In north-western Bulgaria, history and geology cannot easily be separated. The Vrachanski Balkan is a karst massif of the Balkan range: limestone cut by gorges, riddled with caves, and broken by sheer rock walls that rise directly above the valleys. Water has shaped everything here, dissolving the rock into shafts and galleries and reappearing as springs and waterfalls. The park protects that landscape, along with its forests, its meadows and the birds of prey that nest on the cliffs. Marked paths, show caves and viewpoints make it one of the most visited natural areas in the country. The archaeological complex of Kaleto belongs to the same terrain. Occupying a naturally defensible height, it preserves the walls, gates and foundations of a settlement fortified across successive periods, partly reconstructed for visitors. Seen alongside the gorges that control access to the region, it makes clear that the choice of the site was dictated by the rock itself. Filmed in 4K, with aerial photography of the cliffs and gorges and detailed work on the excavated remains, the programme suits strands on archaeology, nature and heritage.
