Take a short trip to discover the second largest city in Bulgaria – Plovdiv situated on three hills rising inic the Thracian plain and washed by the quietly flowing waters of Maritza River. An ancient crossroads between East and West, Plovdiv has preserved unique treasure from it’s 24 centuries long history. Brilliant examples of the Bulgarian National Revival Period are preserved here. The ethnographic Museum, Churches and the street of folk arts and crafts are major landmark of the Old Town followed by lunch and trip to Bachkovo Monastery. It was mostly destroyed by the Turks in the 14th century and rebuilt a century later. The main treasure of the monastery is a miracle working icon Sveta Bogorodica which is said to heal the sick.

photos by Flickr