Rick Steves at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Stream now or tune in Saturday, June 13, 2020 at 8:30 p.m. on KPBS 2
Bulgaria, so mysterious to most Americans, has a vivid identity as a crossroads of the Balkans. On this episode, Rick traces the country's complex history, from ancient Thracian tombs to medieval Orthodox Christian monasteries to Soviet monuments.
Rick Steves traces the country's complex history, from ancient Thracian tombs to medieval Orthodox Christian monasteries to Soviet monuments. And he enjoys an intimate taste of contemporary culture.
And he enjoys an intimate taste of contemporary culture: the yellow brick road of Sofia; the gregarious craftspeople of the medieval capital, Veliko Tarnovo; and the thriving pedestrian zones of cosmopolitan Plovdiv.
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We’re holed up in Veliko Tarnovo, waiting for the persistent rain to let up. This was a capital of Bulgaria back in the 13th century when "little" Bulgaria was actually a big deal — its empire included all of the Balkan Peninsula and stretched from Greece all the way to Ukraine.
Plovdiv is to Bulgaria what Krakow is to Poland: It's the historic capital and the most enjoyable city (even though the capital city — Sofia or Warsaw — is much bigger and more consequential). Plovdiv has ankle-breaker cobbles, a fun little foodie/hipster zone, and a great paseo vibe on its long pedestrian boulevard. Like cities are doing across Europe, it has artfully incorporated its archaeological sites into its modern, people-friendly layout. The layers are fun to ponder: Under the happy 2016 ambience is a stern Communist shell; an Ottoman-era mosque; and finally a racecourse where, 2,000 years ago, chariots careened around this corner. Whenever I’m here, I find myself wondering why most Americans don’t give Bulgaria a second thought. Sure, it’s got the alphabet and the religion and the Slavic blood of “Mother Russia.” But the dreams and the aspirations are facing West — a reason to encourage us to travel East.
This clip captures the simple joy of just being out on a Sunday afternoon in Bulgaria. I love the fact that there are songs that mean absolutely nothing to an American like me that get the local crowd, both young and old, jumping onto the dance floor. This one was a real favorite. Enjoying this scene in Sofia, it occurred to me, I didn’t need no stinkin’ folk show on some tourist stage. This was the real thing. Scenes like this demonstrate that, even in the poorest country in the EU, there’s an abundance of joy. And sharing in that joy is one of the beauties of travel.
Whether you want to visit Siena’s wild Il Palio horse race or explore the forested mountains of Transylvania for a peek at an old German fortress, Rick provides informative and enlightening ways to enjoy Europe's great cities and off-the-beaten-path discoveries.
Season 9 of RICK STEVES’ EUROPE features ten all-new TV shows. Join writer and host Rick Steves as he experiences the local culture, cuisine, and fun in some of Europe’s most interesting places: Italy (Siena, Assisi, and Tuscany’s wine country); England (Cotswold Villages, Wells, Stonehenge, and the southern coast); Germany (Dresden, Leipzig, Hamburg, Nürnberg, and Frankfurt); and some exotic eastern adventures in Bulgaria and Romania. Whether you’re an armchair traveler eager to learn, or an active traveler dreaming up new plans, Season 9 of RICK STEVES’ EUROPE is the next best thing to a plane ticket. Season 9 debuts in fall 2016.
Jen is a web producer at KPBS, responsible for program promotion, membership-related activities, and is the editor of the KPBS community calendar. Jen has worked at KPBS since 2000. She is originally from Las Vegas and attended UNLV.
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