Between Domes & Danube
← The journey
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Chapter 1 Β· Apr 29 – May 2

Bulgaria

Began with golden domes in Sofia and ended on Plovdiv's seven hills, one of Europe's oldest inhabited cities.

2 cities12 sightsDays 1–4

01. Sofia

4 sights
01

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Sofia

One of the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedrals in the world, built in memory of Russian soldiers who died in the Russo-Turkish War that helped liberate Bulgaria from Ottoman rule.

The cathedral's gold-plated domes have become Sofia's visual symbol, yet the cathedral itself is relatively young by European standards β€” completed only in 1912.
02

St. George Rotunda

Sofia

A small red-brick Roman church hidden inside a government courtyard.

This is the oldest preserved building in Sofia, dating back to the 4th century, and it survived Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, communist, and modern eras.
03

Central Mineral Baths

Sofia

The iconic yellow Neo-Byzantine building that once housed Sofia's famous public thermal baths.

Locals still fill bottles from the hot mineral springs outside the building β€” a tradition that continued even after the baths closed.
04

Vitosha Boulevard

Sofia

Sofia's main pedestrian boulevard lined with cafΓ©s, restaurants, and mountain views.

On clear days, the boulevard frames Vitosha Mountain perfectly, giving Sofia one of Europe's rare 'capital city + mountain backdrop' combinations.

02. Plovdiv

8 sights
01

Ancient Theatre of Philippopolis

Plovdiv

A remarkably preserved Roman amphitheater built into the hillside.

The theater was only rediscovered after a landslide in the 1970s exposed buried marble seating.
02

Plovdiv Old Town

Plovdiv

Cobblestone streets, colorful Bulgarian Revival houses, and hidden courtyards spread across ancient hills.

Plovdiv claims to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe β€” older than Rome, Athens, and Constantinople.
03

Kapana Creative District

Plovdiv

A revived neighborhood full of street art, cafΓ©s, galleries, and local design stores.

'Kapana' means 'The Trap' because the old streets were intentionally built like a maze.
04

Nebet Tepe

Plovdiv

Ancient hilltop ruins overlooking Plovdiv.

The site contains traces from Thracian settlements dating back more than 6,000 years.
05

Koprivshtitsa

Plovdiv

A mountain town famous for colorful 19th-century Bulgarian Revival houses.

The April Uprising against Ottoman rule began here in 1876, making the town deeply symbolic in Bulgarian national identity.
06

Asen's Fortress

Plovdiv

A medieval Bulgarian fortress perched dramatically on a rocky ridge in the Rhodope Mountains near Asenovgrad.

Only the small 13th-century Church of the Holy Mother of God survives intact β€” its frescoes still cling to the stone walls after eight centuries.
07

Bachkovo Monastery

Plovdiv

The second-largest Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria, tucked into a wooded river valley south of Plovdiv.

Founded in 1083 by a Georgian Byzantine commander, it uniquely blends Georgian, Byzantine, and Bulgarian spiritual traditions.
08

Bulgarian Rose Products

Plovdiv

Purchased in Plovdiv.

Bulgaria produces a major share of the world's rose oil supply. Real rose oil is so concentrated that thousands of petals are needed for a tiny vial.

Bulgaria on the route

SofiaπŸ‡§πŸ‡¬ Bulgaria β€” SofiaPlovdivπŸ‡§πŸ‡¬ Bulgaria β€” PlovdivViennaπŸ‡¦πŸ‡Ή Austria β€” ViennaBratislavaπŸ‡ΈπŸ‡° Slovakia β€” BratislavaBudapestπŸ‡­πŸ‡Ί Hungary β€” BudapestBraΘ™ovπŸ‡·πŸ‡΄ Romania β€” BraΘ™ovBucharestπŸ‡·πŸ‡΄ Romania β€” BucharestPragueπŸ‡¨πŸ‡Ώ Czechia β€” Prague
πŸ‡§πŸ‡¬ BulgariaπŸ‡¦πŸ‡Ή AustriaπŸ‡ΈπŸ‡° SlovakiaπŸ‡­πŸ‡Ί HungaryπŸ‡·πŸ‡΄ RomaniaπŸ‡¨πŸ‡Ώ Czechia

Next chapter

πŸ‡¦πŸ‡Ή Austria

May 3 – May 5