DiscoverE+r | Veliko Tarnovo... a city in the Middle Ages

Bulgaria is not a very big country, but it has a curious variety of landscapes and corners. You can get to know the shores of the Black Sea or the origins of present-day Bulgaria, as well as drink good wine or discover what traditional costumes are like.

This time we are going to discover Veliko Tarnovo. So that you can locate yourself, it is in the north-eastern part of the country, very close to the border with Romania. To get to this beautiful town you can go by car, by train or by bus; If you don't have a car, the fastest option is the bus. Go to the central bus station in Sofia, very close to the centre, and buy a ticket at the ticket office. The price per trip is 17 leva and you can pay in cash or by card. At the bus station, you have different places to eat or drink.

Ready for the trip? After approximately three hours of travel, you arrive at the Veliko Tarnovo bus station, which is located on the outskirts of the town, a 30-minute walk from the old town and which is the most beautiful part of the town.

Ideally, you would spend one night in town to give you time to see everything for two days. On these two days, you can visit the town simply by walking and visiting its different churches and bridges. You only need to follow the main road, at the end of this is the Tsarevets fortress, the main attraction of the town. Beyond the fort, there are a couple of churches next to the river.

As a recommendation for lunch, dinner or a drink, the Malkia Inter bar, with constant movement, a different decoration, innovative cuisine and affordable prices. Another option is Shtastliveca, possibly the most famous restaurant in Veliko Tarnovo. The food is excellent and daring, but the attention is lousy. Likewise, if you want to eat something different, it is a wise option. To have a coffee and breakfast some sweet Samurai Specialty Coffe Shop, a specialized place, with good service and a good breakfast.

Beyond the recommendations for eating and drinking, the most important is that you simply walk looking at the streets, houses and typical places. Veliko Tarnovo has a great tradition of craftsmanship. An inexpensive destination where you will feel like in medieval times.

LIFE+ | Why do an Erasmus + internship?

Erasmus + is one of the European Union programs to support training, youth job, and education inclusion. I have never heard of it before to come to Sofia Bulgaria and participate as an intern in the International Center for Development of Education and Training.

Firstly, I will explain to you shortly about Erasmus +. It boosts and supports actions identified in the Education and Digital Area, but also the European Pillar of Social Rights and the Youth Strategy 2019-2027. Offers different opportunities, for example, exchange in higher education, vocational education and training, adult education, sport, and youth, among others

I applied when I was studying my master's course in Spain, and my plan after finishing was to come back to Colombia, but when I was chosen for the internship, I asked myself, why not?

It has been one of my best experiences in a personal, but professional way. I have had the opportunity to work in a totally different environment, learn about project development, since the initial point, where is important to identify the problem and recognize the mindset of your audience.

But also, this experience has been an opportunity to go out of my comfort zone, and make me grow up in a personal way, manage my time, travel but at the same time be responsible with my job obligations, living with people that I have never seen before. It teaches me to be conscious about the importance of always going out of your comfort area, and look forward to something more, always be learning not just about your job, or educational environment, your teamwork, and every new aspect you have to handle teach you something and boost your self. You should do an Erasmus + internship.

DiscoverE+r | Heading for the Borovets mountain

Bulgaria is a country where you can find mountains wherever you go. The perfect place for mountaineers who love nature. Some of the best-known routes or peaks are the 7 Rila Lakes, the peak of Musala or Cherni Vrah, the closest to Sofia. However, there are many other options, in this case, we are talking about Black Rock in Borovets, in the Rila mountains.

How to get from Sofia to Borovets? We head to the South bus station, at the Joliot Curie metro station. There we take a bus to Samokov for 4 leva, they leave all day. After an hour and a half, approximately, we will have reached Samokov, a small mountain town. From Samokov to Borovets there are two options: bus or taxi. The last bus leaves at 5:30 p.m. (information for October 2021), so if you don't get to catch the bus, you will have to take a taxi for approximately 20 leva.

In Borovets you have to sleep one night, in Booking, you can find very cheap options out of season since Borovets in ski season receives a lot of tourism. In low season you can find an apartment for 70 leva for 4 people. In the town, there are not many shops, so if you want something specific to take to the mountains, you better buy it in Sofia or Samokov.

The Black Rock route is very simple, with no long climbs or dangerous areas. A route that can be done with family or friends and that will not take you more than 3 and a half hours, depending on how many stops you make to take photos. Where does the route start? You must go to the Hotel Festa Winter Palace, and follow the route on the right bordering the hotel. At this point, you can already find a route sign.

All the way you find signs, so it is almost impossible to get lost. After an hour and a half you arrive at Black Rock with incredible views. Legend says that during the Ottoman Empire prisoners were brought to this point and pushed into the abyss.

Once at Black Rock, you can follow the route to go around the mountain or go back the same way. We did not choose any of the options, we went up, then we skirted the river until we found our way again. A route is not recommended if you do not take someone who is very well oriented in the mountain and you are not willing to get completely dirty.