Back in Bulgaria again (yes, I was on the coast not too long ago, passing through, on the way to Romania). This time however, I am travelling through the mountains, cities and the monasteries and churches of Bulgaria. From Ivanovo, the rock-hewn churches, to the stunning Rila Monastery, there is plenty of beauty and uniqueness to see. I couldn’t wait!
After crossing the border, I arrived in the small town Rousse (Ruse) for lunch. I love the Bulgarian cuisine! Although I do eat mainly Greek Salad and grilled meat, I find it tasted the freshest in Bulgaria. The town itself was a relative positive surprise with some great looking buildings around the main square. There is nothing special outside the square, as it is a pretty run down city. However locals like to call it, the small “Vienna of the East”. So maybe it is worth a stop, if you are nearby.
After generally avoiding visiting Monasteries and Churches through most of the trip, I decided to explore some monasteries in Bulgaria.
There are plenty to see along the way but I would have had to tripple my travel time. I leave that for next time.
Here in Bulgaria on the other hand, I was keen to see some of the frescoes inside some of the monasteries and churches of Bulgaria. Here is a summary of my top picks.
The monasteries and churches of Bulgaria
Rock-hewn churches of Ivanovo
South of Rousse (Ruse), on on my way to Veliko Tărnovo, I made a short stop at the Rock-hewn churches of Ivanovo, an UNESCO World Heritage site. They are a group of monolithic churches, chapels and monasteries hewn out of solid rock.
I haven’t seen anything like it before, and they certainly differ from other monasteries in Bulgaria. The caves have been inhabited by the monks from the 1220s and at its peak there were up to 40 churches. Now there is only one church you can enter. It is a shame, but nevertheless amazing to see. Read more details about Ivanovo here.
Veliko Tarnovo
After the rock-hewn churches, and on my way further south, I spent a night in Veliko Tarnovo which is a city located on several hills. Veloso Tarnovo has quite interesting architectures as well as a stunning, medieval fortress, the Tsarevets.
It was a good place to stop and see the fortress. And while you are there, make a stop at the small town Arbanasi, just next to it. It is worth a visit!
Church of Saint Arzangels Michael and Gabriel
Just 3 km away is the small town Arbanasi, sitting on a high plateau with a few churches. I wanted to see the church of Saint Arzangels Michael and Gabriel. I read it was altered to hide it from the muslims back then and it certainly took me a while to find. Unfortunately signage wasn’t very up to date. Looking like a normal building (I guess they hid it very well) and with the signage faded, it was hard to tell where it is.
But I am glad I persisted. Although this church might not be as grand as some of the other monasteries and churches of Bulgaria (e.g. the Rila Monastery), it was certainly a unique find. I loved it!
My next stop was Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, which was a great city to see. The city certainly has plenty of nice and trendy bars and restaurants with different cuisines. Not to mention a big shopping mall. It is a clean city, however, after visiting plenty of other capital cities in Eastern Europe, I had no desire to stay in Sofia too long. I might come back one day.
So, after another delicious Bulgarian dish, and a inner city walk, I continued my journey further south, into the mountains of Bulgaria. The Rila Monastery was next on my list.
Rila Monastery
The Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila (Rila Monastery) is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It is stunning! It sits inside the Rila Monastery Nature Park and houses around 60 monks. The paintings are amazing! And the houses that look like brick work? It is actually all painted! Absolutely loved it and I can understand why it is a tourist attraction already. Don’t miss this one for sure! The photos will tell the rest! (Read more about the Rila Monastery here)
Tip when visiting the monasteries and churches of Bulgaria: make sure you wear appropriate clothing. No bare shoulders and nothing too short! I actually changed in the car park because I was planning to do a quick hike nearby.
