I took a trip with a local and a friend with our kids through some of the most beautiful regions of Bulgaria. We began our journey in Blagoevgrad to stay with our host for just one night before heading to the hot springs area of Banya. Our beautiful resort had an indoor/outdoor pool where you can swim between them, and the water is ALWAYS a nice warm 37C (that's 98--99 degrees Fahrenheit). The spa was amazing with dry and wet saunas, rainfall rooms, relaxation rooms, and a salt room. The massages and facials at the spa are also amazing AND affordable. (think about 1/2 the price of the US) Speaking of that-pretty much everything in Bulgaria is super affordable (except the gas, of course)-food, wine, services, souvenirs, etc.

From our Banya resort, it was about a 10-15 minute drive to visit the ski town of Bansko-such a lovely European village to walk around the cobblestone streets, taste local cuisine, see red ribbons tied to trees for when villagers spotted a stork arriving. Yes, storks, of which there are many in Bulgaria! You will see their nests perched high up on towers and churches during the spring through fall. (they will fly south to Africa for the winter)

Back at our resort we enjoyed a long afternoon swim and it snowed! Swimming in the snow is something very special-especially when surrounded by a beautiful landscape of snow-covered mountains and trees. As a side note-if you are traveling with kids, there are resorts available with a kid’s club so you can enjoy some spa time or just a nice dinner.

As we headed back to Blagoevgrad, we made a stop in Melnik, in the Bulgarian wine region with the same name. The unique architecture of the buildings is so interesting with the upper stories hanging out over the bottom story that is used mostly to house animals or to serve as a wine cellar. Speaking of wine…there is a “mexaha” around every corner for you to taste local homemade wines or grab a bite to eat. After a short hike to an old Greek merchant home overlooking the town, we hiked back down through old ruins to have a nice lunch. Then off to our first winery, Villa Melnik, at the top of a large hill-very picturesque. We tasted at least 6 of the great wines they had there-great whites, roses, and reds to be had-the reds were my favorite. I tried a new grape variety-Melnik grapes, of which there are 3 or 4 varieties, and is special to this region only.

The rest of the visit we based out of Blagoevgrad for day trips, the first of which was an absolutely stunning monastery-the Rilski Monastery-at the foot hill of the mountains, where it snowed again, but that just made it even more beautiful! No pictures are allowed inside, but it is absolutely stunning. It is still in operation so you can only tour the lowest level and not the residential quarters, but it is very much worth a visit. We then had an afternoon tasting at a boutique winery in Ilindentsi-the Kiossev Winery. It is really off the beaten path but they take such great care in making their wine that I would not have missed it. Their wines were spectacular-every single one. I only wished I could bring more home! (I brought a total of 10 bottles though, which isn’t too shabby) For reference, the most expensive wine was 50 Leva (approximately $25) so very affordable and spectacular. So raise a glass, and say "nazdrave!" to cheers to your health!

Our final destination before returning home was a day in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. The old city center has stunning architecture and golden topped churches. We had a very special experience to visit the main church on the Orthodox Good Friday, when worshipers get their blessing via crawling under a table. It was an amazing thing to see. No pictures of course out of respect for the church, but it was remarkable.

If you are looking to explore a new region, whether for skiing, seeing stunning archeological history, trying new food/wine, or just having a mountain getaway, I can help you plan an amazing trip to Bulgaria! It is a country with much to offer, even beach resorts! They are not in the same area so I’ll explore that area next time I visit. Happy travels!

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