Vidin, Bulgaria

  • Historic Fortress with Rocky Landscape

One of Bulgaria’s oldest riverside towns, Vidin is home to the only entirely preserved medieval Bulgarian castle. Perched impressively on the riverbank, its striking pose, thick ring walls, stout towers and solid gates form a fortress known as Babini Vidini Kuli, which means Granny Vida’s Towers. Around the castle rose a fairy-tale town of 25 minarets, domes and other charming architecture of the period. Though many of these features have been shadowed by today’s city, Vidin retains its charms. Today it is largely an agricultural and trade center renowned for its wines.

Shore Excursions

Shore excursions vary by each itinerary and are subject to change.

Scenic Rocky Landscape with Greenery

Belogradchik Rocks and Fortress

Journey into one of Bulgaria’s most scenic regions to see how geography helped create an architectural treasure.

Included
Scenic Rocky Landscape with Greenery

Belogradchik Rocks and Fortress

Duration: 4 hours      

Spectacular Rock Formations and the Defensive Structure They Helped Shape

Journey into one of Bulgaria’s most scenic regions to see how geography helped create an architectural treasure. Join your guide for a drive from Vidin to the Belogradchik Rocks. With their strange, red-hued cliffs and massifs, these stunning mountains strike a dramatic pose. The result of millennia of weathering, river erosion, freezing and countless other factors, these formations are more than Bulgaria’s great natural wonder. They are also a curiosity for the multitude of fantastic figures and profiles that emerge when you catch them at just the right angle. Silhouettes of people, towers, ships, mushrooms, palaces and animals populate the cliffs. You will also see the fascinating Belogradchik Fortress, built by the Ottomans in a maze of rock columns and pillars. Take a walk around the compound and enjoy superior views of the caves and rock shapes from its many terraced courtyards.

* Demanding - Physically challenging activities, including extensive walks, hiking, riding, water sports, and high altitude activities. Activities by foot may contain difficult, unpaved surfaces and/or multiple stairs and steep inclines. Total time walking or standing may exceed 3 hours.
Historic stone fortress with bridge entry

Baba Vida Fortress & Bulgarian Wine

Explore the wonderfully preserved Baba Vida fortress and sample a selection of Bulgarian wines at a local winery.
Historic stone fortress with bridge entry

Baba Vida Fortress & Bulgarian Wine

Duration: 3 hours      

Tour Medieval Castle and Sample Delicious Vintages

Explore the wonderfully preserved Baba Vida fortress and sample a selection of Bulgarian wines at a local winery. Meet your guide and embark on a scenic drive to Vidin’s most prominent landmark, the medieval Bada Vida fortress. Enjoy a guided visit of its defensive walls and towers and learn about its history as you tour the museum exhibits. Next, you will visit the Dos Alamos winery for a tour of the facility with an expert oenologist. See how the modern approach of wine production blends harmoniously with more than 200 years of family wine-making heritage during a tour of the lab and underground cellars. Afterward, you will sit down to sample a selection of fine wines accompanied by savory snacks, before returning to your awaiting ship.

* Moderate - Walking portions may be long and somewhat challenging with occasional step-ups, stairs and inclines. Total time walking or standing normally ranges from 1.5 to 3 hours.
Shore excursions vary by itinerary and are subject to change.