{"id":53694,"date":"2026-11-06T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-11-06T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/?p=53694"},"modified":"2026-11-02T20:37:51","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T18:37:51","slug":"bulgaria-road-trip-itinerary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/en\/bulgaria-road-trip-itinerary\/","title":{"rendered":"Bulgaria Itinerary with a Rental Car: 10 Days Among Green Mountains and Picturesque Villages"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"53694\" class=\"elementor elementor-53694 elementor-16437\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d3b70f2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"d3b70f2\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<main class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9ee4c1c\" data-id=\"9ee4c1c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b0ab651 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b0ab651\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Deciding to fly during the COVID period wasn&#8217;t easy for us. Fear of quarantine on the way out or back, worry about the bureaucracy and the stress that the flight could be cancelled at any moment. In the end we decided not to give up: after a year and a half without going abroad, we booked tickets. We chose Bulgaria for our holiday because its COVID situation was good, and it isn&#8217;t overrun with tourists, so we wouldn&#8217;t need to plan the itinerary in advance, and if it got cancelled, we wouldn&#8217;t be too disappointed.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>We had 10 days to travel in Bulgaria. We rented a car and decided that our Bulgaria itinerary would pass through Bulgaria&#8217;s three great mountain ranges: the Rhodopes, Pirin and Rila. The trip plan was made on the go, depending on the weather.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2ce931b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2ce931b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><strong><a style=\"color: #333333;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/stories\/highlights\/17973668122407757\/\">Click here to watch the highlights from our Bulgaria itinerary.<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d173658 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"d173658\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/shiroka_laka.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53702\" alt=\"Shiroka Laka, Bulgaria\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/shiroka_laka.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/shiroka_laka-300x135.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/shiroka_laka-768x346.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-94b8e82 elementor-toc--minimized-on-tablet elementor-widget elementor-widget-table-of-contents\" data-id=\"94b8e82\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;container&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;exclude_headings_by_selector&quot;:[],&quot;no_headings_message&quot;:&quot;\\u05dc\\u05d0 \\u05e0\\u05de\\u05e6\\u05d0\\u05d5 \\u05db\\u05d5\\u05ea\\u05e8\\u05d5\\u05ea \\u05d1\\u05e2\\u05de\\u05d5\\u05d3 \\u05d6\\u05d4&quot;,&quot;headings_by_tags&quot;:[&quot;h2&quot;,&quot;h3&quot;,&quot;h4&quot;,&quot;h5&quot;,&quot;h6&quot;],&quot;marker_view&quot;:&quot;numbers&quot;,&quot;minimize_box&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;minimized_on&quot;:&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;hierarchical_view&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;,&quot;min_height&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_tablet&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]},&quot;min_height_mobile&quot;:{&quot;unit&quot;:&quot;px&quot;,&quot;size&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;sizes&quot;:[]}}\" data-widget_type=\"table-of-contents.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-toc__header-title\">\n\t\t\t\tTable of Contents\t\t\t<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__toggle-button elementor-toc__toggle-button--expand\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"elementor-toc__94b8e82\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-label=\"Open table of contents\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-down\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__toggle-button elementor-toc__toggle-button--collapse\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-controls=\"elementor-toc__94b8e82\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-label=\"Close table of contents\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-chevron-up\"><\/i><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-toc__94b8e82\" class=\"elementor-toc__body\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toc__spinner-container\">\n\t\t\t\t<i class=\"elementor-toc__spinner eicon-animation-spin eicon-loading\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b69765f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b69765f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4>Car Rental in Bulgaria<\/h4>\n<p>We booked the car in advance and so saved ourselves the hassle of comparing prices and looking for a reliable rental agency during the trip. You can compare car rental prices <a href=\"https:\/\/www.discovercars.com\/bulgaria?a_aid=cio\">on the Discover Cars website<\/a>.\u00a0<br \/>Note that you should bring an international driving permit to Bulgaria (you most likely won&#8217;t use it, but some car rental companies won&#8217;t give you the car without one).<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f215715 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"f215715\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/en\/?p=52325\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Click here for more tips on renting a car abroad<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8259c83 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"8259c83\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/car_rent_bulgaria.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53703\" alt=\"Car rental in Bulgaria\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/car_rent_bulgaria.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/car_rent_bulgaria-300x160.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/car_rent_bulgaria-768x410.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-570ae7d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"570ae7d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Road Story: Our Bulgaria Itinerary<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0131825 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0131825\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Our trip started in Sofia: we landed there, picked up the car at the airport and drove toward the picturesque city of <a href=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/%d7%a4%d7%9c%d7%95%d7%91%d7%93%d7%99%d7%91-%d7%94%d7%9e%d7%93%d7%a8%d7%99%d7%9a-%d7%9c%d7%9e%d7%98%d7%99%d7%99%d7%9c-%d7%91%d7%a2%d7%99%d7%a8-%d7%90%d7%98%d7%a8%d7%a7%d7%a6%d7%99%d7%95\/\">Plovdiv<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>Plovdiv: Bulgaria&#8217;s Second-Largest City<\/h3>\n<p>Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria, after the capital Sofia, and the capital of Plovdiv Province.<br \/>You can meet Plovdiv&#8217;s history, which goes back to 4,000 BC, in the streets of the old town.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h4>Where We Stayed in Plovdiv<\/h4>\n<p>We chose to stay in a small, really pleasant studio apartment in the city center. The air-conditioned apartment has one bedroom, a living room, a fully equipped kitchenette with a microwave and kettle, and one bathroom with a shower and hairdryer.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/bg\/charming-studio-in-the-top-center.html?aid=1482101;sid=99f717ec18e42ae87b7a0768ab0faa94;all_sr_blocks=446997901_265544603_2_0_0;checkin=2021-08-26;checkout=2021-08-27;dest_id=-837298;dest_type=city;dist=0;group_adults=2;group_children=0;hapos=1;highlighted_blocks=446997901_265544603_2_0_0;hpos=1;no_rooms=1;room1=A%2CA;sb_price_type=total;sr_order=popularity;sr_pri_blocks=446997901_265544603_2_0_0__5103;srepoch=1626864112;srpvid=8e054b373d800176;type=total;ucfs=1\ufffd\">&gt;&gt; Click here for the accommodation.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n<p>We reached Plovdiv in the evening, so we spent the time mainly walking the streets of the old town and the new town. Finally we sat down to dinner at the HAPPY restaurant.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>HAPPY Restaurant:<\/strong> A Bulgarian restaurant chain offering a wide range of dishes such as sushi, local food, meat and more. We&#8217;re fans of the chain and also ate at its branches in<a href=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/%d7%9e%d7%a1%d7%9c%d7%95%d7%9c-%d7%98%d7%99%d7%95%d7%9c-48-%d7%a9%d7%a2%d7%95%d7%aa-%d7%91%d7%a2%d7%99%d7%a8-%d7%a1%d7%95%d7%a4%d7%99%d7%94\/\">Sofia<\/a> and<a href=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/%d7%a1%d7%95%d7%a3-%d7%a9%d7%91%d7%95%d7%a2-%d7%9e%d7%95%d7%a9%d7%9c%d7%9d-%d7%95%d7%a8%d7%a0%d7%94\/\">Varna<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c0a8cfc elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"c0a8cfc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"449\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/plovdiv_old_city.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53698\" alt=\"Graffiti in Plovdiv&apos;s old town\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/plovdiv_old_city.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/plovdiv_old_city-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/plovdiv_old_city-768x431.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-47d6722 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"47d6722\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>We started the next day with a visit to the tourist information center in the city center.<br \/>We took a map of the center and started exploring the streets and alleys of the new town and the old town.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>We visited the ancient Roman theater, walked through the Tsar Simeon Garden, wandered through the antique shops in the old town, and climbed in the old town to the top of Nebet Tepe, where we enjoyed the beautiful view of the city.<\/p>\n<div class=\"h2MAYb J2iVR PrbLub\">\n<div class=\"m3JYm pcIeHd\">\n<div class=\"h2MAYb\">\n<div class=\"hOd5Jd\">\n<div class=\"WJGCic\" data-ved=\"0CBAQ9aIFahcKEwiA29-FofTxAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQBQ\" data-hveid=\"16\">\n<div class=\"SRp9Qd\">\n<div class=\"maMgX\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<div class=\"SlK9N\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3ce0443 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3ce0443\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"449\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/plovdiv_Nebet_Tepe.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53697\" alt=\"Nebet Tepe hill, Plovdiv\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/plovdiv_Nebet_Tepe.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/plovdiv_Nebet_Tepe-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/plovdiv_Nebet_Tepe-768x431.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f42aac2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f42aac2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4><strong>Plovdiv Mall<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>In the hot hours, we escaped the weather at the mall <strong>Plovdiv Mall<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div>\n<div>\n<div dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: right;\">A Western-style, air-conditioned mall, with several local mobile phone shops where you can buy an excellent local SIM card very cheaply, clothing stores from a range of international chains (Bershka, Adidas and more), a cinema and a food court.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The mall is a 10-minute drive from the city center and has organized parking.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>After the mall we went back to the apartment, got ready and went out for dinner.\u00a0<br \/>We drove to a neighborhood in the center called Kapana, the city&#8217;s nightlife district, full of shops, galleries, pubs and restaurants. We discovered we&#8217;d made a mistake by not booking the restaurants we wanted, because they were all full for the whole evening.<\/p>\n<p>We sat down at the only restaurant in the area that had space, <strong>TAMS HOUSE.<\/strong>\u00a0<br \/>an excellent fusion restaurant that makes you forget for a moment that you&#8217;re in Bulgaria. The food is very carefully made, and the dishes are beautiful and tasty.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-37ad98d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"37ad98d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-0ca8779\" data-id=\"0ca8779\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dd929d7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"dd929d7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"782\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/TAMS_HOUSE_1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53699\" alt=\"Dessert at a chef restaurant in Plovdiv\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/TAMS_HOUSE_1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/TAMS_HOUSE_1-300x293.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/TAMS_HOUSE_1-768x751.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-e7a25bb\" data-id=\"e7a25bb\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5d92aff elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"5d92aff\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"782\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/TAMS_HOUSE_2-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53701\" alt=\"Burrata salad at a chef&apos;s restaurant in Plovdiv\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/TAMS_HOUSE_2-1.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/TAMS_HOUSE_2-1-300x293.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/TAMS_HOUSE_2-1-768x751.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e118aae elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e118aae\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Full and happy, we went back to the apartment.<br \/>The next morning it was time to leave the apartment and start heading south toward the Rhodope Mountains. Before we left Plovdiv, we stopped at the Mall Markovo Tepe, where we stocked up on snacks for the road (after all, we had 3 hours of driving ahead of us).<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-60c65d1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"60c65d1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">First Stop: Asen's Fortress<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-50ee94c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"50ee94c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Our first stop was at the fortress about 30 minutes from Plovdiv. A small, nice fortress, with no explanations in English, and a stunning panoramic view. Asen&#8217;s Fortress is a medieval ruin on a high rocky ridge on the left bank of the Asenitsa River.<\/p>\n<p>Bear in mind that there are quite a few steps.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Parking cost 1.50 BGN an hour (prices from our 2021 trip; Bulgaria switched to the euro in 2026). <br \/>Adult entry tickets: 4 BGN.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f85b14d elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f85b14d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"449\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/bulgaria_asens_fortress.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53696\" alt=\"Asen&apos;s Fortress, Bulgaria\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/bulgaria_asens_fortress.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/bulgaria_asens_fortress-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/bulgaria_asens_fortress-768x431.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b5d5418 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b5d5418\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Second Stop: Bachkovo Monastery<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9012307 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9012307\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>An Eastern Orthodox monastery founded in 1083 that includes art, an ossuary and a cathedral.<\/p>\n<div class=\"jxjCjc\">\n<div class=\"Jtu6Td\">An active monastery with beautiful buildings and a lovely courtyard. The church is richly decorated with gold ornaments, chandeliers and lots of frescoes. At the entrance to the monastery there&#8217;s an explanation in Hebrew about two monks (Righteous Among the Nations) who helped the Jews of Bulgaria during the Holocaust.\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The monastery wasn&#8217;t particularly impressive, but it was worth a stop because right next to the parking lot there&#8217;s a big market with lots of stalls.<\/p>\n<p>Entry to the monastery is free.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-635e271 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"635e271\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"396\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/bachkovo_monastery.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53704\" alt=\"bachkovo_monastery\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/bachkovo_monastery.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/bachkovo_monastery-300x149.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/bachkovo_monastery-768x380.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7ab25d1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7ab25d1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>From the monastery we continued on a drive of about two hours on a very, very winding road, until we reached our next destination: the city of Smolyan.<br \/>After the long drive our first stop, even before finding a place to stay, was a local restaurant <strong>\u041c\u0435\u0445\u0430\u043d\u0430 ,,\u041c\u0435\u0447\u043e \u0423\u0445\u043e&#8221;<\/strong>. I couldn&#8217;t find the restaurant&#8217;s name in English, but surprisingly they had an English menu and the waitress spoke perfect English.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The restaurant has an amazing view, rich and tasty Bulgarian cuisine and very cheap prices.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where we stayed:<\/strong> While we were sitting at the restaurant we looked for a place to stay in the city, and found on Booking.com the hotel <a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/bg\/complex-luxor.html?aid=1482101;sid=eee242b76db937bd19873f5cff899dd4;dest_id=2354;dest_type=region;dist=0;group_adults=2;group_children=0;hapos=1;hpos=1;no_rooms=1;room1=A%2CA;sb_price_type=total;sr_order=popularity;srepoch=1627315176;srpvid=d2b27073e9d1019b;type=total;ucfs=1&amp;#hotelTmpl\"><strong>Luxor Hotel<\/strong><\/a> which was centrally located and had parking. The reception staff were really nice and helped us plan the next day, and the room was large, clean and bright.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>We were disappointed to discover that Smolyan has no city center to walk around in the evening, so we stayed in the room updating our followers <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/stories\/highlights\/17973668122407757\/\">on our Stories<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"x3AX1-LfntMc-header-title-ij8cu-haAclf\">\n<div class=\"h0ySl-wcwwM\">\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a2e45ed elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a2e45ed\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Rhodope Mountains<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5431db6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5431db6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Smolyan is a city in southern Bulgaria, the capital of Smolyan Province, set on the central ridge of the Rhodopes. The Rhodope Mountains are a mountain range in southeastern Europe, in southern Bulgaria and northern\u00a0<a title=\"Greece\" href=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/en\/?page_id=51222\">Greece<\/a>. <br \/>The range covers an area of 14,637 square kilometers and stretches about 240 kilometers from west to east and about 97 kilometers from north to south.<\/p>\n<p>Because of the great heat, we decided to go for easy hiking trails in the Rhodope Mountains.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-79e4c81 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"79e4c81\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Waterfalls Canyon<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-951c40f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"951c40f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>If you park on the main road, there are two kilometers of walking on a dirt road or rough track. You can save the walk on the dirt road and drive very carefully, depending on the car you have. We continued by car, parked next to a house and went on from there on foot.<\/p>\n<p>An amazing walking trail along the stream and through the forest. There are several trail options.<br \/>The walk is uphill and the trail isn&#8217;t a loop (there&#8217;s an option to make it a loop, about 10 kilometers long), and it takes about two hours each way. <br \/>We stopped only at the first waterfalls for breakfast and went back to continue our drive.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b37f354 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"b37f354\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"463\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/The_Waterfalls_Canyon\u200b_bulgaria.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53705\" alt=\"The waterfall canyon near Smolyan, Bulgaria\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/The_Waterfalls_Canyon\u200b_bulgaria.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/The_Waterfalls_Canyon\u200b_bulgaria-300x174.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/The_Waterfalls_Canyon\u200b_bulgaria-768x444.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a831407 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a831407\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Smolyan Lakes<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ffbf1ce elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ffbf1ce\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>On the way to our next destination we saw a sign pointing to the Smolyan Lakes, a small detour from our route. We decided to go and check them out (even though I&#8217;d read that they aren&#8217;t as beautiful and blue as the lakes of <a href=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/%d7%94%d7%a8%d7%99-%d7%a4%d7%99%d7%a8%d7%99%d7%9f\/\">Pirin<\/a> or Rila).<\/p>\n<p>The trail between the Smolyan Lakes is a loop and takes two to three hours, passing 3 small lakes in the forest. There&#8217;s an option to extend the trail up to two more lakes, which involves a climb of 500 meters (this part is linear).<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-eb255f3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"eb255f3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Smolyan_-lakes.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53706\" alt=\"Smolyan_ lakes\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Smolyan_-lakes.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Smolyan_-lakes-300x135.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Smolyan_-lakes-768x346.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ce37c9f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ce37c9f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>On the way to our next stop, we made a photo stop in the picturesque village of Shiroka Laka.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7c4bd44 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"7c4bd44\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Devil's Throat Cave (Dyavolskoto Garlo)<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-85bc86c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"85bc86c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>About an hour&#8217;s drive from the village of Shiroka Laka you reach the Devil&#8217;s Throat Cave. Don&#8217;t let the scary name put you off: the visit suits the whole family (as long as they&#8217;re willing to climb about 300 steep steps at the end).\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Entry to the cave is only on a guided tour, which leaves every hour on the hour, with a Bulgarian-speaking guide. At the ticket office they gave us a brochure with information about the cave in English and suggested we not wait for the group but simply go on ahead.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The cave itself is a nice short escape from the heat outside, but it isn&#8217;t particularly impressive. It&#8217;s called the Devil&#8217;s Throat because a 42-meter waterfall flows through it between rocks that reminded someone of a throat with a tongue. You reach a huge underground chamber, from which there&#8217;s a very steep climb of steps alongside the underground waterfall. Bear in mind that this cave has 300 steps and they&#8217;re really steep, with handrails on both sides.<\/p>\n<p>In my opinion the most beautiful part of the visit was actually after we came out of the cave, into a steep canyon with a powerful waterfall.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Keep in mind:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The temperature in the cave is 8 degrees Celsius.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>There are 300 steep steps on the way out.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>The path is slippery, so wear good shoes.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>To avoid disappointment: this isn&#8217;t a stalactite cave!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Prices (updated July 2021): 6 BGN per adult, 3 BGN per child.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-6278e65 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6278e65\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-d9d9c2e\" data-id=\"d9d9c2e\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5e629f1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"5e629f1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Devils_Throat.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53718\" alt=\"The Devil&apos;s Throat Cave\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Devils_Throat.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Devils_Throat-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Devils_Throat-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-0cdfa16\" data-id=\"0cdfa16\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0e5dc6b elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"0e5dc6b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Devils_Throat_2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53719\" alt=\"The Devil&apos;s Throat, Bulgaria\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Devils_Throat_2.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Devils_Throat_2-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Devils_Throat_2-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b30e981 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b30e981\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Trigrad Gorge<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d24d7d5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d24d7d5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The drive to the cave passes through the Trigrad Gorge, along the Trigradska River. <br \/>A canyon with huge vertical rock walls dropping dozens of meters into a stream bed with flowing water. The place is stunningly beautiful.\u00a0<br \/>There are several viewpoints to stop at along the way.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e580fed elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e580fed\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"648\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Trigrad_Bulgaria.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53717\" alt=\"Trigrad Gorge\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Trigrad_Bulgaria.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Trigrad_Bulgaria-300x243.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Trigrad_Bulgaria-768x622.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d9b6b14 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d9b6b14\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>After an indulgent picnic, we started heading toward our next destination, the Rila Mountains.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>The Rila Mountains<\/h3>\n<p>We&#8217;d planned to stay at an indulgent hotel in the ski resort of Borovets, but when we got to the resort we realized its vibe wasn&#8217;t really for us: the streets were empty, the hotels closed and the restaurants touristy. So we cancelled our booking and moved to the nearby town of Samokov.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The town of <strong>Samokov<\/strong> is small and fairly ordinary (not a tourist town), but we found a nice hotel, great restaurants, a local market and big supermarkets.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Where we stayed:<\/strong> We chose to stay at<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/searchresults.html?aid=1482101&amp;lang=he&amp;sid=eee242b76db937bd19873f5cff899dd4&amp;sb=1&amp;sb_lp=1&amp;src=index&amp;src_elem=sb&amp;error_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booking.com%2Findex.he.html%3Faid%3D1482101%3Bsid%3Deee242b76db937bd19873f5cff899dd4%3Bsb_price_type%3Dtotal%26%3B&amp;ss=Family+Hotel+Sonata%2C+Samokov%2C+Sofia+Province+%2C+Bulgaria&amp;is_ski_area=&amp;ssne=%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9D&amp;ssne_untouched=%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%9D&amp;checkin_year=&amp;checkin_month=&amp;checkout_year=&amp;checkout_month=&amp;group_adults=2&amp;group_children=0&amp;no_rooms=1&amp;b_h4u_keep_filters=&amp;from_sf=1&amp;ss_raw=sonata+bulgaria&amp;ac_position=1&amp;ac_langcode=en&amp;ac_click_type=b&amp;dest_id=263628&amp;dest_type=hotel&amp;place_id_lat=42.3338036933649&amp;place_id_lon=23.5570639371872&amp;search_pageview_id=52527ece29ef006e&amp;search_selected=true&amp;search_pageview_id=52527ece29ef006e&amp;ac_suggestion_list_length=2&amp;ac_suggestion_theme_list_length=0\">Hotel Sonata<\/a><\/strong>. The hotel is in an excellent location, close to a big supermarket and the town center. The rooms are air-conditioned, spacious and spotlessly clean, and the bathroom has an indulgent spa bath.\u00a0<br \/>The hosts were very nice, maybe even too nice (is there such a thing?), and tried to help us with every request.<br \/>The only downside was the breakfast, which was really cheap (6 leva per person) but very meager, even by European breakfast standards.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>We enjoyed it so much that we decided to stay there two nights.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>We ate dinner at a Bulgarian restaurant in town called <strong>The Old House<\/strong>, good local food, authentic decor, cheap prices and a good atmosphere, though the service wasn&#8217;t particularly friendly.<\/p>\n<p>The next day we set off on a hiking trail a 20-minute drive from town.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5f6bee5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5f6bee5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Beli Iskar Eco Trail: The Eight Bridges Trail<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-48990d5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"48990d5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The trail winds along the Beli Iskar River, with eight wooden bridges built over the river. The scenery changes, with valleys with narrow gorges, interesting rock formations, old coniferous forests and the river&#8217;s crystal-clear water. The altitude along the trail stays around 1,200 meters the whole time and there are almost no climbs or descents, except for the Eagle&#8217;s Eye viewpoint, which you can skip.<\/p>\n<p>The trail is about 9 km long and takes about 3 hours as a loop. It can be an excellent choice for families with kids. <br \/>If you have enough time, bring a picnic: there are shaded tables along the stream all along the trail.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4b56e97 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"4b56e97\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"412\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/beli_iskar_ecotrail.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53716\" alt=\"The Eight Bridges Trail in the Rila Mountains\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/beli_iskar_ecotrail.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/beli_iskar_ecotrail-300x155.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/beli_iskar_ecotrail-768x396.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c747d45 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c747d45\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>After the trail we went back to town and walked around the center a bit until the heat wore us out, and we escaped to a shaded restaurant for lunch. <strong>Nicole Restaurant<\/strong>, in the town center on the grounds of the hotel of the same name. We were the only guests in the restaurant. The atmosphere was good, the decor pleasant and the food good, but the waitress didn&#8217;t speak a word of English. Even communicating with <a href=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/%d7%90%d7%a4%d7%9c%d7%99%d7%a7%d7%a6%d7%99%d7%95%d7%aa-%d7%a9%d7%9c-%d7%92%d7%95%d7%92%d7%9c-%d7%9c%d7%aa%d7%9b%d7%a0%d7%95%d7%9f-%d7%98%d7%99%d7%95%d7%9c\/\">Google Translate<\/a> didn&#8217;t help.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>After a late lunch we went back to the hotel to rest.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0322e83 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0322e83\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The next day we woke up early and set off for our next destination, the town of <a href=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/bansko-guide\/\">Bansko<\/a>.<br \/>On the way we planned another stop near an impressive waterfall in the Rila Mountains.<\/p>\n<h4>The Ovcharchenski Waterfall\u00a0<\/h4>\n<p>At the edge of the village of Ovchartsi, a 5-minute drive west of Sapareva Banya on road 6204, there&#8217;s a lovely waterfall. You reach it from inside the village: the waterfall is at the edge of the village, where the road ends.<\/p>\n<p>At the trail parking area there&#8217;s a pumping station with a few buildings and a blue gate, and next to them a cold drinks stand and benches by the stream.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The trail starts on the left, where you&#8217;ll see several signs with information about the area&#8217;s flora and fauna. The climb to the waterfall takes about ten minutes, is a little steep and partly has steps. At the top of the climb there&#8217;s a wooden bench and a viewpoint over a beautiful waterfall.<br \/>Bear in mind that the viewpoint is really small, so if others got there before you there won&#8217;t be much room.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fb61ed5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"fb61ed5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"492\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Ovcharchenski_waterfalls.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53715\" alt=\"Ovcharchenski_waterfalls\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Ovcharchenski_waterfalls.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Ovcharchenski_waterfalls-300x185.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Ovcharchenski_waterfalls-768x472.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-42f44a8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"42f44a8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>We left the Rila Mountains and moved on to the neighboring Pirin Mountains.<\/p>\n<h3>Pirin Mountains<\/h3>\n<p>The Pirin range is the second-highest mountain range in Bulgaria, after the\u00a0<strong>The Rila Mountains<\/strong>range, its neighbor to the north. Both are in the southwestern part of Bulgaria, between the <b>Struma<\/b> River and the\u00a0<b>Mesta<\/b> (Mesta).<\/p>\n<p>The largest town in the Pirin Mountains is <a href=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/bansko-guide\/\">Bansko<\/a>. In winter it becomes the largest ski resort in Bulgaria, and in summer it&#8217;s an excellent base for hikes in the Pirin Mountains. We chose to stay two days at<strong>an indulgent hotel <a href=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/katarino-spa-hotel-%d7%97%d7%95%d7%a4%d7%a9%d7%aa-%d7%a1%d7%a4%d7%90-%d7%9e%d7%a4%d7%a0%d7%a7%d7%aa-%d7%91%d7%91%d7%95%d7%9c%d7%92%d7%a8%d7%99%d7%94\/\">KATARINO SPA<\/a><\/strong> in the town of Razlog near Bansko.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-87ee5c1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"87ee5c1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4>Belizmata Dam<\/h4>\n<p>We reached the Bansko area relatively early, so before checking in at the hotel we decided to visit a lake near Bansko that I&#8217;d discovered a few days before the trip. The lake sits above the town of Bansko, between the mountains, with a beautiful view.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The access road to the lake is a rough dirt road. We did it in a low private car, but it&#8217;s not for the faint-hearted. By the lake there&#8217;s a restaurant with tables by the water. The saleswoman didn&#8217;t speak a word of English (and wasn&#8217;t keen to try to help us), so we settled for soft drinks and sat facing the lake.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0a168c9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"0a168c9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"387\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Belizmata_Dam.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53714\" alt=\"Belizmata Dam lake, Bansko\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Belizmata_Dam.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Belizmata_Dam-300x145.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Belizmata_Dam-768x372.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7a199fe elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7a199fe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>On the way back down from the lake to Bansko, we had a small car accident.\u00a0<br \/>I&#8217;ve attached the post I wrote on the blog&#8217;s Facebook page with all the details about the accident and, above all, about the amazing people we met who helped us so much.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b7cb0c0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"b7cb0c0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fcheckinoutshiryam%2Fposts%2F218619896932376&show_text=true&width=500\" width=\"500\" height=\"626\" style=\"border:none;overflow:hidden\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allow=\"autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share\"><\/iframe>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ab63ce0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"ab63ce0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>We decided to spend the next two days resting at our indulgent hotel.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0fb6e0b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"0fb6e0b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4>KATARINO SPA Hotel<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4424e96 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4424e96\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div dir=\"auto\">The hotel has everything you need for a perfect holiday! Spacious, spotlessly clean rooms equipped with a bathtub and a balcony. A heated pool and an outdoor pool, an amazing view of the Pirin Mountains, and an impressive spa with a hot tub, a sauna and salt rooms. You can book a massage; unfortunately we couldn&#8217;t try it, because they advised against having a massage right after a car accident.\u00a0<\/div>\n<div dir=\"auto\">There&#8217;s even a bowling alley and snooker.<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-342b6c6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"342b6c6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>I&#8217;ve stayed in a lot of hotels, and I&#8217;ve almost never come across service like here. The reception staff tried to help us with everything we asked. Room service was very fast and helpful.<\/p>\n<p>We stayed half board, so we didn&#8217;t even need to leave the hotel.<\/p>\n<p>The downsides: the hotel meals don&#8217;t have many vegetarian options, and there&#8217;s no air conditioning in the room.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f2bfee2 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"f2bfee2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/bg\/spa-complex-katarino.html?aid=1482101&#038;sid=eee242b76db937bd19873f5cff899dd4&#038;dest_id=-831977&#038;dest_type=city&#038;group_adults=2&#038;group_children=0&#038;hapos=1&#038;hpos=1&#038;no_rooms=1&#038;sr_order=popularity&#038;srepoch=1627384062&#038;srpvid=e9d64e3fca2f00b0&#038;ucfs=1&#038;from=searchresults;highlight_room=#hotelTmpl\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Click here for bookings and more details about the hotel<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-9e8872e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"9e8872e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-2f55c3e\" data-id=\"2f55c3e\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-98e38be elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"98e38be\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/kararino_spa_hotel.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53712\" alt=\"A spa hotel in Bulgaria\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/kararino_spa_hotel.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/kararino_spa_hotel-300x135.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/kararino_spa_hotel-768x346.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-4276fde\" data-id=\"4276fde\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-69f8256 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"69f8256\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/kararino_spa_hotel_2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53713\" alt=\"A spa hotel in Bansko\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/kararino_spa_hotel_2.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/kararino_spa_hotel_2-300x135.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/kararino_spa_hotel_2-768x346.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-439cf7c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"439cf7c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Our next destination was Sofia. <br \/>Our car was a write-off, so we ordered a taxi to Sofia from the hotel, which cost us 180 leva. We shared the taxi with another Israeli family who happened to be staying at the hotel. The drive back to Sofia, without stops, took about two and a half hours.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8be7829 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8be7829\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Sofia<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-006470f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"006470f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Sofia is the capital of Bulgaria. Surprisingly, this was my third visit to the city. Why surprisingly? Because I don&#8217;t really like the city, and yet I find myself coming back again and again. You can read about my first visit <a href=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/%d7%91%d7%95%d7%9c%d7%92%d7%a8%d7%99%d7%94-%d7%a1%d7%99%d7%a4%d7%95%d7%a8-%d7%93%d7%a8%d7%9a\/\">here<\/a> and about my second visit <a href=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/%d7%9e%d7%a1%d7%9c%d7%95%d7%9c-%d7%98%d7%99%d7%95%d7%9c-48-%d7%a9%d7%a2%d7%95%d7%aa-%d7%91%d7%a2%d7%99%d7%a8-%d7%a1%d7%95%d7%a4%d7%99%d7%94\/\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-60ea12d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"60ea12d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Where we stayed:\u00a0<\/strong>We chose to stay at <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.booking.com\/hotel\/bg\/lighthotelsof.html?aid=1482101;sid=eee242b76db937bd19873f5cff899dd4;dest_id=-838489;dest_type=city;dist=0;group_adults=2;group_children=0;hapos=3;hpos=3;nflt=review_score%3D80%3B;no_rooms=1;room1=A%2CA;sb_price_type=total;sr_order=popularity;srepoch=1627399097;srpvid=766a6b9c442d0206;type=total;ucfs=1&amp;#hotelTmpl\">Light Hotel<\/a><\/strong>, a 5-minute walk from the city center. The hotel offers spacious, clean rooms, excellent service and a breakfast option (we skipped it because we preferred to eat at caf\u00e9s I know from previous visits).\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a71412a elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"a71412a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/%d7%90%d7%99%d7%a4%d7%94-%d7%9c%d7%99%d7%a9%d7%95%d7%9f-%d7%91%d7%a1%d7%95%d7%a4%d7%99%d7%94-%d7%94%d7%9e%d7%9c%d7%a6%d7%95%d7%aa-%d7%a2%d7%9c-%d7%90%d7%96%d7%95%d7%a8%d7%99%d7%9d-%d7%93%d7%99\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Click here for more recommendations on places to stay in Sofia<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f58edfa elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f58edfa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>After checking in we hurried to the Lora lab to get a COVID test before flying home.<br \/>We took the test at 14:00, and the results were ready at 17:00. The test cost 85 leva per person.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e9411c0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e9411c0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"433\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sofia_mosque.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-54190\" alt=\"The mosque in Sofia\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sofia_mosque.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sofia_mosque-300x162.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/sofia_mosque-768x416.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b33030e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b33030e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Malls in Sofia<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a1181eb elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a1181eb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Prices in Bulgaria are cheaper than back home, and even at the chains you can see a difference of up to 20% in cost, so we decided to include a visit to two malls on our Sofia trip.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>mall of sofia: <\/strong>A relatively small mall in the city center, a 10-minute walk from Vitosha Boulevard. The mall has a choice of international brand stores, phone companies (you can get a local SIM here), a large supermarket and a large electronics store on the lower floor. On the top floor there&#8217;s a big branch of the Happy chain, which we recommend.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Sofia Ring Mall: <\/strong>A relatively new mall at the foot of Mount Vitosha, a 20-minute drive from the city center. Unlike Sofia, which has an Eastern European atmosphere, the mall feels completely Western. Outside the mall there are cool caf\u00e9s and good restaurants facing the mountain.\u00a0\u00a0<br \/>If you&#8217;re traveling with kids, the mall has a huge Gymboree, a play center, go-karting and a range of other activities. On the top floor there&#8217;s a new cinema with especially comfortable sofa seats.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-71c2882 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"71c2882\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"366\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/sofia_ring_mall.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53711\" alt=\"sofia_ring_mall\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/sofia_ring_mall.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/sofia_ring_mall-300x137.jpg 300w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/sofia_ring_mall-768x351.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7b6ae51 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7b6ae51\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4>Dinner at  <span dir=\"ltr\">Shtastlivetsa<\/span><\/h4>\n<p>One of the best restaurants in the city, and the best I&#8217;ve ever eaten at there. The restaurant is decorated in an aristocratic style, with a wide variety of Bulgarian and Western dishes made to a high standard.<\/p>\n<p>Besides the excellent food and decor, they have very special cocktails and excellent desserts.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-aa7f67d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"aa7f67d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-56e9f11\" data-id=\"56e9f11\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ac1e370 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"ac1e370\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"925\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Shtastlivetsa_1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53709\" alt=\"Shtastlivetsa restaurant\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Shtastlivetsa_1.jpg 600w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Shtastlivetsa_1-195x300.jpg 195w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-7b21850\" data-id=\"7b21850\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-40b8492 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"40b8492\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"925\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Shtastlivetsa_2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53710\" alt=\"Shtastlivetsa_2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Shtastlivetsa_2.jpg 600w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/Shtastlivetsa_2-195x300.jpg 195w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-36fdcb6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"36fdcb6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>We decided to take the last day easy.\u00a0<br \/>We started the day at an indulgent caf\u00e9, then drove to the cinema at Sofia Ring Mall to see a movie, and gambled a little at the casino (really just a little, because smoking is still allowed in casinos in Bulgaria, unlike neighboring countries such as <a href=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/en\/?page_id=51331\">Romania<\/a>, which banned smoking indoors a few years ago).<\/p>\n<p>For our last dinner of the trip to Bulgaria we decided to go again to the <strong>Happy Bar<\/strong>chain. There&#8217;s a huge branch at the start of Vitosha Boulevard. It was our third visit to the chain&#8217;s branches on our trip to Bulgaria.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The next day we were supposed to have a <a href=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/%d7%97%d7%91%d7%a8%d7%aa-%d7%95%d7%95%d7%99%d7%96%d7%90%d7%99%d7%99%d7%a8-%d7%97%d7%91%d7%a8%d7%aa-%d7%94%d7%9c%d7%95%d7%90%d7%95%d7%a7%d7%95%d7%a1%d7%98-%d7%94%d7%9e%d7%a4%d7%a2%d7%99%d7%9c\/\">Wizz Air<\/a> flight at 6:00 in the morning, but we got an email at 2:30 at night that the flight had been cancelled. Luckily, we managed to book the last two tickets on a <a href=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/%d7%a8%d7%99%d7%99%d7%a0%d7%90%d7%99%d7%99%d7%a8\/\">Ryanair<\/a> flight the same day.\u00a0<br \/>Because our flight was delayed, we had time for one more breakfast in Bulgaria.<\/p>\n<h4>Caf\u00e9 1920<\/h4>\n<p>A cute caf\u00e9 on Lions&#8217; Square, a 2-minute walk from our hotel, offering a range of breakfasts. A great place for brunch, well designed with high windows and full of light.\u00a0<br \/>I discovered this caf\u00e9 on a previous trip to Bulgaria, and I love going back to places I&#8217;ve enjoyed.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-219f8a1 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"219f8a1\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-8ecb9c6\" data-id=\"8ecb9c6\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8dd5376 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"8dd5376\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"948\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/cafe_1920.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53707\" alt=\"A caf\u00e9 in Sofia for breakfast\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/cafe_1920.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/cafe_1920-253x300.jpg 253w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/cafe_1920-768x910.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-b778c03\" data-id=\"b778c03\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f99e318 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"f99e318\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"948\" src=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/cafe_1920_2.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-53708\" alt=\"cafe_1920_2\" srcset=\"https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/cafe_1920_2.jpg 800w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/cafe_1920_2-253x300.jpg 253w, https:\/\/check-in-out.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/cafe_1920_2-768x910.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f2f8fae elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f2f8fae\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Heading Home<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8c1debf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8c1debf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Our trip to Bulgaria is over!<br \/>We took a taxi from the hotel to the airport (it cost about 25 leva).\u00a0<br \/>Sofia Airport is relatively small and its prices are very expensive for Bulgaria.\u00a0<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5074344 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"5074344\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c8fa922 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c8fa922\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Have you been on a trip to Bulgaria?<\/strong><br \/>I&#8217;d love for you to share your experience in the comments. <\/p>\n<p>Feel free to ask me any question. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/main>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Deciding to fly during the COVID period wasn&#8217;t easy for us. Fear of quarantine on the way out or back, worry about the bureaucracy and the stress that the flight could be cancelled at any moment. In the end we decided not to give up: after a year and a half without going abroad, we [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":53695,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[2252,2233,2140,2],"tags":[2325,2324,2327,2139,2326,2316,2315,2143,2113],"class_list":["post-53694","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bulgaria","category-eastern-europe","category-travel-blog","category-2","tag-bansko","tag-bulgaria","tag-bulgaria-itinerary","tag-family-trips","tag-pirin-mountains","tag-plovdiv","tag-sofia","tag-travel-blog","tag-travel-itinerary-abroad"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Bulgaria Itinerary by Rental Car: Plovdiv, the Rhodopes, Rila, Pirin and Sofia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A 10-day Bulgaria itinerary through Plovdiv, the Rhodope Mountains, the Rila Mountains, the Pirin Mountains and Sofia. 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