NORTHERN BULGARIA a Truly Off-The-Beaten-Track Locale, Northern Bulgariaistheplacetogo

NORTHERN BULGARIA a truly off-the-beaten-track locale, northern Bulgariaistheplacetogo. locale,northern a trulyoff-the-beaten-track combat fatiguestowholeroving brassbands. forataste Ifyou’re oftheoffbeatin looking remains anarea authenticandfriendlylocals,ranging withmarvellously fromfishermenin hours tothenorth. city ofRuse,theregion’s capital,whichisalsothegateway toBucharest inRomania,three cent neoclassicalarchitecture andavibrantcaféculture characterise theflourishingriver major refuge forrare speciesofbirds(andthebird-watcherswhoflocktothem).Magnifi- LomNaturepeek outofcliffs Park, inthevastRusenski whileserene Srebârna Lake isa only aboutfourhoursawayfromSofia. the river atVidin andthestunningprehistoric rockformationsofBelogradchik; bothare includethewell-preserved Romancastleoverlooking Bulgaria’smajorattractions Northern the great River Danube,whichribbonsalongmostofthecountry’sborderwithRomania. exploring. It’saplacefullofbothunexpectedworth surprisesandobviousdraws–suchas ofthecountry, Although it’slessvisited thanotherparts isstillwell Bulgaria’s tranquilnorth Bulgaria Northern 256 © LonelyPlanetPublications Since tourism has yet to make major inroads in Bulgaria’s northern borderregion, majorinroadsinBulgaria’snorthern Since tourismhasyettomake italso Further ontotheeast,enigmaticmedievalmonasteries atBasarbovo andIvanovo

HIGHLIGHTS

and fishtheDanube atnearbyVetren Srebârna ( p274 ), homeofrare birdspecies, Gaze out onthetranquilwaters ofLake Eco-escape Nature Park ( p273 ) Basarbovo Lom andIvanovo intheRusenski atthefrescoedMarvel cave churchesof Get spiritual vibrant cafésocietyofRuse Enjoy theAustro-Hungarian architecture and Urban sophistication (p262) Fortress seamlessly blendedwiththeRomanKaleto Climb thehugeBelogradchikrocks, Natural wonders Baba Vida ( Museum-Fortress opposite ) Explore Vidin’s wellpreserved remarkably Step backintime

( p267) Belogradchik Vidin Rusenski Lom Nature Park Ruse Lake Srebârna Vetren setting abovesetting thebalmyDanube. Although from Romania, Vidin enjoysanimpressive and aconvenient placefortravelling toor % lonelyplanet.com The Second Bulgarian Empire finally fellThe Second in the imperialcoffers were bursting withlucre. golden period,contemporary sourcesattest, in1323.Duringthis(literally)became tsar Shishman in1280 and hissonMichail, who of Bulgarleaders notable followed,including BulgarianEmpire.the Second Asuccession control andbeginning from Constantinople’s revolted, wresting thisriver garrisonaway declining, Bulgarianbrothers Peter andAsen By1185,whenByzantiumwas importance. was much contested duetoitsstrategic empire, and Vidin(knownthenasBdin) Bulgars were chronically atwarwiththe trol thiskey Danubecrossing. over of settlement Dunoniatocon- theCeltic the Romansbuiltafortress calledBononia when theresettled untilthe3rdcenturyBC, andperhapstheThraciansbefore them, Celts, torically madeitstrategically The important. range,of Planinamountain hashis- theStara Vidin’s locationonabendintheriver, east History place andjustifiesan overnight stay. lonesome feel, Vidinisstillaunique however, Despite its emptyatnight. eerily seeming and poorlylitcentralsquare andleafystreets era buildingsare plentiful,withthegrand, anddecrepit,employment ishigh, communist- restaurants keeps upasparkof life. Still,un- ahandfuloffurther easttoRuse, cafésand tradetobererouted caused bouring Serbia onneigh- 1990s, whenUNeconomicsanctions nificance hasdiminisheddrasticallysincethe offerings. thetown’scultural comprises and museums stroll.Ahandfulofpeaceful evening churches to scamperaround,andforelders toenjoya The parksmake Vidinaniceplacefor kids a grassystripforsunbathingabove theriver. Soviet appeal,flowers, shadytrees andeven include colourfulplaygroundswithacertain riverfront beingtaken upbylittleparks;these is arelaxing place,withmostof enough the VidaRomanfortress, Baba Vidin preserved it has justonemajor attraction,thewell- The largest towninnorthwestBulgaria, VIDIN Throughout theByzantinecenturies, Throughout Vidin’serstwhileAlthough commercialsig- 094 /pop69,400 ВИДИН NORTHERN BULGARIA••Vidin NORTHERN stands ontheriversidestands park’snorthernend, Between thesquare andtrain station. arsenal. Baba Vidaescapeddestruction arsenal. Baba during upgraded itsfortifications andmadeitan from the17thcentury, whentheOttomans of todaydates Bononia. Whatyouwillsee ruined wallsof the3rd-centuryRomancitadel and 14thcenturies,theBulgars fortified the overlooking the10th the Danube. Between or Russian5lv; Fortress The intact marvellously BABA VIDAMUSEUM-FORTRESS Sights InformationCentre Tourist Telephone centre Post office Cyber Zone Bdintsi. eral ATMs lineulTsar SimeonVeliki andpl Foreign exchange banksandsev- offices, Information banks and shops. an enormouscommunist-eramonument, block northeastof features thetrainstation, The sprawlingtownsquare, plBdintsi,one 20-minute walknorthalongthewaterfront. hotels. Fromhere VidaFortress theBaba isa restaurants,to theparks,andseveral bars and Gara). Followingthewater northbringsyou and thePortAuthoritybuilding(Rechna twoblockstotheDanube from it,turnright across andbusstation From thetrainstation Orientation failed totake the city. triedbut years later, theSerbs army. Seven to thenewBulgarianstatebyRomanian the Russo-TurkishWar,Vidinwaspresented Vidin districtindependent.In1878,during Osmanofficial) Pazvantoglu declared the Empire begandisintegrating, local In thelate 18thcentury,whentheOttoman Rumelia, andoneof thebiggest Danubeports. of theOttoman was thelargest townintheBulgarianpart strengthened. Bythe16thcentury,Vidin Vida Fortresswall wasbuilt,andtheBaba (subsequently renamed ‘Vidin’). 1396, withtheOttomancapture of Bdin .bg; plBdintsi6; 8am-1.30pm Sat)Inthepost office. Under theOttomansanextensive city

( % (ul Târgovska 3) (ulTârgovska ( h 601 705; admission 2 lv, guided tour in Bulgarian 601 705;admission2lv,guidedtourinBulgarian h h 7am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, 8am-1.30pmSat) 7am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, 8.30am-5pm summer,10am-5pmwinter) ( 9am-6pm Mon-Fri) vilayet h 7am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, 7am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, (province) of Eastern ( % Baba Vida Museum- Baba Vida 601 421;tsviat@abv pasha 257 (high (high

NORTHERN BULGARIA BULGARIA NORTHERN NORTHERN BULGARIA efited frompartialrestoration work,andhas nice frescoes and icons. The Dimitâr Vidin’s maincathedral, OTHER ATTRACTIONS for yourhealthnotto follow suit. boats andnearbyfactories,it’sprobably better summer. considering thecurrents, However, swimminginBulgarians tryrudimentary forabeach; fromherepebbles passes brave bathing. Downontheriver, atinystripof upper patch of bylocalsforsun- grass,used surrounds the structure. ofuses moat thefortress’s Adeep sections. boards (inFrench) present thehistory and dungeon Notice beingtheonlyinhabitants. onry andawaxen prisonerensconcedinthe VidaisrelativelyBaba empty,collected weap- hundredseveral metres furthersouth), the with someremaining outer wallscontinuing eval stone fortress. medi- ing todayasBulgaria’sbest-preserved the Russo-TurkishWarof 1877–78,remain- 258 Zajecar NORTHERN BULGARIA Between thefortress andtheriver isanBetween Despite its immensity(70m-longwalls, OTENBLAI • Vdn BULGARIA••Vidin NORTHERN

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hotel.com; ulBabaVida2;d/aptfrom50/150lv; Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels the bristly carpetsconflict withthechic, extra). Therooms borderonposh,though and hasalarge, gated poolwithbar(7lv in aquietparkmidway downtheriverside Kristina isalso quite good value. It’sset most luxuriousplaceinVidin,the Anna a nourishingrestaurant (see p260 ). makes you feel trulyalive. Thehotel alsohas in thehotel’s spasticallyshuddering elevator bathrooms, airconditioningandTV. Aride offering modernroomswithnice,ifsmall has avery centrallocationandfriendlystaff, the mainsquare, river andpark,theBononia .com; ulBdin2;s/d43/65lv; others have slightly upgraded furnishings. Some roomshave alived-in, mustyfeel, while trally located andoffers Vidin’s cheapest rates. with shared bathroom18/36lv) Dunav Hotel Sleeping cal mansionadjacenttothe Hotel Bononia. inastatelywhite neoclassi-artists. It’shoused Kazanlâk Târnovo Veliko Nikyup Hotel Bononia Hotel Anna Kristina Hotel Hotel Anna Kristina Park Map(p273) Dryanovo Tryavna See Rusenski Tulovo Lom Nature Dve Mogili Kilifarevo Trumbesh Polski ROMANIA Oryakhovitsa Gorna Lyaskovets Giurgiu Byala Ivanovo

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( % lonelyplanet.com 601 321; D andtrout h 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 (som) 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8am- A4 B4 A4 A4 B4 B3 A3 A3 A3 B4 B3 B3 B4 B2 B2 C1 B2 A3 B3 B2 B2 C1 C1 A2 B3 A3 A3 , four dailytrainstoSofia, three fast(1st/2nd lonelyplanet.com tually get there. end uphaving youwilleven- towait, though won’t leave unless they’re full,so you might in themorning,afternoon but and evening, and oneRomanian company,theoretically go rank. Theboats,operated byoneBulgarian taxi (4lv)fromthetrainstation’s take ataxi utes). Theferry terminal is2kmnorthof town; toRomania(8lv,15min- only dailyservice boat’ (asBulgarians,too,callit)provides the notyetbegun,the‘ferry Vidin andCalafat With thelong-anticipated bridge between TO/FROM ROMANIA 3.60/4.50 lv). (2nd/1stclass (9km away)toBelogradchik in GaraOreshets, thenearest trainstation and Varna. SometrainsfromVidinalsostop tions toMezra, forgoingfurthereasttoRuse (7lv),whichvia Vratsa hasfrequent connec- slow (9lv,five trainstravel hours). These class 12.90/10.30lv,fourhours) andone hours). 3½ (8lv, hour), withoneconnectiontoPleven (4.50lv,one Belogradchik Six dailyserve to Sofia (14lv,fourhours) (8lv). viaVratsa pany fortheSofia– Vidin route. home of busline,themajor theAlexiev com- BusStation Alexiev isthe ing onboard.Acrossfromthisstation tickets, oftenand sell though you’llbebuy- representoffices thedifferent buscompanies As elsewhere inBulgaria,numeroussmall opposite south side,roughly thetrainstation. The Getting There&Away The go 14dailybuses twostations From these will notreturn tonormalbefore about2010. torecover,While themostaffected are believe slowlystarting parts thatwildlife experts habitats Chernobyl, thespillpoisonedriver systems inRomania,Hungary,Bulgaria,UkraineandSerbia. ing thousandsoffishandbirds. Describedastheworstenvironmentaldisaster inEurope since 100,000 cumetres water ofcyanide-contaminated spiltintotheTisa andDanubeRivers, kill- 5m andthewater rarely flowsfaster than3km/h. Ukraine). Nootherriver isshared bysomanycountries. The Danube’saverage depthisabout nine countries(Germany,Austria, Hungary,Serbia,Bulgaria,Romania,Moldova Slovakia, and Budapest, BratislavaandBelgrade) Black Sea. Ittravels throughfourcapitalcities(Vienna, other Slavicpeoples,itrisesintheBlackForest ofsouthwestern Germanyandemptiesintothe The Danube isthesecond-longest(472km)river inEurope. Called theDunavbyBulgariansand THE DANUBE busstation In January2000,atailingsdamburstatgoldmineinBaiaMare, atowninRomania. About train station

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( % 606 190;ulZhelezhnicharska) 606 050;ulSaedinenie) is on Vidin’s has , ul Treti Mart leadstothefortress map listinghotels Totheright, andsights. alargeyou totheleftstands board witha threeof major Belogradchik’s roads.Facing to themainsquare, situated atthejunction head uphilloneblock From thebusstation, Orientation &Information from 25to 30 June. pious amountsof foodanddrinktothetown Bulgarian singers, dancing,folklore andco- patron StPeter, which bringswell-known check outthetownfestival inhonourof even in summer. place,where timemovesof-the-way slowly, it’sstill asomewhatornery,out- Nevertheless, a four-star hotel nowunderconstruction. more visitors, andeven withguesthouses charms areBelogradchik’s toattract starting rusting reminders of communistindustry, forlorn, withitseternal quietudeandafew range.Planina mountain somewhat Although ontheeastern edgeBelogradchik, of theStara lonely hillare whatdrawvisitors tolittle wonderful rockformationsrisingfroma airandtheweird The crispmountain % BELOGRADCHIK resumed. has thebusservice check incase atthebusstation across andfinda bus fromthere. Double- to theVrushkaChuka(20lv)border,walk fromVidin bus,ortake ataxi Belgrade-bound you musteitherbacktracktoSofia tofinda tional buslineforNegotinineastern Serbia, With thediscontinuationof theinterna- TO/FROM SERBIA However, if visiting Belogradchik inJune, ifvisitingBelogradchik However, 0936 /pop6700 БЕЛОГРАДЧИК (krepost) 261

. NORTHERN BULGARIA BULGARIA NORTHERN NORTHERN BULGARIA built bytheRomansin1stcentury guided tour5lv,photo/video2/5lv; certainly greatcertainly photo opportunities. below and otherrockformations behind are tures; thebreathtaking views of thetown no-one willaccost youforsnappingpic- Likewise, despite banon photos, thestated theboxedwith theplace(see text, above ). signs tell thestoriesandlegends associated andscatteredis fairlyself-explanatory to payfortheoffered tour,asthefortress 1805and1837). There’s(between no need date mostlyfromthelate Ottomanperiod interwovening sections, withtherocks, the ByzantinesandBulgars. Theremain- expanded withtowers, wallsandgates by The fortress was later augmentedBC. and nature isthe bizarreblended inwiththese wonders of aroundthem.Seamlessly road thatpasses over thetown,atendof a2km-long The massive FORTRESS BELOGRADCHIK ROCKS&KALETO Sights with accommodation andgives out maps. Poruchik Dvoryanov5; Centre ‘JAR Computers’ sign). The (lookforthe and thewhite historymuseum h for bus station changing money. There’s nearthe NationalBank aFirst East 262 An tion, you can make upyourownmyths,too,abouttheseeerilylifeliketion, youcanmake wondersofnature. narrated rightbeneaththerocks. Fortress, onlarge Withalittleimagina- signswithintheKaleto stood –themonks,shepherdonhishorse,andnunValentina withababyinherarms. andstormstodestroytheconvent. Allofthepeoplewereearthquakes turnedtostonewhere they his beloved, butthemonksfoughtfiercelytoprotect her. Then Godpitchedin,sendingthunder, cell. Nottoolongafter, thecriesofachildwere heardinthemonastery; theshepherdcamefor playing seductively onhisflute beneathherwindow,untilshefinallysliddownaropefrom turned tostone. Every night,alovesick shepherdwouldinflameyoungValentina’s passionsby itself. Onesuchlegendretells thetragically upliftingtaleofValentina, abeautifulnunwhowas legends andmythsabouttherocks,talesthatcanbeasbleakbeguilinglandscape ing theglowofsunset. that becomeespeciallyinscrutablethroughtheconstantshiftingoflightandshadowsdur- onshapeshumanandanimal,fluidcreations pillarsofstoneseemtotake twisting, contorted For centuries,the Belogradchikrockformationshave fired theimaginations oflocalpeople. These LEGENDS OFTHEROCKS 24hr) OTENBLAI • Blgaci BULGARIA••Belogradchik NORTHERN This, the legend of the ‘Madonna’, and other marvellous talesoftherocksBelogradchikareThis, thelegendof‘Madonna’,andothermarvellous As withsimilarsites aroundtheworld,thisanthropomorphicelementhasinspired numerous

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(admission 5lv, 8am-6.30pm) can help tower , as Panova’s hasexhibitscomprising House, tion andrelaxation. Ashady forest stands and are reflec- an excellentplaceforsolitary have Stonehenge-like acertain quality tothem rock formations,spread over 200hectares, is helpfulhere). 200-million-year-old These the dimlylitformerlivingquarters (atorch explore thedefensive bunkers into andpeek youcanadmireIn anycase, theramparts, ladders andisthusunsafe forsmallchildren. can behad,involves narrowandsteepmetal rocks,whereto thehighest thebestviews revolutionaries. centrate onmid-19th centuryanti-Turkish or soKaleto artefacts. Otherexhibits con- coins, jewelleryand costumes, aswell6000 sion 1lv; The patio neartheticket booth. locked and derelict inside. pretty floral designsabove thedoorbutis side. About 200years old,themosquehas decrepit main square upulTreti Mart. You’llpassa requires drivingorwalking2kmfromthe Department of the History Museum). main square (followthetracktoNature in town,about 100mdowntheroadfrom smaller) examplesof rockformationsare back outside thefortress. Otherimpressive (but MUSEUMS MUSEUMS Outside thefortress, there’s asmallcafé tothewell-signposted fortressGetting Entering thefortress issimple,butaccess History Museum History h Ottoman mosque Ottoman 9am-noon &2-5pmMon-Fri)

( % 3469; pl1850Leto; admis- onyourleft-hand lonelyplanet.com , alsoknown path downfor600m.Fromhere there are up ulVasil andfollowthe turnright, Levski, Skali fromtheHotel Belogradchiski proceed unusual localfloraandfauna. Toget there, Department Nature Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels 25/30 lv) 26;s/d30/40lv, with shared bathroom Botev ul Hristo Bulgarian; former name,Sveti (Saint) Valentin. you in.Localssometimes callthehotel byits outaworker rouses door eventually tocheck from 2pmto5pm,bangingontherestaurant stairs isworthwhile. Whilereception isclosed modern bathroomsandtherestaurant down- town centre above it.Theclean roomshave andaroundthe cornerfromthe bus station, budget optionisatwo-minute walkfromthe d30 lv) [email protected]; frequently so absent, ring ahead. are hasmodernifbasicrooms.Thestaff Rai room 20lv) from thetrainstation in Oreshets. or busstation for free fromtheBelogradchik or phoneaheadandAngel willretrieve you the centre; youcanwalkthere (15minutes), ing tours. TheDrakite isabout 1kmwestof such ashikingorguidedhuntingandfish- lent English andcanarrange localactivities, Friendly ownerAngel Boyanov speaksexcel- fortress above, orof thelongvalleybelow. their own.Viewsare of theKaleto rocksand shared bathrooms,theothertwohaving andwireless internet. Three roomshaveTV airy, modernroomswithwoodfurnishings, trance inaquietresidential area, offers five 600mdownfromtheKaletoguesthouse, en- 37;s/d12/24lv) ulTreti Mart .drakite.com; chalga on themainstreet andaweekend discoblaring mand. Nightlife isrelegated toafew café-bars are restaurants notenough tokeep upwithde- opened over thepastcoupleof years, butthere a four-star have hotel. Newguesthouses also writing theformerwasbeingtransformedinto atthetimeof though neglectedbeen andclosed, onestreet below–haveHotel Belogradchik, Skali,onthesquare, andthe Belogradchiski hotelsThe twoformerstate-run –theHotel Sleeping &Eating great viewsover the rocks. Belogradchik Affiliated with the history museum isthe withthehistorymuseum Affiliated The Rocks Hotel RocksHotel The Rai Hotel o Hotel Madona Hotel (Bulgarian folk-popmusic). More like theMadona aguesthouse, Facing theHotel thebusstation, Guesthouse Drakite

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, which anska anska ing. Note thatthere’s noshade, so bring Reservoir to Lopushanski Monastery isthe diversion alongtheroadfromMontana MONTANA apeacefullocationand seating, decent food. The attached caféhasoutdoorandindoor bathrooms, refrigerators andsmartfurniture. bathrooms, andneweronesupstairs with rooms, olderonesdownstairs withshared has20 The guesthouse monastery itself. r perpersonabout20lv) safe haven for revolutionaries. known asStJohn thePrecursor) provided a lions againstOttomanrule, Lopushanski (also During theperiodicrebel-Nikolai Dospevski. able iconspainted bybrothers Stanislav and andboastsvalu- 1853, enjoysaserene setting astery Some 21kmwestof thissmall Montana, LOPUSHANSKI MONASTERY English. in from thenorth,it’ssignposted ‘Lopushanski’ issignpostedturn-off ‘ northwest of Montana. Fromthesouth, 3km (E79)starts highway the Vratsa–Vidin and Chiprovtsi. TheroadtoChiprovtsi from Four orfive connectMontana dailybuses Getting There&Away local weavers withproducts for sale. Alternately, caretaker themuseum canfind ad Vidin. and spur trackfromthe major Sofia linebetween inconvenient Kopilovtsi, The and Belogradchik. Pleven Chiprovtsi, Four orfive serve dailybuses go almosthourlytoSofia, andVidin. Vratsa ing gear if required). sunscreen andanumbrella (aswellasfish- warranted. really linger, anovernight though isnot stay 30/40lv) pl Slaveikov;s/dwithTV able roomsatthe American namesake. There are manage- nothing incommonwithitsaccidental andVidinhas Vratsa between town set largeLopushanski Monastery, this prosaic The maintransporthubforChiprovtsi or % From Montana’s From Montana’s local enough onepleasant That said, The monastery’s 096 /pop54,600

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% Манастир 095-51 350; Montana isona 626 803; buses buses mon- ’; the Vrachanski Balkan Naturethe Vrachanski Balkan Park ( p266 ), makes forexploringVratsa ahandybase defileintheVrachanskasteep Mountains, With itsstrikinglocationjustbelowa % VRATSA Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels an assortment of vintage buggies and carts. beat aremusician DikoIliev displayed.Theoff- costumes andobjects relating toauthorand Tudor, stylesof architecture. Traditional British andeven Bulgarian NationalRevival, Mon-Sat) Leonov;Gen adult/student5/0.50lv; Gallery withArt Museum Historical ing, theEthnographicComplexor for Closed renovations atthetimeof writ- COMPLEXETHNOGRAPHIC as you face it. the left(west)of Hotel Valdi Palace ( right ) isbehind the16th-centurytowertoseum Macedonia-related historicalitems. Themu- facts fromnearbyNeolithicdwellingsand displays Thraciancoinsandjewellery,arte- adult/student 5/0.50lv; local Vratsa’s Also calledthe‘Archaeological Museum’, HISTORICAL MUSEUM Sights &Activities ( the Naturethe Vrachanski Balkan Park, visit ATMs. offer Numerous bankshere change moneyand ishes atthemarket, nearthetrainstation. whichpedestrian mall(ulHristoBotev), fin- most of theactionisfurthereast alongthe ices congregate aroundthissquare, though boxed text, p266 ). Kiosks,shops andserv- the revolutionary (see associated withVratsa ofcrowned byastatue the19th-century The centre of istheplHristoBotev, Vratsa Orientation &Information an overnight destination. of writinghave viabilityas increased Vratsa’s tion optionsexistingorbeingbuiltatthetime Soviet newaccommoda- times.Nevertheless, retains thedrabconcreteitself aestheticof cafélife, thetownand elementary though other localvillages. services Ithasnecessary Lopushanski andCherepish Monasteries, and % For information,mapsandadviceabout

092 /pop78,900 Vrachanski Balkan Nature Park Nature headquarters Balkan Vrachanski 633 149; [email protected]; ul Ivanka 633 149;[email protected]; ulIvanka 1). Boteva Museum ofCarriages Museum ismadeupof structures the evoking ВРАЦА museum h 9am-noon &3-6.30pmTue-Sun)

( % , attheback,boasts 620 220; pl Hristo Botev; Botev; 620 220;plHristo h NORTHERN BULGARIA••Vratsa NORTHERN 8am-noon &2-6pm

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mouth of thegorge, makes initself itworth- location of thisbrand-newhotel, atthe right at thegorge;d40-50lv,apt70-150lv) popular with locals. within.Itsrestaurant is and friendlyservice out, butactuallyoffers clean,modernrooms communistappearancefromwith- startling far eastern side of thepedestrianmall,hasa undercover complex nearthe andoff-street costs2lvto from thebus/train station 4 lv. climbing andgeneral escapistbliss.Ataxi Chaika makes forhillwalks, anexcellent base frumpy andthedécornotexactly chic, the isabit dle-boats service forguests. Although a duckpond(minustheducks), and pad- has arelaxing summerpatio,andthere’s even either sideof thedefile. Thehotel restaurant stunning viewsof theenormouspeakson with Jacuzzis. Roomsabove have ground level with charm andspaciousapartments,some with aski-lodge look,itboastsmodernrooms inVratsa. Asloping-roofedwhile tostay place d 40-60lv,apt60-80lv) 300m pastthe Historical Museum. Cave, about be alongtheroadtoLedenika to becalledHotel Park Vratza. Thehotel will was beingresurrected asanewfive-star hotel end of the pedestrian mall. foreateriesVratsa; andcafés,trytheeastern ( p266 ). There are restaurants nostandout in Naturearound theVrachanski Balkan Park Discreet, campingispossibleinand unofficial Sleeping &Eating road. the thatstraddle cliffs mountain on thesheer for thetrulyfearless only–isperformed marked hikingtrailsexist).Rockclimbing– highlight outdoorsVratsa’s activities(several Cavethe river roadtowardstheLedenika of themainsquare, treks andtougher along Relaxed hikingintheforested hillssouthwest Leonov. Gen alongthecobblestonelaneofturn right ul central square and alongulHristoBotev, 7pm) Church Sofronni Vrachanski nearby museum HIKING Restaurant Atlantik Restaurant o Valdi PalaceHotel At thetimeof writing,theoldHotel Tourist A relaxing strolltakes the youthrough is also worth seeing. Get there Get fromthe isalsoworthseeing. Hotel Chaika Hotel ( gardens

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265 Sveti Sveti 8am- NORTHERN BULGARIA BULGARIA NORTHERN NORTHERN BULGARIA Bulgarian destinations such as Pleven, Ruse Bulgarian destinationssuch Ruse asPleven, northern From Mezra four dailytrainsserve south) andchanging there isrecommended. to thenearbyMezra (20minutes trainstation get to Belogradchik. GaraOreshets,through fromwhere youcan andfourtoVidin; thelatter pass Montana Sofia, sixgoto ices. Five dailytrainsserve trains andadvancetickets fordomesticserv- Bureau Vidin. to Gabrovo, andLovech, Pleven plusfour dailyserve 6am and9am).Oneortwobuses two hours) hourly(more frequently between travel Buses station. to/fromSofia (8lv, from themainroad,300meastof thetrain The Getting There&Away and food,excellentservice tasty live music. regular café,abarandrestaurant thatoffers Hotel Valdi Palace includesan internet café,a 266 For more destinations, connecting distant Inside the ceremony in the Vrachanska MountainsandintheVratsatownsquareceremony thatbearshisname. intheVrachanska Russia’s entryintothewarfollowingyear,andthusaccelerated Bulgaria’spathtofreedom. historiansbelieveNevertheless, thatBotev’s rebellion affected thecourseofevents leadingto Withthedeathofbrave Botev, rebelsheart. thefew despaired surviving andwere routed. theenemylines from adistance,singlebulletpiercedhising, whenthepoetstoodtosurvey the farmore numerousTurks several timesbefore beingoverwhelmed. Duringalullinthefight- irregulars (mercenaries)inhotpursuit. the river. armyand They madeforVratsaandthemountains–withOttoman ment oftheirvaliantandapparently suicidalpurpose,were droppedoffontheBulgariansideof vessel ontheDanubeand,after stirringtheemotionsofforeign passengerswiththeannounce- training, organised adetachmenttofighttheTurks. crushed bytheTurks. This event deeplyaffected Botev, who,despite hislackofpriormilitary lion. The latter’s appeared circumspection justifiedwhenthe1876‘AprilUprising’wasbrutally thatfeared andamore faction action, conservative thetimewasnotyetripeforageneralrebel- movement tosplinter theimpetuousyoungpoet,urged betweenthosewho,like immediate broadsides forthenationalcause. he befriendedthegreat Bulgarianrebel leader,Vasil Levski, andagitated throughnewspaper later, Botev wasexiledtoRomania,where theliberationmovement wasbubblingalong. There thinkers. After ruleuponhisreturn daringtospeakoutagainsttheOttoman toBulgariafouryears RussianandPolishrevolutionary withlike-minded contacts 1863 wenttostudyinOdessa,making figures intheBulgarianNationalRevival.The inspired father’snationalfervour theson,whoin Hristo Botev wasbornin1848,sonofBotyoPetkov (1815–69),ateacher andoneofthemain Bulgaria’s mostrevered poetwasalsoarevolutionary whodiedatragically inspirationaldeath. VRATSA’S TRAGICPOET bus station OTENBLAI • Vahnk aknNtr ak Nature Park Balkan BULGARIA••Vrachanski NORTHERN Every yearon2June,theanniversary ina ofhisdeath,HristoBotev’s memoryisobserved battle thatfollowed,BotevIn thethree-day andhis200menfoughtheroically,drivingback First, however, hehadtoescapeRomania. Botev anAustro-Hungarian andhismenhijacked In late 1872,Levski wascaptured andexecuted, bytheOttomans causingtheBulgarianrebel

( % 620 562) train station

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( is slightly hidden isslightly % 624 415) , the Rila h (led) abandoned hotels anda chairlift.disused park’s more accessibleparts are marred by climbers andhang-gliders. Unfortunately, the pings are fragile,they’re stillopenforrock Vratsa. Whilesomeof therockyoutcrop- park of 288sqkm,located southwestof and about 500 caves distinguish thisnature Numerous speciesof birds,700typesof trees VRACHANSKI BALKANNATURE PARK (opposite ). Monastery Cave ( ful forLedenika below ) andCherepish are plentiful andcheap. Taxis are alsouse- gorge is2kmbehind taxis thetown.However, the iseasilywalkable, though itself Vratsa Getting Around trains toSofia (4.50lv, two hours). and Silistra(18.20lv).There are alsofrequent plus there’s onedailytoDobrich (16.90 lv) hours) andVarna(11.50 lv,seven (15.70 lv), Named after theBulgarian wordforice 8am-6pm summer) , the Ledenika Cave Cave Ledenika is indeed sheathed isindeed inice for

(guided toursperperson 5lv; lonelyplanet.com bashibazouk

torched, toppledandrebuilt repeatedly during icons andhasBulgarian-language books cil confines. chilly is fortheperiodicconcertsheldwithinits Ledenika mer afternoon, auniquetimetosee explore it.Whilemostcomeonasunnysum- mer, whenvisitors onguidedtours arrive to much of thewinter, butthawsoutinsum- lonelyplanet.com te Danube. the Roman fortress, over guardhigh standing and initsruined museums, in several history. Thispast isabundantlydisplayed ing andlively townwitharich andvaried isaverygreat Ruse appeal- atnight, effect influenced architecture, often illuminated to livened bycafésandAustro-Hungarian– Bucharest. Yet withitsgrandsquare en- many it’sjustastoponthewayto orfrom point of for passage toRomania,though city inBulgaria,isfarmore thanjusta % RUSE Iskâr. Novi thestunningIskârGorge,road through via approach isdefinitely thescenic,ifslower, from Sofia, themostaesthetically appealing ing minibus,orwalkwest6km.Ifdriving the Zverino turn-off andwaitforaconnect- at or Vidinpassthemonastery; disembark heading towardsMezdra, Montana Vratsa, the Mezdra–Zverino route. fromSofia Buses from theeponymousroadsiderestaurant on about themonastery and local history. (1877–78). before andduringtheRusso-TurkishWar byrebelsteries, itwasused asahidingplace the Ottomanperiod.Like manyothermonas- 312770; admissionfree; The 14th-century CHEREPISH MONASTERY tion onhikingandcaving expeditions. 1,Vratsa) Boteva vratsa.net; ulIvanka Ecotrail Vrachanski The cafésalsohave directions tothenew leave younearthecave ifyoualertthedriver. toZgorigradwill The hourlybusfromVratsa Hotel where Tourist inVratsa, it’ssignposted. bytheformer foot) fromtheroadthatstarts Clue ue ( Ruse Cultured The poorlysignposted monastery is600m The monastery’s little The The cave isabout 15km(orthree hours on 082 /pop182,500 РУСЕ park headquarters NORTHERN BULGARIA••Cherepish Monastery NORTHERN . roo h Cherepish Monastery Cherepish 24hr) -seh), thefifth-biggest-seh), ( was,like Chiprovtsi’s,

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829 716; ul Aleksandrovska 48; 48; 829 716;ulAleksandrovska ( % ( 883 103; ul Aleksandrovska 883 103;ulAleksandrovska 6) h % 830 205;ulDuhovno 24hr) 888 113;ul ing Ottoman-era building, builtin1632.The the trainstation’s Bureau. Rila not toBucharest; theseare boughtonthedayoftravelat but central branchsellsinternationaltrainandbustickets, ( 33; as well accommodation assistance. providing informationaboutRuseandnearbyattractions, informationoffices, besttourist team runoneofBulgaria’s and Botsev 9.30am-6pm Sat&Sun)TheveryhelpfulBoris 61; .rousse.bg; ulAleksandrovska also runsuniqueeight-dayDanubeboatcruises to Vienna. forlong-distancebuses; rooms andtours,sellstickets impi Panov 5; totheIvanovo maps; canarrangetrips Rock Monastery. informationand Providescampingandhiking Mon-Fri) 7; Skobelev www.lomea.org; ulGen the post office. Large, well-preserved murals and Large, well-preserved 16th-century as elsewhere, tobuild partiallyunderground. thanamosqueledbuilders higher here,stand Turkish stipulation thatnochurch should admission free; Russian-style is the themagnificentoperahouse Behind CHURCHES Consulate of Mongolia. oftower stands, over course, theHonorary ul Alexandrovska andulDaskalov, theclock point. Located onthesquare atthecornerof insurance company,isapopularmeeting The Sights Bureau Rila dation andorganiseexcursionstolocal attractions. canfindaccommo- 14)Booksairandbustickets; Kânchev Tours Retro Dunav Tours Byala Zvezda TRAVEL AGENCIES InformationCentre Tourist Park LomNature office Rusenski TOURIST INFORMATION Telephone Centre TELEPHONE Post office POST Rusenski Lom Rusenski Nature Park. in andcyclingtrips caving,canoeing,trekking hiking, 25, 2ndfl,entranceB,ulVidin10)LocalNGOorganising % h 828 016; Clock Tower 9am-noon & 12.30-5pm Mon-Fri); 9am-noon &12.30-5pmMon-Fri); (plSvoboda; (

h h central ( % h ( % % Church of Sveta Troitsa Church ofSveta 9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri) Arranges private Arrangesprivate 9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri) 9am-5.30pm &9.30pm-5.30am)The 876 108;[email protected]; ulAngel 7am-6pm) , onthesite of Bulgaria’sfirst 825 048;[email protected]; ulOl- ( 279 770; [email protected]; apt 279 770;[email protected]; (pl Svoboda; % h 876 108; ul Knyazheska 876 108;ulKnyazheska , Ruse’s oldestsurviv- , Ruse’s 7am-9.45pm) ( % h h h 824 704;tic@tic 9am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-8pm Mon-Fri, ( 7am-9.45pm) Inside % 8.30am-5pm train station (pl SvetaTroitsa; 872 397;

269 NORTHERN BULGARIA BULGARIA NORTHERN NORTHERN BULGARIA 5pm) guard here, safe for passage guaranteeing in AD70.Around 600soldiers oncestood 2/1 lv; fortress storage area are what remain of thisoncegreat Defensive walls, atower,somebarracksand ROMAN FORTRESSOFSEXAGINTA PRISTA & 1-5.30pmMon-Sat) 12;adult/student3/0.50lv; 996; ulPridunavski at the and earlyphotographs, are commemorated his firearms collection,alongwithsabres the Prussian ambassador. mistress, the beautifulGreek wife Calliope, of Midhat Pasha, gave tohisreputed thehouse According tolegend, theTurkishgovernor, alternatively knownastheKaliopa House. is period.Themuseum ings date to thesame porcelain andcostumes.Theelegantfurnish- features early-20th-century crockery, cutlery, noon &1-5.30pmMon-Sat) ( transport in Ruse. ofdevelopment communicationsandmass Abdul Aziz.Aphotodisplaydocumentsthe Boris III,Tsar Ferdinand andTurkish Sultan luminariessuchbelonged asTsar toBalkan 20th centuries,aswellcarriages thatonce tage locomotives fromthelate 19thandearly 4/2 lv; 516; ulBratyaObretenovi 5;admissionoutside/indoordisplays fortress andother local sites. archaeological finds,taken fromtheRoman prehistoric, Bulgarian Romanandmedieval .museumruse.com; ulAleksandarBattenberg3; ofHistory Museum RuseRegional MUSEUMS mass. Sunday and theystillfire upthe700-pipemonster for Bulgarian church equipped withanorgan, StPaul’sand iconssurvive. wasthefirst windows,chandeliersrals, stained-glass was completed in1892.Itsoriginalmu- (admission free; late 19th century. tower wasapost-Ottomanadditionfromthe windows.Thebell the tower’sstained-glass andiconsare here,crosses thestandouts asare 270 % The unique The The Revolutionary hero Zahari Stoyanov and heroZahari Revolutionary 820 997;ulTsar Ferdinand 39;admission3lv; is a new history museum containing isanewhistorymuseum OTENBLAI • Rs BULGARIA••Ruse NORTHERN h h Zahari Stoyanov House-Museum Stoyanov Zahari ( Catholic ChurchofStPaul theCrucified Catholic Museum oftheUrbanLifestyleinRuse Museum % 9am-noon &1-5.30pm Mon-Sat) 10am-noon &2-5pmMon-Fri) 825 004;ulTsar 2;adult/concession Kaloyan h Museum Transportation 7am-6pm) . wasbuiltin1866and ,

just offulPridunavski,

( % exhibitsvin- , completed 825 006;www h

h ( ( 9am-noon h % % 9am- 9am- 820 803

find private rooms; [email protected]; ulOlimpiPanov 5; s/d22/35lv;

tives theOttomansinRusso- whofought anniversary of thedeathof 453Ruse-area na- was builtin1978,tocommemorate the100th grand achievement of Soviet monumentalism 998; admissionfree; domed isdominated bythegold- olutionary heroes, lined with thegravesRevivalists), of localrev- The PARKS &MONUMENTS so youcanonlylookon from outside. tures. isnowaprivate residence, Thehouse marked byitsmixed nationalitiesandcul- bodying thespiritof andEnglish, em- Bulgarian,German Ladino, spokeSlavyanska Canetti 9.Thecosmopolitan Prize forliterature, atul builtthisfinehouse (1905–94),winnerofElias Canetti theNobel The grandfatherof BulgarianJewish writer TRADEHOUSE CANETTI the underground bunker. ancient findsare kept inthecoolconfinesof Other intact. WWII andstillmarvellously recent if you’re interested, tothesomewhatmore willshow youaround,and, The friendlystaff background informationisposted inEnglish. tures andtombstones are alsodisplayed,and river. Stoneinscriptions,decorative sculp- overriver traders bluff fromtheirhigh the h tic.rousse.bg; ul 61;rperpersonfrom10 lv; Aleksandrovska The BUDGET Sleeping Festival Christmas Days ofRuse Ruse JazzBluezzFestival Festival Folklore Golden Rebeck DaysFestival Music March Festivals &Events and good river views. playgrounds, swimmingpools,tennis courts thisisthe in 1949.Behind Saedinenie, isthe Turkish War. Theirremains are inside. theatre. Features international musicians. North of thePantheon, attheendof ul 9am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-6pm Sat&Sun) 9am-8pm Mon-Fri, Tourist Information Centre Information Centre Tourist Park na Vazrozhdentsite Park naVazrozhdentsite German Bunker German Pantheon of the National Revival Pantheon oftheNationalRevival

Festival Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels (15-24December) h Soviet ArmyMonument Soviet (early October) Music, danceand Music, (earlyOctober) 9am-noon &1-5.30pm) DunavTours fin-de-siècle , hewnoutof bricksin (September) (last two weeks of March) (lasttwoweeksofMarch) (earlyJune) Youth Park ( (Park of the %

Ruse, acity Ruse, ( 824 704;tic@ %

825 051; ( . This % , with , built can 820 088326313; [email protected]; ul Baba Tonka 24; ulBabaTonka 088326313; [email protected]; Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels Bistra & Galina hasexcellent roomswithall 8;s90-100lv/d 120-140 lv; Han Asparukh Hotel Bistra &Galina TOP END offers if comfortable rooms. unspectacular side street nearthemainsquare, theSplendid 51;s/d68/80lv; ul Aleksandrovska small barandrestaurant are downstairs. good fallbackoptionifothers are booked. A dation; it’snothingspecialfortheprice, buta off thecentralsquare, offers decentaccommo- pa Liliya Hotel MIDRANGE small. are Roomsarehelpful staff. clean,butbathrooms hotel it’safine,comfortable with However, attracts businesstravellers andtourgroups. Kristal vated butsomewhat out-of-the-way 1;s/d/t40/56/70lv; Nikolaevska the Nationalhasbasicbut clean rooms. 51; s&d40lv) kitchen witha communal fridge. internet, a relaxing backgardenandalounge/ wireless sauna, There isfree laundryservice, do pick-upsfromthetrainorbusstation. matic Englishman Steve Molyneux,whocan isownedandrunbycharis-The guesthouse in anartfullyrestored 150-year-old mansion. cious andimmaculate modernbathrooms, lovely doubleroomswithshared, butspa- hasfive The EnglishGuestHouse Ruse, s/d 30/45lv) its roomstend tobe more expensive. h Hotel Kristal Hotel National Hotel o Splendid Hotel friendship nomore, butmere it’snowknownsimplyastheDanubeBridge. functionality; Romania (seetheboxed text, p261 oftheseincidentsthebridge has cometodenote). Inthewake problems inRuse. More recently, localssuffered ofanother catastrophicspillin themisfortune plantcausedmassive airpollutionandhealththe 1980s,whenaRomanianchlorine-and-sodium the FriendshipBridge. Whatever mayhave filialsentimentsthisact inspired were sorely tested in towering 30mabove thewater, it’sthelargest steel bridgeinEurope. 1954 linksthecitywithGiurgiu ontheRomaniansideofDanube. At 2.8kminlength,and highwayandrailwaybridgefinishedinSome 6kmdownstream fromRuse,thisdouble-decker THE DANUBE BRIDGE 9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri) In a nod to the neighbourly bickering betweenBulgariansandRomanians,theSovietsIn anodtotheneighbourlybickering namedit ) The Liliya,almostdownbytheriver Byfarthebestbudget optionin The EnglishGuestHouse The A 15-minute walkfromplSvoboda, ( %

( 822 900;ulZlatenRog1;s/d60/80lv; ( %

( % % 824 333;[email protected]; ul

can also help you, though canalsohelpyou,though 824 120; fax 834 915; ul Nikolaevska 824 120;fax834915;ulNikolaevska ( 825 972; % 823 344;www.bghotel.bg; ul pai

www.splendid.rousse.bg; pa NORTHERN BULGARIA••Ruse NORTHERN a Theswank ( ) Thereno- ) ) % Off ona Off 824 120, Bulgarian cooking, the Strandzhata hasindoor Bulgarian cooking, theStrandzhata 5; mains6-9lv; just as expected. are spacious,bathroomslarge, andamenities Danube Plazaoverlooks thesquare. Rooms minal, theluxurious(ifabitgarishinplaces) yellow neoclassicalmansionbytheriver ter- .com; plSvoboda5;s/d130/200lv; or eatingatthe outdoor tables. kebabs, falafel andmeatwrapsfortakeaway 6-10 lv; seating and an enclosed andanenclosed seating outside terrace. are chipped-off essentially tree stumps. uponwhat ofsight somedishes beingserved and therusticcharm isonlyenhancedbythe of grilledmeats.It’saplaceforheartyeaters, tional furnishings,live music andawiderange Chiflika isanexcellent Paisii 2;mains5-11 lv; lunch spot onthesquare’s far side. h pasties) andsimilar morning-hours snacks. anarrayofthis littleshop sells pedestrian mall near bulTsar Osvoboditel, h Ruse Khlebozavod of more Ruse’s elegant restaurants. counted atticsingles.Thehotel features one professional There are staff. smaller,dis- Anna Palace roomsanda hascomfortable 4;s/d110/140lv; Knyazheska Western part of theBest international chain. thesinglesarethe modcons,though small.It’s Eating Restaurant Dublin Restaurant Strandzhata Mehana o Del Cano Ali Baba Anna Palace Danube PlazaHotel 8am-11pm) 8am-4pm) h 11am-1am) Mehana Chiflika Mehana h

(cnr Aleksandrovska & Rakovski; mains2lv; &Rakovski; (cnr Aleksandrovska (pl SvetaTroitsa15;mains4-6lv) A busytake-away placeon the Quick and tasty chicken Quickandtasty noon-11pm) ( % (ul Aleksandrovska; banitsa0.60lv; (ul Aleksandrovska; h 825 005;www.annapalace.com; ul Yes, Guinness, itserves

( ( (ul Tsar Osvobotidel61;mains 11am-2am) %

% Anothergoodspot for pai 822 929;www.danubeplaza 821 185; ul Konstantin Irichek 821 185;ulKonstantinIrichek mehana

( ai % Theenormous 828 222; ul Otets 828 222;ulOtets banitsa ) withtradi- ) In a bright In abright Thelively A tasty Atasty shishle (cheese (cheese 271

, NORTHERN BULGARIA BULGARIA NORTHERN NORTHERN BULGARIA once frequent live rockshows heldhere had met eatery itis isnotexactlycentral,though Kutuzov; mains10-15lv; town’s finest buildings,and the Troitsa) edge andcultivates a pub ambience. the square andtheriver retains itsalternative thisweatherednevertheless, placebetween become, atthetimeof rare; writing,sadly to Saturday). place togoforlive jazz music(Wednesday Just across thepark,thisspaciousbaris the Club Art Entertainment over a drink. a chic and colourfuloutdoorcaféforlounging good grub,whilethelatter is theme, anddoes population. TheformerhasavaguelyEnglish in asuburbknownforitsboisterous, young door toeach otherjustnortheastof thecentre, and music andisagood chill-out place. rated playsavarietyof subterranean section andadark,eclecticallydeco- outdoor seating Also onulAleksandrovska, thiscoolbarwith mall. pedestrian This isapopularcaféthatspillsoutontothe mall, especiallyaroundthemain square. Popular cafés and bars linethepedestrian Drinking Bulgarian and international. of theDanubedelta. Foodisbothinspired an aromaticred winecharacterising thevino excellent. Itboastsawinery,andproduces so. if there’s though dining stationary, nosurcharge whenthere’sonly sails acrowd,youmaybe and otherdrinksfromthebar. Sincetheboat plentyof fish andmeat,pluscocktails serves the on For Danubedining,take asuppercruise 5lv) mains6-11lv,surchargeperpersonforthetrip waterfront; cuisine. international a bigmenuof inventive Bulgarianand one of thecity’sbetter restaurants, with but no,it’snotapub;theDublinisinfact 272 Fresh The Camelot Soundgarden Deep Club&House Leventa Princess Balkan Balkan Princess, Tropik OTENBLAI • Rs BULGARIA••Ruse NORTHERN , opensinceabout 1890andoneof the

( Ruse OperaHouse % (cnr ul Aleksandrovska & ulTsar(cnr ulAleksandrovska Osvoboditel)

( (Neofit Rilski 49; (Neofit Rilski ( % % 820 948;ulVazhrazhdane 1; 861 084; ul Neofit Rilski 48; 861 084;ulNeofitRilski 862 880; www.leventa-bg.net; ul General ulGeneral 862 880;www.leventa-bg.net;

(ul Knyazheska 16; (ul Knyazheska ( % h

( % 0888270297; pontoon7,Danube aboat-restaurant that 11am-midnight) h 834 712;ulAleksandrovska)

7am-midnight) ( % h 825 037;plSveta Sava Ognyanov Sava Ognyanov 9am-3am) Thisgour- h h are next 9pm-3am) 7am-11pm) The

est hits. The Ruse-based company The Ruse-based To/From Romania four blockseastof ul Borisova. neartheroundabout Skobelev, from ulGen Take orcitybus213,which ataxi leave LomNaturein theRusenski Park ( opposite ). destinations such asIvanovo andCherven 4km eastof thecentre, tonearby hasbuses ul Borisova. willcostabout2lvto Ataxi 4 lv. take trolleybus25orbus1112from station, about twohours) hourorso. every Toget tothe leave andminibuses Buses forSilistra(5lv, go toGabrovo andtwotoDobrich. andPleven, six hours). Also,oneortwodailypublicbuses Varna (11lv,fourhours) and Plovdiv (12lv, 4½ hours), Shumen (5.40lv,twohours), Târnovo (5lv,twohours), Burgas (11lv, toSofiaular buses (10lv,five hours), Veliko about 2.5km south of thecitycentre, hasreg- The BUS Getting There&Away Centre. Information at thebox theTourist offices, orthrough for theirqualityproductions.Buytickets Drama Theatre customs and passport checks. 30 minutes before thetraindeparture timefor Bucharest (20lv,3½ hours). Show upatleast to Varna (9lv, four hours). (5.70 lv,twotothree hours), and twomore hours) andVeliko(14.50 lv,seven Târnovo tobothSofia It hasfourdailytrainservices about 2.5kmfromthetown’scentre.station, Bulgaria’s oldest,isadjacenttothe Yugbus The grand TRAIN and 4.30pmfor similar prices. toBucharest, fromRuse daily buses at11.30am Uniri. ARomaniancompanyalsorunstwo the Hotel HoroskoponBucharest’s Piazza from Romaniaat10.30amand4.15pm the cornerof ulPanov. return buses These onplBorisova,office infrontof cityhallon oratOvonesovi’s them eitheratthestation Tickets are 20lvone-wayor30return. Buy at6.30amand2pm. ing theYugbusstation toBucharestruns twominibuses daily,leav- For Romania, three daily trains serve For Romania,three dailytrainsserve The Royal Cinema Yug busstation Iztok busstation train station

(pl Svoboda)

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( %

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% % , are bothwellknown 828 151;ulPristanishtna) 844 064;ulIvanVedur 10) 820 222;ulPristanishtna) Ovonesovi screens thelat- lonelyplanet.com (

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( delays. Thetrainstation’s on thedayof travel asthere are sometimes train tickets. It’sbesttobuyaBucharest ticket h lonelyplanet.com monasteries andsuperbbird-watching. About and Malki LomRivers, features uniquerock of aroundthe Ruse Lom Lom,Beli Rusenski This 3260-hectare nature park,sprawlingsouth РУСЕНСКИ ПРИРОДЕН RUSENSKI LOMNATUREPARK Lom excursions totheRusenski Nature Park. aboutcarrental, for hotels canadvise useful entrance B,ulVidin10;perday25lv) cycles from plenty of operate. taxis Youcanalsorent bi- Walking central and iseasyenough, Ruse Getting Around costs 2lvto4lv. 25 orbus1112fromulBorisova. Ataxi ings andinasmalleroneup the hill. h RUSENSKI LOMNATUREPARK ὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈ ὈὈὈὈ In the station, the In thestation, To get take trolleybus tothetrainstation, Dve Mogili 9am-5.30pm &9pm-5.30am) 6am-1.30pm &2-8.30pm) To Ruse (4km) Pepelina Byala Zvezda Ivanovo NORTHERN BULGARIA •• Rusenski LomNature Park BULGARIA••Rusenski NORTHERN Basarbovo Tabachka

ПАРК ЛОМ

Monastery Basarbovo Rock Orlova ChukaPeshtera Ruse

ispastthemainbuild- Rila Bureau Rila nski ( % Koshov . Travel agencies and sells international sells Ivanovo Rock

Monastery 279 770; apt 25, 2nd fl, 279 770;apt25,2ndfl, left-luggage office left-luggage

Rusenski Lom

Nature Park Lom To Ruse (4km) Cherven

(

% River 828 016; Nisovo To Katselovo(1km);

Opaka (15km) Lom Beli Malki Rusenski Lom Nature Park LomNature office Rusenski Information centre Information Roman ruinsare also found here. Tabachka andPepelina villages. Thracianand Chuka Peshtera Peak (Eagle Cave), between second-longest cave inBulgaria,theOrlova and Ivanovo. the Theparkalsocontains ofthe mostfamousbeingthose Basarbovo 300 localcaves, onlyahandfulare accessible, rockchurchesdieval existinandaroundsome churches.the park’scliff Whilearound40me- by uniqueprehistoric geological shifts. (rare amongtheDanubianplains),were caused bats. Thepark’sendlessvalleysandmountains mals (16of themendangered) and23typesof eagle owl.It’salsohometo67speciesof mam- the Egyptian vulture, kestrel lesser and great live here. residents Amongthemostnotable are 170 speciesof water birds,someendangered, here oratbookstalls in Ruse. the Green DanubeProgram,isindispensableandavailable The Mon-Fri) 7, Skobelev www.lomea.org; ulGen Ruse;

Most visitors, are however, drawnfirst to Lom

River River Pisanets Svalenik Naturpark Russenski Lom Naturpark Russenski ( % Tsar Kaloyan 081-162 203;Ivanovo town hall) 0 0 map,publishedby ( % h 082-872 397; 8.30am-5pm 4 miles To Razgrad

8 km (15km)

273 NORTHERN BULGARIA BULGARIA NORTHERN NORTHERN BULGARIA This UnescoWorldHeritage–listed monas- south of Ruse. road, about 4kmeastof Ivanovo and20km artists are unknown. Supper.impassioned scenesfromtheLast The and finest inBulgaria–depictvarioussaints walls andceilings–regarded assomeof the and religion. The14th-centurymuralsonthe soon becamearegional centre of art,culture Asen themonastery IIandIvanAleksandâr, forest to get there. a 10-minute a walkonagoodtrailthrough 4m wideand38mabove ground.It’sabout tery is builtinsideacave some16mlong, 231 023;admission3lv; called simplythe MonasteryArhangel complexisalso Mikhail churches nearIvanovo village, theSveti The mostfamousof formercave several IVANOVO ROCKMONASTERY being built,justdownfrom the cliff. time of writing,alarger, modernchurch was andtwomonasticcells.Atthe iconostasis monastery includeasmallchurch withcarved ber. of Othersections theupperpartof the cham- coffinisvisibleinthesepulchral whose strengthened byaresident monk,Hrysant, monasteries suchcliff as Basarbovo. rally wellsuited tothemonasticlife inremote oftainment spiritualtranquillity,wasnatu- innercontemplation andtheat- emphasised Palamas, flocked here. Thedoctrine,which Byzantine Bishop of Gregory Thessaloniki, Hesychasm movement championed bythe the 15thcentury.Adherents of themystical climb upthelongwoodedpath at Ivanovo. easier toreach whodon’twantto forthose steps. below,it’salso Sinceyoucanparkright of upanarrowrockstairway 48 cliff, high intoahollowin aesthetic appeal,carved foritsstrikingfrescoes andgeneralseeing gets more visitors, Basarbovo isalsoworth thelatterAlthough ismore famousandthus River, ontheroadtoIvanovo Monastery. Lom8km southof near theRusenski Ruse Basarbovo isinthevillage of name thesame The onlyworking rock monastery inBulgaria, BASARBOVO ROCKMONASTERY Sights 274 Built duringthe13thcenturybyTsars Ivan The monastery issignposted alongagood In 1937,themonastery wasrestored and Basarbovo Monastery dates from(atleast) OTENBLAI • Lk rbra&Aon Srebârna &Around BULGARIA••Lake NORTHERN Ivanovo RockMonastery Ivanovo h 8am-noon &1-5pmWed-Mon) ( %

082- . daily buses toIvanovodaily buses insummer,andfewer 30minutes),(every asthere are onlythree best waytoget toIvanovo, isbytrain however, Koshov, MondayandFriday.The between viaIvanovoleave and dailyforCherven, fourbuses inRuse, From theIztokbusstation Getting There&Away Koshov (20lv per person). Nisovo Pisanets, and vate roomsinCherven, vide accommodationoptions,such aspri- Ivanovo’s informationcentre ( p273 ) pro- The nature ( inRuse parkoffice p269 ) and Sleeping about 15kmsouth of Ivanovo. are ashort walknorthof village, Cherven river valleysandhillsfromthetop.Theruins Thereeasily enough. are great viewsof the it youcanclamberthrough logical reserve’, ered, nowaprotected andthough ‘archaeo- towers andchurches have discov- alsobeen Wed-Mon) del (1185–1396). Remainsof the6th-century Bulgarian Empirecentre duringtheSecond religious,an important economicandmilitary chronic Slavic invasions. Thetownbecame by residents of whowanted toescape Ruse wasestablish Cherven CHERVEN did sanctuaries for naturedid sanctuaries lovers. Thelarge dure, andbothplaces remain peaceful,splen- to beenjoyedamidst allthelushriver ver- plenty of hikes andotheroutdooractivities swimming. Thereing, boatingand even are ontheDanube,isa good spotforfish- right village of floating islandsmadeof reeds. Thenearby by uniquetypesof vegetation andunusual by anarrow,naturalcanal,and bedecked lake5m deep) connected totheDanube unite at Srebârna,Lake ashallow (1.5mto Two of waterways Bulgaria’smostimportant LAKE SREBÂRNA&AROUND winter theyare less frequent. in gotoBasarbovo,mer, hourlybuses though local busdirectly fromthecitycentre. Insum- ( p269 ongetting) fordetails toBasarbovo via leaving theIztokstation for Opaka. willwork,andforNisovo,Ruse lookforabus in fromtheYugbusstation towards Razgrad in winter. thefrequent ForPisanets, buses Ask TouristInformationCentre attheRuse

( % 082-230 123;admission3lv; are streets, remarkably Several intact. Vetren ЧЕРВЕН , situated intranquilisolation ed inthe6thcentury h lonelyplanet.com 8am-noon &1-5pm cita- 894; admission2lv; gered small cormorants,Ferruginous ducks water birds, includingcoloniesof endan- a UnescoWorldHeritage site since 1983. simply asthe (8000-hectare) area aroundthelake, known Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels colourful craftlinedupon the shore. at work,with theircrates of flopping fish and is allowed.Here fishermenhard youcansee ontheDanubewhereplace right free camping Vetren life andfloraof interest to nature lovers. afew contain exhibitsabout localbird does in Srebârna village. but It’snotspectacular, the village andrunsalong the lake. long caiques ontheDanube from Vetren. arranges Srebârna.the DanubeandLake Mike even free temporary permitsforfly-fishing on fishing bikesmountain forlocal Mike right). cansupply (see Guesthouse Englishman Mike Blackof thePelican Lake walks (40lvpergroup)are conducted by tors. Guidedbird-watching tours andnature Bird-watching Sights &Activities drinks forthe(somewhat) younger set. archrival, the ModernClub,offers dancesand it upattheirperiodicsocialactivities.Their local SocialistParty Pensioners’ Clubtears Bulgaria from it). can onlymailletters toaddresses within curiously,you tor andpostoffice(though, ATMs, have theformerdoes a doc- though Neither Srebârna village norVetren have Information grow andappleapricot trees blossom. Amidst allthegreenery, wildraspberries mals (such astheriver otter) foundlocally. the namesof birds,amphibians andmam- accompanied byhelpfulboardsdetailing aroundthelakeposts set forbird-watching, fronted There goose. are lookout elevated beloved red-breasted white- andlesser goose lovers are of titillated, too,atthesight the and Dalmatianpelicans.Dedicated bird Lake SrebârnaLake hostsover 160speciesof Though unknowntotourists, thehamletofThough The For walkers, there’s arelatively flat,4km- There’s noreal nightlife, exceptwhenthe ecotrail isawonderfullypeaceful (ifovergrown) gear rentals (10lv)and,crucially, Museum ofNaturalHistory Museum boating that starts fromthebeginningof thatstarts accountsformostSrebârna visi- Srebârna Nature Reserve Nature Srebârna h trips(20lv)inlocalfishing 9am-noon &2-4pmMon-Fri) cycling NORTHERN BULGARIA •• Lake Srebârna &Around BULGARIA •• Lake NORTHERN , aswell

( % , has been , hasbeen 086-823 is Pelican isfull,trythe Pochuvin Lake Dom, [email protected]; s/dincl breakfast 40/60 lv; [email protected]; jam. strawberry lv extra)includesJerry’s homemade delectable computer forchecking email.Thebreakfast (3 dren’s theguesthouse’s books.Guestscanuse lection of English-language novels andchil- a relaxing backgardenpatio,andagoodcol- bird-watching tours are free forguests.There’s wealth of localknowledge andactivities, out bothasasuite. Mike and Jerry provide a spotless modernbathroom. Alternatively, rent breezy adjoiningroomswithashared, but the cosyPelican hastwo Guesthouse Lake and Jerry theboxed Black(see text, p276 ), EnglishOwned byhospitable coupleMike www.srebarnabirding.com; Petko Simov16;s/d/ste30/50/100lv) snacks, aswellvery fresh fish. soft drinksand operates on the shore, serving but noorganised campground.Atinycanteen Thereits skiffs. are basictoiletsandshowers, the leftof where pullsup thelocalfishingfleet erbank inVetren, onthegrassy openarea to More organised free campingisontheriv- tolerated intheforests Srebârna. around Lake Discreet technically camping,though illegal,is andsomedecentplacestoeat. guesthouses, Srebârna village andVetren nowhave several is being unearthed. quire locally ifyou’re interested toknowwhat ruins couple of daysof camping and festivities. and drink,transformingtheriverbank intoa sponsors music,dancingandcopiousfood Danube. Inhonourof theirfeat, thevillage beer-fuelled questtopaddlethelengthof the ontheirmad, passingthrough canoeists, andAustriankayakers100 German and riverbank tocelebrate thearrivalof around August, ariotouscelebrationisheldonthe the village’s yearon24 offbeat appeal.Each avoid beingsweptawaybythecurrents. Ask where localstoadvise it’ssafe toswim prohibit it,localsdoenjoytheoccasionaldip. swimminghole. signs find asuitable Although for about 200m(towardsthecampingarea) to Sleeping &Eating minates. Facing theriver, turnleftandwalk areaslong exposed where themainroadter- Hotel PochuvinDom Srebârna Hotel Guesthouse Pelican Lake At thetimeof writing,stillunknown An unusual Swimming had just been discovered hadjustbeen inVetren; en- is even possible, especially on the possible,especiallyonthe iseven summer festival (

% 851 5322,0885671058;

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If ) NORTHERN BULGARIA BULGARIA NORTHERN NORTHERN BULGARIA hand sideof theroadjustafter entering atthissmallcafé on theright- served 3-6 lv; to grilled meats. have thebestfood inSrebârna, fromsalads centre hasnoarchitectural appeal,butdoes h also. shop and Krema runtheadjacentprovisions Srebârna village. FriendlylocalcoupleIncho h fish are inthecatch of the day. yard andfeatures manymeatsandwhatever Diningisenjoyedaroundthecourt- passable. old-fashioned roomsare abitmusty,though and filledwithtraditionalBulgarianpots.The courtyard gardenisbursting withgrapevines bles andonemodestapartment.Thebeautiful theKalimaritsa hassixdou- as aguesthouse, .bg; d/apt40/60lv) a wireless internet connection. backyard bathrooms are alsoshared. the Guestscanuse shared andthe onbothlevels, balconies stand rooms lookoutontothegardenandlawn.Big wood floors andgreat lake views,whilelower cats. Upper-storey roomshave handsome Luba Ivanova andherteam of photogenic a five-room runbytheebullient guesthouse 276 Restaurant StaraKushta Restaurant Diva Restoran Isvor Kafe Kalimaritsa them anidyllichome,andsomuchuniquewildlife over. tomarvel clean.’ FortheBlacks,thathasbeenobviousthingtodoforaspecialplacegiven will leave €50inanenvelope whentheyleave, thelake usforkeeping withanote thanking ‘sometimesevenget smallsumsfrommunicipalauthoritiesand,states fromguests,who Mike, clean,’saysJerry,‘andnowtheprogrammehasreallytheir lake off.’ taken The Blackscontinueto eyesore forvisitors. mulated plasticbottlesandbagsthatwere creating creatures ahazardforthelake’s andan usually themostunenthusiasticaboutsuchventures uptheaccu- –tojointheminpicking arecyclingstarted initiative. Amazinglyenough,theywere even abletogetlocalteenagers – and withtheinitialcooperationofaJapaneseaidagencylocalauthorities,Blacks upafter themselves’,accustomed topicking matters recalls intotheirownhands So,taking Mike. trouble tostudyBulgarianandlearnthewaysoflocals. as several newBritisharrivalshave doneinrecent years. However, most,theytookthe unlike Srebârna.Lake Dedicated bird-watchersandnature lovers, theBlacksopenedasmallguesthouse, Bulgaria –somuchthattheydecidedtomove there twoyearslater, totheplacidshores of Blackandhis wifeAfter to aBlackSeaholidayin2003,EnglishmanMike Jerrytookaliking THANKS TOTHELAKE 8am-11pm) 7am-1am) h OTENBLAI • Slsr BULGARIA••Silistra NORTHERN Along the way, something strange happened: ‘The locals started tosee thevalueofkeepingAlong theway,somethingstrangehappened:‘The localsstarted While there aboutlife wasmuchtolike inthesplendidlytranquilnaturalpark,‘peopleweren’t 6am-11pm, closed Mon) skara

( This fairlybasicplaceinthe Light lunches anddrinksare Light %

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( (vented barbecue),andthere’s % 0886432977; ul Dunav 14; mains 2-4 lv; 0886432977; ulDunav14;mains2-4 0888234985; www.housekalimaritsa 0898751478; Dunav19;mains2-5lv;

This traditional ( % 0885200288; mains me- 11pm) an outdoorbambooenclosure andsmall the Leonova family,speak only Bulgarian. ahead foreithermealsorrooms;theowners, driveway headingtowardstheriver. Phone and furnishings. It’ssignposted upasmalldirt have littleflourishes such ascolourfulrugs around. Thetraditional-styledoubles(30lv) offers of thebestselection Bulgariandishes in Vetren thatalsoprovides accommodation, hana places on the Danube for enjoying boat trips. places on theDanubeforenjoying boattrips. town justeastof Srebârna, andoneof thefew river views, isalow-key intriguing though Little Silistra, withabitof architecture and % SILISTRA which stopsat the river. Dunavska. After 4km,you’llreach Vetren, and justkeep followingthemainstreet, ul timesdailyinto els several Srebârna village. Alternatively, localbus22fromSilistratrav- 1.5km fromthecentre of Srebârna village. niously inaditch onthesideof theroad, route willleaveSilistra–Ruse youunceremo- village orVetren. traversing Buses themain There ineitherSrebârna isnobusstation Getting There&Away interior. To reach Vetren, enter Srebârna village Leshnika Kafe 086 /pop49,900 Thislittlecaféoffers drinks;there’s , set in a handsome wood-framed house inahandsomewood-framed, set house СИЛИСТРА

Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels ( % 851 5343;ulLiliya1; h 7am- admission 0.50lv,free Thu; the mod cons,andare individually deco- rooms atthisnew four-star placehave all Kapitan Mamarchev 10;s/d/apt140/170/230lv) Mamarchev Kapitan rounding itoffers relaxed pl Svoboda; arounditare clustered banks, is1.5kmfromthemainsquare,The busstation Orientation &Information compared withRuse. park, ithasfew services andanice While Silistrahassomemuseums Book yourstayatlonelyplanet.com/hotels o accommodation. of hotel hasreasonable rates given thestandard Dobroudja 2;s40-55,lv,d66-99lv; Zlatna DobroudjaHotel Sleeping &Eating Zlatna Dobroudja Hotel. Enquirea week. atthetravel agency inthe (per person5-6lv) in thefuture, so double-check. are maymove alsodisplayed. Themuseum Thracianchariot a3rd-centuryBC and even and otherlocalsites. Costumes,jewellery artefacts fromtheTurkishfortresshouses buildingastheArtGallery,andthe same sion 1lv; artworks, aswell Japanese engravings. hundredscontains of contemporary Bulgarian mall, opposite thedramatheatre. Thegallery is inarenovated yellow buildingalongthe tower isan adjacent landmark. Dobrich road, ora3kmuphillwalk.TheTV ontheSilistra– is 5kmfromtown(5lvbytaxi) buttheforestedin 1848)isclosed mall and river. incarnations, liealongthestreet the between city of Durostorum,oneof Silistra’sprevious near thetown.The of and fortresses whombuiltcitadels inor Bulgars, Russians, RomaniansandTurks,all occupants, fromThracians,Romans,Greeks, tracted abewildering amountof invaders and Silistra’s primepositionontheDanubehasat- Sights &Activities formation and accommodation advice. ( phone centre andthenew foreign exchange tele- thepostoffice, offices, % Hotel Drustar Hotel The MV The Turkish The The 820 487;[email protected]) h Art Gallery Art Archaeological Museum Archaeological 9.30am-noon &1-7.30pmTue-Sat)

Bravo along the Danube several days alongtheDanubeseveral

( %

Medzhitabiya Fortress Medzhitabiya ( offers one-hour % 812 200;www.hoteldrustar.com; ruins , which provides localin- h

826 838; bul Simeon Veliki 120; 826 838;bulSimeonVeliki ( % 8am-noon &2-6pmMon-Fri) of theancientRoman 821 355;fax361;ul hiking Silistra Tourist Agency Silistra Tourist a

NORTHERN BULGARIA••Dobrich NORTHERN ( % ) Thiscentral . Thefortress 823 894;admis- boat tours occupies park (built The sur-

tourists, A populardaytripforBlackSea 6pm winter) ul DrKStoilov;admission free; souvenir co-inhabit this stalls Some 37shops, cafés,bars, restaurants and COMPLEX MUSEUM STARIYAT DOBRICHETHNOLOGICAL Sights (ul Nezavisimost;perhr1lv) internet access,there’s the ephone centre, plusrestaurants andshops.For andtel- thepostoffice United BulgarianBank, The large centralsquare, plSvoboda, hoststhe Information ucts grownonthe surrounding plains. duetotheexcellentagriculturalprod- for itself tury. Mostrecently, Dobrich hasmadeaname originallyinthe15thcen- having settled been ethnological complex.Thetownisquite old, which iskept alive todayintheshopsof its a longhistoryof artsandcrafts production, Dobrich isnotoverwhelming have butdoes % DOBRICH isprobably easier.ing atRuse is notreliable, sothebordercross- however, PublictransportontheRomanianside leva. Farescar/passenger). are payable ineurosor a ferry operates few every hours (25/7lvper andthreeRuse to Samuil. station and onetoVeliko Târnovo. Fromthe to Dobrich, fourtoSofia, three toShumen two orthree gotoVarna, dailybuses eight (5.50lv,twohours). FromSilistra, in Ruse bus station leave andminibuses Hourly buses theSilistra Getting There&Away dishesfrom5lv.pizzas andpasta Pizzeria ZlatnaDobroudja, which offers tasty in andaroundthehotel complex,including we make this up?) stuff tion forchronically childless couples.(Could unimpededimpregna-hotel alsopromises its restaurant. As ifthatweren’t the enough, also apool,andgourmeteatsavailable at rated andoverlook theDanube. There’s From SilistraporttoC cafésand restaurants areSeveral found 058 /pop113,800

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( 601 475; ul 25 Septemvri 19;mains 601 475;ul25Septemvri % 690 120) , onDobrich’s mehanas Nearthe at edge of town,hasregular trainswestwardsto Bureau international tickets. sells but youcan’tcrosshere. Rila Thestation’s a traintoKardam ontheRomanianborder, east toVarna (4.10lv,twohours). Youcanget six hours) forVeliko Târnovo. Trainsalsogo three hours) andGornaOryakhovitsa (12lv, Sofia (20.30lv,9½hours) viaShumen (6.30lv, not fromthe bus station. hours) leave fromtheHotel Bulgariacarpark, toSofia toeight buses (17lvto18lv,seven hours) andSilistra(6.50lv,1½hours). All (13lv,three gotobothRuse daily buses utes) andKavarna (4.50lv,onehour).Two (3.50lv,45minutes,Balchik 30min- every Varna (4lv,40minutes, 15minutes), every Albena (4lv,45minutes, 30minutes), every The train station

279 NORTHERN BULGARIA BULGARIA NORTHERN