Meet the Locals: Razlog Valley 2-Day Tour from Sofia

Discover the beautiful Razlog Valley on this 2-day tour from Sofia. Enjoy a homestay with a local family and taste the delicious Bulgarian food. Visit the Rila Monastery, explore the charming old town of Bansko, and visit the church in Dobarsko.

Are you a business owner in Bulgaria?

Promote your business 365 days a year with the #1 Guide to Bulgaria.

Gain MAXIMUM EXPOSURE with a 'Dedicated Business Profile'

Highlights

Meet the locals in Bulgaria by staying overnight with a local family
Visit Rila Monastery and admire the beautiful frescoes and wonderful mountain landscapes in the background
Explore the cobblestone streets in the charming old town of Bansko
Visit the church in Dobarsko
Enjoy the delicious local food
Dance and sing along with the locals
Learn more about the local life and traditions
Get to know about the Bansko and Dobarsko Fairy Tale

Description

Razlog Valley is located about 160 kilometers from Sofia between 3 mountains – Rila, Pirin, and Rodopi. This unique location gives you a great variety of cultures, traditions, landscapes, and typical food. On this 2-day tour you also visit Dobarsko, a small village not far from Razlog, as well as Bansko, a charming old town with cobblestone streets and local taverns. It offers a great variety of hiking trails and is often visited by mountain trekkers and skiers in the winter. Detailed Itinerary Day 1: After a 2-hour drive you reach the most visited UNESCO site in Bulgaria – the Rila Monastery. Your visit there takes 2 hours, allowing you to admire beautiful frescoes and wonderful mountain landscapes in the background. You then have the opportunity to try the local specialty of fresh grilled trout. You then drive another 1 hour and 20 minutes to a small village in the Razlog Valley where you meet a local family and check-in at their own house. If you wish you can enjoy a donkey ride around the village all the way to the water well. In the evening your hosts will show how they prepare their food, how they live and have fun (singing and dancing). They will serve you homemade food and a glass of rakia (grape brandy) to welcome you and invite you to join their dances. Day 2: After a nice breakfast in the morning, you say goodbye to your hosts and visit the church in Dobarsko, a 10-minute drive from the village. You then head to Bansko and spend the rest of the day around its old town, the house of Neofit Rilski (the monk from the monastery), and its charming cobblestone streets. After this very hospitable visit you head back to Sofia.

Includes

Return transfers from your hotel/accommodation in Sofia
Guide
Parking fees
Entrance fees
Meals (lunch, dinner, and breakfast)
1 night in double room (family hotel)
Personal expenses
Single room use and hotel upgrade

Important Information

Special requirements: - Comfortable shoes - Women should have their knees and shoulders covered in the Rila Monastery Start: 9:00 End: 18:00 (next day) Recommended period: All year round Driving time: Approximately 7 hours Walking time: Approximately 2.5 hours Accessible for disabled: Yes, fairly accessible