The old central sections of Romanian cities deliver fine eye candy as well as the typical European pleasures of outdoor tables in busy plazas or narrow streets. In that regard, we found these four Transylvanian…
In brief: Why we had a mixed reaction to Bucharest, yet appreciated some of its charms. People are often ambivalent about Bucharest. Our group walk guide alternated between wonder and sarcasm in showing it to…
In brief: Though small, Macedonia features plenty of inviting open spaces and reserves. Mavrovo National Park All over the Balkans, we have seen splendid, inviting terrain so we were not surprised that Macedonia enjoys its…
Alexander the Great on his horse & commerce A walk about central Skopje delivers it all. The Great, of course, is Alexander of Macedon, who conquered the western world nearly 2500 years ago and is…
In brief: The ancient hillside city of Ohrid is an historical and natural splendor, but it still knows how to put on a party, especially a wedding . Ohrid hillside The UNESCO World Heritage city…
In brief: The surprise of discovery often stirs us in our travels. Uncovering remnants of Thracian culture along the Black Sea was a perfect example. Votive marble frieze The Thracians occupied more a spot on…
Glacial flow, Rila Mts We drove a leisurely loop around much of Bulgaria, which is roughly 500 km by 350 km (320 by 220 mi), and found so much enjoyable both in town and countryside.…
Grand boulevards, leafy parks of all sizes, pedestrian streets lined with bars and restaurants, majestic turn-of-the-century buildings, cafes and narrow streets...Sofia, like all sizable European cities, offers these impressive and delightful resources - for its…
In brief: The layers of history that emerge in Plovdiv provide a multi-faceted charm we couldn't resist. Bulgaria's second city Plovdiv - set on seven hills, 150 kilometers east of Sofia - has been called…
Sometimes the least traveled places can be the most interesting, even in tough conditions. On a dark, bitterly cold day, we went to Kolomenskoye Park at the outskirts of Moscow because of the ravine. The…