2010 September travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises spa and resorts

The Desiree Hotel is superbly located on the beach overlooking Spartaia Bay on Elba( Italy), the largest island of the Tuscan archipelago. Desiree The Hotel Desiree was established in 1957 and recently refurbished and is a four star property. The Hotel is 15 minutes away, by car, from the main harbour of Portoferraio, the capital of Elba Island and 5 minutes away from Marciana Marina. It is the perfect hotel for families with young children.
Continue reading Hotel Desiree Island Elba

One exceptionally beautiful place hidden in the mountains near the village of Krushuna, Bulgaria. The waterfalls are in the northern part of the Devetashka Cave and are abundant in small thresholds, karst ledges and water pools. The Krushuna Waterfalls (“Maarata”) were announced a natural sight of interest in 1995 with an area of 5,7 hectares.  The spring water of the Vodopada Cave Falls down from 20 meters high rocks, creating the Krushuna Waterfall. The waterfalls are quite popular with the local population and people often go there for a picnic in the weekend. There are several trails you can follow, with foot bridges allowing you to reach picturesque places. Past the head of the waterfalls, are various campgrounds and an entrance to a cave. Apparently it is possible to Scuba dive these caves, but its is an unconfirmed report.

Continue reading KRUSHUNA WATERFALLS

This is a compound of 20 small churches and chapels and as well as over 300 individual monk cells, carved into the rock along both banks of the Rusenski Lom River at a height of 6 to 10 m. The complex was founded in the 13th century and was inhabited by monks till the 17th century. The preserved mural paintings and inscriptions serve as an evidence of the existence of a large monk colony which flourished between the 13th-14th century and used to be a major literary and enlightenment center. Ivanovo Rock Churches are lovcated 4 km from the village of Ivanovo, 20 km of Ruse, Bulgaria. The Ivanovo Rock Churches are one of the nine Bulgarian monuments included in the UNESCO list of world culture and historical heritage.
Continue reading Ivanovo Rock Churches

Preobrazhenski Monastery (Transfiguration Monastery) is located in the Dervent George of the Yantra River. The yard of the monastery offers a marvelous view to the defile of the river and the opposite rocky hill. It was built with the support of Tsar Ivan Alexander (1331-1371) some 500 meters to the south of today’s monastery. The original monastery was devastated and burnt down, and today’s buildings were restored in 1825 by master-builders Dimitur Sofianliyata and Nikola Fichev. The main church was frescoed by master-artist Zahari Zograf between 1847-1851. The monastery museum’s collection treasures mostly icons by representatives of the Tryavna School of Art, as well as the painting contract with Zahari Zograf. Located only 7 km of Veliko Tarnovo (Central Bulgaria), Preobrazhenski Monastery is a national monument of culture.
Continue reading Preobrazhenski Monastery (Transfiguration Monastery)

If you are a fan of speleology and show keen interest in the secrets and hidden beauty of the underworld, the Devetashka Cave is one of the places to turn in the tourism program. Situated in the Lovech region, Devetashka cave is located between the villages of Doirentsi and Devetaki, Bulgaria. It is discovered in 1921 and is one of the biggest caves in Europe. In 1996, the cave was named a nature landmark. Cave impresses with its enormous size. This natural phenomenon is about 1500 m long and has a huge entrance – 35 m high and 55 m wide. The cave has 11 underground lakes and rather beautiful cave formations. One of the ceiling openings (with height is 41 m) is used for bungee jumps in the cave. According to archaeological research, it sheltered people since the late Paleolithic era. Devetashka cave is a monument of culture and a place of national and international significance and protection. Some time ago, the cave was labeled a military site and was used for the storage of petroleum. 
Continue reading Devetashka Cave

This town is located on a small peninsula connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus, in the southern part of Bulgarian Black Sea coast. One of the oldest European settlements, it was founded over 3000 years ago as a fortified Thracian center called Mesambria. It became a Greek colony ca. 510 B.C. In 812 it was taken over by Khan Krum, and has remained within the boundaries of the Bulgarian state ever since. Valuable cultural and historical monuments have been preserved in Nessebur: the antique fortified wall, Bulgarian and Byzantine medieval churches (10th-14th century0, over 60 National Revival houses, a windmill. Located 38 km of Burgas, it became a UNESCO monument in 1983.
Continue reading Nessebur, Bulgaria

One of the largest and oldest Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Europe, Bachkovo Monastery is located 29km from Plovdiv, on left bank of the Chepelarska River in the Rhodope Mountains. It was founded in 1083 by Georgian brothers Bakuriani. At the end of the 11th century the monastery became the center of the Bachkovo school of Literature. It became Bulgarian territory under Tsats Kaloyan (1197-1207) and Ivan Asen II (1218-1241). Bachkovo Monastery is an architectural ensemble of 2 courtyards enclosed by the monastery buildings which were erected between 18th-20th century over the remains of the ruined old buildings. Unique murals have been preserved, painted be Zahari Zograf between 1840-1841. The Bachkovo monastery has long welcomed visitors and accommodated those wishing to stay there for the night. It has a large capacity of more than 200 beds, but booking is recommended for the summer season.

Continue reading Bachkovo Monastery

Bulgaria is one of the oldest European states, having history of thirteen centuries. Situated on the crossroads of cultures and civilizations, Bulgaria keeps rich cultural heritage in its lands. The combination of beautiful and diverse nature with material and spiritual relics created by man is a prerequisite to develop cultural tourism. The Kazanluk Thracian Tomb is a monument of Thracian architectural and mural painting art of the end of the 4th and the beginning of the 3rd century B.C. It was discovered in 1944 in a tumulus northeast of Kazanluk. It consists of an ornately frescoed rectangular antechamber. The burial chamber and the corridor are frescoed with marvelous murals – a symbolic farewell to the Thracian king heading his way to Hades. This is the best preserved monument of Thracian art in Bulgaria, and one of the few masterpieces of antique painting that have survived to date. It is located in Kazanluk, 200 km from Sofia and it became a UNESCO monument in 1979.
Continue reading The Kazanluk Thracian Tomb

This town is located at an altitude of 550 m in a picturesque valley in the eastern part of the Balkan Mountains. There are over 70 caves and numerous Karst springs in its vicinity. The town originated in the 14th century. Between the 17th-18th century it became a wealthy handicrafts hub. Kotel is the birthplace of a number of eminent Bulgarians who have left a lasting track in the national history: Sofroniy Vrachanski, Stefan Bogoridi, Petur Beron, George s. Rakovski, to whom a Pantheon has been built. Kotel is turned into one of the richest, most beautiful, patriotic settlements – a national center of the Bulgarian Revival. Nowadays the town is a famous climatic resort with a large number of preserved buildings from the Nationa Revival period, a Natural History Museum, and a Museum of Kotel carpets.
Continue reading Kotel, Bulgaria

This village was founded in the 15th century.  Located 25 km to the northeast of Smolyan, at an altitude of 1000 m in the valley of the Shiroka Luka River in the West Rhodopes Mountain, Bulgaria. The village has preserved the rich traditions of the local population – handcrafts, songs, dances, customs. It was built during the National Revival period, 18th-19th century. There are 90 houses from that period, which have been fully preserved and kept as cultural monuments, as well as 6 arch-shaped stone bridges, 2 churches, a small school, numerous shops and craftsmen’s workshops.
Continue reading Shiroka Luka Village