This guide complements the first step in our journey
through Bulgaria:
Stara Zagora, first settlers.
How to get there. Stara Zagora
(Стара Загора) is easily accessible by bus from Sofia,
Plovdiv and the big seaside resorts. The bus ride from
Sofia is a little less than 3 hours. Regular bus services
depart from Sofia's
central bus station. All buses stop
at the new "Rhodope" bus station in Plovdiv, which is
around one hour away from Stara Zagora. A new motorway
is being built between Plovdiv and Stara Zagora, which
will ultimately allow visitors to cut on journey time.
The current road goes through beautiful hilly
landscapes, in particular between Chirpan and Stara
Zagora.
Train service is also available but
as always requires some patience from travellers (it
takes at least 4 hours 15 minutes from Sofia via
Plovidv). Bus and train travel times are roughly
similar from Varna. Count one hour less from Burgas.
Car rental is not necessary as Stara Zagora is well
connected by public transport. If time is of the
essence, you can shave from 30 to 45 minutes from bus
travel time from Sofia, Varna or Burgas with a car.
From Bulgaria's major cities, follow signs for Plovdiv
(Пловдив). If you come from the Black Sea or the
North, you will hit Stara Zagora on your way. Coming
from Sofia, follow signs for Stara Zagora on the
motorway after Plovdiv.
In the city. Stara Zagora itself is
very easy to navigate, with parallel roads at right angles
that will be familiar to visitors from China or North
America. In the map on the right (provided by
domino.bg - click on the map for a
larger version), the neolithic dwellings are marked in
yellow, the train station is at the red dot and the
bus station at the green dot. The museum is a good 40
minutes uphill hike from the stations. It is a
pleasant walk through the town if you avoid the main
thoroughfares which are dirty and clogged with truck
traffic. Alternatively you can get on a city bus that
stops near the hospital, or just take a cab (they are
less expensive than in the larger Bulgarian cities).
Practical tips. The municipality started
posting signs to the main city sights in both Bulgarian and
English, but the approach to the neolithic dwellings
remains challenging. The easiest way to reach the site is
by walking past the hospital, leaving it on your left when
you come from the city center, and making a left turn right
after the hospital's main building. You will end up on a
parking with a fenced basketball court on the left. Walk on
the trail past the court, leaving it to your left, and go
down a few steps: the drab sixties-style building at the
bottom of the stairs is housing the neolithic dwellings.
The museum is not marked on any map that we know of, except
for the basic maps found in the
Rough Guide to Bulgaria
and in the
Lonely Planet Travel Guide.
The less daring will want to buy a detailed map of
Stara Zagora available at any of the modern gas
stations close to the railway or bus stations.
Other things to do while in Stara
Zagora. Sometimes called the "city of poets", it
is the birthplace of Kiril Hristov, Nikolai Liliev and Geo
Milev. Apart from the house of the poet
Geo
Milev, the antique
Roman city is worth a visit. In
Roman times the city was called
Augusta
Triana in honor of Emperor Trajan. It was a
city of some importance due to its position at the
crossing between the two great routes running from the
west from Philippopolis (Plovdiv) and to the north to
Nicopolis (present-day Nikopol). There is a nice roman
theater and the ruins of the antique Forum. The Roman
city may be visited in less than an hour.
Another site to the north east of town is the huge
monument to the glory of Russian troops
which have helped
Bulgarians in their "war of liberation" against their
Ottoman rulers. The monument is typical of Soviet-era
buildings and may be worth a visit if you have not yet seen
the one in Svishtov or in other former communist countries
in Europe. It is a bit far off if you want to walk. To our
knowledge it is not reachable by public transportation and
you should take a taxi if you want to get there fast. The
views on Stara Zagora and the surrounding hills are worth
the trip.
Further afield, the small spa resort of
Starozagorski Bani offers thermal
baths and fresh spring water for the visitors. It is
located around 15 kms to the North West of town and is
easily accesible by city bus (around half an hour). It is
believed that the neolithic dwellers chose to settle in the
region because of the many natural thermal springs. The
Romans were also attracted by the baths and built extensive
thermae in Starozagorski Bani, although the ruins are not
very spectacular. There are remains of the 3rd century
romain baths and of later Ottoman buildings.
If you do not plan to
spend more than a day in the city, you may want to
wander around the
city center instead of
visiting the other sights. Stara Zagora is a pleasant city,
with many parks and linden trees that contribute to a
relaxed atmosphere. Do not miss the central park, the
neighboring central pedestrian shopping street and the
books and the fresh produce market. Considering its
relatively small size, it offers a surprisingly
sophisticated atmosphere thanks to the university and the
many shops and cafés, the theater and the opera. Stara
Zagora is also home to many of the most famous popular
singers such as Anelia or Gergana. It is also home to the
Zagorka brewery.
Don't miss our
Stara Zagora pictures.
