Our column "Feel Bulgaria with..." meets you with interesting profiles on social networks that impress with creativity and finesse, people who tell about Bulgaria through photos and words... Today we meet you with a laconic lady who, with elegance and without many words , has impressed us with the content he uploads on Instagram... Here are a few words that Diana share with us…
I'm Diana, I studied journalism but chose to do social media marketing, and in my free time I travel around beautiful Bulgaria with Hurley (my dog/best friend) and company. I love nature, wine and beautiful views…
And in the following lines, we take you to 5 unique places selected from Diana's travels... may they inspire you to travel more around our unique homeland...
1. The rock arch near the village of Uglen
After our visit to Prokhodna Cave and Golden Park, we headed to the village of Uglen, which is
22 km from Lukovit and 119 km from Sofia. We happened to see the rock arch under which the river Vit passes on the Internet and it seemed an interesting location.
The Lukovit-Uglen road was not very nice, and the day began to end, but we still made it. In google maps there is a location "The Hole" and it leads to a clearing just above the arch. We stopped the car in front of a house because the road was small. From the clearing we descended down to the river, passed through a small rock crevice and found ourselves right in front of the majestic rock phenomenon. Although, it was dark and foggy, it was very beautiful!
I recommend visiting, but unless it's on a long summer day, it's not a good idea to combine it with the locations around Lukovit because it's a big departure.

2. Golden Park in Lukovit
Golden Park is a very interesting place, which to me looks like the Shire from Lord of the Rings. The location quickly became a favorite of many people and when we went, we could hardly find a place to stop. The place is not big, even at the beginning you can see where it ends, but every detail is so interesting that you can easily spend hours there. I don't understand exactly what its purpose is, but it is a great location for photos, walking and relaxing. There is also plenty of seating.
After him, we headed to the Stone Houses near the village of Karlukovo. They are two houses made in a similar way to those in Golden Park. They are located about 10 km. from the park, near Prokhodna cave (they are available on google maps). On the way to the houses, there is also a great view of the "Provertenika" rock formation - a majestic rock with a hole on its top.
3. Prohodna Cave
From Sofia, take the Hemus highway to Karlukovo, where the cave is located. The journey is about 1 hour and 30 minutes (114 km). The GPS leads right to the parking lot in front of the cave. It is passable with a length of 262 m and has 2 entrances - a small one, with a height of about 35 m and a large one, which is also the largest cave vault in Bulgaria - 45 m. In the past, the waters of the Iskar River filled the cave and this it is evident from the stones on the ground. Passable is a huge rock bridge that amazes with its size, but the most impressive part is precisely the God's eyes (Oknata), which seem to stare at all visitors. They are completely natural and are a phenomenon that is definitely worth seeing!

See also: 5 uniquely beautiful caves that you must visit
4. Vacha Dam
We visited this breathtaking place as part of a long and uneventful trip and it was the final destination that made our day! The dam is located 2 hours (166 km) from Sofia. We were staying in Plovdiv and traveling from there. The day we went was dark and rainy, our first stop was the Krichim dam and the dam wall, as they can be seen by the side of the road. They are hauntingly beautiful and the whole way there is full of views.
At the place where the path begins for the most beautiful views of the Vacha Dam, there is the "Chilingira" restaurant, where you can leave the car. The restaurant is on one side of the road and the trailhead is on the other. The restaurant also has a unique view of the dam, and the food is one of the tastiest we've ever eaten, really! *Here there are also cottages in the dam itself, where I suppose you can stay, which will be a great experience.

5. The Stob pyramids
🚗 They are an hour and 20 minutes away from Sofia (103 km.). Travel in the direction of the Rila Monastery.
Navigation leads directly to the trailhead. There is parking and a shop where I recommend buying water. The start of the trail is clearly marked, I think there used to be an entrance fee, but when we were there there wasn't.
🥾 It takes about 40 minutes to walk to the pyramids themselves, the road is pleasant, there are a lot of benches, but in some places the paths are steeper. There is not much shade on the trail and it gets quite warm, so wear hats.
The pyramids are visible from several places, with the highest one having a steep climb that is definitely not for everyone and the road itself after that is almost on the edge and not very dangerous. From there, of course, the view is unique, but the pyramids can be seen nicely from everywhere.

Follow the great Diana on Instagram / @dianavcenkova / for more beautiful photos and ideas for adventures in Bulgaria and beyond 😉