Bulgaria's lavender fields, Aladzha Monastery, and Roman baths are unforgettable attractions.

Lavender fields in Bulgaria

Lavender and lavender fields have become one of the calling cards Bulgaria, along with fields of roses.

According to one legend, God gave Adam and Eve, after they were expelled from paradise, a healing herb—lavender—to soothe their souls. Indeed, lavender has many beneficial properties: it's fragrant, medicinal, and decorative. Lavender's medicinal properties were known as far back as Ancient Rome. During the Roman Empire, lavender sold for 100 denarii per pound, which was roughly equivalent to a farm laborer's monthly wage or 50 haircuts. You can book a private transfer to these and other attractions. here.

On an industrial scale, the plant is grown mainly for the production of lavender oil.

In addition to perfumery, lavender is also used in the production of many cosmetic products, such as creams, toothpastes, facial waters and rinses, as well as various medicines, ointments and in cooking.

Bulgaria is currently among the world's leaders in lavender oil production.

Aladzha Monastery

According to statistics, every second tourist vacationing in Golden Sands and planning an excursion definitely includes a visit to the Aladzha Monastery in their cultural itinerary. There are several reasons for this.

One of the most mysterious and popular holy sites on Bulgaria's Black Sea coast is the Orthodox rock monastery of Aladzha.

The monastery's original Christian name has not survived. The name "Aladzha" is of Turkish origin and means "motley, colorful." Perhaps the vibrant murals, whose origins date back to the Middle Ages, gave it its name—Aladzha. A century or two after the official adoption of Christianity in Bulgaria, hermit monks sought an ascetic life among the rocks and forests, providing solitude, and it is believed that they began using the caves as monastic cells.

The monastery finally emerged as a Christian rock monastery in the 13th century. At the end of the 14th century, after the Ottoman Empire conquered Bulgaria, it was destroyed, but hermits continued to inhabit the caves until the 18th century.

The rock monastery is located in the southwestern part of the Golden Sands Nature Park. Aladzha Monastery is located 14 km north of Varna and 3 km from the Golden Sands resort.

There is free parking near the entrance to the monastery.

Next, you'll need to climb up the hill along a pedestrian path that leads to the entrance to the monastery grounds. There's a museum on the left just after the entrance.

The museum displays everything related to the history of the charitable institution, and regularly hosts interesting exhibitions. One of the exhibits is dedicated to the research of the Shkorpil brothers and the many other archaeologists who followed them.

The monastery itself consists of two levels. The first contains the monks' cells, the refectory, and the church itself; a small chapel is comfortably located on the second floor. There are also catacombs here, where Bulgarian monks hid from the Ottoman conquerors.

There are benches where you can just sit, breathe in the clean forest and sea air and enjoy nature.

In this machine you can buy a commemorative coin for 4 leva.

At the entrance to the monastery grounds there is a coffee machine and a vending machine selling drinks and snacks.

You can walk another 700 meters through the forest southwest of Aladzha Monastery, where a group of caves known as the Catacombs are located. Since the 4th century, Christian hermits have lived in these catacombs, carved into the limestone cliff face.

The path leading to the catacombs is only suitable for walking in dry weather. During rainy seasons, it washes away, making it quite slippery and attracting mosquitoes.

There are five walking routes through the monastery: red, blue, yellow, green and orange.

The study of the monastery continues even today, as the exact history of its origin remains a mystery.
There are many legends about this monastery and the monks who inhabited it.
On Sundays, the complex hosts a nightly audio-visual show, «Legends of the Aladzha Monastery.».
After reading reviews about this monastery, we learned that some people experienced headaches after visiting this place,
When planning a monastery excursion, be sure to have the proper gear. Hats are optional, as the monastery and surrounding area are located in dense forest. However, comfortable, closed-toe shoes, such as sneakers, are a must.

Roman Baths in Varna

Wherever the ancient Romans settled, they built baths.
One of the most valuable cultural monuments Varna (formerly Odessos) are Roman baths located in the central part of the city, not far from the seaport, on the corner of San Stefano and Han Krum streets.

The grandeur of the construction, the impeccable execution of the brilliant architectural design, and the richness of the decoration make the baths a unique monument of ancient architecture in the Bulgarian lands. They bear witness to the city's cultural flourishing in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, as well as its wealth and prosperity. The Varna baths are among the largest in the European part of the Roman Empire.

Roman baths were indoor baths with hot mineral water. Their construction was preceded by the construction of an aqueduct. During the reign of Emperor Antoninus Pius, the municipality of Odessos and the military governor, as well as the governor of the province of Lower Moesia, Titus Vitrasius Polion, captured the city and brought water to the city by water. Perhaps a little later, the largest public bathhouse in the Balkans and the fourth largest in Europe—after the Baths of Caracalla and Diocletian in Rome and Trevira—was built in Odessa. The Roman baths occupied over 7,000 square meters. The surviving walls in places reach a height of 22 meters. In those days, the baths were not only a place for bathing but also a center of social life.
Bathing in a Roman bathhouse took place in a hot-water bath, which occupied the central position in the bathhouse's layout. The three main baths were richly decorated with granite columns and marble Roman-Corinthian capitals and columns.
The baths also had other rooms for various purposes: a room for rinsing with warm water; for rinsing with warm water; for rinsing with hot water; toilets; a boiler room.
Of particular interest to this day is the heating system connected to the double floor and the special cavities that transfer warm air to the bathroom roof.

Among other public buildings, baths were an important part of everyday life in Odessa.

https://youtu.be/cLPTQsBJQso