year, the 2018 archaeological season in Ruse was intense and very bene� cial. Excavations were taking place at four sites re-lated to di� erent epochs: a prehistoric mound near the village of Bazovets, an ancient sanctuary in the lands of the village of Koshov, a Late Antiquity fortress near Ruse and the medieval town of Cherven.

The village of Bazovets is located in Northeastern Bulgaria, 50 km southwest of Ruse. The settlement mound is found 3 km southeast of the village, on the left bank of the Baniski Lom River. Archaeological excava-tions, headed by Dr Dimitar Chernakov, have started in 2012 and continue to this day. During the 2018 season, remains of two buildings and a fur-nace dating back to the � rst half of the Chalcolithic Age (4800–4600 BC) have been explored.

The village of Koshov is located about 26 km south of the town of Ruse. In the past, three dedicatory inscriptions related to a sanctuary to Goddess Diana, which existed in Antiquity, were found in its lands, in the locality of Smesite. Excavations here were conducted for the � rst time in 1985 by D. Stanchev. In 2018, archaeological research carried out by the team of Dr Varbin Varbanov, resulted in the full excavation of a large, four-premise building and a semi-circular apse. The unearthed items (coins, or-naments, household objects) and fragments of ceramic pots date the site back to the Late Roman period (end of 3rd–4th centuries AD).

Sexaginta Prista is located in the downtown of Ruse. The excavations in 2018, headed by Dr Varbin Varbanov, brought to light information about several historical periods. The � rst one is connected with a ritual pit com-plex from the Late Hellenistic Age (2nd century BC – 1st century AD). At

that time an important commercial, religious and political centre, partially explored since 2005, operated in the territory of modern-day Ruse. In the 2nd– 3rd centuries AD, a temple compound dedicated to the Thracian Horseman and Apollo functioned on the same spot as a direct successor from Thracian times. The beginning of the 4th century AD saw the con-struction of the Late Roman stronghold of Sexaginta Prista. Today, parts of its forti� cation system are excavated, along with the principia, the military headquarters, and other primary buildings. The site is included in an online platform, also accessible by mobile phones, that provides information on the Roman forts along the Lower Danube Roman border. A non-forti� ed settlement � ourished here in the 10th–11thcenturies, a house of which was documented for the � rst time in 2017–2018. In the Ottoman period, a Christian necropolis was situated on this spot. It was almost completely destroyed during the construction of buildings in the 18th–19th centuries. The imported materials that are identi� ed there attest to the importance of Ruschuk Port at the time.

The 2018 excavations in the town of Cherven, conducted by Svetlana Velikova, are a direct continuation of the archaeological e� ort in the previ-ous year. As a result, a medieval church, which is the 16th found on this site, was fully explored. It consists of a narthex and an internal space, naos, ending with a trihedral apse. Inside, seven graves were found, whose pits were cut into the stone � oor of the church. Coins, ornaments and various household items dating back to the 13th–14th centuries are excavated. The whole interior of the church was once covered with frescoes, now par-tially preserved up to a height of 1.80 metres.

Ruse: Where Past and Present Meet

Regional Historical Museum – Ruse7000, Ruse, ПК 60, № 3 „Al. Batenberg“Sq. tel. +359 82/825 002, fax: +359 82/825 006, www.museumruse.comwww.romanforts.eu

Regional Museum of History – Ruse

46 Т & R

The treasure was discovered by Rosen Todorov in 2011, in the area of Koriya, the Erdema forest, located 2 km west of the city of Svishtov. Rosen Todorov came across the treasure by chance, while searching for scrap iron, using a metal detector. In the roots of a tree he found a clay pot containing thirteen gold ornaments and six bronze objects. On September 14th 2011, he delivered the 19 objects and the clay pot to the Svishtov Museum of History.

The gold ornaments comprise a spiral bracelet, six gold torques (neckbands), of which three are with twisted ornamentation and three are with smooth surface, and six adornments for clothes or hair. Their total weight is 266.5 g and they are made of gold whose measure of purity varies between 18 and 21 carat. The heaviest item is the spiral bracelet, weighing 68 grams. Its gold content is the highest, too, 21 carat. The bronze objects are three whole axes, half of an axe and two labour tools.

The gold and the bronze objects, as well as the clay pot they were in, were typical of the Bronze Age in our lands (21st - 16th century BC). The fact that they had been put in a clay pot and

Historical Museum - SvishtovSvishtov № 6 ”Klokotnica” Str.tel: +359 631/ 60 467 ; +359 631/ 60 [email protected]

buried in the earth suggests they were hidden because of an existing danger, but their owner was unable to take them back. That is why they remained buried in the earth for nearly 4000 years. The significance of the Svishtov treasure is comparable with another famous treasure discovered in Bulgaria – the Valchitran Treasure, which is dated between the 15th and the 12th century before Christ.

After the treasure was delivered to the museum, a three-member panel, including Assoc. Prof. Pavlina Vladkova, PhD, from the Regional Museum of History – Veliko Tarnovo, Petar Stanev, PhD, from Veliko Tarnovo, and Marin Marinov, a curator from the Svishtov museum, examined the gold ornaments and the bronze objects. The experts determined that the approximate value of the adornments, in terms of the material, was 10 000 EUR. The exact historical, scientific and artistic value of the ornaments and the bronze objects however is difficult to determine because of the rarity of similar treasures that may serve as a point of comparison. The overall assessment of the treasure, given by the panel, amounts to 1.5 million EUR.


Belene, which is a municipal centre, is a relatively small town situated in Central North Bulgaria, in the immediate proximity of the Danube River.

The remains of the largest labour camp set up during the totalitarian rule of the Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP) (1944 – 1989) can be found there. They are located in the easternmost part of the neighbouring island of Persin. A women’s camp operated in the immediate vicinity as well.

They are open to visitors, but you should contact Belene Municipality in advance. There are NGOs in town which can be of assistance, too.

Cintact info: tel.: - 00359658 3 10 61 site of Belene: www.belene.bg

email: [email protected] email: [email protected]

email: [email protected]


Just a 50 minute southbound drive from Vidin will take you to Belogradchik, a town surrounded by rock formations of unrivalled strangeness and beauty. The Belogradchik Rocks, covering an area approximately 30 km long and 3 to 5 km wide, look like intruders from outer space amidst the wavy uplands of west-ern Stara Planina (Balkan range).

Why such a striking diff erence? This fairytale in stone was sculpted by nature more than 220 million years ago. The marl-sandstone rocks that were deposited here during the late Palaeozoic period were fl ood-ed by a sea. Tonnes of gravel, sand and clay were brought down by torrential rivers and deposited on the sea bed. They were eventually welded into con-glomerates and sandstones with a reddish hue due to iron oxide. When the Balkan range thrust itself up-wards, the area turned into land, which erosion made its studio. The unsurpassed natural sculptor carved the sandstones into fantastic fi gures resembling ani-mals, human heads, mediaeval castles and towers, some of which rise to heights of more than 200 m.

The most spectacular rock formations are in the im-mediate vicinity of Belogradchik. Each one of them – The Madonna, The Monks, The Horseman, The Schoolgirl, The Dervish, The Bear, Adam and Eve, Haidut Velko, The Castle, The Little Shepherd, The Doves, The Lion – is associated with a legend.

The second group of rock formations lies to the west of the town. The best known among them are Zbe-

gove, Erkyupria, Borich and The Twins. You will also get to see a gallery of rock pyramids similar to those found in the Rila mountain. Little and Big Zbeg have been used as a natural fortress over the centuries by the Thracians, Romans, Byzantines, Bulgarians and Turks. Some 4 km east of Belogradchik is a third group of rock formations situated around the Latin Fortress and the Lepinishka Cave. The fourth group lies between the villages of Borovitsa and Falkovets, and includes the famous Pine Stone, Bee Stone, Tor-lak, and Maiden’s Stone. The last group of rock for-mations is located around the villages of Gyurgich and Belotintsi.

The Belogradchik Rocks were the only Bulgarian entry in the New 7 Wonders of Nature competition (2007-2011) and were rated among the Top 77 nomi-nees eligible for consideration by the UNESCO Panel of Experts. None of the 7 winners was located in Eu-rope.

Helpful as it is, the above information doesn’t do jus-tice to the awe-inspiring grandeur of the Belograd-chik rocks. The surreal sculptures tend to change their form and colour depending on the time of the day and the viewpoint of the observer (thanks to the new attraction – hot-air balloon fl ight – they can be scanned from the sky as well.) And we cannot but repeat the humble admission of Konstantin Jireček, Czech historian and Education minister of Bulgaria in the 1880s, who exclaimed upon his fi rst visit here: “No. This cannot be described. It has to be seen.”

A Fairytale in StoneThe Belogradchik Rocks defy description, you must see the awesome natural formations and feel their ancient energy in person

49Т & R


Today in Ezerets, tomorrow along the Struma – lovers of the manoeuvrable boats have plenty of spots where to unleash their passion

By Damyan Raychev Photography: www.bg–kayak.com

Skopelos Island, October 2015There were no tourists in the local pub – except Gero

and me. We sat there, admiring the beautiful sunset and the hungry seagulls that were � oating in the orange skies. We were so tired that we would not even opt for a drink.

– How are you? – asked Gero.– I am � ne.– Remember what happened? – Apostoli slowed down in the reef, and I bumped

right into his boat. That is what happened.

– Did you get hurt? Are you scared?– No. I told you I am � ne.My brain throbbed and continuously rolled the tape

back, forward, and then backward again. My self-esteem had hit rock bottom. And yet I felt euphoria and some unfamiliar variety of happiness. As I was trying to ana-lyze my condition, Gero interrupted me:

– Did you see what the kayak’s bow looks like?– No. (Right now I would not give a damn about

the kayak’s condition)– It’s crumpled. And did you see the helmet?

– Yes. – I replied. If it wasn’t for the helmet, my head would likely have resembled a split watermelon.

– One more day to go – he said with a sigh. – Will it be like today?

In the water, under the waterEarlier today Neil McAra had demonstrated rescue

and self-rescue techniques in heavy weather conditions to us. The waves were bigger than I was accustomed to. I still lacked su� cient experience. My whole being was focused on the tasks assigned to us which followed in a methodical sequence. Nothing was extra or short of; all was just in the right dose. This is precisely the train-ing method of the BCU (British Canoe Union) instructors.

My teammate had slowed down and, as mentioned above, I bumped into his canoe, hence the drastic reduc-tion of my speed and stability. I could not prop myself, pushing the paddle in the water. When you are at full speed and leaning, you feel the water as a solid surface. The next wave knocked me down. I managed to get back to normal position using the paddle. All was � ne until I realized that it was no longer in my hands.

The wave to follow knocked me down again and I had to crawl out of the kayak. I was stuck to a rock. We


were in relatively shallow waters and I was trying to get back on my feet. After four hours of exercise, this was not an easy task. The waves – one, two, three small ones, and the fourth big one – did not allow me to stand up. I am well trained physically, but at this point my legs just would not hold me. I lad lapped up a lot of salty water, too.

But after a while, everything calmed down – there was no fear, no fatigue; time was running like a slow-mo-tion video; my brain operated in a di� erent way – I felt tranquil and secure. I had calculated everything – the landing options, the most appropriate place to moor, the location of my teammates, the position of my boat. I even managed to catch one of the ropes and started to empty the water from the kayak... when something pulled me out of my trance.

My instructor was staying next to me and asking how I felt.

– I am all right – I responded.He then jumped from his kayak, walked over the

rocks, grabbed the two boats and helped me get into mine. He pushed me to the closest teammate to get me out of the danger zone. This had been a classic rescue technique, as he explained later, but my reaction had been too slow. He had kept an eye on me, waiting for the right moment to approach me. If I had panicked, he would not have come close to me at all. He just wanted to make sure I was calm and performing all the required moves.

– Congratulations! – Neil said. – I saw what I had to. You have your three stars now.

In Great Britain, three stars in kayak-ing are equivalent to having a Category B driving license! Now I know that hardships build your character, determination and

skills indeed. Otherwise, we would be just vacationers with a kayak and SPF50 sunscreen...

Clients’ safety � rst– Isn’t it high time that we go in? –The lady asked

urgently. Her tone was de� nitely imperative. At the of-� ce it may be approprioate, but here ...

– No, not yet. A little later, maybe. Let the wind go down. And furthermore, you have never paddled. I do not want the kids to be scared at their � rst try.

– The kids want to go in, we have paid our fee! – she insisted.

Mmmm, here’s how kids sometimes miss the oppor-tunity to get involved with something so exciting!

My name is Damyan Raychev. I am a 35 years old native Bulgarian. From the very beginning of my career as a kayak guide I have been with Water Horizon. I have completed two courses at BCU, one of them for a kayak guide. Defense of my thesis and graduation in Great Brit-ain is ahead of me. I love nature, sensible and intelligent people, books, and my work, of course.

On our way to EzeretsEverything is in place. Our bus is in tip top condition,

the boats and vests are loaded on the trailer, smelling of spring, travel insurance is purchased for all. My stu� (lug-gage, equipment) is ready. The � rst-aid kit – oh, I forgot to check it! Then I re� ll it with medicines. We have organ-ized a Black Sea kayaking event. Ezerets is one of the few remaining wild beaches along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. No hotels and paid beach umbrellas there (fortu-nately); no pubs (unfortunately), a vast sand strip and no crowds (so you do not have to do the tourist’s dance when walking between bodies on the sand). The beach is quite open to the sea and usually there are waves. The Ezerets kayak trip is where it should be, seamlessly � t-ting into the natural environment.


In the rapidsIt was the end of March. We were in the Struma River.

The snow in the mountains above was melting and the water was very fast and icy cold. There were six of us in the rafting boat along with our instructor Ivan. We were bracing for the � rst rapids. Our eyes were wide open. Along the river there was a train line and a tunnel. Ex-citement was in the air.

– Do you hear the train? – asked Ivan. His voice was soothing and yet imbued with threateningly play-ful notes.

We shouted together: – Yes, we can hear it... And he chuckled:– It’s not a train ... It’s not the train, buddies!Then we all saw what the monster called Struma was

capable of. But that’s another story.

www.tourismandrecreation.comТ & R



Ancient Healers

With a project for developing 7 balneo and SPA destinations Bulgaria strives to establish itself as a country with year-round tourism

Few countries in Europe can rival Bulgaria’s SPA, balneology and wellness tourism potential, with its abundance and diversity of thermal mineral waters and curative

mud deposits, according to www.bulgariatravel.org, the offi cial tourism portal. And this is not an overstatement.

Bulgaria falls among the three areas in the world that are most abundant in healing natural springs. Regarding water debit, Bulgaria’s 5 000 litres per second are second only to Iceland’s. There are over 550 springs in our country representing all known mineral-water classes. An important feature of our waters is that 70 percent are low in minerals, i.e. the content of minerals is below 1000 mg/l. Therefore, they


are suitable for drinking over a long time without posing a health risk.

The healing power of mineral water has been recognized since the time of the Thracians, who built not a few of their settlements around mineral springs. Establishing their domination on the Balkan Peninsula in the 1st century AD, the Romans started building public baths close to the natural mineral-water deposits. Thus, the large settlements of Diocletianopol (modern-day Hisarya), Desudava (Sandanski), Ulpia Pautalia (Kyustendil) and Serdica (Sofi a) sprung to life. To this day all of them rank high in the list of balneology centres rich in mineral waters, in the company of Velingrad (dubbed the SPA capital of the Balkans), Kostenets, Devin, Sapareva Banya (with its 103° C fountain-geyser, which is unique for the Balkans), Varshets, and the village of Banya in Razlog District. The Black Sea resorts off ering great opportunities for balneo, SPA and wellness tourism include Pomorie (the biggest mud treatment centre in Bulgaria), Albena, Golden Sands, Riviera, Saints Constantine and Elena, Sozopol, Nesebar, to mention but a few. You can also enjoy the healing properties of mineral water

in the mountain resorts of Borovets, Bansko, Pamporovo and others.

Water, however, is not the only healer in the Bulgarian lands. The health and spa tourism service in Bulgaria increasingly includes off ers based on the combined use of climate, mineral waters, sea, bio-food, fi ve wine varieties from Thracian times, yogurt and herbs, claims Yordan Yordanov, Ph.D., economist and Associate Professor at the University of Forestry in Sofi a. Bulgaria ranks among the leading countries in the world boasting great variety of herbs with magnifi cent healing properties, Yordanov observes. Therefore, city- and resort-based recreation facilities off er a mix of remedial programmes combining the best of Europe’s


resort and physical medicine practices, enriched with the SPA symbols of the East such as Ayurveda, Yoga, Shiatsu, Reiki.

Mineral water is not infl uenced by the whims of weather and can compensate for the reduced tourist fl ow in seaside and other holiday locations that are seasonally dependent. As part of its strategy to overcome the seasonal limitations and to establish Bulgaria as a year-round tourist destination, the Ministry of Tourism has recently proposed the creation of 7 balneology and SPA destinations. The project was developed with the participation of the municipal authorities and the local tourist businesses. It comprises 58 settlements in the Black Sea region, Sofi a, Southwest and Southeast Bulgaria, Stara Planina (the Balkan Range), Sredna Gora and the Rhodope Mountains. The SPA destinations will be accessible via an interactive map on iLove Bulgaria Internet platform and via other sources.

When checking a destination, the potential visitors will be provided information about the mineral waters in the region, their healing properties and contraindications, the climate, the public SPA facilities, the nearby tourist attractions, and so on.

The Ministry of Tourism plans to link the 7 balneology and SPA destinations with the 8 cultural and historical destinations in Bulgaria, which have enjoyed much popularity, as well as with the recently proposed 12 wine and culinary destinations.


58 Т & R

The Arte Spa&Park Hotel and its miraculous mineral water

The best Spa hotel in Bulgaria and the Balkans, the Arte Spa&Park Hotel in Velingrad – possesses a treasure which should not and cannot remain hidden – its own mineral water!

The greatest gift the resort as a whole has been endowed with is its abundant warm and hot mineral springs. There is a unique large hydro-mineral deposit with a total water � ow capacity of 7630 l/s. The mineral waters of Veligrad have been known and used by people since hoary antiquity. This is evidenced by the archaeological � nds from an ancient Roman reservoir. Excavations of mounds near the village of Dorkovo have provided data proving that these places were inhabited by the Thracians way back in the 7th – 6th century BC.

The only hotel in town, which draws mineral water from one of the hottest springs in the district of Kamenitsa, is the Arte Spa&Park Hotel. The water drawn from the No 3 ‘Mizinka’ spring has proven properties in terms of treatment, prophylaxis and prevention of various ailments. The water is rich in Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Manganese, sulphates and hydrocarbonates. This water, which is slightly mineralised and with alkaline reaction, is suitable for the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal apparatus and the peripheral nervous system (plexitis, radiculitis, neuralgias and neuropathies, to mention but a few), as well

Water with a power to heal: balneotherapy and SPA destinations

as of diseases of the alimentary tract and the excretory system.

Striving to provide the best conditions possible for treatment, prophylaxis or relaxation, the Arte Spa&Park Hotel has created a ‘magical’ place: Arte Spa. It is a luxurious Spa centre o� ering a complex service meant to take care of the health, beauty and physical � tness of our guests. They can enjoy the varied range of

classical, exotic and customized massages, spa therapies and rituals, as well as experience the magical properties of mineral water in a re� ned environment, combining stylish design, high functionality and comfort. Arte Spa is a symbol of � rst-class service and impeccable professionalism meeting the highest standards. A team of highly quali� ed therapists and masseurs take care of the comfort of our guests. The atmosphere with us will help you forget about your busy everyday life and will make your holiday useful and unforgettable.



Up and Down the Snowy SlopesBulgaria is known as an affordable and attractive destination for winter holidays

The long cold snowy winters, lasting 2–3 months, are already becoming uncommon, the thermometer goes up and down, snow comes and goes like an un-predictable gambler... Yet the mountain continues to attract us with a call that cannot be described by hu-man words, sounds or images as it is related rather to the Divine. American actor-director Robert Red-ford admitted that even his great passion, race cars, do not give him that ‘complete physical expression of freedom’ as skiing does. And the great polar explorer Fridtjof Nansen joked in earnest: ‘It’s better to go ski-ing and think of God than go to church and think of sport.’

What do foreigners think about us?

Bulgaria off ers some of the best opportunities for skiing in Europe in resorts that are modern and af-fordable at the same time; in fact, they are among the cheapest on the continent, according to the American travel website www.dispatcheseurope.com. Being located to the south, Bulgarian mountains are humid enough to ensure snowfall even in sunny days.

Dwelling at length on the merits of the three ‘mas-todons’ of winter ski tourism in Bulgaria, Borovets,

Pamporovo and Bansko, the British website www.onthesnow.co.uk also mentions some of the smaller ski destinations like Vitosha and Osogovo, the resorts of Semkovo, Malyovitsa, Govedartsi and Panichishte in the Rila Mountains; Razlog, Dobrinishte and Kuli-noto in the Pirin Mountains; Chepelare, Momchilovtsi, Tsigov Chark and Smolyan in the Rhodope Moun-tains, as well as Uzana, Kom and Parshevitsa in the Balkan Mountains.

Banskowww.banskoski.comThe resort of Bansko is the largest ski destination in Bulgaria and the most aff ordable one for holidays of a family of four in Europe, according to the 2017 Family Ski Resort Report. Huddled in the Pirin Mountains in South Western Bulgaria, the resort is located at 160 km from Sofi a and 57 km from Blagoevgrad. In Ban-sko, the snow cover stays from December to April, and most ski runs are equipped with snow cannons. A 7-kilometre-long lit ski track connects the high parts of the resort with the town of Bansko. Despite being overbuilt, Bansko has preserved its old town quarter. It boasts Revival Period architecture and tav-erns off ering national cuisine and live music.



62 Т & R

Bansko regularly hosts FIS Ski and Snowboard World Cup races, a fact that attests to its good rating among winter sport resorts.

Pamporovowww.pamporovo.mePamporovo Resort is located in the central part of the Rhodope Mountains, at 1650 m a.s.l, at the foot of Mount Snezhanka. It is only 15 km from the town of Smolyan, 10 km from Chepelare and about 90 km from Plovdiv. The climate in the region is character-ized by a mild winter and over 240 sunny days dur-ing the year, thus making Pamporovo the sunniest mountain resort in Bulgaria. The ski season starts in early December and lasts until late April. The big plus of Pamporovo is that there is no danger of avalanch-es and stormy winds. The ski facilities in Pamporovo and the nearby resort of Chepelare (Mechi Chal) can now be accessed with a single pass.

The resort town of Chepelare is the birthplace of bi-athlonist Ekaterina Dafovska, who won the fi rst and so far only Winter Olympics gold medal for Bulgaria in the 1998 games in Nagano.

Borovetswww.borovets-bg.comBorovets, known as Chamkoria by the mid-20th cen-tury, is the oldest mountain resort in Bulgaria and in the Balkans. Its history dates back to 1896 when Bul-garian monarch Knyaz Ferdinand Saxe-Coburg Gotha built his summer residence and several hunting lodg-es here. In the 1960s and 1970s, the resort estab-lished itself as the biggest winter sports centre in the Balkans: ski li� s and ski tows were built; hotels were built in Alpine style designed a� er the French resort of Les Arcs in Savoie in the Alps.Today Borovets is a year-round resort with an excellent network of ski runs and li� s, comfortable hotels, numerous restau-rants and bars. One of the smaller hotels is owned by Petar Popangelov, an internationally recognized Bulgarian alpine skier.Taking a respite from skiing in Borovets, you may be tempted to visit Tsarska Bis-tritsa, the summer residence of the last Bulgarian kings, boasting elegant architecture, a fi ne park and a small, but still functional water power plant. Erected between 1898 and 1906, it used to be a hunting lodge under Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria and his son, Tsar Boris III. Today the mansion is open to the public.



Boutique Splendid hotel, Varna cover II

Romance Splendid hotel, Sts. Constantine & Helena

cover II

Interhotel Pomorie, Pomorie cover III

Grand MALL Varna cover IV

Arte SPA & Park Hotel, Velingrad p. 58

Aura balneo hotel, Velingrad p. 57

Balkan hotel, Pleven p. 18

Bellevue hotel, Sunny Beach p. 34

Cabacum Beach Residence, Varna p. 26

Campanella boutique hotel, Bansko p. 62

City Rai hotel, Ruse p. 43

Coral hotel, Sozopol p. 33

Dobrudzha hotel, Dobrich p. 25

Elbrus SPA hotel, Velingrad p. 57

Essential oils museum complex, Kazanlak p. 11

Estreya Palace hotel, Sts. Constantine & Helena p. 21

Estreya Residence hotel, Sts. Constantine & Helena

p. 21

Garden of Eden resort & SPA, St. Vlas p. 31

Hadji Nikoli inn, Veliko Tarnovo p. 13

Inn Staria Dobrich family hotel, Dobrich p. 25

Inter Park holiday village, Kranevo p. 25

Kaloyanova fortress complex, Arbamasi p. 13

La Mer residence, Varna p. 27

Melnik hotel, Melnik p. 52

Meridian Bolyarski hotel, Veliko Tarnovo p. 18

Meridian Tours, Sofi a p. 35

BULGARIAN PARTNERS YOU CAN TRUSTMinistry of Tourism p. 5

Municipality of Balchik p. 23

Municipality of Belene p. 47

Municipality of Stara Zagora p. 10

Municipality of Yambol p. 37

Murite club hotel, Razlog p. 61

Museum of history, Provadia p. 36

Museum of history, Svishtov p. 46

Museum of history, Oryahovo p. 49

Our home visitor`s house, Kavarna p. 24

Paradise complex, Ruse p. 43

Pirin park hotel, Sandanski p. 53

Regional museum of history, Targovishte p. 19

Regional museum of history, Ruse p. 45

Sirena Palace apart hotel, Obzor p. 29

Skalite hotel, Belogradchik p. 49

Smartline Meridian hotel, Sunny Beach p. 35

Srebarna natural park, Silistra p. 44

State cultural institute cultural centre The Palace, Balchik

p. 22

Tanne SPA hotel, Bansko p. 57

Troyan Plaza hotel, Troyan p. 18

Tsarevgrad Tarnov, Veliko Tarnovo p. 17

Varna South Bay beach residence, Varna p. 27

Victoria hotel, Borovets p. 35

Victoria hotel, Nessebar p. 35

Zara hotel, Basnko p. 63

Zornitza Sands hotel beach & SPA, St. Vlas p. 32

Publisher Daker SPLtd TOURISM & RECREATION MAGAZINE

www.tourismandrecreation.com EDITOR IN CHIEFDimitar Kirekchiev

DEPUTY EDITORS IN CHIEFPlamen PetrovKatya Krasteva

EDITOR IN CHARGESofia Cherneva

CONTRIBUTORSPoly Ivanova Yulker Uzun

Svetla GeorgievaDimitrinka Panova

FINANCESvetla Kerechieva

GRAPHIC DESIGN AND PREPRESS Ivan KanchevWEB DESIGN

Aleksandar YavorovPHOTOGRAPHERDimitar Atanasov

ENGLISH TRANSLATIONAdriana Momchilova

Lyudmila RusevaCOVER

bg-kayak.com

DAKER SPLTD

127 Maria Louisa Blvd 1202 Sofia, Bulgaria

Tel: +359 2/ 832 30 92 +359 2/ 832 11 38, +359 2/ 832 11 32

Fax: +359 2/ 931 41 30 e-mail: [email protected]

PRINTED BY

Polygraphic complex IFO Design DISCLAIMER

THE ADVERTISERS ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE INFORMATION

PROVIDED IN THE ADVERTISMENTSPRICE

3 BGN / цена 3 лв.

Documents

Contents - turizamiotdih.com · Bulgarians; Museum of Beer; SPA resort Starozagorski bani. For more information: Tourist Information Centre Photos: Archives of the Municipality of