On one of those autumn mornings - fresh, cool, and quiet, you wake up and realize that summer is gone. Just like an old love, it disappears gradually and yet all at once. It quietly rises from the bed, steps exactly where the floorboards don’t creak, opens the door carefully so as not to wake you and spare you a long farewell. And somewhere there, in the mist and the chilly October air, summer seems to dissolve and disappear.
“Is summer really leaving?” It is. But in the following lines, you won’t find sadness for what’s gone. Instead, a smile ready to welcome everything that is to come. Intentionally, defying all the nostalgia and melancholy that hover like birds around us during autumn days. Because life is too short to mourn the past. And autumn is too beautiful not to live it fully. With every drop of rain, every sip of warm tea, and every fallen leaf.
Eat.
Autumn is a pumpkin dessert scented with cinnamon and ginger. A roasted chestnut or an acorn fallen in the forest. Autumn is ripe grapes that have been slowly and patiently preparing their fruit all summer long, without rushing. First come its small green berries, barely noticed in passing. Gradually, each berry grows, turns more yellow or red, until before you realize it, you can’t help but stop to pick some from the heavy bunches. Still casually, straight from the vine. The same vine you shelter under for blissful shade in the hot summer sun. And this is yet another proof that life changes but remains just as beautiful.
Early on an autumn morning, while the grapes are still cool and unheated by the sun’s rays, the magic of the harvest takes place. In the past, it was not a routine task but a ritual and a true celebration. The grape harvest is a connection between people and the earth. It was also an occasion for relatives and friends to gather, help with the picking, and after hard work, spend time together around the table. Singing songs, telling stories, and of course, drinking wine.
Among the most interesting traditions of the grape harvest is the so-called “first must” — the juice from the first picked grapes, freshly crushed under the bare feet of maidens and bachelors in wooden vats. And just as must turns into wine, this ritual symbolizes the transformation of labor into pleasure, the union of masculine and feminine energy, transition, and new beginnings.
The stories about wine are endless. We’ll stop talking here and let the experience tell you the rest…
Wine Tasting with Gourmet Dinner and Overnight Stay in a Castle
Duration: 1 or 2 nights
Location: Sopot
One or two nights in a castle among the vineyards of Chateau Copsa: a refined wine tasting led by a sommelier and a multi-course gourmet menu in an elegant hall. After sunset, a stroll through the terraced vines flows into a cozy stay with views of the Valley of the Roses. A blend of taste, atmosphere and romance—ideal for two seeking calm and a weekend wine escape.
Travel.
Is there a better moment than autumn to travel… in your thoughts? Carried away in the quiet afternoons and the sound of the rain… Actually, autumn is that warm and cozy moment that reminds you that sometimes the best part of the journey is coming back home. Even from the most exciting and fulfilling trip. Because the warmth of that moment has nothing to do with how you spent it. It is the moment when you feel safe, nestled in your little cocoon in this vast world.
Autumn is your invitation to snuggle up at home. To paint your comfort with your own colors and scents. By the way, there are many interesting studies related to the so-called “scent-stalgia” - the feeling of nostalgia that certain aromas evoke in us, taking us back to a memory or sensation.
It’s no secret that scents are a powerful trigger for emotions and memory. However, it turns out that many people experience scent-stalgia for their own home, or in other words, the specific aroma of “home” starts to be missed even after just a few days away.
Amazingly, even elderly people can recognize the smell of their childhood home, which they left long ago. Because the scent of home is just as unique, and for almost everyone, it brings comfort, peace, and joy. According to research, some of the most favorite home scents are lavender, jasmine, citrus, as well as freshly baked cookies and bread - aromas that bring a sense of warmth.
It takes very little to create a comfort you look forward to returning to again and again… Handcrafting scented candles yourself is a small but life-changing step.
Candle Making Workshop
Duration: around 3 hours
Location: Sofia, Slavia district, bl. 36
During this hands-on class you’ll create one of the coziest accents for any home. Candles set a mood of warmth and calm; here you’ll take a mindful break, unlock your creativity and craft your own candle with an expert decorator, fragrances, colors, natural flowers and decorations.
Love.
Love even the gloomiest rainy day. Walk with a bright yellow umbrella through the gray streets and smile at the storm. Love the invitation to silence and calm that autumn gives you and the chance to hide from the noise and crowd. Love boredom and the fact that in terrible weather there’s nowhere else to be but home.
In fact, moments spent in silence and “boredom” are the pause that opens the door to a new space of awareness, inner resilience, and creativity. It is proven to be absolutely necessary for your mind to regenerate, reduce stress, and improve your ability to concentrate.
Have we forgotten how to be bored? In this world, where every moment must be filled with activity and productivity, otherwise it’s not significant enough. Today, allowing yourself to be bored is a skill, even courage. When were your last 15 minutes where you simply let yourself be? Without phone, TV, music, podcast, book, or conversations. Just you and the silence. And if you can’t remember when that last happened, take these last lines as a challenge.
If you are truly ready to let silence guide you and hear your own voice, this experience in Leshten is your invitation to happiness.
Escape into the Wild in Leshten for Two
Duration: 1 or 2 nights
Location: Leshten
Stay in an authentic stone house in Leshten and take on simple off-grid challenges: lighting a fire, cooking from scratch, hiking trails with views of the Rhodopes. Evenings unfold under a starry sky and long conversations. Ideal for couples who want unhurried time together and to deepen their sense of closeness and adventure.