Photos: Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Alicia Fagerving, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo credits
Photos: Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Alicia Fagerving, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Aladzha, the monastery carved in rock
Your local guide
Yordan Kolev
View profile
Highlights
- A monastery carved into a cliff
- Cave chapels shown from outside
- Paint traces from centuries ago
- Monastic life through the Ottoman period
- A full line of caves from above
About this tour
This session visits Aladzha Monastery, carved into a cliff face north of the city. You see the wooded courtyard, the cave chapel and cell openings, and the full line of caves from the path above. Filming stays at the courtyard, the cave entrances and the path, rather than inside the narrow cells themselves.
I move slowly along the cliff, pausing longest at the cave openings to explain how monastic life here changed over the centuries. Questions about the site's history come up often, and I answer from years of living nearby.
This suits anyone drawn to sites that mix history and landscape. It also works well paired with the Sea Garden or Stone Forest sessions for a fuller day outside the centre.
Included
- Live video walk with a local guide
- Questions to your guide all the way
- A short list of places to visit later
Not included
- Internet connection
- Travel to the city
Itinerary
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Welcome and sound check 6 min
The guide joins the video call, checks the picture and sound with you, and gives you a quick sense of Varna before heading out.
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Monastery Courtyard 17 min
The camera shows the wooded courtyard below the cliff, and I explain how monks have used this site since at least the 12th century.
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Cave Openings 17 min
You see the cave chapel and cell openings carved into the rock face, and I point out the traces of paint still visible near one entrance.
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Cliff Path View 17 min
From the path above, the camera looks back down at the full line of caves, and I explain how the Ottoman period changed monastic life on this coast.
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Your questions 11 min
Time to ask anything about Varna: prices, safety, food, or whatever you are curious about.
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A short list to keep 5 min
Before you go, the guide sums up with a few things worth remembering: a dish to try: Shkembe chorba (tripe soup) and Vazrazhdane, worth a slower look.
Good to know
- A stable wifi or mobile connection makes the picture smoother than a shaky one.
- Any phone, tablet or laptop with a camera works. You watch, the guide does the walking.
- Times are shown in Sofia time, so check the time where you are before you book.
- The session is not recorded, and recording it yourself is not allowed. Feel free to take your own notes.
- Ask questions any time, out loud or in the chat. The guide will pause to answer.
- Sessions run in small groups, up to 9 people, so there is room for everyone to ask something.
Questions about this tour
What will the session cover?
The guide walks through Varna, showing you Monastery Courtyard and Cave Openings live on camera, plus whatever else you would like to see.
What happens if my connection drops?
Rejoin with the same link within a few minutes and the guide will catch you up on anything you missed.
Can I ask the guide questions during the session, or is it a fixed script?
Anything, any time. Sessions leave room for your own questions throughout, not just at the end.
Do I need to know the history already?
No background needed. The guide explains everything as it comes up.
How it works
- You get one join link after booking.
- Join from any device: phone, tablet or laptop.
- We meet on Google Meet and the link comes with your booking. I film from the courtyard and the cave openings, since the narrow cells inside are too tight for a steady shot.
Times shown in Sofia time (EET)
Cancellation
Flexible
- Cancel up to 24 hours before the start: full refund.
- Cancel less than 24 hours before the start, or no-show: no refund.
- If the guide cancels or the date does not reach its minimum group: full refund.
- Cancel in My Account → Bookings; the refund is calculated from the start time in the tour's local time.
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Next: Thu 29 Oct · 9 seats left From 23,00 €
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