DETAILED ITINERARY
19 September (Sunday)
Arriving in Sofia.
20 September (Monday)
Early in the morning – street photography in Sofia. Departure for Svishtov (on Danube river) at 9.00 am from the park place in front of the national Stadium “Vasil Levski” in Sofia.
We will arrive in Svishtov at about 13.30 pm. Svishtov is a town in northern Bulgaria, located on the right bank of Danube River.
After checking in the hotel we will spend the afternoon enjoying a short boat trip on the Danube River near Svishtov – the so called small Danube river delta. We will have the chance to photograph the river and the unique islands, their wildlife (birds) and stunning landscapes.
Evening street photography in the city of Svishtov.
Overnight in Svishtov in a hotel with a stunning view over the river.
The town of Svishtov: http://pavelgospodinov.com/2010/06/svishtov-bulgaria/
Danube River: http://pavelgospodinov.com/2010/06/danube-river-romania-and-bulgaria-early-in-the-morning/
Danube River – high water: http://pavelgospodinov.com/2010/06/danube-river-spring-season-high-water/
Danube River Island: http://pavelgospodinov.com/2010/06/danube-river-no-name-island-birds-colony/
21 September (Tuesday)
Early in the morning – street photography in Svishtov. At 9.00 am we will departure for the Northern Black Sea coast. Here we will visit cape Kaliakra, renowned for its dramatic history and archeological remains, as well as for its extremely impressive rock coasts and cliffs with staggering height. More northward are the villages of Kamen bryag and Tyulenovo, where from the high plateau you can shoot superb seascapes. We will also visit the fishing village in Shabla with its impressive Lighthouse and semi-destroyed bridge – very impressive photographic object.
We will finish the day with evening street photography session in the city of Kavarna on the Black Sea coast.
Kavarna is a Black Sea coastal town and seaside resort in the Dobrudja region of northeastern Bulgaria. It lies 64 km northeast of Varna and 49 km from Dobrich on the international road E87. A little yacht port, a fishing base, a spacious beach and a resort complex exist in the town.
Overnight in Kavarna.
Northern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast: http://pavelgospodinov.com/2010/06/bulgarian-northern-black-sea-coast/
22 September (Wednesday)
Early in the morning we will departure for Varna, the biggest and most beautiful city on the Bulgarian Back sea coast. We will spend about 2 hours walking around the city for a morning photography session.
Varna beach; http://pavelgospodinov.com/2010/04/the-beach-and-port-in-varna-20092010/
Then we will head to the city of Veliko Tarnovo, the old capital of Bulgaria and one of the most photogenic places, where we will arrive at about 14.00 pm. After checking in the hotel we will go immediately for afternoon and evening photo session in this amazing old city.
This is one of the most ancient towns in Bulgaria. Its history starts about 5 thousand years ago, while the first evidences for life on its territories are dated the third millennium B.C and were found on the hill Trapezitsa. The ancient part of Veliko Tarnovo is situated on 3 hills – Tsarevets, Trapezitsa and Sveta Gora.
We won’t miss here the architectural and historical reserve Tsarevets, the unique churches and unique cityscapes with the Yantra river beautiful meanders.
Overnight stop in Veliko Tarnvo.
23 September (Thursday)
Early morning session in Veliko Tarnovo. At about 9.00 am we will departure southwards via the Balkan Mountains to the city of Dimitrovgrad (arriving at about 13.00 pm)
We will spend here about 5 hours shooting of remains of the communist regime in Bulgaria. Socialist industrial landscape – old active and non-active factories and plants and their surroundings. Some of these buildings and complexes are remarkable photographical objects, placed in the context of the modern urban landscape.
We will also have the opportunity to shoot the typical socialist collective housing construction – half–destroyed and fully destroyed old homes and the Socialist realism – huge public buildings. This Stalin style of architecture is not typical for Bulgaria only, but here some of the most impressive examples could be taken.
Although not exactly from this region the following image gallery will give you an idea of what type of architecture and urban landscape are we going to shoot in the region of Dimitorvgrad:
Industrial landscape: http://pavelgospodinov.com/2010/05/industrial-triangle-radomir-pernik-kustendil-near-sofia-bulgaria/
In most of the cases, these are objects, which might be seen and shot solely in Bulgaria.
At about 19.00 pm we will arrive at the village of Madzarovo, the unofficial center of Eastern Rhodopes.
Unlike western and central parts, the eastern part of the mountain has mainly low mountain and hilly relief (suitable for landscape photography). Through the mountain flows Arda river, which forms marvelous rock meanders and canyons. The population of Eastern Rodhopes is mixed and consists of Bulgarians, ethnic Turks, gypsies, Armenians and Bulgaro-mahometans. The region is renowned for the perfect tolerance between the different ethnicities (suitable for cultural and ethnographic photography).
Madzharovo is situated in the Eastern Rhodopes and possesses extremely beautiful natural resources, interesting rock formations along the Arda River Valley. Here is located the biggest vulture colony in Bulgaria.
Overnight stop in Madzarovo.
The town of Madzahrovo: http://pavelgospodinov.com/2010/06/eastern-rhodopes-bulgaria-2/
24 September (Friday)
Early in the morning we will departure south-wards, passing trough the city of Ivaylovgrad for a short street photography session. The fist longer stop will be at the area of 3 villages, with the qualities of real architectural reserves - Mandritsa, Dolno Lukovo and Gorno Lukovo. In the villages you will get in touch with charm of the sericulture two-three -story houses, with spacious saloons for breeding silkworms. These villages are like open-air museums but absolutely natural, maybe one of the last remaining untouched by the civilization places in Europe. Most of the houses are semi-destroyed and/or completely abandoned. Walking around the empty small squares and streets surrounded by these extraordinary houses will take you far back in the past giving you an unforgettable photo experience.
Mandritsa: http://pavelgospodinov.com/2010/06/eastern-rhodopes-bulgaria-mandritsa/
Gorno Lukovo: http://pavelgospodinov.com/2010/06/eastern-rhodopes-bulgaria-gorno-lukovo/
Dolno Lukovo: http://pavelgospodinov.com/2010/06/eastern-rhodopes-bulgaria-dolno-lukovo/
At the afternoon we will visit the valley of Byala reka (White River), where the river meanders between forests and hills, forming wonderful meanders. Here is located the second in scale protected territory of the Eastern Rhodopes, rich with various rare protected species of plants and animals. The landscape here is stunning, so you will be able to practice landscape photography on this unique place.
At late afternoon we will arrive at the Arda hotel, located in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by unique rocky landscape of the Eastern Rhodopes. After checking in the hotel we will continue with the evening photo sessions around – the meanders of the Arda River
Eastern Rhodopes landscapes: http://pavelgospodinov.com/2010/06/easterm-rhodopes-bulgaria-summer-landscapes/
25 September (Saturday )
Early in the morning we will pass trough Studen Kladenec for a short photo landscape photography session. Then we will continue to the village of Janka – unique and completely abandoned and destroyed ghost -village – a real paradise for photographers.
Studen Kladenec: http://pavelgospodinov.com/2010/06/eastern-rhodopes-bulgaria-studen-kladenec/
Ghost village near Dzhanka: http://pavelgospodinov.com/2010/06/eastern-rhodopes-bulgaria-near-dzhanka/
At about noon we will arrive in the city of Plovdiv, situated in the central part of Upper Thracian Plain on the two banks of the Maritsa river. In the city, plenty of antic monuments have been preserved among which the Ancient Amphitheater, the Roman Odeon, the Agora (Roman Forum), the Roman Stadium the late ancient building Eyerne and others.
The city has very well preserved old part, superb for street photo sessions.
Overnight in Plovdiv.
Plovdiv: http://pavelgospodinov.com/2010/04/plovdiv-street-photography-bulgaria/
26 September (Sunday)
Morning street photography session in the old town of Plovdiv. Then we will head to Sofia, where our photo safari will end at about 18.00 pm. Street Photography in Sofia. For those who would like to spend one more night in Sofia, we will arrange a hotel.
Sofia: http://pavelgospodinov.com/2010/04/sofia-street-photography-bulgaria-part-i/
Sofia: http://pavelgospodinov.com/2010/04/sofia-street-photography-bulgaria-part-ii/
