Today at the Museum of Sofia we were treated to a high-speed tour by a knowledgeable guide who introduced us to almost all the exhibits in 1 and a half hours! Items on display dated from 3,000 BC and included some exquisite gold and silverware.

The Rila monastery, high on wooded mountain slopes south of Sofia, is the largest and grandest in the Balkans. It has an exquisite gilded iconostasis (wooden screen) and its walls are painted inside and out with murals, many of which we were interested to study under Teddi’s guidance.

The natural fortress formed by the amazing weather-worn rocks at Belogradchik was occupied by invading armies from Roman to Ottoman times. The views over Northern Bulgarian were fantastic.