ODANS TRAVEL Europe Incoming

04/02/2020

Join us on an excursion to the Capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire - Veliko Tarnovo! Visit the Tsarevets Fortress, walk on the cobblestoned streets, explore the city and visit the picturesque town of Arbanassi with it's church filled with unique frescoes!

If you're interested in traveling to Veliko Tarnovo follow the link below
>>>>>https://cutit.org/IPY7h

31/01/2020

Neuschwanstein castle is arguably the most famous and definitely one of the most impressive of all the castles in Germany and our trip to Bavaria just wouldn’t be complete without visiting.

Neuschwanstein illustrates the ideals and longings of Ludwig II more vividly than any of his other buildings. The castle was not designed for royal representation, but as a place of retreat. Here Ludwig II escaped into a dream world – the poetic world of the Middle Ages.

Seven weeks after the death of King Ludwig II in 1886, Neuschwanstein was opened to the public. The shy king had built the castle in order to withdraw from public life – now vast numbers of people came to view his private refuge.

The apartments and state rooms of the king are on the third and fourth floors. The rooms on the second floor were never finished and today house a shop, a cafeteria and a multimedia room.

The picture cycles of Neuschwanstein were inspired by the operas of Richard Wagner, to whom the king dedicated the castle. The pictures were not however directly modelled on Wagner's works, but on the medieval legends that the composer had also taken as the basis for his works.

The pictures on the walls of the castle deal with love and guilt, repentance and salvation. Kings and knights, poets and lovers people the rooms. There are three main figures: the poet Tannhäuser, the swan knight Lohengrin and his father, the Grail King Parzival (Parsifal). These were Ludwig's models and kindred spirits.

A further leitmotif of the interiors is the swan. The swan was the heraldic animal of the Counts of Schwangau, whose successor the king considered himself to be. It is also the Christian symbol of the "purity" for which Ludwig strived.

Religious and political ideas were involved in the planning of the castle. This can be seen in particular in the throne hall. The paintings here show how Ludwig saw kingship "by the Grace of God": as a holy mission, with powers that the Bavarian king had never possessed.

29/01/2020

Nicknamed the ‘Jerusalem of the Balkans’, Ohrid is one of the oldest settlements in Europe, and was once considered to be the epicentre of religion and Slavic culture. Its history is evident in every building that lines the city’s old town. However, it is Lake Ohrid that makes the city a unique historical artefact. At three million years old, it stands as one of Europe’s oldest and deepest lakes, and gives Ohrid the prestige of being named as both a cultural and natural UNESCO World Heritage site.

Nestled between the mountains of Macedonia, three hours outside the capital city of Skopje, Ohrid is the perfect spot for your next adventure. Surrounded by natural landscapes that are the stuff of your Instagram dreams, Ohrid is removed from the bustle of major cities, yet easily accessible by bus or plane – the city even has its own international airport. For those looking to travel within the area, the Greek border is less than two hours away.

What Ohrid lacks in coastline, it makes up for in character and natural beauty. Its lake offers pockets of beachy areas that reveal views of the surrounding mountains and hills. Along the shoreline, carefully reconstructed stilted villages give the area an Italian vibe, while waterside resorts make it the perfect place to relax in the sun. For those tired of the beach, hikes that lead around the shoreline and into the mountains are especially tempting. The more vigorous hiking and cycling trails will reward their conquerors with a beautiful overhead view of the lake.

Once boasting 365 churches, the city has a fascinating architectural layout, full of monasteries, fortresses and castles. Some of the architecture dates back to 200BC, including the city’s ancient theatre, which was formerly used to host gladiator fights. The well-preserved grounds now serve as a concert and theatre venue. Bring some beer and snacks and head to the path just above the famous 13th-century Saint Jovan Kaneo Church to watch the sun as it sets over the lake. Gorgeous views are guaranteed.

23/01/2020

Join us on a one day tour where you will have the opportunity to see two of the most popular and unique tourist sites in Bulgaria – the infamous Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila, better known as the Rila Monastery and the Boyana Church.
Both of the sites are added to the UNESCO World Heritage List and both are among the most authentic, energetic and peaceful places in Bulgaria.

Located in the middle of the coniferous forests of the most beautiful mountain in Bulgaria – Rila Mountain National Park. The Rila Monastery is a complex of cultural, dwelling and farming buildings which take about 8800 square meters in the heart of the mountains.

The Boyana Church is located at Vitosha Mountains right next to Sofia and is one of the few complete and perfectly preserved mediaeval monuments testifying to the significant contribution of Bulgarian monumental painting to European culture in the Middle Ages.

05/12/2019

Dubrovnik - The “Pearl'' of the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, a seaport and the center of Dubrovnik - Neretva county in Croatia.
Dubrovnik is famous for the scenes for
movies that were filmed inside the fortress - like Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Jamed Bond and Game of Thrones.
Walk the Jesuit stairs where the scene Walk of Shame was shot.

Thanks to the Game of Thrones, Dubrovnik has become one of the World’s most popular destinations to visit, especially now, when the last season is almost finished. You can visit King’s Landing and gain insight into the filming locations like Red Keep, City of Qarth, Gardens of King’s Landing, and much more. Enjoy at the filming location of The Purple Wedding, where Joffrey gets poisoned. Walk on the steps where the “Walk of shame” scene took place, and Cersei walked naked through the crowds.

Come, experience the Mediterranean lifestyle and enjoy yourself on a trip with Odans Travel to Dubrovnik and much more!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tPG4z2HeXg

Dubrovnik is always worth a trip. That´s what the crew of Cities in 4K thought, too. So we decided to visit this beautiful city this spring after the Star Wa...

27/11/2019

Located in Bosnia & Herzegovina - the city of Mostar is situated on the Neretva River and is the fifth-largest in the country.

Mostar was named after the bridge keepers (mostari) who in the medieval times guarded the Stari Most (Old Bridge) over the Neretva.

The Old Bridge, built by the Ottomans in the 16th century, is one of Bosnia and Herzegovina's most visited landmarks, and is considered an exemplary piece of Islamic architecture in the Balkans

Have you been there? If not than this is a great idea for travel in 2020!!!
We'll even show you our secret spot for taking the best photos of the Old Bridge! :)

Mostar Bosnia and Herzegovina September 2019

25/11/2019

The Rose Festival has been organized annually since 1903 in Kazanlak - Bulgaria. It celebrates our deep connection to the Rosa Damascena – the Bulgarian oil-bearing rose and all the gifts it has blessed the Rose Valley with for centuries.

Cultural, dance, music, artistic, social and sports events happen across Kazanlak and the surrounding villages in May-June. Attend concerts, workshops, expos, parades and other activities for all individual tastes with the Festival parade and the Rose Queen coronation being the culmination of it all.

Apart from all the events specifically organized for the Festival, the Rose Valley holds hidden gems such as the Valley of Thracian Kings, where hundreds of Thracian tombs, shrines, and treasures have been discovered.

The Rose Festival 2020 will be held from during the first weekend of June – 5th – 7th June in Kazanlak.

04/11/2019

As we are still hyped from Halloween we want to share a tradition that is from the Balkan Peninsula with a similar cause - The Kukeri Dances that take place during winter times.

Here on the Balkans during winter time we have one special and unique for our location tradition - the Kukeri.

The Kukeri name is used in Bulgaria, as for each Balkan country has a special name for it, but the ritual is basically the same. It is an old pagan ritual that's thought to derive since ancient Thracian times. The kukeri walk and dance through villages to scare away evil spirits with their costumes and the sound of their bells. They are also believed to provide a good harvest, health, and happiness to the village during the year.

The rituals are held starting after New Year's Celebration.

Around early winter or midwinter, groups of kukeri (pronounced KOO-kuh-ree) don elaborate costumes—complete with fantastical masks and belts of massive metal...

30/10/2019

A great article by 2 American travel bloggers that fell in love with the Balkans as they traveled.
We loved their view on life and travel in the Balkan Peninsula as everything is so accurate. We hope you get inspired as we did.!
Enjoy and keep on traveling!

This post may contain affiliate links. This means that if you click a link, we may make a small commission off any subsequent purchase, at no extra cost to you. For more information, please check our privacy policy. I first visited the Balkans in 2016 and promptly fell in love with the region…. so...

21/10/2019

18/10/2019

The city of Sofia!

A great video from a tourist's perspective that will give you an idea of the diversity in our capital city is and what it offers!

These are the highlights of Sofia. But the city itself has much more to offer for every traveler's taste. Dive in and get lost in the historical center where you will stumble upon sites dating from the Roman Empire Period to modern days. Eat tasty local food and mingle with the people of Sofia. If you are bored of the city you can always go for a hike or skiing during winter in the nearby Vitosha Mts which tower above Sofia as its natural guardian.

Walking in Sofia 4K, Bulgaria

03/07/2019

PLOVDIV FULL DAY TOUR - EVERY SATURDAY

This tour will take you off to one of the most fertile lands in Bulgaria – the region of Upper Thracian Plain. Plovdiv is the second largest city in Bulgaria and in 2014 it was selected as Bulgarian host of European Capital of Culture in 2019. Because of this event Plovdiv has grown in culture, tourism and artist field and now offers to its citizens and guests a lot of interesting programmes, festivals and events.

http://incoming.odans-travel.com/plovdiv-tour

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