And we happened to drop in on a national holiday. And it seems the entire town has turned out for the event. Stefan: We have more than 40, and this is just one of them. Rick Steves Europe 12 New Shows 2019-2020. According to legend, the Asen brothers planted a sword on this spot and said, "Here shall be Bulgaria.". A place where East and West mix harmoniously. That was so good. You do not need a Zoom account to participate but you must register below for each event. Travel with Rick on this video guide to Israel and find out what to do on your next trip. A walk along Veliko Tarnovo's craft street reveals a thriving folk culture with opportunities to watch artisans at work. A fattened pig being slaughtered for Christmas; above the victim, each weathered face could tell a story. Sofia has lots of sprawling parks, offering apartment dwellers a green and inviting space to hang out. The wedding was conducted in St Thomas of Villanova, and the reception took place at Saint David Gold Club. Preserving its rich heritage is a priority, and the city's infrastructure is built around its archeological treasures. ET | REGISTER Rick: So, why is Rila so important to the Bulgarian people? We'll dine on fresh seafood at the fisherman's harbor in Cefalù, ponder ancient Greek greatness in Siracusa, commune with monks alive and departed in a Capuchin crypt, sleep in an olive orchard at an agriturismo, and eat our way through a classic Sicilian banquet with a famous chef. Sicily serves up a full-bodied and tasty travel experience. While most tourists stick to the cobbled old town, modern Plovdiv has plenty to offer as well. Rick: Ne. In 1951, he suffered a stroke, which made his right hand useless. Worshippers show their devotion with the help of sacred images. Prime Video $0.00 with a Prime membership. But that didn't stop him. Bulgaria's complicated history has made it a melting pot. Venturing inside, we discover an eerie, crumbling world of vandalized propaganda, a roof that's barely held up by its hammer and sickle, and disintegrating mosaics — once so proud, and now just an artifact of a failed system. Rick: OK. Stefan, can I have another sip of my rakia please? With the end of the Cold War and the arrival of capitalism, Buzludzha was abandoned. Stefan: Because they'll have eternal life if they drink it! A crossroads of civilizations, it offers a fascinating story. Rick: To your health — nazdráve! Rick: Now, this is funny in Bulgaria — you went "yes," like… [swivels head around] Locals sit around a public fountain sipping glasses of wine. To find the road up, look for the turnoff along the main road between Kazanlak and Shipka, marked by the stoic communist-era statue standing by a pillar. Thanks for joining us. We're driving deep into the mountains south of Sofia. This island-hopping adventure comes with remote beaches, Crusader castles, a Blue Lagoon, pre-historic wonders, and salty traditional island lifestyles. You'll see — preaching their message to each other in an empty field — the Lenin that once topped the pillar in the center of town; Georgi Dimitrov, the "Bulgarian Lenin"; the red star that capped the Communist Party HQ; and several stoic soldiers and workers. Rick Steves is America's leading authority on European travel. They kick off Plovdiv's liveliest pedestrian boulevard, where people promenade in style — past inviting parks and sidewalk cafés. Posted by Becky (seattle) on 08/02/20 03:27 PM. They also have two children, Andy Steves, and Jackie Steves. A block away is one of Europe's largest synagogues. Stefan: Yes, actually — you're right. Bulgaria, so mysterious to most Americans, has a vivid identity as a crossroads of the Balkans. He picked up the brush in his left hand and learned to paint brilliantly — in a completely different style. Between the Thracian Plain and Veliko Tarnovo run the Balkan Mountains. Nina skillfully turns clay into art. The red star, which for 50 years capped the city's grandest edifice, no longer inspires. Leaving Veliko Tarnovo, we cross over the Balkan Mountains. Rick: You like it? Stefan: This is a traditional Bulgarian drink, and it is called "rakia." On the surrounding hillsides, Plovdiv's atmospheric Old Town is a showcase of delightful buildings from the 1800s — a time when the ruling Ottoman Empire was in decline, and Bulgarian cultural pride was on the rise. For a visual orientation, scan the mountainous horizon from the valley near Kazanlak and try to pick out three big landmarks: the flying-saucer shaped Buzludzha monument; the blocky Shipka Pass monument; and — down below that — the glimmering golden domes of Shipka Church. Terms of Service | Privacy, Balkan Mountains, Bulgaria: Battle Monuments, Plovdiv, Bulgaria: Delightful Art and Architecture, Sofia, Bulgaria: Layers of History and Diversity, Thracian Plain, Bulgaria: Valley of the Roses, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria: Medieval Capital. Its 1.2 million inhabitants enjoy an airy street plan, fine architecture, lush parks, snow-capped mountains on the horizon, and a relaxed pace of life. Folk traditions are alive and well. In this town, anywhere you dig, you find ancient ruins — bits of Roman Sofia. Rick: Da? The monastery was founded in the 930s by Bulgaria's patron saint, St. John of Rila (or Ivan Rilski, as Bulgarians call him), who came here seeking a hermetic way of life. Built at about the same time as the Eiffel Tower, it's newer than it looks--with a steel frame clad in limestone veneer, and invisible buttresses that hold up its cascading gold and copper domes. And, nearby, a folkloric dance troupe shares their traditional music. Newly revitalized, this artsy district is where foodies and creative young people congregate. Experience the fun, conviviality, intimacy, and spontaneity of joining Rick in his living room as he drinks his favorite wine and shares his inspirational and sometimes hilarious behind-the-scenes stories. RICK STEVES ’ EUROPE: French Alps And Lyon Stream now or tune in Saturday, Nov. 7, 2020 at 4 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. on KPBS TV Thursday, November 5, 2020 Buried deep under those piles of earth, the tombs were impressive engineering feats from 300 years before Christ. It's never too late to enjoy Rick's live Monday Night Travel party with our weekly video recordings. Rick: So it's unusual for me to have the firewater with the salad. Hi, I'm Rick Steves back with more of the best of Europe. And we're here just in time for the rose harvest. Most Bulgarians — like Russians and Greeks — are Orthodox Christians, and the Orthodox tradition stretches from here far to the East. Stefan: Ne [nods]. Souvenir wall paintings show off some of the merchant's far-flung business travels, from Stockholm to Venice. Stefan: Yes, of course! Founded in the 10th century, Rila Monastery was a stronghold for Bulgarian faith, language, and culture during nearly 500 years of Ottoman rule. In the fourth century B.C., it was called Philippopolis…the "City of Philip" — he was the father of Alexander the Great. One of the largest Orthodox churches in Christendom--and the only national church I can think of that's named for an important saint of a different country: Russia. The stage wall is mostly intact. Thanks to some progressive policies, the graffiti in this neighborhood seems to add to, rather than detract from, the ambience. The interior is an eerie, crumbling world of vandalized propaganda, muddy asbestos, a roof that's barely held up by its hammer and sickle, and disintegrating mosaics — once so proud, and now just a humble artifact of a fallen empire. Boyadzhiev's best works feature timeless slices of peasant life: People praying not in temples, but under trees. Meanwhile, her son finishes each piece with patterns that go back centuries. Rick Steves' Europe Egypt’s Nile, Alexandria, and Luxor. The Bulgarians feel a Slavic kinship with Russia — which, in 1878, helped liberate them from centuries of Ottoman rule. In this town that's more vertical than horizontal, going for a walk around the block feels like climbing a ladder. Even amid a pandemic that has hit the travel industry hard, Steves … 7. Dozens of these tombs are scattered across this valley, along with hundreds of decoy mounds designed to fool grave robbers. This bronze head of a powerful king humanizes those ancient Thracians. Bulgarian is a cross of all civilizations — between north and south, east and west. The ruins of its fortress are a reminder of the city's importance 800 years ago. Over the next 25 years, he reveled in bright colors with a childlike exuberance, slapping thick, Van Gogh-like brushstrokes onto the canvas. This gigantic conference hall was built in the 1980s, in the waning days of communist rule. The town's hillsides are blanketed with both traditional homes and dreary concrete housing blocks. He typically does interviews about classical music, but recently he interviewed Rick for an hour. Get YouTube Premium Get YouTube TV Best of YouTube Music Sports Gaming Movies TV Shows ... VOLTERRA on Italy's Great Hill Towns by Rick Steves by VolterraTelevision. Rick Steves' Europe. Many have already been removed and are displayed here at Sofia's Museum of Socialist Art. ET | REGISTER. Plan your own trip or take one of Rick's value-packed European tours and vacations. And Georgi Dimitrov, the "Bulgarian Lenin," is simply ignored. This towering monument commemorates that vast and mighty realm. Rashko paints icons with a delicate touch. She proudly tops a column marking the center of town. Video: Watch "Egypt's Nile, Alexandria, and Luxor," an episode of the Rick Steves' Europe TV show. Crossing over this range, you'll pass several worthwhile sights. Rick: Nazdráve! Stefan: Yes. When people ask Rick where his travel dreams take him, you'll see why it is the Cinque Terre. Bulgaria was one of the only countries in Nazi territory that refused to turn its Jewish population over to Hitler. 7:30 p.m. PT / 10:30 p.m. This time I'm surrounded by Slavic culture…it's Bulgaria! A guardian angel accompanies the soul — represented by a small child — through a gauntlet of temptations. Rick: You come here and celebrate Bulgaria. Relatively unknown and underappreciated, Bulgaria is a country I've long enjoyed for the surprises it offers the curious traveler. Rick Steves was born in Barstow, California, United States. Stefan: Ne. Throughout the country, school's out — and people are celebrating. Rick: So, "no" [nods]…"yes" [shakes head] — yes? The peaceful beech forests seem a world away from the big city. This region is also called the "Valley of the Roses." Rick Steves’ Europe is public television’s most-watched, longest-running travel series. The monument is a twisty, 20-minute (each way) drive from the valley. Rick and wife. OK. After a lifetime of exploring Europe Rick Steves shares his reasons why. Stefan: We celebrate Bulgaria, and the Bulgarian experience. Sofia may be the capital of one of the poorest countries in the European Union, but you wouldn't know it strolling its vibrant boulevards. The essential oils evaporate, then recondense...like fragrant moonshine. Over the next 25 years, he reveled in bright colors with a childlike exuberance, slapping thick, Van Gogh–like brushstrokes onto the canvas. Some of Europe's best surprises are its islands. The streets are lined with bars, cafés, and creative galleries (look for PLOVEdiv, with prints that put a whimsical pop-culture spin on old communist icons). Naples, Italy: The Birthplace of Pizza by Rick Steves' Europe. This pivotal battle led to the eventual demise of the Ottoman Empire, and to the creation of the modern, independent country of Bulgaria. Rick: I'm feeling better already. It's fascinating to explore and easy to enjoy. And the royal banquet, with the gods, musicians, servants, horses. ©2021 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | The church — completed in 1902 by some of the leading Russian architects of the day — is exuberant "Muscovite-style"…over-the-top Baroque-meets-Byzantine. Rick: You know, frankly, this is more interesting than what I would expect. At the top of Shipka Pass, a memorial marks the site where, in 1877, a combined Bulgarian and Russian army finally turned the tide in the battle against the Ottomans. We'll trace the country's complex history, from ancient Thracian tombs to medieval Orthodox Christian monasteries to Soviet monuments. Join Rick's live Monday Night Travel party! Walls glitter with gold and silver icons, all from the early 20th century. Until next time…keep on travelin'. Stefan: Yes, yes, of course. Today--with 70,000 inhabitants, and a prestigious university with around 18,000 students — it's called Veliko (Great) Tarnovo to honor its illustrious past. (The Bulgarians feel a Slavic kinship with Russia, who helped liberate them from nearly five centuries of Ottoman rule. It's dinnertime, and Stefan's taking us out for a meal of updated Bulgarian classics. Rick: Ah, OK. Deep in the depth of winter, join Rick for a visit to his favorite stretch of Mediterranean coastline, the Italian Riviera. Experience the fun, conviviality, intimacy, and spontaneity as Rick hosts a travel happy hour on Zoom from his living room. Sofia prides itself on its mineral springs, which attracted the first settlers here in ancient times. It has an airy, open street plan, fine old architecture, lush parks, and a relaxed pace of life. With a million people, Sofia is delightfully livable. Rick: You got Mediterranean — so it's a little bit of Greece, a little bit of Turkey, and a lot of Bulgaria. It's the Day of Slavic Culture. Russian architects designed the church with a mix of Russian and Neo-Byzantine styles. One of Europe's most dramatically set cities, it winds through a misty gorge at a sharp bend of the Yantra River. And with its ethnic diversity came different religions. Boyadzhiev — this is a self-portrait, with his wife — was already a well-established artist when his health took a terrible turn. The Thracians were an impressive civilization. Rick Steves was born on May 10, 1955, and is 63 years old. Vast fields of roses bloom overnight. Stefan: Yeah… And people have enjoyed it for a very long time: Plovdiv claims to be one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. Four centuries before Christ, back when Socrates and Plato were doing their thing in Athens — about 300 miles to the south — Bulgaria was known as "Thrace." Centuries later, the Roman Emperor Trajan built this 5,000-seat theater. Peasant women clustered around a fire, knitting as they eke out warmth. None of Bulgaria's 49,000 Jews were deported to concentration camps. Rick: And what is "no"? Their pragmatic solution? Fun to see Youtube video with Rick Steves and Fred Plotkin . And the city even has an actual yellow-brick road. Like much of the Slavic world, Bulgaria uses the Cyrillic alphabet. One of Europe's most dramatically set cities that bunny-hops through a misty gorge at a sharp bend of the Yantra River. Plovdiv is a city with many personalities, built upon layers of history: Under the 14th-century Ottoman mosque, they've excavated an ancient stadium. The Best of Israel - Video - Rick Steves' Europe For coronavirus (COVID-19) travel information, see our FAQ . It was ruled by the Asen dynasty. This event was recorded on January 11, 2021. Rick: This place feels so venerable. Watch with Rick Steves — European Christmas, Watch with Rick Steves — Egypt's Nile, Alexandria, and Luxor, Watch with Rick Steves — Germany's Fascist Story, Watch with Rick Steves — French Alps and Lyon, Watch with Rick Steves — Austrian and Italian Alps. Every day commuters walk by reminders of Sofia's distant past. The payoff: a wide variety of rose oil products, appreciated both abroad, and at home. Bulgaria is a great place to travel. 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