Spending a Weekend in Bulgaria - THOUGHTFUL TRAVELING

After having spent a weekend exploring some of Bulgaria’s top local gems, I can honestly say that Bulgaria is highly underrated and definitely worth a visit. The capital of Bulgaria is Sofia, a vibrant city that has been shaped by Balkan, Mediterranean, and Roman influences; this is also where our base was for our visit to Bulgaria. There’s no shortage of cultural attractions, museums, and parks in Sofia…but my favorite moments from our trip were the natural wonders that we were able to experience within short driving distance from the city – from the snow-capped peaks of Vitosha Mountain to the underground world of Magura Cave. Read on for our trip recap for spending a weekend in Bulgaria.

Fun fact: Did you know that Bulgarians nod the other way around to say yes and no? Apparently, legend states that while Bulgaria was under Ottoman rule, they were asked to give up their Christian faith by the Turks with a knife at their throats, and reversed the meaning of their nods to save their lives and their religion.

Related Post: 5-Day Road Trip through Slovenia

Day 1: Rila

Rila Monastery

We woke up on an early Saturday morning to head to the Rila Monastery (a 2 hour drive from Sofia). This UNESCO World Heritage site was founded in the 10th century and is one of Bulgaria’s most important and famous architectural monuments. The monastery complex is huge, and is comprised of a main church featuring five domes, three altars, and two side chapels, a four story residential complex where several monks still reside, and a museum dedicated to religious scenes and miniatures. We spent an hour or so exploring the grounds, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere of the surrounding mountains, and appreciating the vibrant colors and details of the building frescoes and carvings.

Seven Lakes Hike

Afterwards, we headed to the 7 Rila Lakes Hike, which is the most famous and popular hike in Bulgaria. This moderate hike features (as the name would suggest) viewpoints of 7 different lakes along the hiking route, and the trail starts with a chairlift from Panichiste resort up the mountain. The lift takes about 25 minutes; note – you could forego the lift and hike up the mountain yourself but that would add an additional 2 hours of hiking time (and some extra soreness in your legs).

TIP: Given the popularity of the hike, the line for chairlift can get really long so be prepared to arrive early if you’re visiting on a summer weekend.

The first lake along the hike is Lower Lake, which can be viewed by the drop-off point for the chairlift. The next stopping point is The Kidney, which is a good place for a short snack break – along the way, you will pass Lower Lake, Fish Lake, The Trefoil, and The Twin. As you continue the hike, you’ll pass The Tear and The Eye. At the top of the hike, you’ll be rewarded with a 360-degree view of all 7 Lakes.

I have to admit that Kevin and I were not prepared for this hike. We visited Bulgaria in May, and the weather was warm and mild in the city. It didn’t occur to us that the mountains and lakes would be covered in snow during that time of the year, and we only realized how ill-dressed we were mid-way through the hike. However, instead of turning back, we trudged through several snowy fields and climbed up numerous slippery ridges, determined to make it to the top….and we did! It took us FOREVER to get to the top because we were moving at a snails pace to avoid slipping during the hike. Of course, most of the lakes were hidden by a blanket of snow, so we didn’t get to experience the full ‘7 lakes view’, but the scenery was still beautiful and we got a good laugh (and some good exercise) out of the hike.

TIP: The best months to visit the 7 Rila Lakes hike are during the summer months of July and August. Apparently, the snow doesn’t typically melt until mid-June!

My favorite thing about the 7 Lakes Hike was the vast spread of purple wildflowers we encountered along the route. There was something so surreal about being surrounded by a mix of thick snow and flower fields!

After a long day of hiking, we made our way back to Sofia for a nice dinner at Restaurant Shtastliveca Vitoshka. I highly recommend dining at Restaurant Shastliveca Vitoshka while you are in Bulgaria because the menu is huge and the food divine! Bulgarian cuisine is shaped by Turkish, Greek, and Serbian influences, and the cuisine is both hearty and fresh, commonly featuring a variety of seasonal vegetables and oftentimes, pork and lamb meat. We particularly liked trying out Bulgarian cheese (also known as Sirene), which is a salty firm cheese that is used frequently in pastries, stews, and salads!

Note: Kevin wanted me to make a note in this blog post that he really wanted to try a traditional Bulgarian summer soup called ‘tarator’ (a yogurt-based soup of cucumbers, dill, garlic, and walnuts). Unfortunately, the dish is seasonal and was not available at the restaurant while we were there. Maybe next time?

Day 2: Belogradchik and Sofia

Belogradchik Fortress

On our second day in Bulgaria, we made our way to Belogradchik Fortress, which is about a 2.5 hour drive from Sofia. This spectacular fortress overlooks Belogradchik town, and was started by the Romans in the 1st-3rd centuries. The area surrounding the fortress features huge rock formations known as the Belogradchik rocks, which were formed over 200 million years ago and were once located at the bottom of an ocean! We spent several hours roaming the town and fortress and scrambling over boulders. It was definitely one of the highlights of our trip!

TIP: Getting to Belogradchik was quite a feat because we had to navigate around various potholes in the road on the way there! There were several times where I thought for sure we were going to get a flat tire and it made me incredibly nervous. Be prepared for any car emergency if you decide to make the trip there!

Magura Cave

We then made our way to the nearby Magura Cave. This cave is one of the largest caves in Bulgaria (the length is over 2500 meters), and began to take shape 15 million years ago. The cave is most famous for the rich collection of geological formations – stalactites, stalagmites, cave milk, as well as the prehistoric paintings that date from the early Paleolithic era. These paintings feature silhouettes of people dancing and hunting, as well as the earliest solar calendar discovered in Europe.

While visiting the Magura Cave was cool, the entire experience was also a bit traumatic. First, because after exiting the cave, Kevin discovered a large spider had fallen into my hair. Second, the trail back to the cave entrance/parking lot took us along a dusty path that must have been near several snake dens. Yes, snakes. We probably counted around 20 different snakes lying on, or crossing the path while we were on it…and it freaked. me. out. The snakes seemed harmless and didn’t bother us at all, but it felt like the LONGEST walk of my life.

Sofia

We ended our time in Bulgaria by heading back to, and meandering through the city of Sofia. The main street of Sofia (Vitosha Boulevard) was extremely lively, and featured an abundance of hip restaurants and shops.

A must-visit stop in Sofia is the Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. This beautiful winter green-domed cathedral is one of the largest Christian churches in the world, and was commissioned by the Russian prince Saint Alexander Nevsky in honor of the soldiers who died during the Russo-Turkish War, where Bulgaria was liberated from Ottoman rule.

We also visited the Archeaological Complex Serdika, where ruins of ancient Sofia (named Serdika at the time) are located. This complex covers eight streets, a medieval church, six large buildings, and an underground sewage and spring system.

Our stroll around the city also took us past the Church of St. George Rotunda, which is thought to be the oldest known building in Sofia (4th century).

We concluded our short weekend getaway to Bulgaria by dining at the Rainbow Factory in Sofia. This tiny fashionable café was the perfect spot for a light and casual dinner, with lots of creative salad and sandwich options to choose from.