An Odyssey through History and Cultural and Unforeseen Experiences

It is one of the most effective means to learn more about other people, change your views, and be inspired – both in everyday life and in your career. The journey I am going through in Bulgaria has been one of the most inspiring I have ever made through a country that blends history, natural beauty, and modernism. I traveled by car from Sofia to such interesting places as Shipka, Varna, Balchik, Burgas, and Plovdiv and then returned to the capital. But it did not stop there, I took a train ride to Varna and boarded a ro-ro to Poti, Georgia.

Here are the things I found memorable on the trip—and how they reignited my love for curiosity and flexibility in travel and my career.

Sofia: A City of Layers

My first stop was Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia, which left me with an impulse. It had the same feeling as if you were an archeologist walking through the asphalt layers. I wandered into the beauty of Alexander Nevski Orthodox Cathedral, a magnificent building that stands tall and high with its golden domes. Hiding underneath the contemporary urban landscape is the old Roman town of Serdica – carefully excavated fragments are skillfully built into the contemporary structures, such as the metro system. It was a lesson I hadn’t learned before—how the old and the new can stand side by side, like here and there, on every floor.

A Journey Through Bulgaria: From Shipka to Plovdiv

After the tour in Sofia, I hired a car and proceeded to make a road tour around the country. I began my tour with Shipka – and it is an exclusively historic spot. The completed Shipka Memorial Church in Koprivshtitsa, inspired by the Bulgarian Revival architects’ linear arrangement of the church boat and tent-like construction and the religious art of the early Macedonian Renaissance painters, offers visitors a view of the final phase of a great gamble for Bulgarian liberation – a tryout of power and spirit which in Koprivshtitsa defeats finally into air, light and space: the golden domes Shipka Pass was interesting: one had to climb up the mountain to inspect the picturesque view from above – it proved that the steepest slopes must be taken to get to the most beautiful sites.

It was a complete coastal experience in Varna which people consider as the Sea Capital of Bulgaria where I walked around the Sea Garden, and was amazed to visit the Roman Baths. I then proceeded to the famous Balchik, a beautifully constructed building of a beachside city featuring the Balchik Palace and its amazing Balchik Botanical Garden. Down the Black Sea, Burgas fitted culture and nature in equal proportion; Plovdiv, one of Europe’s oldest cities, stunned me with the Old City, Roman Theater, and the lively Kapana area.

When I was looping back to Sofia, I expected the journey to be almost over, but the best part is usually the surprise that comes unannounced.

Sofia to Varna by Train: A New Perspective

Next, I was so inspired I decided to continue my journey; I took the train from Sofia to Varna. This method of moving around was slow and allowed me to have a closer look at the Bulgarian landscape. Fields with sunflowers, small beautiful villages, and rolling hills could be seen outside my window, some of which could be admired in silence.

Arriving in Varna for the second time felt like returning to familiar ground, but this time with a new goal: to embark on the ro-ro (roll-on/roll-off) ship to cross the Black Sea to Poti, Georgia.

A Voyage Across the Black Sea

After three days at sea, the ro-ro ship which sailed from Varna achieved its destination at Poti in the Black Sea. Living on board the vessel you could say was a monotonous life but basic, having the ocean as far as the eye can see. The process tested me in ways I had never been challenged before and was full of peace, contemplation, and expectations for the following state.

When I took the final step onboard the ship in the port of Poti, Georgia, I was ushered into another world. The people of Georgia are friendly, and the places to visit are truly culturally rich and beautiful. During this leg of the trip, we seemed to get back to the basics of leaving ourselves open to possibilities and stepping out of our comfort zone.

Implications from the road and the sea.

It was not just about the Tourist spots of Bulgaria or the beautiful Black Sea or the new country of Georgia; it was much more about understanding how Geographies, cultures, and histories sculpt out this new formation called life. Finally, the idea was to go outside for a month, but during the trip, such wise thoughts came to my mind: Despite the beautiful historic sites in Sofia, the captivating views of Balchik and Burgas sea-shores, or when you’re sailing to another country, one has to learn to be ready for changes, to be curious and to take courage taking new opportunities.

Let me warmly suggest Bulgaria and Georgia to anyone who needs inspiration for life, a job, or traveling. These destinations frown on conformity and encourage anyone willing to look beyond the obvious and take home memories and lessons.