BULGARIA

Location - Eastern Europe; Capital - Sofia; Population - 7.1 million; Currency - Lev MORE BULGARIA

Several daily buses do the 7hr journey from Istanbul to cute Plovdiv, usually carrying on to Sofia less than 2hrs away - April 2019.

The 10 Lev note

The quiet Sunday morning streets of Plovdiv, 2019 European Capital of Culture

There's so much street art in the city and this was my first glimpse - Plovdiv

Pedestrianised Knyaz Aleksandar is the heart of the shopping district - Plovdiv

A statue of Milyo 'the idiot' on Knyaz Aleksandar - Plovdiv

This looks like a Soviet era mural, above a bar on Pl Stambolov - Plovdiv

The 2nd century Stadium of Philippopolis is a Roman ruin much like a small amphitheatre - Plovdiv

Near the Stadium is the Ottoman era 15th century Dzhumaya Mosque - Plovdiv

Hidden between Sahat Tepe hill and a back street are several excellent street murals - Plovdiv

There's art galleries aplenty in Plovdiv, so I guess it's just spillling outside

If you're into street art definitely seek these out - Plovdiv

Cupid about to fire an arrow - Plovdiv

Tsar Simeon Garden is an attractive park on the southern edge of the centre - Plovdiv

.. and the Maritsa River is on the northern edge - Plovdiv

A colourful and fun pub wall in the Kapana neighbourhood - Plovdiv

Not sure what this shop sells.. - Plovdiv

This one makes my eyes go funny - Plovdiv

The views are great from the top of Nebet Tepe, a hill in the old town - Plovdiv

The minaret in the middle of the photo belongs to Dzhumaya Mosque - Plovdiv

Walking the pretty cobbled streets of the old town - Plovdiv

On the right is the entrance to the Church of Sveti Konstantin & Elena - Plovdiv

The Ethnographic Museum is housed in a 19th century former merchant's house - Plovdiv

Through the frame - Plovdiv

On the steps of the 2nd century AD Roman amphitheatre, which could host 6,000 spectators - Plovdiv

Another Soviet-era mural? - Plovdiv

Snow-capped mountains on the coach ride from Plovdiv to Sofia

The Sofia Monument was erected in 2001, and replacing a statue of Stalin - Sofia

Bulgaria certainly likes its street art - Sofia

The cafe, bar and restaurant hub of Sofia is the pedestrian-only Vitosha

At the top of Vitosha is the 19th century Sveta Nedelya Cathedral - Sofia

The ruins of the Roman city Serdica greet you when coming out of Serdika metro station, here with 16th century Banya Bashi Mosque in the background - Sofia

The Serdica ruins continue under a glass roof beneath the former Communist Party House - Sofia

Next to the Party House is the President's Building, for the president of course - Sofia

Also near the top of Vitosha is the Palace of Justice - Sofia

Mountains peak above the Volunteer's Monument - Sofia

In the same square, the church that Bulgaria's capital is named after, Sveta Sofia Church, is a bit of a let down, an unremarkable red-brick building - Sofia

Far more impressive is the late 19th/early 20th century Aleksander Nevski Cathedral, opposite the church - Sofia

The cathedral was built to honour the 200,000 Russian soldiers who died fighting for Bulgaria's independence during the Russo-Turkish War of 1877/78 - Sofia

Next up was the beautifully situated town of Veliko Tarnovo, 3hrs east of Sofia

On a peninsula surrounded by the Yantra River is the State Art Museum and the equine Asen Dynasty Monument - Veliko Tarnovo

Street art on the walk down from Sammy's Bar to Ulitsa General Gurko - Veliko Tarnovo

Along the same road - Veliko Tarnovo

Ulitsa General Gurko is a lovely historic street beneath the main town - Veliko Tarnovo

Hotel Gurko lies on the street of the same name - Veliko Tarnovo

There's several guesthouses along Ulitsa General Gurko, including mine, which had a great view of the Yantra River and art museum - Veliko Tarnovo

Even though the street's a big draw it's usually quiet, with most Bulgarian day-trippers sticking to the high street and Tsarevets Fortress - Veliko Tarnovo

I did read of a city in Bulgaria wanting to brighten up utility boxes, and the idea has obviously spread to here - Veliko Tarnovo

Looking across the Yantra River to Tsarevets Fortress and its sturdy walls - Veliko Tarnovo

Tsarevets Fortress served as the primary seat of the medieval tsars from the 12th to 14th century - Veliko Tarnovo

Take the lift to the top of Baldwin's Tower within the fortress complex for a bird's eye view - Veliko Tarnovo

The panorama highlights how lush green and hilly the area is - Veliko Tarnovo

The interior of the Ascension Cathedral contains very dark images. I guess all churches do but the use of black, white and grey feels slightly unsettling. Fair play, it's different! - Veliko Tarnovo

The Yantra River and the centre of town - Veliko Tarnovo

The best thing about the fortress for me were the superb 360° views - Veliko Tarnovo

Website and content Copyright © 2008-2019 Mark Wilkinson. All rights reserved.

LINKS

http://bulgariatravel.org - official Bulgarian tourism

www.bdz.bg - Bulgarian trains website

www.busexpress.bg - and the buses site

I am not responsible for the content of external websites.