A weekend down the trails of South Bulgaria
Spring – when everything comes back to life. Nature awakens and sets a new rhythm and a faster pace for us, so that we can make up for those endless winter months of lethargy. Because now it’s time for something else – weekends of acceleration, of action… of awakening! Time to go after our dreams. And what a better way to find the inspiration for it, to gather momentum and to give ourselves a nice “start” than a getaway in the beautiful nature? Filled with enthusiasm and energy, we are hitting the trails of South Bulgaria… are you in?
What would the south of Bulgaria look like without the Rhodopes? The first trail we are showing you leads right to the heart of the mountain – Trigrad and thе hidden right next to it cozy place called Arkhan Khan. The magic of the borons, the infinite meadows, the small rivers, the galloping horses, the warm hearth and the smell of the tasty dishes there, will allow you to take a peek inside the soul of the Rhodope mountain… and to fall in love with it. We can guarantee you that you will not forget the marathon around some of the most beautiful (and a bit scary) caves of Bulgaria - the Devil's Throat and the Yagodina Cave. And because the place is often associated with the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, if you find yourself there on the 7th of August, you will be “swallowed” by the local celebration, where ancient pagan rituals, which have remained since the time of the Thracians, combine with kukeri manifestations and Rhodope folk songs.
The second trail leads us to this quaint place in the Eastern Rhodopes, where you can instantly feel the spirit of the wild and the inseverable relationship between humans and nature – The Wild farm in the Madzharovo village. You will be welcomed by the cheerful Betty and Niki, that cool family – mentor in the first couple of seasons of the reality show “The Farm”. You will be surrounded by different animals, while your days will be filled with activities like home-made butter, yogurt and cheese making, flour grinding, gardening, herb picking, pasturage, archery, searching of semiprecious stones around the Arda river… The adventure continues with horse riding in the mountain to Kovan KAYA with a unique biodiversity of many endangered species, a colony of the white-headed vulture and over 25 species of predatory birds, which is more than half of the predatory birds seen in Europe!
Continuing to explore the Rhodopa mountain, we are taking you to the Ustina village and villa Yustina, where we can sit and have a little chat about love, wine and love of wine. What you can expect to see there is a horizon of endless vineyards – to as far as your gaze can go! In between them, there is the magic of the sweet grapes, bitter wine and bittersweet love… Don’t hesitate to take a stroll down the vines and the farm with rare animals, and to even go fishing in the picturesque lake. Combine the wonderful experience with a short walk, following the eco trail to the Ustina waterfall and don’t miss the forteress of the Yustinian emperor as well as the remarkable Red church from the V-VI century.
Although now we are going further from the Rhodope area, we are staying on the topic of wine! On the way to Sliven, you can find a secret place that looks like an old Spanish castle as if „perched” amidst the vineyards. We are talking about Chateau Windy Hills, where we are “”walking” the route of the grapes – from the vines to the cellar. Then, we are immersing ourselves in the delight of the excellent wines, which have aged in the oak barrels as well as the wonderful dinner with a panoramic view to the infinite vine plantings.
With the third wine experience we are finding ourselves in a sea of 220 hectares of vineyards, covering the slope of the St. Iliya’s hill and leading to the Elenovo village, where the “Edoardo Miroglio” hotel is situated. There we can embark on an exclusive wine tour with a light lunch and a tasting in one of the top 3 wineries in the Thracian valley. We are getting lost on purpose in the feeling of freedom and timelessness amidst the splendor of the vineyards…
The last trail leads us to the southern coast of the Black sea just 23 km away from Bourgas. There the mountain meets the sea, the spirit sinks into the calmness of the forest and somewhere in the distance the gaze meets the blue waters of the Black sea… there you can find the village of Medovo. In the cozy rooms, the mineral waters, the light eco trails and the home-made food, we are finding true peacefulness and serenity… finally, we are mixing them surprisingly well with a jeep safari and a shooting with an air gun: it’s that little touch of an extremity that adds even more charm to the whole experience.