“How to establish the exact moment in which a story begins? Everything has already begun before. The first line of the first page of every novel refers something that has already happened outside the book” (Italo Calvino) Since more than a century, by now, the Badrutt’s Palace Hotel in St. Moritz has been welcoming and…
The Bachkovo Monastery, what to see in a day trip
Bulgaria is art, culture, traditions, but also the result of the dominations over the centuries, of the invasions and of their inevitable consequences. It would be recommended to know it better through the exploration of its ancient monasteries, precious witnesses of the events and especially guardians of a rich artistic heritage that otherwise would…
Plovdiv, european Capital of Culture 2019
Plovdiv A small crossroads between East and West, its first settlement was founded by the Thracians in 5000 BC. Then came the Macedonians, Romans and the Huns who plundered destroying good part. From its ruins recaptured was born an important military outpost “Protobulgaro”, then the Byzantines and the Ottomans made it one of the…
Bulgaria, impressions
Eastern Europe leaves its mark, no story. Two days in Bulgaria and the feeling, for nothing new, of being in a geographical limbo in which the history, rich, fascinating, sometimes mocking, dips into a big bin made of cultures, ethnicities, traditions, religions so different to arrive even to clash, yet almost always surprisingly and inexplicably…
From Sofia to Rila Monastery, short route in Bulgaria
The road to get from Sofia to Rila, two hours by car (or bus) approximately, is a succession of valleys, small towns, endless plains and a few sparse industrial systems, not far to the east the Serbia border, to the south the Greek border.A simple route that, surpassed Dupnitsa, begins a long and winding ascent…
