Rick Steves' Europe Travel Guide © 2016 | Bulgaria, so mysterious to most Americans, has a vivid identity as a crossroads of the Balkans. We'll trace the country's complex history, from ancient Thracian tombs to medieval Orthodox Christian monasteries to Soviet monuments. And we'll enjoy 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. #ricksteves #ricksteveseurope #bulgaria

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Rick Steves, America's most respected authority on European travel, writes European travel guidebooks, and hosts travel shows on public television and public radio.

00:00 Intro
01:43 Sofia
04:44 Cathedral
06:18 Communist History
07:49 Rila Monastery
10:11 Veliko Tarnovo
13:27 Shipka Pass
14:09 Buzludzha
14:55 Thracian Plain
16:20 Valley of the Roses
17:24 Kazanlak
18:23 Plovdiv