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Plovdiv Part 1

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 Plovdiv. Where can I begin? This is a city steeped in history. Everywhere you turn, every street corner, there is glorious history. The history you can see is mainly Roman, with a few medieval bits thrown in for good measure. Lets begin with the Small Basilica. Its a charming little place to visit. It's recently been renovated, with walkways put above the mosaics so you can see them better, plus its got a little museum and sort of visitor centre there too. Keep an eye out for the stag and birds. They are quite small, but exquisite! Nebet Tepe, is the ruins of a city, pre Roman, which sits atop on of the hills of Plovdiv. Now it gives you amazing views of the city, both modern and of the old town. It also contains interesting ruins, dotted about the hill. Its a shame really, because there's very little information to explain to you about the history of these ruins. But there are cats there, who are quite happy to say hello! One other place thats worth visiting if you like mosai...

Veliko-Turnovo

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 Veliko-Turnovo is a town so utterly charming, you won't ever want to leave. It's narrow streets and cobbled alleys, mixed with impressive views of the mountains that surround it will leave you breathless.  The main sight is the Tsaravets fortress, an imposing ruined fortress on the top of a rocky crag. It has had some restoration done to it, but it's also been made more accessible, and pretty much the whole place is open to explore. You cross through the old town as you head towards the gatehouse, where you can pick up souvenirs, ice cream and cold drinks. (It was very hot when I visited!)                                          Anyone willing to try out the executioners block? It's also worth visiting the archaeological museum too if you enjoyed the fortress. Although pictures aren't allowed in the museum, its got a selection of artefacts, ranging from prehistoric, ...

Varna

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 Hi everyone! So I caught a bus from Contanta, and entered Bulgaria. Bulgaria holds a special place in my heart. When I first visited in 2016, It was the first ever holiday I had booked up and organised myself. I had been enchanted by it's beautiful yet modern cities, its charming and rustic rural areas, and Bulgaria's interesting history. So I decided to come back! The bus dropped me off in Varna, one of Bulgaria's biggest cities on the coast. It's a thriving seaport, with both navy and containerships jostling for space in its port. It was also a large Roman city too, and there is plenty to see. The archaeological museum is brilliant, and what sets it aside from other museums is that the walls are painted in bright solid colours, which help to make the details on the marble really pop and stand out. I love it when art galleries and museums do that, it really helps the exhibits be the main feature. Anyway, this carving proved that the roman's had the biggest dicks o...

Romania Recap

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 Romania is a must visit destination for travellers. Fusing a mix of old and new, modern and traditional, its a country opening up to the world and showing itself as a must visit place. Comparatively, Romania is easy to get about, with a great bus/coach network, linking up all the major towns and cities. There is a rail network as well, but I didn't use it.  There's a great selection of accommodation across Romania, Bicycle Hostel in Iasi and Hotel Costel in Timisoara were the two best I stayed in. Both were run by friendly and helpful staff, as well as having great amenities and were clean & spacious. Language wise, there's a fair smattering of English about, but don't expect everyone to know it. Most Romanians I came into contact with where friendly and helpful.  For me, the best things to do were the revolution museum in Timisoara, with its wide range of exhibits and displays, plus Adena, who gives the tours there, it gives you an incredible insight into Romania ...

Constanta

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 Right from the get go, Constanta had been on my must visit list in Romania. Id seen in a museum somewhere a picture of the Roman mosaic there, and I knew I had to go. And I was not disappointed! The main square in the old town is the place to be. There's the archaeological museum there, with loads of amazing finds from the archaeological digs around and in Constanta. There's also the Primarei park, with roman sculptures and artwork throughout. It was half closed for renovation while I was there, but what was there was beautiful. The main sight for me, was the Roman mosaic. It was stunning, beautifully preserved and utterly charming. Well worth visiting it. The placing of the roman amphora and pottery was a really nice touch as well. Something I had always wanted to do, especially after visiting Turkey, was to climb a minaret and see the view. Normally, this isn't allowed, particularly if you are a visitor, not a worshipper. But the mosque in Constanta lets visitors climb t...