Vidin sits on the south bank of the Danube in the far north-west corner of Bulgaria, where the river forms the border with Romania and the plain stretches flat to the horizon. The city of fifty-odd thousand is quiet and a little worn, but its position on the river made it a significant stronghold for centuries, and the proof is Baba Vida, a squat medieval fortress with thick walls and round towers that stands right at the water's edge. It dates from the Middle Ages, was strengthened under Bulgarian tsars and Ottoman rulers, and is among the best-preserved castles in the country. Legend says it is named for a princess who defended it, though the story is surely tidier than the truth.
The Ottoman centuries left other traces: a mosque and a library with a lovely courtyard, and a handsome synagogue that testifies to the Jewish community which once thrived here. In the late eighteenth century a rebellious local pasha, Osman Pazvantoğlu, defied the sultan from Vidin for years and made the city his private capital.
For the rider, Vidin is mostly about the Danube and the open country, rather than technical corners. The roads across the plain are straight and sometimes rough, particularly in the countryside, and you should watch for potholes and farm vehicles. But the mountains of the Stara Planina rise to the south, and the approach roads that climb into them offer winding bends, empty tarmac and the pleasure of forest silence.
The Danube Bridge 2, opened in 2013, connects Vidin with Calafat in Romania, making this a handy crossing between countries. Fuel stations are plentiful in town and on the approach roads, and along the river promenade you can find cafes serving grilled fish, shopska salad and the local rakia.
Come in late spring or early autumn. Midsummer is hot, and winter brings fog and cold winds off the river.