Bulgaria isn't just about the winter and skiing, there are many places of interests to visit. To list them all would take a long time and a lot of web space, so here I will list just a few of them that are within easy reach of Bansko.

Rila Monastery

    Set high in the Rila mountains and about 1 hour from Bansko the Rila Monastery  whilst still being a working monastery is breathtaking. The church which is set in the central courtyard is decorated inside and out with brightly painted murals depicting stories from the bible. The altar with its elaborate carvings and icons are awe inspiring. Within the museum will be found hand crafted crosses in wood and silver filigree, hand crafted prayer boxes and hand sewn tapestries.

Melnik

Nestled in spectacular sandstone cliffs which form mysterious peaks Melnik is famous throughout Bulgaria for its wine production. Spread out along a valley, the town is very picturesque. At the top end of the valley is a museum, a short walk from the museum set in a cliff top cave is to be found a wine cellar where you can sample the local wine.

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                             Yagodinska Cave

Deep in the Rhodope mountains down a stunning narrow Gorge, lies the entrance to Yagodinska cave. The cave measuring 1.1km in length was carved from the rock by an underground river. Discovered only a few decades ago, the river was diverted through the narrow gorge (where it still flows today) and the caves was then opened up to the public. Inside, as you walk the route the river once took, there are stunning chambers and corridors with stalactites hanging above your head.

Just 200 metres from the exit to the cave a cave dwelling has also been found, which also has been opened to the public. The guide will take you inside and to explain how the cave dwellers lived hundreds of years ago. There is a corridor leading off the main cave dwelling that reportedly carries on for 6 kilometres and not for the faint hearted twists and turns and becomes so narrow in places that you must crawl to get through.

Just a short distance from the Yagodinska cave also lies the Devils Throat cave. Inside there is a lake, after walking around the lake there are approximately 300 which you climb to view the Famous for 60 metre indoor waterfall. In spring they offer rafting actually within the cave.

Dospat Lake

En-route to the wondrous bridges, the drive takes you through some amazing country-side and scenery, the lake at Dospat being no exception. There is a clear view from high above to the lake below and one of its many Islands.

Wondrous bridges

A natural Phenomenon, these natural bridges were carved into the marble rock by a river following an earthquake thousands of years ago. Truly spectacular the wholes that were carved by the river reach 15 metres in height and actually do form a natural bridge, where you can walk across the top 45 metres above the ground.

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