Plovdiv Bulgaria is the country’s second-largest city after Sofia, the capital. Spread about in the Upper Thracian Plain, Plovdiv is one of Europe’s oldest cities. Historians date the location back some 4,000 years BC when Thracians settled in the hills surrounding the town. They built a fortified settlement in what’s called the Three Hills—and so […]
It’s about a fifteen-minute drive east from the center of Plovdiv to the sprawling Zagreus Winery. My driver Todor never visited the winery but admitted he isn’t familiar with the wines. The winery and tasting room sit on a hillside overlooking over a hundred hectares of vineyards. Its modern architecture and floor to ceiling curvilinear […]
Today I head to Plovdiv where I’m excited to explore the wines of the Thracian Lowlands and meet one of Bulgaria’s most lauded winemakers, Natalia Gadjeva. I’m eager to taste her wines and talk about the history and future of Dragomir Estate Winery which she owns and operates along with her husband, Konstantin and their […]
No itinerary. Mostly, it’s how I travel. I also thought “No Itinerary” would work great as the name of our television show. Allowing for spontaneity traveling with a loose schedule leaves room for possibilities and lets you take advantage of opportunities that you may discover. In fact, there’s no reason I need to leave Sofia […]
Sofia is vibrant, colorful, and ever-evolving. Though it was just two-and-a-half years ago I was here, I don’t recognize the city save its mosaic mix of architectural styles. Influences and styles span from Neoclassical and Neo-Byzantine to Modernist Soviet and Stalinist. While the architecture and the buildings haven’t changed, I sense the energy and feel […]
After navigating a herd of sheep in a village near Melnik, my ride to Sofia over a busy two-lane twisty road winds along the Struma River and through vast fields of colorful sunflowers. After an hour the road turns into a divided highway. The bike is running well, but in my feet, I sense a […]
I take the opportunity to taste and learn more about the wines of Melnik and the Struma River Valley and stay one more night here. I join Will who reluctantly takes the wheel of his Romanian-built Dacia rental car. He’s from the UK, and this car is for driving on the right side of the road—as […]
Last night Melnik experienced a rare summer thunderstorm. This morning it is misty, and a thick layer of clouds and fog hug the Melnik Sand Pyramids. We hope the weather clears as we want to visit the nearby Rozhen Monastery and hike the surrounding area for views of Melnik and its famous pyramids. The Welsh […]
Putting Bulgarian Wine & Melnik On The Map—Literally After I pull off the main road, I wind my way through small villages on a narrow road, passing through Vranya, Spanchevo, and Harsavo. I see a few elderly men sitting on a curb. A dog sprints across the street, and a few cats scurry about. As […]
It took just about twenty minutes to venture through the line at the border between Greece and Bulgaria and another ten minutes to clear customs and immigrations with another stamp in my passport. I last was in Bulgaria in September 2016, so this crossing doesn’t add another country to my growing list. What it represents, […]
