Vidin, Bulgaria

With our cruise ship docked just a block from the main square and the sun shining, we enjoyed a short walk into town in search of the Istanbul Gate—once the main entrance to the Vidin Fortress from the direction of Istanbul.

In the afternoon, we joined a tour to the Belogradchik Fortress, an impressive site built directly into the surrounding rock formations. The climb to the top was quite challenging, so we didn’t make it all the way up, but the views of the striking rock formations were still beautiful.

On the journey to the Fortress, the landscape was mainly farmland. Passed by an abandoned factory of the Soviet era. The factory included warehouses, offices, canteen, dormitories, and bomb shelters.

That evening, the entertainment on board was provided by a talented local group of young performers.Read more