Private day tour from Plovdiv to Melnik and Rozhen Monastery
The smallest town in Bulgaria is located in the very southwestern part of Pirin Mountain and it is almost on the border with Greece. Nestled in between the mountain hills and interesting sand pyramids, Melnik is one of the most interesting places you could visit around the country. If you are in Plovdiv you should visit those locations.
Melnik has an intriguing history with Romans, Slavs, Trakians, Turks, Greeks and Bulgars who occupied the territory of the city. Nowadays, the population of the town is less than 400 people, however, only a few centuries ago, Melnik was mainly inhabited by Greeks in more than 1000 houses.
Do not remove the town from your travel bucket list, yet, though, Melnik is widely known for the outstanding wine produced there and people often visit it for wine tastings. You will not only get to try some of the best wines produced in Bulgaria, but you will also learn more about the process of fermentation and wine making.
The traditionally, flavoured and delicious Bulgarian wines, though, are not the only reason why you should visit the town. Almost 100 of the houses on the area around Melnik are considered cultural monuments, and the town is considered an architectural reservart. Boyar’s House is one of the oldest houses on the Balkans, while the Kordopulova House is the biggest in the country from the Bulgarian National Revival period and they are both located on the territory of Melnik. The houses are open to the public as museums/restaurants so you can enjoy going back in time and seeing how the rich families used to live.
You will be also absolutely stunned by the beautiful views around the city. Melnik Earth Pyramids are rock formations resembling mushrooms, cones and towers with a height up to 100 meters located on an area of 17 square km around the town. The pyramids are considered an unique geological phenomenon, and were announced as a national landmark 60 years ago. The pyramids are always changing as their shape is due to the erosion and bedrock wear.
One of the most popular and well preserved monasteries in Bulgaria and the biggest in Pirin Mountain is Rozhen Monastery. It is located approximately 7 km away from Melnik. Unfortunately, it is not completely clear what was the date or even the year of the establishment of the monastery. However, evidence from the 12th and 13th centuries were found. Rozhen Monastery is also extremely popular for its beautiful frescos and iconostasis.
It is an interesting fact that one of the icons in the monastery - of Virgin Mary is regarded as remarkable and supernatural. People from all over the world would come to pray to her every year believing that it could cure any sickness.
Book your private tour from Plovdiv to Melnik and Rozhen Monastery and explore the smallest town in Bulgaria, while sipping on a fresh traditional wine and learning more about the fascinating story of one of the most popular monasteries in Bulgaria.
What you will visit on the tour:
Melnik;
Rozhen Monastery;
Tour Duration
- 10 to 12 hours, depending on the itinerary, pick up and drop off location tour duration may vary.
