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Wanderlog staff Updated • updatedMar 31, 2023
How long is the drive from Bansko to Plovdiv?
The direct drive from Bansko to Plovdiv is 98.8 mi (159 km), and should have a drive time of 2 hrs 35 mins in normal traffic.
If you’re going on a road trip from Bansko to Plovdiv, we did the research for you and compiled some great stops along the way — with top places to visit like Гейзера в Сапарева баня and Saparevo, or the ever-popular Kotvata Mineral Pools & Spa Center.
The top stops along the way from Bansko to Plovdiv (with short detours) are Bansko Gondola Ski Lift, Боровец, and Rila National Park. Other popular stops include Monument of the Red Army "Alyosha", "Pirin" Str., and BEAR SANCTUARY Belitsa.
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Kotvata Mineral Pools & Spa Center
Public swimming pool
Outdoor Activities
Other Outdoor Activities
One of the best hot mineral outdoor pools you get to enjoy in Europe. There is affordable parking nearby. The water is hot enough so you can visit in late autumn or early spring, too. I would recommend to pay for the outside area only as inside pool and spa is not worth the additional price. Plan your trip so that you don't have to eat there - aim for a nearby town or bring your own food. For the best experience plan to arrive around the opening hours and leave early afternoon.
Alexander Alexandrov — Google review
The place is truly a hidden gem tucked in the Rila Mountain and only 1 hour drive from the capital Sofia... The place is clean considering other similar places I have been to. Changing rooms are well maintained. Many choices for pool activities. The downside was that upon entry I had to take, carry, and place a lounge chair and an umbrella by myself. The life guards are smoking and not paying much attention ... Food and beverages are on the steep side. Overall, a great way for a weekend getaway. Also good for children of all ages.
Ivailo Ang — Google review
Use to be one of my favorite place for relax.
However the sun beds are very dirty and worn out, all poll decking needs to be replaced ASAP ,
the fixing screws are protruding and without beach slippers you can seriously injure yourself, the boards are buckling everything is from 10 years ago, including the parasols (Delta ice cream) around the jacuzzi at the entrance to the right.
The showers area is so dirty that you might think twice taking shower.
Owners/managers are just milking the “golden cow” they forgot that need to reinvest the profits,
Service level below any decent expectation.
Renel Dobre — Google review
Well... that was an experience :) hot waters and a cold day! The Spa Center is a complex of thermal hot waters in the open air. As far as we could understand this is a tradition for locals, a bit strange to us, south european people. The bathhouses were not pristine or modern, but luckily everyone was taking care of their hygiene and personal belongings. Everyone is given a robe and a key to a locker at the entrance (you pay a deposit for that) and no shower cap is needed to attend the Spa.
Bernardo Moniz — Google review
Very nice place! However, if they offer some breakfast or snack options like yogurt with muesli or some bowls it would be perfect!
Ivan Kozovski — Google review
There are pools in hot temperature (36 / 38 / 40 degrees Celsius), which were very relaxing to be in, there's also a nice little warm tea stand for your use.
There are also a few hot sauna rooms, and an inner pool that has a very nice design, with ladders and a "climbing wall" for the kids.
Overall the design is beautiful all over every place. Relaxing.
Daniel Bakaev — Google review
Not what we imagined, basically different swimming pools with varying degrees of heat. Changing rooms were very cramp, it was fun as we were a large group and you definitely need a good shower after.
Shelagh Parry — Google review
Great place, we've had fun there!
Ivan Velinov — Google review
Very good for a couple hours, personally don't think it's a day worth of entertainment. Didn't feel massively natural if that's what you're looking for. Lots of different temperature pools (one 40°C). Cannot take your own food in, will make you leave it at the door but can pick it up at the end. Lockers are available for bags, we could fit hiking rucksacks in it.
Alice Cannon — Google review
Clean, not full of people and very nice experiment.
We visited in winter, very hot waters, great place to relax all the muscles after skiing or snowboarding.
Oh! And it has a climbing wall in the pool inside🤩
Lisa Kliatskin — Google review
Great mineral pools, various temperatures, sauna.
Theo Cornelisse — Google review
Awesome mineral water pools. During the week is very clean and there aren’t a lot of people. In the weekend is crazy.
Теодора Вескова Николова — Google review
Rude and unprofessional. According to the cashier desk, the working time is up to 8 pm, but they rush you out at 6:30 pm. Moreover , they have stopped the hot water in the dressing rooms and all the people couldn't take a shower after the pool. Everybody complained but there was no manager and the staff didn't care at all.
Most of the facilities were extremely dirty. A lot more maintenance is required!!!
Ivan Tconev — Google review
We bused here from Blagoevgrad which stopped almost in front of the spa centre. We arrived around 3pm on a weekday and there weren't too many people and everyone looked like locals. There are many different entry passes to choose from and we took the one with access to everywhere (Indoor pool and spa, outdoor pool) which was around 15 euros per person. There were lots of different pools and the outside area being the biggest with about 10 separate pools. The spa area was upstairs with about three different rooms. We had the most relaxing bath enjoying the mountainous views, Bulgarian beer without any busy crowds.
Barbes Rocherchouart — Google review
Generally well maintained and clean. Water quality is good only if is not crowded. Unfortunately during weekends is overcrowded and is better to be avoided. Owners have to take measures to make complex bigger or to limit the visitors otherwise I will not visit again
Ivan Donev — Google review
A great experience, especially after hiking or skying Rila range. Wide selection of pools at different temperatures from 42 to 36 Celsius. The outdoor pools are the main attraction - purchase your ticket only for those - they are varied and many. It’s easy to spend a whole day here, if you like hot pools.
If you come here on January 1 late morning, you'll find a fun mummer/Kukeri festival
Rebekah Horne — Google review
I don't know who the architect of this thing is, but the overall look of the geyser - the only one in continental Europe, by the way - reminds of a public toilet. Pretty disappointing.
N V — Google review
This has to be a joke. Or a scam. First of all, it is barely even promoted, even within the town. A few signs and not much else that somewhat point you in the right direction. But then, once you arrive, it is "under construction". What? it is a geyser, supposedly, it's natural, why would it need to be "under construction"? Gave me scam vibes like they were just pumping hot water from some underground man made pool or something. Don't waste your time.
Post Indie rock — Google review
It is good, a bit smelly, but im putting 1 star due to bad maintenance
Lena Asenova — Google review
Excluding the natural smell of sulfur, a beautiful park for a walk and lunch
Aleksandаr Kovachev — Google review
I didn't believe, that's a geysir....
ladalf the second — Google review
its not working now
Nikola Sofia — Google review
A little bit underwhelmed.
Ferhan Cherkez — Google review
3.8
(281)
•
3.5
(83)
2650, Bulgaria
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Saparevo
Spas & Wellness
Spas
Saparevo is a village in Sapareva Banya Municipality, Kyustendil Province, Bulgaria, near Sapareva Banya. Wikipedia.
Access to ski runs in winter, plus hiking & biking trails & a mountain water slide in summer.
summer cable car 8am to 4:30pm, return tickets cost 30 BGN , sunny day great views.
Angelia Lee — Google review
Just like other reviewers, not worth to wait at least 1-2 hrs every morning.
Or taxi 10 leva person and shutter bus 8 leva, very long queue in the morning.
Plus when you up there,there will be queue again at the ski lifts.
What a nightmare. First time and last.
Khanthana Sk — Google review
It's a gondola.... We were in Bansko week before Feb half term and after 9am it was mega busy, 30 minutes wait minimum if you don't have the magic queue jump pass.
Runs all day up and down with a mid station stop at Chalin Valog. Takes about 29mins to reach the top.
Tickets bought via crystal Ski so can't comment on the usual cost.
Kev Sutton — Google review
Bansko Gondola is one of the worst mountain lifts I have ever seen and it is not because it’s old. It is massively overcrowded. On a busy day you could wait for 1-2 hours to get up the mountain. So either you have to be very early (before 8am), either after 12pm, or you can chose to pay additional 15 levs for minibus service.
All the rest is pretty good, if there is sufficient amount of snow.
However we have spent great time with family in Bansko.
Karolis Zilius — Google review
Pros:
It is a nice place with great infrastructure.
Cons:
The fake snow unfortunately became ice after 13:00. Ratrack machines did not brake the ice. Unpleasant experience to skiing on the ice.
The gondola lift is the bottleneck unfortunately. The rest of the lifts are fast and there were no queues (except Gondola) 🚠
It makes sense to take a shuttle bus in order to avoid the Gondola.
That's why I give 3 stars. Mainly about the snow quality.
Klearchos Klearchou — Google review
Lines can take up to three hours or longer to take the gondola! There was only one ticket machine working, so I recommend buying your ski pass the day before at the windows, between 4pm and 5:30pm. Another option is to take a taxi up to the lifts instead of taking the gondola, sometimes it is worth it just to skip the gondola line.
daniela vega — Google review
This is more of a review for the gondola and main base area than the whole resort: Undersized, overcrowded, and poorly managed. 1 hour ques for skiing are ridiculous. They need to build a second gondola to reduce crowd size.
Having a season pass with "fast-pass" access through the back is the only saving grace from waiting in the huge line.
Snowmaking is fantastic and the nearby bars are great. Always fun to take the ski road home.
Zach Phelan — Google review
Wonderful view of the mountains. Just the right speed. Windows for clean air. The only downside was the ticket price per adult.
Nikolay Georgiev — Google review
The Gondola takes you up to Bunderishka Polyana advisable to get there at 08.00 or after 10.00 otherwise the cues are long . 30 minute ride with stunning scenery . Ski school , restaurants and the beginning of the Ski run ( Ski Road) 7kms of Blue Run ( I found some of it more of a Red Run in places - however my skiing was abit rusty ! , several nice cafes on the way down . Gloriously Sunny all week .
Gondola closes at 5pm for descents .
Kay Crane — Google review
Have to get there early to avoid standing in queue for over an hour. Resort was okay, but the gondola is a horrible bottleneck in the morning. Don't make the mistake of going during British midterm break, it is the busiest time of the season and the slopes are also very crowded and get covered in ice quickly.
Pihel Saatmann (Pihel S.) — Google review
Good if you have season pass. Without season pass you can stay in a line for hours
Ekaterina Sharapova — Google review
Gondola ride is great for sightseeing. You can get tickets only for the ride if you're not skiing. If you're planning to get coffee or food up there, remember to bring cash with you, as one store we visited didn't accept cards.
Nicolas Sivridis (nyko) — Google review
Unfortnately very crowded when there are hollydays in Romania or Bulgaria. Otherwise is a good and quick way to go on the mountain.
Dani Bis — Google review
Excellent ski resort.
If the line in the gondola is too long, take a taxi to the top.
10 lev for each person.
Very good solution!!
Adael Cohen — Google review
4.1
(6133)
•
4.0
(2080)
кв. Грамадето, "Pirin" Str. 94, 2770 Bansko, Bulgaria
Great facilites, prices are affordable, winter season lasting until April. It is a great spot for a short break. Very good for all levels specially for beginners, adults or kids there is a lot of ski instructors with a fair price and high quality of training.
Julia Moraes — Google review
Someone from the personnel stole our phone and money…we found the phone with a tracker in the town inside a bag ( of course the money was stolen). The money had videos of him even putting the phone in the ziplog bag…Really unbelievable.
Θάλεια Χαραλαμπίδου — Google review
(Translated by Google) Excellent. Before the corona virus, we were on a ski holiday through Bansko Ski and it was perfect. Great guides and good prices. We decided to book a vacation again now and received excellent service again. I recommend following Lior's recommendations, which usually saved us money
(Original)
מעולה. היינו לפני הקורונה בחופשת סקי דרך בנסקו סקי והיה מושלם. מדריכים מעולים ומחירים טובים. החלטנו להזמין עכשיו שוב חופשה וקיבלנו שוב שירות מעולה. ממליץ לעקוב אחר ההמלצות של ליאור שבדרך כלל חסכו לנו כסף
Eli Haboosh — Google review
We had an amazing experience working with Bansko ski they where available and answers our questions right away had amazing recommendations for thing to do besides ski and organized a shuttle to and from airport they are very professional and accommodating they made our experience that much better thank you bansko ski
Avigayil Goldstein — Google review
We had an amazing experience . The shuttle services were very convenient and we will definitely be back
אורי ר — Google review
Worst ski resort i've ever been. Way too crowded, gondola queues can take easily from 2+ to never (people are getting in the middle of the line etc), bo matter the time you will get there (we got to the gondola queue from 7:30-8:30am). No resort staff to handle the load of the people. Ski pist roads, are good, but the number of the people is way more than it can handle. After 2 working hours, the roads are impossible to ride or just not worth it (blue or red or black). We will never come back, hope also no one else.
Nikos Cholis — Google review
Been here three times and every time I fully enjoy the experience. it's inexpensive, top quality, and rarely do I go when its too busy. They have been attracting some good events such as the 'Horizon Festival' as of late, and are big enough that you dont feel crowded on the slopes.
If you want to get your legs under you (literally) while skiing or snowboarding without paying so much to not take advantage of France/Swiss resorts and their challenge, then this is a great first step!
A Q — Google review
If you go during the week, it's awesome. Otherwise it may get really crowded.
Zornitza S. Hadjitodorova — Google review
Useless ski personal can’t (even when queue is more than 600m long) fit enough persons in the cabine, so at first you have to stand in line literally for more than one hour. They let to forge extreme queue in spite of even covid hazard. OK, what annoys me more is ungrateful personality and rude behavior of all Bulgarian staff and local persons on slopes. Crazy high prices for low quality fast-foods on slopes (twice pricier than Italy) and all kind of mess around the slopes and restaurants. Great to say that I discovered another country where it’s possible to ski (due to covid and closed Europe), but hope I won’t be forced to ski in this country again.
Tomas Wagner — Google review
5.0
(6)
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3.5
(139)
кв. Грамадето, "Pirin" Str. 92a, 2770 Bansko, Bulgaria
Absolutely amazing service. Very reasonable price and they let me switch from snowboard to skis whenever I wanted. The lessons were really well run. I went from not knowing how to put on snowboard boots to doing red runs after 4 days. All the staff are lovely and will help you with anything. Cannot recommend enough.
Toby Heal — Google review
Definitely the best place in bansko to rent your gear,very good snowboard instructors,they know their job and always treat you with a smile!
Kostantinos Kampantais — Google review
⭐️Nick⭐️ you were absolutely amazing and taught us to ski from zero experience to this in just 2x2hour lessons... we can't thank you enough. We love skiing.
From Emily and Ruairí
If you want to look as fantastic as us on the slopes we booked the following...
*private lesson 2-1*
Ruairi Bray — Google review
We got first timers ski lessons and the instructor Silvie was amazing, patient and friendly. Everything was well explained and put in practice. The staff at the shop though was not very friendly, some of them were even a bit rude sometimes.
Diogo Lopez — Google review
The whole service, from the equipment rental, through guidance on the slopes and the ski school was just top notch! Super happy with our teacher, Mitko. Definitely the best service in Bansko. Everyone spoke great English!
Milena Levicharova — Google review
Avoid! All they care about is your CASH money, that's it. We asked specially for touring skis for off piste terrain. They gave us outdated material that had the touring hooks indeed, but the skis were way too thin to be suitable for off piste / powder terrain. We relied on them as we aren't experts, and it turned out that we just paid about 300bgn for an equipment that we couldn't use the whole weekend (our instructors were surprised we got such gear) Very quick to ask for cash though. Upon returning the equipment I calmly explained what happened and no one cared, ofc everything was already paid. Never again!
Violeta Delgado — Google review
Highly recommend Ski Mania, my family have used them for over 12 years and everytime they have gone above and beyond for us. Great prices, excellent equipment and staff are great! Wouldn't use anywhere else for ski hire and lessons in Bansko!
Rebecca Akroyd — Google review
We rented ski equipment on their site and all was good. The guys were very helpfully and kind. I recommend for all my heart. 👏✌️
Maris Andreea — Google review
Quite simply the best ski hire and lessons my family have ever experienced.
I have skied all over the world and my children ages 16,16,15 and 12 have just started to ski and the quality of instruction has ensured their progression was excellent and honestly better than i could have ever wished for.
The Ski Mania team are immaculate from the moment you speedily collect your ski hire equipment in their location very close to the gondola, then receive quality attentive constructive polite lessons instruction and return equipment for overnight storage back at their shop.
Real bonus is the boots are perfectly dry for the next day and this essential service attracts an extra premium charge from their competitors.
We reviewed several ski hire and lessons options and are thankful that we selected the Ski Mania team.
Ski Mania are competitively priced and rise above the competition due to their quality service ethos that provides quality ski equipment and the best lessons that i have ever seen.
My children ages 15 and 12 had never skied and incredibly went from a gentle learner slope to attempting the Tomba black slope on last day of an 8 day holiday, having received 6 days of 4 hours quality instruction.
My children ages 16 and 16 had 1 weeks ski experience and received 2 hour lessons and progressed to be able to ski Tomba black run and not falling over.
Quite simply wholeheartedly recommend the Ski Mania team and hope to see them all again in the future.
david ryan — Google review
I had an amazing time at Ski Mania. The instructors were excellent, will be back next season!
Mihail Kolchagov — Google review
Friendly and fast service. As an advanced skier the gear was in good shape. I got to change boots twice to find a good size and fit without any extra charge. I also changed skis once for a pair that suited my skiing style better. The position is great, <100m from the ski bus station and ~200m from the gondola. You can leave all your gear, personal and rental, at the store overnight which makes the experience smooth and carefree.
Millindén — Google review
I had a great time learning to ski with Georgi Pantev /
Ski Mania, a Bulgarian Ski Champion ! He has a very gentle approach and I was able to pick up the basics in no time ! This is your man !!!
VisitRhodopes — Google review
Been coming to Bansko since 2020. Our fourth visit skiing here. We brought our family and booked their rentals using Ski Mania and booked private lessons too. One member was unable to go through with the lesson and George the manager very kindly refunded this. Excellent service as always
Thank you
Catherine Robertson
Catherine Robertson — Google review
We paid for premium equipment and the initial equipment was pretty used and old. When challenged, the staff was a bit rude and just trying to get us out of their way. We could see that they gave us what they had in hand that could fit our requirements regardless if it was good fit/conditions, and only when we complained they would go to the back and get more suitable equipment. They didn’t know much about how snowboard boots should feel/fit because they “only did ski”. One of our friends had a far bigger board then he should, as beginners we need some guidance on renting equipment. The receptionists were also rude and not approachable at all, when asked questions they’d speak in Bulgarian between themselves and laugh.
Overall the premium equipment in the end was really good, the customer service just needs improving.
Catarina Correia — Google review
great service, helpful, competent, friendly! Price-performance was excellent. highly recommended, again at any time!
Bojana Velickovic — Google review
Spent 2 months in Bansko and rented from Ski Mania. Best ski store in Bansko for sure. Really friendly and helpful staff and good prices.
Alec Krishna — Google review
The skiing itself is brilliant and very good value for money. The slopes near the top were very decent until the afternoon and the views are spectacular.
But. To get to the slopes, everyone has to get on the same gondola. We got there at 8 in the morning and even though it was not peak season, we had to wait 1 hour just to get on. My recommendation: There are plenty of taxi drivers hanging around the bottom station who offer to take you up for 10 Lew. Do yourself the favour and pay for the taxi, it saved us so much time and hassle.
Also, the restaurants on the mountain are terribly overpriced. Expect to pay double to three times as much as in town. Food was ok, but definitely nothing to write home about. Since the restaurants are all run by the same company, there’s no alternative other than bringing your own food so I find that a bit annoying.
I would definitely come back though considering the overall value for money. Total cost (hotel, ski passes, ski rental, food,..) was probably close to a third of what we would have paid in Austria or Switzerland.
Moritz Hillen — Google review
4.6
(194)
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4.5
(181)
кв. Грамадето, "Pirin" Str. 92A, 2770 Bansko, Bulgaria
These guys are amazing, we loved Bobby, he taught my son to ski and my son was going down reds on day two and now has a possibly life long love of skiing. Safety conscious but know when to push! My Daughter learnt to snowboard and also had a great time, wonderful experience and we are booking same instructors and school for next year!
Danielle Wykes — Google review
I only rent equipment but it's great place with great prices
15€ per day for ski equipment
Guy Kidron — Google review
Very kind people here and good equipment! Would be renting here again :)
Marie Meven — Google review
5.0
(3)
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5.0
(130)
кв. Грамадето, "Pirin" Str. 111, 2770 Bansko, Bulgaria
Vast alpine area with 120 glacial lakes, hiking trails & skiing, plus 20+ chalets & lodges.
This place delivers!! Nature at its best 👌. Great mountain facilities all over...Refuges and the ski Center.....One of the best mountain areas in the Balkans
Emmanouel Armoutakis — Google review
Very beautiful national park, we took the lift and walked for 3 hours around the lakes.
The temperature was great, though it might get very cold on a windy day.
The walk is suitable for children as well, but the initial 30 min climb might be tough for people with disabilities.
Eitan Erez — Google review
It was nice. When we were there, there were very few people and the scenery here was also very beautiful. It still had some ice in the top of the mountain!
Very nice place for hiking
Ziling Ma — Google review
Stunning landscapes
Very beautiful and wild mountain range
Dave — Google review
A beautiful national park, I was only able to visit the seven lakes hike but hoping in the future to come and explore more of the park.
Alex Hoare — Google review
The Rila Mountains in Bulgaria boast a collection of stunning alpine lakes, each with its unique charm. The "Seven Rila Lakes" are a captivating natural wonder, tucked amidst the picturesque landscape. Situated at varying altitudes, they form a mesmerizing chain, drawing hikers and nature enthusiasts alike. The tranquil beauty of these lakes, named The Tear, The Eye, The Kidney, The Twin, The Trefoil, The Fish Lake, and The Lower Lake, paints a serene portrait. They offer a rewarding trek through lush forests and rocky paths, providing a glimpse into the awe-inspiring diversity of Bulgaria's natural splendor.
Joe Macpherson — Google review
Absolutely gorgeous mountains, absolutely gorgeous lakes, absolutely gorgeous scenery. Kept very clean, has great, challenging and easy to follow trails and has many different huts you can spend your night in!
Omri Frank — Google review
Absolutely stunning views, easy trails suitable for all levels, not too crowded (we went in the beginning of July). Plus, it’s lovely to start and end the hike with a peaceful ride on the ski lift.
Zoe — Google review
Very beautiful nature. The huts are very old and no maintenance.
Тодор Христов — Google review
Epic scenery, challenging hikes, different views and landscapes as you hike through different parts of rila national park. We did a 2-day hike from the start of the lift place (skipping the lift) to the famous *place name* waterfall, and then slept at ivan vazov hut. Next day hiked down to the rila monastery. Total amount 25 km, but with an ascension of more than 1,5 km on the first day and also down 1,5km the next day, in combination with some very steep routes, so don't be fooled by the relative low amount of hiking kilometres.
TL:DR you can plan awesome multi-days hikes here, as well as just visit the 7 lakes if you take the lift
Maxim Mazurovs — Google review
4.9
(9122)
•
5.0
(259)
Bulgaria
10
Rila
Mountain range
Nature & Parks
Mountains
Prominent mountain range offering 5 nature reserves, hot springs, trails, skiing & glacial lakes.
One of the most amazing national parks in the country. Breathtaking nature. It offers beginner friendly trails as well as some routs for more advanced mountaineers. In the winter there are great spots for both skiing and snowboarding.
Monika Spasova — Google review
The Rila Mountain is fascinated not only by its beauty, but also by many significant historical and cultural sights. Here is the Rila Monastery - one of the most significant cultural monuments, a symbol of Bulgaria, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The monastery is situated in the deep valley of the Rila River at an altitude of 1147 m. It was founded in the 10th century by the St. Ivan Rilski, and in its present form was built in the 19th century.
Plamen Petrov — Google review
Wonderful mountain, best for several days, even week, long trails. Nice conditions for alpinism, snowboarding, skiing, hiking, biking. Amazing nature, many cultural and architecture monuments, like Rila monestary, Stob Pyramids, 7 Rila lakes, highest peak at Balkanian peninsula - Musala 2975 m. Church at Dobarsko, and more. Belmeken sport centre has perfect conditon for sports camp.
Radi Arnaudov — Google review
Having been to several parts of Rila, i can safely say that whoever you are, as long as you enjoy nature and don’t mind some hiking, you will always have something new to experience here. As far as mountains go, Rila has it all. It should definitely be on your list of places to visit and explore in Bulgaria.
Blue — Google review
The Rila Mountains were breathtaking, i loved the seven lakes and the air is so fresh and clean 😍
Fleur Detrie — Google review
I am in love with Rila 7 lakes. Highly recommend to visit. Great views, pure nature. A bit complicated way when you have to take 3 or even 4 buses to reach the lift!! (we came there from Sofia) but it's worth.
From our experience it's easier to rent a car.
But this is the place where I would like to come back 🙏😊
Olga Hayati — Google review
Beautiful place, you should definetly visit it.
Vladyslav Kotyhoroshko — Google review
Beautiful place to go for a hike. Also the view from the top of the mountain is worth the hike up.
Sofia — Google review
4.8
(187)
•
5.0
(85)
2011, Bulgaria
I'll never travel to Plovdiv without this trip planner again
Great place for short visit with kinds (and not only with kinds). You will have tour with gide (English possible, ask before when you buy the tickets). Price for adult 12 BGN. The road a bit difficult, but possible for private car. Good experience
Ilya KemeL — Google review
A place that is a great experience and highly recommended, bears that were taken from gypsies and terrible raids by other citizens and manage to return them to freedom with excellent conditions. Wonderful instruction, a walk that may be difficult for adults but still highly recommended
Yehuda — Google review
Great sanatorium for rescued bears on top of a mountain! The path is quite steep and the tour guide was very fast so we had to run after. It was like 10-15min. Not everyone can keep up with it. Otherwise, it was a great place, wish could spend more time seeing bears. There was also bear souvenir shop and 🐻 🍺. Also very nice local guard dawg!
viñeta s — Google review
A beautiful sanctuary for rescued dancing bears. The road up from the main Street is quite tricky to drive. There is no asphalt for about 2km uphill. Anyways, I enjoyed the stay and felt like the dancing bear park is absolutely worth a visit and worth supporting. Whoever complains about either paying money (6lv entrance fee in 09/20) or not seeing enough bears, did obviously not understand the concept and should maybe avoid visiting places like this in general.
Christopher Voltemar — Google review
Very nice park with 19 saved from slave dancing bears 🐻. A lot of work is done here!
The Brigitte Bardot and 4 paws 🐾 Fondations created this special place in 2000. Since then the park 🌳 is attracting more and more visitors. There are some restaurants and a fun park that were created around.
The park is suitable for families with kids. For elderly people could be difficult to make the entire tour but here's the team of the park who could support and transport them with a car.
Joana — Google review
A wonderful place to visit & support. The guide was very knowledgeable and knew the story of every bear there. It is really sad it hear how the bears were treated. I’m glad this sanctuary is there to care for them.
Anee V — Google review
I have visited this sanctuary and wanted to share my experience on Google. The road leading to the sanctuary can be a bit challenging to drive, as it is loaded with sharp curves. However, once you arrive, you'll be greeted by a knowledgeable tour guide who translates all the information into English. The walk inside the sanctuary is slightly long, taking around 30-40 minutes, and involves navigating steep rocky terrain and a series of long stairs. It's important to note that this may be difficult for children below 5 years old, as well as elderly individuals or those with difficulty walking long distances. However, for those who are able, the journey is well worth it. During the tour, you have the opportunity to see 3-4 bears, depending on your luck. It's a thrilling experience to witness these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat. The sanctuary ensures the safety of both visitors and the bears, as they roam freely in the forest. Overall, my experience at the sanctuary was good. However, there is room for improvement in terms of facilities. It would be beneficial if additional amenities were provided to enhance the visitor experience. In conclusion, despite the challenging road and the demanding walk, the sanctuary offers a unique wildlife experience. With a knowledgeable guide, the opportunity to see bears in their natural habitat, and a safe environment, it's an adventure worth undertaking.
Charbel “CMK” Khoury — Google review
The nature and the views here are just breathtaking. The park has the wonderful mission to host and heal traumatised bears from the Balkans. Bear dancing was forbidden by law in 2007 in Bulgaria but the park welcomes and takes care of bears from Albania, Serbia, Northern Macedonia.
Reaching the park is somehow of a challenge. The road is dusty and not asphalted. There is parking space but I think it will be impossible to be in a wheelchair or with a stroller.
I think the walk was very short and we just saw four bears.
Once here, there are some stalls with ice cream and beer and corn.
Definitely a recommended spot if you are in the vicinity.
Adriana Andreeva — Google review
this is a really great place! impeccable, responsible and competent staff, doing their job with love! they completely dominate the whole topic! the tourist consultant, on the other hand, has a very good degree, speaks English and several languages!
O?uzhan Karata? — Google review
Definitely recommending this place. Very spacious areas for the bears. The specialist seem to do great job about protecting and feeding the bears. Great tour guide!
Tereza Chobanova — Google review
The bears are good health and condition. Obviously the Staff is taking good care of them. Only the idea the bears to live in a small Zoo instead free is not the best for me.
Veselin Yankov — Google review
From Rila fun park is about 1.5 km. The place seems new, with about 11 euros tickets for 2 adults. Guided tours every half an hour. A souvenir shop, toilets and some small sales stand by the parking lot. It gets quite crowded on weekends. Kinds enjoy the tour and guides speak, bulgarian and English. The tour starts on the top and its about 1 km down and up. On the way down you will see quite a few bears, ranging from 7 to 30 years old. There well taken care of and there all rescued, from Bulgaria, Albania, Macedonia.
GEORGE ATANASE — Google review
A must visit when you're in the area.
10 BGN for adult. Guided tour.
The tour took a small 1 hour.
You can only reach by car of taxi. Train to Belitsa is possible and easy but from there you'll need to find other transport (not immediately available).
We got to see quite a few bears, some sleeping, some coming to check us out. It's amazing to see them, and off course I prefer here instead of the wild.
These bears have been rescued and are now having the remaining time of their lives in this sanctuary.
David Seynaeve — Google review
Great place, very well maintained. I strongly recommend. Very well prepared and knowledgeable guide. The nature around is stunning!
Kiril Stanchev — Google review
Bear Sanctuary Belitsa - foundation Brigitte Bardot
Walk around 20-30 mins
Boyko Boev — Google review
Maybe the best zoo park in Bulgaria and eastern europe! You can find high quality zoo services and on the first place comes the well-being of these bears! I am very fascinated by all the work of the staff, the perfect landscape the conditions that the bears live in and the overall experience!! If you find yourself close to the park you should pay a visit without second thoughts!
P.S. The last 2-3km to the sanctuary, are in bad shape so be aware that you should drive slowly.
andreas7934 — Google review
Was amazing:
Staff was so friendly and so talkative, the was explaining absolutely everything.
I start to recommend that place for all my friends.
Rosen Kaleov — Google review
4.7
(4995)
•
4.5
(101)
град Белица, местност "Андрианов чарк, 2780 Belitsa, Bulgaria
Wonderful museum with lots of history and beautiful items. The guide was so nice and we felt very comfortable during our tour. Recommend it! ❤️
Saphie Hanadi — Google review
Extremely beautiful building with unexpected and exciting history! Don’t hesitate to visit it! Plus the museum lady was so polite and nice!
Yanitsa Rusenova — Google review
Nice little museum in an old beautiful house.
Peter Ralev — Google review
The only place in the town where you can see etnographical evidence of the area's past. It is not open on a regular basis, so check your time of visit before go. The good news is that is situated in the center of the town, so even if it's not open you can stroll the main shopping street in town and enjoy it's beautiful architecture and come back for a visit.
Nadya Kafkova — Google review
The acoustic room is quite unique and worth a visit.
Zehra Shenol — Google review
Interesting exhibition set in a beautiful 19th century house.
Fantastic, well trained instructors. We booked 2 hours of individual lessons for our children. By the end of the lesson, the children knew the basics and could ski down the easy ski slope. Polly, their ski instructor, was very patient and taught them willingly and skillfully. Never once did she get nervous, despite the dozens of times she had to lift the children off the ground. The equipment that Yanakiev Ski and Snowboard School provided was of high quality and checked twice according to the age, height and needs of the children. Be sure to call ahead to make a reservation as they are very popular and busy. All the employees working there were friendly and helpful. Highly recommended. Thank you.
Donika Ivanova — Google review
Hrissi Banova — Google review
We have never snowboarded before and had the most fantastic experience! We hired the kit, which was in great condition and well looked after. The team were super nice and helpful. Booking was really easy and the prices were excellent.
We had 2 hour lessons over 5 days, and our instructor OJ was incredible, he was such a great teacher, he was fun, motivational and supportive. He progressed the challenges accordingly and we really felt we got most out of it, and we will definitely be back and booking again!
Karan — Google review
Aleksandar Asenov — Google review
Just back from fab week in Borovets. 5th year of ski there. Wouldn’t get our equipment from anywhere else. Matt and his team have the best equipment,nicest team and very efficient system. I had private lessons with Matt who is empowering and relaxed and made me feel I could do anything. Thank you all! Cannot recommend enough.
Christine Chammings — Google review
This place is great. Efficient and friendly service in the hire shop, and very good instructors who explain things well. They know how to adapt their instruction for kids as well as adults, and they know when to push you so you get the most out of your lesson. I booked with them based on a recommendation from someone else who had used them and I was very pleased with my experience.
Jenny Boardman — Google review
Huge thanks to Matt and the team. We used their expertise throughout our stay for children and adult lessons for both skiing and snowboarding. Cant recommend them enough and special mentioned to Mitko, OJ and Jess!
Garcia McMahon — Google review
Yana was absolutely amazing, would recommended her to anyone! Friendly, polite & a such a great teacher. 👏
Guys at the ski shop also polite as ever. Top people!
james cole — Google review
I had the best time skiing in Bulgaria thanks to a lovely instructor called Yana. After 3 days I can happily say i can skii, with a certificate to back my claim 😂
Eric E — Google review
Had a great morning with Yana, she was very patient, understanding my confidence issue, learnt a lot from her. Thank you would highly recommend
Borovets is a town on the northern slopes of Bulgaria’s Rila Mountains. It’s the gateway to numerous ski and snowboard runs on Rila National Park’s craggy Musala Ridge. Cycle routes crisscross the alpine landscape. Footpaths lead through rocky outcrops and valleys to the 7 high-altitude Musala Lakes, including glacial Icy Lake. Just north, kayaks and other leisure boats ply the Iskar Reservoir’s calm waters.
4.5
(1536)
2010, Bulgaria
15
Park “Kleptuza”
Park
Nature & Parks
Small city park with shady walking paths & a playground for kids, plus a lake with pedal boats.
Small but nice park in Velingrad. There is a little pound with water bikes that you can rent, a restaurant and some swings for children to play. If you are up for a little hike, there are some stairs that lead to a hill with a view :)
Kristina Kostova — Google review
Nice park! Maybe it will be better for walking around in the summertime.
Veselina Yurukova — Google review
Beautiful park that has gone down significantly in the last 3 years. The playgrounds are broken down and the restaurant is almost gone as well. Hopefully new tourist season will bring some life to it.
Krasimir Koychev — Google review
I wish it was cleaner and without the graffiti, but overall it's great!
Alex Safonov — Google review
Beautiful park with a lake and mountain view, but it's falling apart. Urgent need of renovation.
Marina Kondova — Google review
A beautiful park in Velingrad. Its sad to see so many restaurants have closed down. Some of the park upkeeping is not so good. Otherwise a nice place for a stroll 👌
Kauser Khan — Google review
Good place for pleasure and leasure. The boats are very attractive and exciting. I would recommend everyone who goes there to get on and ride one of these self propelled boats. The near park is very good for a walk. There are some small shops where you could buy an authentic Bulgarian souvenir or just a toy for your kids. The restaurant near is a very good place to stop for a meal.
Stoyan Dzhoglev — Google review
As a Bulgarian who used to come here as a kid I am disgusted by the current state of the park. It looks as if no one cleaned it the last 20 years, or took any care for it. And that's in one of the resorts with the highest hotel prices. Shame
Konstantin Klisurski — Google review
Beautiful nature, short trekking track within the park.
Lake with great potential in need of care.
Stella Grancheva- Al Najjar — Google review
Good place to relax and have fun. A lot of food vendors as well as souvenir vendors. Fresh-fish dinner is preferred. 10 levs for 30 minutes paddle boat righting.
HOPE and Kind — Google review
Nice park, there are two adjacent small lakes. They are beautiful but need cleaning.
Lenko Ressilovski — Google review
The park is old, maybe from communism time with missing maintenance. Everywhere around is dirt. I have seen once and cannot recommend a visit. Is really sad...
Andreas Hollnack — Google review
3.5
(8574)
•
4.0
(83)
кв. Чепино, ul. "Nikola Vaptsarov" 118, 4601 Velingrad, Bulgaria
I'll never travel to Plovdiv without this trip planner again
KocAmazing cafe to come meet your friends, have a meeting or just grab a quick coffee or drink. Koce is the best and friendliest barista in town. The staff is super friendly. Coffee is the best in town. The cocktails are good and the prices are also good. You can also watch sports games here.
Rob — Google review
Nothing good I would say for that place. You can wait waiters for hours and when they come up they do not bring menis.
Mladen Stefanov — Google review
I think its the best place to drink something in Velingrad. I really enjoyed my lemonade. Place was decoreted well, inside has a cool vintage design. Outside is pretty fresh. Prices are OK.
Hasan Version — Google review
This cafe does not deserve even 1 star. The staff was rude. It took a long time to come and serve us. It also took ages to get the bill. The pancake was not cooked well and it caused me stomach ache.
Zhar Art Ltd. — Google review
We had coffee here and it was packed, with a good atmosphere in the town centre
Sean Quick — Google review
Great place. Delicious food and beverages. Good price and location
John Johnny — Google review
Good place for coffee, tea and drinks.
Jivko Velev — Google review
Lovely place. Nice drinks and snacks menu. Good service!
Margita Petkov — Google review
Overall great place with good prices. Friendly waiter, good cocktails and drinks from the menu.
MetalistaBG — Google review
Mostly you wait for the waiter's to stop watching there's phones so I physically go too them soo I play my bill
Bobbi1s — Google review
4.4
(1947)
•
4.5
(30)
Tsentar, ul. "Raiko Daskalov" 4, 4600 Velingrad, Bulgaria
(Translated by Google) Wonderful experience and excellent attitude. I recommend!
(Original)
Прекрасно изживяване и отлично отношение. Препоръчвам!
Gigi Petrova — Google review
(Translated by Google) The boat trip was unique! The view from the top is simply amazing! And then the boat ride in the dam made us enjoy the beautiful scenery!
(Original)
Полета с лодка беше уникален! Гледката от високо е просто невероятна! А след това разходката с лодка в язовира ни накара да се насладим на красивите пейзажи!
Underground cave featuring stalactites, stalagmites, a lake & bones & artifacts from the Iron Age.
May be one of the prettiest caves I've been to. Amazing views and nature. Nice walk up the hill from the parking to the entrance (15-20 min).
?????? ?????????? — Google review
This cave is a unique experience and the 1300 (not big ones) steps to the entrance are worth it even thow the path is a steep one. The air and the trees in the forest while treading on marble pieces are priceless. You get the energy from the silence and the feeling of greatness in this Mountain.The cave itself is Unique as the millions years of forming the wonderful stalactites and stalagmites and it cannot be described by ones words.
Mapo Papo — Google review
Really nice cave with interesting formations and amazing history. The path to it could be seen as demanding for some people but my experience was really pleasurable. The road to the parking is pretty bad at the beginning but after 500-700 metres it gets back to normal. I would recommend visiting the cave, you won't regret it!
Martin Zagorov — Google review
Nice place. The route to get there is around 20-30 minutes walking but is worth it. Plenty of parking spaces and the guide was nice and friendly but he didn't speak English. Still, I highly reccomend it. The cave is really pretty.
Helena Keeler — Google review
Tours start on the quarter of every hour. There's a short but steep climb to the cave entrance. Bring a jacket it's 8 degrees Celsius inside. The cave is magical, definitely worth seeing. This is a no spoilers review. :)
Nevidim Diversant — Google review
I love caves! That one was found in 1961 and it is named Snow-white that you will get to see from afar on the tour! Open year round. Tours are every hour, winter 10:15-15:15 last tour, summer 10:15-17:15. Google will get you right to the parking area. Last 2.6km is not an amazing asphalt road, but it's asphalt, which is more than most cave roads have, lol! It's completely doable with a low car. Just drive slow. Once you park, there's a 20-minute hike on a mild to moderate incline up the mountain on a forest path. Again, completely doable. We arrived before 14:15 tour so waited a bit at the heated welcoming cabin which offeres souvenirs, coffee and a few other drinks and snacks . Our guide Nicolai was fantastic! Nice, chill, friendly and speaks English very well even thoigh he said he doesn't! We enjoyed our tour very much. 45 minutes is plenty, beautifully litted cave, signage in Bulgarian&English. Nicolai gave us time to explore the many faces, figures and live sleeping baby Batts! Temperature is 8.5c which was very nice compared to the 0c outside. 7lv entry is a great price. We had a wonderful experience, highly recommended!
Rainbow Chaser — Google review
Nice cave, but definitely bring a jacket since it’s 8°C inside. Also make sure to be on time for the guided tour, otherwise you’ll have to wait an hour for the next one.
Ioana Ilieva — Google review
It's a 30 min walk up a really steep terrain.
You have to with comfortable shoes going up.
The entrance to the cave is 7 leva.
There are organised tours starting 8:15am. They are every hour and the last one is at 17:15.
It's 8.5 Celsius inside the cave and it'd quite slippery so take care when walking inside.
It's a beautiful place. The cave has formed millions of years ago. Tracian people inhabited it. Its worth the visit.
Liliya Mitsev — Google review
Nice cave but not much big. 10min enough to walk thru. Well illuminated. Colony of bats on the sealing (winter time only). wifi with audio guide (Bulgarian language only)
Steep trail leads to entrance. Need some workout to get there.
Some coffee, tea, snacks, souvenirs and tickets on the entrance.
7lev adult and 6 child entrance fee.
Serge Moskalyuk — Google review
Excellent experience. It is very interesting. For children from 2 years to 102 years :). I recommend it.
Mike Logan — Google review
Very nice Cave of stalactites, it has many shapes and forms that we're created over time. The cave is up on the mountain so needs to hike to it around 20-30 minutes, depending on the pace. The tour inside the cave start every hour and 15 minutes, so calculate your time accordingly. The entrance price is 7 lv for adults.
Ezra Levi — Google review
Very beautiful cave. A lot of stalagmites, stalactites and the guide was explaining very good!
Good to check the entry hours before considering to visit. They are every 1 hour - 10:15, 11:15 etc.
The path to the cave is exhausting. 1000 steps but difficult. Not recommended for old people .
The hut in front of the cave is well heated with a wooden -stove and they serve hot herbal tea!
Desislava Boeva — Google review
Definitely a good place to visit if you're a fan of natural phenomenons. Beautiful cave with endless amount of naturally formed stalactites, stalagmites and stalactones. The guide was very friendly and gave us a lot of information about the cave. Now more about the access. We went there with normal car. Immediately after you turn on right from the main road, you have to go around 3km through a bumpy and damaged path, which makes the advancing very slow if you aren't with SUV. The parking is quite big and there is always space for you. Then you have to walk around 1km through the forest. The path is very steep and difficult for most of the people. Luckily there are a lot of resting points. The entrance with the guide is once every hour. So, have in mind that you might have to wait a bit. Price for adults 7 lv, it's free for children under agr of 7. Important: inside is quite cold. The temperature is 8.5 Celsius. The best is if you have jacket, mainly when outside is 30 + Celsius.
In general, we had great experience there. Could recommend!
Nikola Kralev — Google review
Great for a family day out, the eco path was a bit steep at times but even my 2 year old managed to complete it to the top where the cave is, about 40 mins walk. Worth the trip
Nice place with historical artifacts from the region
Konstantin Mingov — Google review
Must see place!
Plamen Simeonov — Google review
Local historical and archeological museum includes a permanent and a couple of temporary expositions. In the exhibition hall and the hall with the royal sometimes performances are held and popular artists open their exhibitions. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The site is in the very center of town. During the summer live jazz and other performances often take place at the court which is a spectacular open space.
Zdravko Minchev — Google review
Rich regional historical museum, especially the prehistoric section. Should be modernised. Visited by few people.
Анализатор Либертариански — Google review
A decent small city museum. A good art section
Russ — Google review
Part of 100 national tourist attractions in Bulgaria.
Plamen Peshev — Google review
I loved this museum! It teaches you a lot of things about the history of Bulgaria but also a lot of different things that will interest you.
Traveller — Google review
Historical information for different time intervals during last 2000 years. Most of information is for last 3-4 centuries. Information for local history for last 3-4 centuries. Cheep ticket. Personal guides.
Dimitar Gadzhev — Google review
Part of 100 national tourist places. There is 3 halls - archeologic, renessance period XV-XIX and modern period XIX-XX
Dimitar Petkov — Google review
4.5
(745)
•
4.5
(4)
Pazardzhik Center, ul. "Konstantin Velichkov" 15, 4400 Pazardzhik, Bulgaria
One of the most beautiful museum houses in Koprivshtica. You can buy a full ticket for all 6 at a decent price, but a thing they don't tell you is that you can pay a bit more and get a tour guide. However if you don't there is plenty of information everywhere in Bulgarian and English.
Maria Alexandrova — Google review
Very nice, big, bright house with nice yard in front. Totally worth buying ticket for 5-6 houses in the city, a lot of history in it and good spirit. Second floor is very nicely decorated and cosy.
Nina Marinova — Google review
One of the 6 museums you can visit on a shared and very reasonably priced ticket. Even a surly preteen liked the experience
Vlada Petrova — Google review
Wonderful place, rich in history. All museums work till 17,30 in the summer and can see 6 of them with one ticket. Enjoy at least two day stay in Koprivshtica so that you can see all museums and monuments.
Veniana Petkova — Google review
Beautiful tour of 6 houses of the bulgarian renaissance. This one and Leydiva are the best ones, the rest... is more or less the same decoration inside and renovated façada. Anyway u can learn a lot about the bulgarian uprising with the info u get. The 6 houses are 8 lv. Take your time to enjoy the town.
Marcos Caballero — Google review
Beautiful house with the statue in the frontyard. Its a museum now
Vishesh Saxena — Google review
Great and very well maintained museum. Mist see
Martin Dechev — Google review
I recommend this tour for families. Great way to learn about Bulgarian history and character. Guided lecture is a must take to understand the true value of the historical deed of young Bulgarians.
Отлично място за семейно посещение. Децата придобиват не само познание, но и усещане за времето и за българския дух и характер.
My favorite house is this one, Dimcho Debelyanov's house is
unique. With the entrance you will feel the atmosphere of another Era where the poet created, and you will enjoy the beauty and every details of the house. The entrance is free, you can donate money if you want, with 2 floors. You might feel a little sad atmosphere when you see his mother monument, waiting for him to come home as one of his most famous poems says.
I Highly recommend to visit it.
Maria Rangelova — Google review
My favourite one...
The unique house of Dimcho Debelyanov, frozen in time! You will feel the atmosphere of a by gone Era where the poet created, and you will enjoy the beauty and tranquility that emanates from every corner.
The monument of Dimcho Debelyanov's mother, who stands frozen in anticipation of her son's return from the war, may sadden you a little, but it will also make you reflect.
Highly recommend visiting it!
Moto Mojo — Google review
Awesome house-museum that shows old bulgarian way of living and values which stood the test of time. It’s certainly not a miss if you’re in town!
Philip Lesov — Google review
Surreal atmosphere, loved the audio podcasts and the abundance of information about the author.
IVA BESHEVA — Google review
Very nice place to visit, part of the city museum tour. Very well kept and handled.
Marin “SayanMk” Kolev — Google review
Authentic and nostalgic atmosphere lets you really feel the spirit and culture of the times.. a reading of the poet's poems is played in each room and brings the whole experience together. Exceptional, a must see!
Kalina Mathurin — Google review
This is very inspirational place to visit, an iconic symbol of the Mother's unconditional love to her children. Thank you so much for the good maintained and very well preserved House!
marehena — Google review
We came because someone wrote here how helpful the guide is in the museum. A woman at the entrance of the house asked for 8 lev and disappeared. We had to look for basic information in the internet. If you have no idea who was the poet, look at the building from a distance. Save the coins and look for another museum.
This is one of the most breathtaking and beautiful houses I have ever seen. Its iconic front facade is extraordinary and fascinating and the fact that this house is build in 1854 is mind blowing. The garden in front is well maintained and creates calm and relaxing atmosphere. I loved the interior of the building because of its specific wall paintings. An intriguing history surrounds the family that owned the house. Also a good feature is that its part of a museum tour which contains several other iconic houses of other famous Bulgarian revolutionaries. It is a must see and I strong recommend visiting it!!!
Date of experience: April 2022
Konstantin Marinov — Google review
Beautiful building. Everything is restored and reserved so well.
Vicky P — Google review
Very beautiful house from outside and inside. You can feel the history written all over it. All historical houses in Koprivshtica are nice, but this one was my favorite.
Nina Marinova — Google review
Very beautiful house built 2 centuries ago. Nice exposition of old fabric technologies and old textiles.
Rumen Peykov — Google review
Beautiful house, both inside and outside.
Nicki Barker — Google review
This is my husbands family home. We visited in 2000. He had not been to Bulgaria since he escaped in 1982 with his parents via Libyan oil company in Tripoli followed by stays in Rome & Mannheim.
Heather Damron — Google review
Nice museum in the little village.
Vishesh Saxena — Google review
Beautiful craftsmanship and presentation of textile arts!
Historical landmark and important part of Bulgarian fight for freedom from Ottoman slavery
Tsvetan Vetskov — Google review
The birth house of the one of the Bulgarian heroes. Authentic atmosphere.
Rumen Peykov — Google review
Very nice house, you can feel the history in it, you can see how families lived in the past, typical room settings and also read very interesting facts for the heroes of Bulgaria.
Nina Marinova — Google review
The best out of the 6 museums for sure!
Martin Ivanov — Google review
Authentic and interesting.
Martin Novev — Google review
Just the historical signifficance of this man's life is a reason to go to his house and read more about him, and see where and how he'd lived. This pertains to almost all of the museum-houses in Koprivshtica.
Simeon Panayotov — Google review
Ooh yes! Should be visited for sure. Place with deep history as all museums but this one is something personal for me and loved one 😁
dobbi slavov — Google review
A really well kept place which places you directly into the atmosphere of the time of the Bulgarian revolutionary. Really worth a visit.
Laid-back hotel offering wine tasting & a restaurant, as well as event space & a garden.
All the personal are amazing, had a fabulous time. The atmosphere is great and especially the restaurant staff we’re outstanding. One lady stood out to me the most her name was Maria, she had great customer service, overall amazing people and amazing place
Stefan Drumchiyski — Google review
Very slow service in the restaurant, dishes arriving cold and bland, missing orders, some staff looking tired and unfriendly. Spend your time and money somewhere else
Tam WorldTravel — Google review
Thr place is great, clean and quiet. The restaurant is good. If only they allowed dogs in.
Bilyana Kovacheva — Google review
I had a great time! Friendly staff. Delicious food. Fast service. Great wine. The rooms (we were in an apartment) were spacious and comfortable.
I'm rating my experience as excellent.
I'm posting one suggestion on what you can improve: On the reception, I wish you'd told us about the wine tasting option (+ visiting the winery) and the other cool stuff we can explore around (like the dairy farm and the eco trail to the waterfall). We found out those on our own, with the help of the friendly security guard that gave us insight. Kudos to him! :)
Kaloyan Kosev (superKalo) — Google review
The best place to visit. Whatever you decide to organize - birthday parties, weddings or another events, they are professionals and you!'ll remain amazed! I highly recommend Yustina Villas! ❤️
MARIANA KALACHEVA (ALISA) — Google review
This place is just lovely, located on the foot of the Rhodope mountains, serene and welcoming. The wines are delightful, the white Spring one being my personal favorite.
Magdalena Bernaciak — Google review
Restaurant is very good. Friendly service, with good wine recommendations, very tasty food at reasonable prices. Very nice garden outside with playground for kids. The young goat dishes are excellent. Typical local Rhodopi mountain region dishes are also very tasty. Creme bruelee with lavender aroma is amazing.
Dr. D — Google review
Staff in restaurant not friendly and helpful. Otherwise the rest was fine. Food delicious, fast served and in proper order . Rooms big, air-conditioned and exceptional clean, linens new, furniture well positioned.
Konstantin Kolev — Google review
Wonderful kitchen! Delicious food.
Grigor Vatev — Google review
Very good villas, wide rooms and bathrooms, very good selection of wines but the service is poor, the breakfast - 2 pancakes for everyone with no choice. The restaurant dinner dishes are not as expected. Generally ok but wine lovers expect more ;)
Denislav Irinkov — Google review
Great ambience setting - neat, clean and spacious. Good food quality
Natural bridges formed by erosion at 1450m above sea level, amid centuries-old coniferous forests.
Amazing place in the heart of Rhodopi Mountain!!!
Very friendly staff and good meals! <3
sayulke — Google review
Beautiful and nice restaurant. 30 minute hard drive but ok for regular car too. Worth a visit if youre in the area.
ELi PREMiNGER — Google review
Amazing! Beautiful drive, easy hike, amazing views! Definitely worth a trip to the natural wonder.
Colton C — Google review
The place is still surrounded by very old forest. I hope the business of cutting the trees for whatever reason is, will not bring the end of it.
Dreamer — Google review
No worries about the street to the wonderful bridges there are no holes in it anymore. A bit bumpy and narrow sometimes but no problem to drive with a car or van. Wonderful bridges are worth a visit!
Chris Hfr — Google review
One of the greatest landmark! This place has an incredible energy and makes you feel calm!
Elvis Baburov — Google review
This place must be seen. It's a pity that paths are a bit unsafe and it rains more than often, but, even though, the trip will not be regretted
Aldo da Rin — Google review
Lovely place, very clean. You wake up get a coffee and sit just across the bridges. The owners were sooo nice and cute, and the food is just amazing!!
Biliana Alexandrova — Google review
We went there for a day trip. You simply must try the Patatnik, as it was incredible and unique to the region. Tried to replicate the experience elsewhere, but was unsuccessful. All the more reason to get your Patatnik fix there.
Wiktor Starczewski — Google review
Amazing nature, great worth the trip from Plovdiv if you are in the area! The road is pretty good, no access problems.
Ioana Negoita Tiu — Google review
Amazing place! The road to get her isn't the easiest one but it's beautiful. Easy to park and you can easily spend a few hours there. Lot of locals selling souvenirs and food.
Ondřej Skála — Google review
If you drive from Plovdiv or Sofia, it will be mostly on good roads. The last 15km is winding and bumpy, and the last 7km is very narrow. But if you drive slowly (30 to 40kmh), you will be fine. Slow down and enjoy the scenic views!
I had no problems driving there in my small Hyundai rental car. (Which I hired for 9 days at 12 Euro a day, very very cheap)!
I was there on a quiet weekday morning in summer. It may be busier and more difficult driving on weekends and in winter.
When you get there, the bridges are best seen and experienced by descending into the gorge. The distance is only 200m, but it is steep and difficult. Allow 30 minutes at least. If you have mobility issues, you may need to just see the bridges from the road above.
Add a visit to the monastery at Bachkovo and Asen's Fortress, and it becomes an easy 6 hour trip from Plovdiv.
Bridges are free. Monastery is free but you pay 2Lv for parking. Fortress is 1Lv for parking and 4Lv to enter in 2022.
Al Lim — Google review
A wonderful place indeed. Looks like something from the time of the dinosaurs! The road to the place gets pretty narrow, but it’s all paved so not bad. Bring a picnic if you want to chill by the stream!
One of the biggest temples and tombs in the area. You can see a long distance all around the surrounding countryside. There is lots of information about the temple and it's history and discovery.
Derek — Google review
Amazing place! Makes you wander why 2500 years ago people did make the effort to build such temples with all the craft, time and efforts needed to last for the centuries to come!
Michail Angelov — Google review
Nice place with long history. Beatiful countryside.
Karel Zadrob?lek — Google review
It was a great experience. You are getting closer with nature and if you get to see it up close, you know what it is.
Elica Caneva — Google review
Really amazing. It is small but I could have stayed there and enjoyed it for hours. The place is just extraordinary and the area around it is gorgeous!
S. Leenders — Google review
Nothing special outside. Possible have something interesting inside the temple
pure waters — Google review
The Thracian Temple Complex in the Chetinyovata Mogila, at a distance of 4km from the village of Starosel, was found in 2000. It has a statute of a group archaeological monument of culture. This is the oldest ever found royal Thracian complex with a mausoleum. It dates back to the end of the 5th and the beginning of the 4th century BC.
The Thracian Temple Complex at Starosel covers six underhill temples, four of which are unique, as well as a few royal burials.
The entire hill is surrounded by a wall made of processed granite blocks. The wall is called krepis and outlines a circle which according to the Thracian religious believes symbolizes the Sun. The entrance of the temple has a parade staircase and two pedestals, on which statues of lions were sitting.
The staircase leads the visitors to a flat platform, used for ritual dances. A corridor leads to the real facade of the temple and to the round hall containing 10 decorative semi-columns and tryglyphs (a rectangular plate above each column) with blue and red decoration. Religious ceremonies, related to the cult to the Mother Goddess, her son the Sun and Orpheus were performed in the temple.
Svetozar Boykinov — Google review
The Thracian Cult Temple in Starosel is an absolute gem. The temple's intricate designs and beautiful location in the Bulgarian countryside make it a must-visit destination for history and architecture enthusiasts. The relics on display provide valuable insights into the Thracian civilization, and the staff are friendly and knowledgeable. Highly recommended!
Kanat Nyssambay — Google review
One of the relatively well restored and maintained place. I wish there were more signs which is where when you park your car at the parking, but we found out way around (I guess).
Kaloyan Kosev (superKalo) — Google review
The place is magic. You can feel the strong energy of the ancient times encapsulated in it.
I can not help but compare it to the pyramids in Egypt. Although the place is much much smaller in size the stone blocks that were used to build it are massive and weigh around 300 kilos each. It is truly astonishing what methods they used 25 centuries ago to move and lift them as high as 10 meters.
The cone shaped ceiling and round room are truly mind blowing. Everything is built with such precision and each stone is chiseled to perfection. I spent about 20 minutes in this room as I could not believe the complexity and level of detail that our thracian ancestors achieved when building that place. Truly a work of art.
The choice of the location is also very good with its wide view of the thracian valley.
Needless to say I recommend everyone to visit this monument and spread the word of its greatness.
Александър Нончов — Google review
Amazing place. The energy that you feel when you are there is indescribable. The temple is 25 centuries old. Everything is authentic. The tour guide is great. You should definitely visit it if you have a chance.
M. C. — Google review
I found this place breathtaking.
Beautiful views - you could see for miles, I felt so relaxed just watching the day go by.
It's such a special piece of history that has been uncovered. It's a special story behind it.
It was interesting to hear the stories that happened..
Ben Hawkins — Google review
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4.0
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Selo Starosel, Chetiniova mogila, село Старосел, Четиньова могила, 4175 Hissaria, Bulgaria
To be fair, children will not really care that the end stop of the railroad is not pretty. It is a place to continue up the hill or ride back. Kids will still like being on the train! It would be nice if all public places in Plovdiv had more invested in them. There is so much potential here!
Wayne Bock — Google review
The worst and the dirtiest place a railway can stop. I would have given 0 stars, if possible. :( Very disappointing!
Vania Tonova — Google review
(Translated by Google) The views are not impressive, it is generally unkempt and in some places destroyed.
It’s worth trying to walk with your feet in the area of houses right under the stop, and it will be a cool experience!
Atmospheric area. Highly recommend!
(Original)
Виды не впечатляют, в целом неухожено и местами разрушено.
Стоит попробовать прогуляться ногами в районе домов прямо под остановкой, и это будет классный опыт!
Атмосферный район. Очень рекомендую!
Sea Enya — Google review
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4.5
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TsentarPlovdiv Center, ul. "Nesho Bonchev" 7, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
A massive hilltop statue of a Soviet soldier, Alyosha, towers over Plovdiv in Bulgaria as a memorial dedicated to the Red Army's role in liberating the country during World War II. The site is accessible through stone steps or hiking up from various paths, including an old car road that is suitable for children. However, cars are not allowed on the hill due to city regulations. Nonetheless, it is possible for people who have difficulty walking up to drive directly to the monument.
The memorial is dedicated to the Red Army for "liberating" Bulgaria in 1944. The political aspect aside, the hill is a favorite spot for all visitors and citizens of Plovdiv. You can hike up from any of the paths, the easiest one being the old car road, which is also the most children-friendly. Unfortunately, the city does not allow cars to drive up the hill. Despite the ban, don't be afraid to drive up the hill if you are helping people who otherwise would not be able to walk up (the elderly, people with disabilities, small children).
Radoslav Dimitrov — Google review
A short hike of about 20 minutes. On top you will find a monument to the Red Army. There is a paved path or you can follow some of the side tracks and stairs.
O4 VB — Google review
View of the entire town 360 degrees 😉.
So if you have an issue with the Comunist era monument, you can and YOU SHOULD visit for the view of the city and for the surounding park!
The monument it's self is imposing, like any other comunist monument. It is AGRESIVE, imposing and also represents the "fraternity".
Mazilu Alexandru Stefan — Google review
A small trek uphill to the monument. Good view of Plovdiv city from the top. Definitely worth a visit.
Tushar Mistry — Google review
Wonderful place for walks during the day and the night! Great sights to see and occasionally they do concerts there!
Bingle Chingus Mingis — Google review
A spectacular 360 view to Plovdiv. Hiked up is not difficult at all and so worth it. The whole path is pavers.
Saw so many pp just taking their dogs for a walk in the area. Imagine if this is around the corner for you- pretty lucky I would say. So not only popular with tourists but with locals too.
Actually the whole area is protected- vegetation and species. One of 3 proteccted areas in Plovdiv. Well done to Plovdiv pp for looking after their city.
Simply beautiful
Diana Manasieva — Google review
For spectacular 360° views of the city of
Plovdiv, head up to Aylosha Monument, on Bunarjik Hill. It takes 20-30 minutes to get there on foot from the city centre and you have to climb 115 meters uphill (according to google maps) but, trust us, it is totally worth the trouble!
Μαρινα Ιωαννου — Google review
Well worth the trek. I did it in summer, and it was very hot. I recommend early morning, before the UV Index gets too high.
Matthew Turner — Google review
Beautiful place. It keeps memory of heroism of soviet soldiers. Nice observation desk. Lots of local people spend time there.
S L — Google review
It's quite a long walk up to the monument if you follow the paths. If you take all the shortcuts up through the steps that you will see that go off the paths, you can be up there in less than 15mins taking it easy.
The monument is massive but there are lots of other things to see round it (which I can neither spell or pronounce), however the view is breathtakingly amazing. You can see all of Plovdiv from up there. You could easily spend an hour there just for the views alone. Definitely bring a bottle of water with you.
There is a mobile ice cream and drinks stand near the bottom of the hill.
Derek — Google review
Lovely little hike to have beautiful 360 views of the city. Takes around 30 mins if you do a slow walk and enjoy all the nature. Would highly recommend.
Chathushki Mudannayake — Google review
its a good place to see town over
some really nice sights
recommended
Daniel Kalinov — Google review
Amazing views, relatively easy hike to the top (as long as you're able-bodied).
Bring a drink, there is obviously nothing for sale in the park or at the top of the hill.
There are shops just across the road before you start the ascent.
Ben Ward — Google review
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4.5
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Бунарджика, 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
29
Roman Tomb
Historical landmark
Sights & Landmarks
Points of Interest & Landmarks
Has to be visited if you like historical places and culture!
Милена Йосифова — Google review
We came from the Camel’s gate and returned along the road. The former is a better approach. It is a large tomb but it isn’t very large inside. The floor mosaic is fine, but I couldn’t really discern the murals on the walls.
Hans Johnson — Google review
Loved this little tomb. So well preserved! It is a little walk from the Roman thermi or you can drive there. Cost us 4lev (£2) each. Doesn’t take long but is so cute - well worth a visit! However it is a sort of 1 or 2 person in at a time- it is pretty tiny. Bigger people may well have to crawl into the tomb space through the opening.
Amanda Stephenson — Google review
Roman tomb at the end of the town.
Dentro de lugar — Google review
At the end of a beautiful forest path lies this interesting noble man tomb with mosaic on the floor; it’s not every day you get to see such tombs; worth the visit;
Bogdan Dumitrescu — Google review
Very interesting place. Worth visiting.
Assen Natchev — Google review
Small thomb with field all around, nice panorama
Sophie PELLERIN — Google review
Nice and history place. From Roman period
Konstantin Mingov — Google review
Recommend to visit, it should not take much and mosaic is amazing
Nikola Pavlov — Google review
Well restored tomb that looks very impressive from the inside.
A well organized and well kept museum. The responsible person at the reception was very helpful explaining all available apps and resources for maximizing our visit. One combined ticket will give access to all archeological sites. Highly recommended.
Selma Felice — Google review
Absolutely worth visiting while in the area. At the moment (August 2023) there is a great exhibition of romance-related artefacts from the beginning of the 20th century. Things you find in your grand grandparents' boxes. Love letters and tokens. Strongly recommend it.
Desislava Duridanova — Google review
Unfortunately, there are only copies of original treasures and almost no information about the city, which was a great Roman resort so it's possible to show models of how baths, heating and sewerage worked. Also a bit more information about Thracians on that land would be appreciated.
Nadiya Bazlyankova — Google review
Great exhibition, with interactive guide. Small, but we'll selected exhibition, with replicas for some of the most significant artefacts found in the area. Definitely worth visiting, it's a good idea to buy a combined ticket for the museum, the therms and the tomb.
Anelly Kremenska — Google review
Really small town with small museum, but so full of magic and history. Entrance fee is 2 euro for regular ticket and 3,5 euro for tickets that includee Termal bath entrance as well.
Адриана Митева — Google review
Good, but not a must see. Some of the items are copies and are marked as such. I will say that the staff is helpful and friendly.
Hans Johnson — Google review
Small but interesting display of artifacts found in the area; ask for the combined ticket to visit the roman baths and tomb;
Bogdan Dumitrescu — Google review
Nice museum, considering the available space, they did a great job.
Nikola Pavlov — Google review
Amazing and detailed. 1 minor con is that you need to install an app to expirence to the fullest
Nikola Chakrukchiev — Google review
Very tiny museum with understandable focus on the Roman period. There are some nice artefacts about Diocletianopolis and its history. Given the rich history of the place it deserves to be a bigger place. Takes about 30 minutes to see the collection.
Martin Gramatikov — Google review
Small but cozy museum with interesting expositions.
Gueorgui Lazarov — Google review
4.6
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Археологически музей, Tsentar, ул. Александър Стамболийски 8, 4180 Hisarya, Bulgaria