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Bulgaria, Danube region, Vidin region

The passing away shiness of Vidin

posted by Dario
May 15, 2018 1557 0 0
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Vidin, Bdin or one of the Danube treasures

The time has come to realize one of those modest dreams you can accomplish at any time, but you just have to organise yourself to do it. Most of you will think instantly “Is this normal? “A dream related to Vidin? Yes, that is right, I always wanted to visit Vidin and no, I have no ties with the city. My desire to visit this beautiful northwest city has grown a lot in the past two years and I thought it was time!

So I started my next adventure in one of my most favorite parts in Bulgaria – Northwest. Before I share with you the two places I will be talking about today, I want to pay a little more attention to Vidin itself.

I visit this city for the first time and I am looking forward to visiting it again because it is not just another point of administrative importance and some history but one of the few remaining real Danube treasures of Bulgaria. Vidin is one of those cities that are extremely underestimated and forgotten. Yes, it is true, the roads are terrible, the area as a whole is depopulated, but that does not mean and MUST NOT mean it is like a place in the third, fourth or some other world. What so if it is the poorest part of the European Union? How precisely does this define the area as lost, boring and unattractive? And here comes the moment when I will repeat myself once again – do the economic indicators define what is every part of the state? Absolutely NOT, I have always argued that the true wealth of a place is nature, cohabitation with it, the history and traditions of the population. This is the real wealth and not only for Vidin but for every small or big settlement in Bulgaria and beyond, because, after all, everything that I have listed contributes to the enrichment and fulfilment of our personal puzzle of life.

Table of Contents

  • The story of Vida
  • Ruins of tolerance

The story of Vida

But let us now turn to a fragment of Vidin’s unique heritage, which is, as a whole, the only one of its kind in Bulgaria. My first stop is the Baba Vida fortress, there is no way you don’t visit this medieval idyll immediately after arriving  in the city.

However, let me first introduce you with one or two sentences in the prehistory of this place before today’s fortress we know. The place has always had defensive functions. The first defensive building here was built in the 3rd century during the Roman Empire and was named Bononia. Then the fortress was used actively during the First Bulgarian Kingdom, but most of the heritage we witnessed today is dated from the Second Bulgarian Kingdom. The castle was then under the rule of king Ivan Sratsimir who contributed to the construction of numerous internal buildings.

Nowadays the Baba Vida Fortress is famous for being the only fully preserved medieval fortress in Bulgaria. It provides an emotion that can not be felt anywhere else. And its premises have been turned into a museum, with many information boards, various open objects in its history, even a room / prison in which there are tools the Turks have used to tortured the prisoners.

The most magical moment of this place comes when you walk through the walls of the fortress, climb the towers or just stand on the balconies, next to the tops, all just a few meters from the beautiful Danube … priceless!

Useful information:
Work time:
Summer season:
Monday-Friday: 08: 30-17: 00h
Saturday-Sunday: 09: 30-17: 30h

Winter season:
Monday-Friday: 08: 30-16: 30h
Saturday-Sunday: 10: 00-16: 30h;

Prices:
Adults – 4 lv;
students – 2lv;
Talk – 20.00 lv;

The place is suitable for a family walk;
There is a large parking lot at the very beginning of the park;
From the very entrance of the city there are signs that point to the fortress;
I do not think I need to persuade you to visit this place because I know you will make this gift to yourself;

Ruins of tolerance

The second landmark, if I can call it so, is a real echo of a glorious past. The Vidin Synagogue is a magnificent building that, although lost its former brilliance and grandeur, impresses with its architecture to this day.

As you can see from the pictures, what’s left today is just memories of  past beauty. The history of the Synagogue dates back to 1894 and was built on the site of the former synagogue, which was destroyed during the Russo-Turkish Liberation War.

After the war, thanks to donations from the Jewish community from all over Bulgaria, the rebuilding was started and within a year, today’s building was built, nowadays only leaving beautiful symbols and ruins.

Before being completely abandoned in 1950, the synagogue was used as a warehouse, which contributed to the great miserable state in which it is today.

But let’s look at the more positive side of things. Regardless of the current state of the synagogue, we can say that it still looks stunningly beautiful and is a unique monument of culture. And I believe that one day it will be restored and will return the to look that it deserves!

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Travel Blogger

Dario Dionisi



If you want to know something more about me – my soul is a traveler, my origin is Italian and my true essence is a faithful friend. I am always open to new ideas and will be very happy if you want to contact me at dario@beyondsofia.com

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Dario • Exploring beyond Sofia
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To many, Costa Rica’s charm lies in its lush rainforests, unspoiled beaches and abundance of wildlife. With breathtaking landscapes and a myriad of creatures – from toucans to monkeys to jaguars – it’s easy to see why. 

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Nature-seekers will roam thick jungles while beachgoers will sprawl across the powdery sands. It’s hard not to admire all the splendors this “Rich Coast” has to offer.

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Heading to the next stage of life ~ Since soon I Heading to the next stage of life ~

Since soon I will celebrate my 30th birthday, I’ve been reflecting back to the person I was when I entered my twenties, and while I still feel young at heart, I’ve evolved into a completely different person.

I must confess, I have mixed feelings about turning 30. While I cherish the memories and experiences I have gathered during this time, I have also however, had my share of setbacks. The most important aspect that has inspired me are the experiences that I have gathered during my travels. Meeting new people, understanding their culture and trying new cuisines have changed my perspective towards life in general. While I am still a child somewhere in my heart, turning 30 is a big deal because it is assumed that I am an adult now.

Here are my 30 most precious travel experiences before turning 30:

1. Exploring my home country.
2. Travelling solo.
3. Supporting small local businesses and entrepreneurs.
4. Learning a foreign language.
5. Saving money for traveling.
6. Making friends while traveling.
7. Cooking traditional dishes.
8. Trying traditional food everywhere I go.
9. Overcoming my fear.
10. Trying something new.
11. Travelling with family.
12. Travelling with friends.
13. Travelling for myself and not social media.
14. Going out my comfort zone -  uncomfortable makes life more comfortable.
15. Living in a foreign country.
16. Packing like a pro.
17. Visiting my (some of) dream destinations.
18. Falling in love in a foreign country.
19. Blending in with different cultures.
20. Taking a piece of every place with me.
21. Learning to say no (in different languages).
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23. Documenting my trips.
24. Valuing experiences.
25. Making memories.
26. Rediscovering my favourite places.
27. Planning elaborate itineraries
28. Keeping it positive and never regretting to have climbed that mountain.
29. Some people around the world are born disadvantaged, not biologically, but socially.
30. Realising that the most incredible thing I can witness happens twice a day, and it’s free.

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Your positive friendly reminder… Travel is, at Your positive friendly reminder…

Travel is, at its very essence, a tool – nothing more… nothing less. Broken down to its very essence, it becomes an instrument to fulfil our desires, attain new experiences and to discover a difference that is at least a step away from our local surroundings.

One thing that we can often forget is that travel also has the added benefit of helping us build a pretty solid amount of confidence too, something that we all stand to benefit from in the long-term, in our own personal development.

Follow this 5 simple steps and enjoy the best ways to develop your confidence, which can be learned whilst travelling:

✅ Be positive
✅ Embrace strengths
✅ Acknowledge weakness
✅ Listen to your head and heart
✅ Be an assertive traveller

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Choosing this life is more than a temporary escape. It will completely and entirely transform who you are.

So are you prepared for a journey of beauty, adventure and heartbreak? Read the next few rows.

✔️ Traveling is saying yes to life.
✔️ Uncertainty is a traveler’s homeland.
✔️ Traveling is a life of extremes.
✔️ About the unknown driving force.
✔️ Discomfort as a teacher.
✔️ Traveling is falling in love deeply with the world.
✔️ Always a stranger, but at home in the world.
✔️ Experiencing exhilarating freedom.
✔️ Understanding different perspectives.
✔️ In the life of a traveler, nothing lasts.
✔️ Travel teaches you everything.

This is what the life of a traveler is like: Be courageous. Follow the calling of your heart. It will lead you to a million places you would have never expected. And you will grow big. You will grow beautiful. You will grow so full of life it will make your heart burst with happiness. Some of us simply belong to the road.

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The magic of Spain 🇪🇸 Double trouble - Dou The magic of Spain 🇪🇸 

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Dear Portugal, I would never have pointed to a ma Dear Portugal,

I would never have pointed to a map and picked you. I wasn’t sure we would even like each other. I came with only a few belongings and even fewer expectations. But I had the desire to get to know you and see if I would stay. And like two people making an acquaintance at a dinner party, we searched for commonalities: exploring, an insatiable appetite for rice and seafood, a bond to the earth and the sea.

At first I fell for the little things. The promise of discovering new things every single day. That dazed feeling after a few glasses of fruity vinho verde. The melancholy while listening to Fado music. The rissois, natas and feijoada, the melt-in-your-mouth queijo fresco, delectable sardinha and unforgettable bacalhau. And surprisingly, even lamprey and percebe.

I loved the quiet irony of your lavish, impressive buildings next to your ancient, dilapidated houses. I even adored your temperamental weather, sunny in the morning and sometimes tempestuous in the afternoon.

And I loved your people. The grandmas dressed in black with their soft faces and culinary secrets. The fishermen with their old fashioned hats. The shopkeepers who actually mean it when they say “obrigada.”

And then I began to love you for your words, and the new feelings they gave name to.  For that elusive feeling of saudade –– untranslatable but described so accurately by the Portuguese writer Manuel de Melo: “a pleasure you suffer, an ailment you enjoy.” Or the chamego — the sense of intimacy, infatuation, and cuddling, all in one word.

Of course, there are things about you that I will probably never understand. You’re an old soul and I’m too juvenile. I’m impulsive whereas you are cautious and pensive. I have this incessant desire to be happy, but you have this habit of enjoying being triste.

But I’ve lived many lives in different parts of the world, I’ve been running around, not caring where I rest my head, not knowing where I’d end up. Perhaps I met you, Portugal, because something inside me had really been crying out for stillness, for a safe haven where I could finally become myself.

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