Cultural heritage of the districts of Vidin, Montana and Vratsa

Route Description

  • Length of the tourist route: 140 km (between starting and end point)
  • Duration: 3 days (2 overnight stays)
  • Sequence of travel along the tourist route:
    • Starting point: Vidin
    • Intermediate destination: Kula, Belogradchik, Ciprovtsi, Berkovitsa, Varshets, Montana, Vratsa, Mezdra
    • End point: Vidin
  • Seasonal access: Year-round

Top visited sites

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Spatial orientation

  • Municipalities in Vidin district:

Main sites to visit: Municipalities of Vidin, Kula and Belogradchik

Additional sites and events: Municipalities of Vidin, Kula, Belogradchik, Chuprene

  • Municipalities in Montana district:

Main sites to visit: Municipalities of Chiprovtsi, Berkovitsa, Varshets, Montana

Additional sites and events: Municipalities of Varshets, Berkovitsa, Montana, Valchedram, Lom

  • Municipalities in Vratsa district:

Main sites to visit: Municipalities of Vratsa, Mezdra

Additional sites and events: Municipalities of Mezdra, Vratsa, Byala Slatina, Kozloduy

The tourist route includes visits to many sites and monuments of cultural and historical tourism.

There is a possibility to visit additional tourist sites and events representing the intangible cultural heritage of the region.

Possible ways of transportation

  • Arriving at the destination:

To Vidin: Arriving by car, bus, train. Arriving from Romania – Bridge “New Europe” (Danube Bridge 2) – transport link between Vidin (Bulgaria) and Calafat (Romania)

  • Travel during the stay:
    • Personal car;
    • Public transportation to tourist sites and attractions included in the route;
    • Possibility to rent a car and use taxi;
    • Sustainable personal mobility of tourists:
      • Ecotrails with different levels of difficulty
      • Travel on bicycle routes (incl. mountain biking)

Sites

  • 1st day – Vidin Municipality:

Vidin: Medieval castle “Baba Vida”(Fortress “Babini Vidini Kuli”); Ethnographic Museum “Krastata Kazarma”, Museum “Konaka”, Fortress System “Kaleto”; Mosque and Library of Osman Pazvantoglu. Overnight stay in Vidin.

  • 2nd day – municipalities Kula and Belogradchik (Vidin District) and Chiprovtsi, Berkovitsa and Varshets (Montana district):

Kula municipality: Roman fortress “Castra Martis” – Kula

Belogradchik municipality: Belogradchik fortress “Kaleto” (incl. the Ottoman fortification “Suleymanov fort” / “Latinsko Kale”); Prehistoric settlement and cave “Magura” – near the village of Rabisha; Historical Museum – Belogradchik

Municipality of Chiprovtsi: Historical Museum – Chiprovci

Municipality of Berkovitsa: Museum and house “Ivan Vazov” – Berkovitza

Municipality of Varshets: Historical Museum – Varshets. Proposed overnight stay in Varshets.

  • 3rd day – Montana municipality and municipalities of Vratsa and Mezdra (Vratsa District):

Montana Municipality: Regional History Museum – Montana; Antique Town Montana (Fortress “Castra ad Montanezium”); Archaeological exposition Lapidarium

Vratsa Municipality: Regional History Museum – Vratsa; National Park of Hristo Botev – at the peak of Okolchitsa; “Vratsata” gorge and Medieval fortress “Vratitsa”

Mezdra Municipality: Archaeological complex “Kaleto” – Mezdra

Additional sites to visit

  • Vidin district:

Vidin municipality, town of Vidin: Mausoleum of Antim I; Cathedral “St. Dimitar Solunski”, Chamber of Vidin Metropolitan; Vidin Synagogue

Belogradchik municipality: Natural landmark “Belogradchik rocks”; Belogradchik: Astronomical Observatory; Natural History Museum; Art Gallery

Municipality of Chuprene: Church “St. Yoan Krastitel “- Varbovo village

  • Montana district:

Municipality of Varshets: Klisura monastery “St. St. Kiril and Metodiy “- 12 km from the Varshetz

Montana Municipality: Church „St. Nikola”- Dolna Verenitsa village

Lom Municipality: Ancient fortress “Almus” – Lom; House of Krastyo Pishurka – Lom.

  • Vratsa district:

Vratsa Municipality: “Ledenika” cave – 16 km from Vratsa

Kozloduy Municipality: National Museum „Steamship Radetzky” – Kozloduy; Monument of Hristo Botev and his troops and Botev Park – Kozloduy

Additional events to visit

Possibility of combining tourist visits to coincide with the timing of various cultural events

  • Vidin district:

Vidin Municipality: Festival of Arts “Danube Waves” – Vidin (July)

Kula municipality: International Folklore Festival of Dance “Nadigravane v Kula” – Kula

Municipality of Chuprene: Tourla Folk Fest “Kada kum prase i ti vrechu” – Chuprene (June)

  • Montana district:

Municipality of Berkovitsa: International Folklore Festival “Balkan sings and dances” – Berkovitza (September); International Children’s Art Festival “Patent Leather Shoes” – Berkovitza (June)

Municipality of Varshets: International Folklore Festival “Colourful Necklace” – Varshetz (in June)

Municipality of Vulchedrum: National Folk Festival “Songs and dances from Zlatiya” – Valchedram (October)

  • Vratsa district:

Vratsa Municipality: International Folklore Festival “Vrachanska prolet” – Vratsa (late April – early May)

Mezdra municipality: National Folk Festival “De e bulgarskoto” – Ochin dol village (May)

Byala Slatina municipality: International Carnival Festival “Farshangi” – Bardarski Geran village

Entrance fees for visiting the sites and attractions included in the tourist route

The entrance fee for some of tourist sites and attractions is in the price range “up to 5 BGN” and “from 5 to 10 BGN”

Other tourist services

Possibility to use a wide variety of additional tourist services along the route:

  • Using a personal or group guide, mountain guide
  • Rent a car
  • Bicycle rental
  • Rental of sports equipment
  • Practicing cave tourism
  • Visit to wine cellars – an opportunity for tasting and purchasing local wines

Find your accommodation in this region

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