Articles from category: Vitosha from bulgariainside.com

Mountain Walks: Dragalevtsi Monastery

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:26:00 +0200

If you happen to be one of those who are not in love with winter sports, mountains can offer you alternative tourism and leisure opportunities during the winter months. All you need is nice companions and a sunny day. Vitosha Mountain has several paths suitable for walks, even when it is snowy. It would be best to select a short path that offers you the chance to relax. One such walk will take you to Dragalevtsi Monastery. The monastery is situated three km away from the district of Dragalevtsi. During the summer, you can reach it following the road. In the winter, this would be difficult and the best option is to walk. The walk can start from the central part of Dragalevtsi or from the first station of the seat lift. You might have difficulties finding a parking space, since the tourists using the lift leave their vehicles there. Despite the slope, the walk is pleasant...

Aleko

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:49:00 +0200

Everyone knows the popular mountain resorts of Bulgaria, just to name Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo. The country has some other resorts that offer opportunities for the practice of winter sports away from the noise of the mass skiing destinations. The capital city of Sofia is situated in the foot of Vitosha Mountain. Only minutes away from the city center, you can find a quiet place where you can have a picnic or practice mountain biking, skiing and hiking. Aleko is a mountain area located at an altitude of 1800 m. Its tourism center is formed of a cabin, fast food spots, ski tracks and the needed facilities like lifts. Tourists can reach Aleko walking or using the lift. Though the lift is quite old, prices for using the facility can be seen as very low. During the summer, you can walk up to Aleko and have a lazy picnic on one of the many meadows located nearby. In case...

The Golden Bridges (Zlatnite Mostove)

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:02:00 +0200

Various rock phenomena can be seen in Vitosha Mountain, just minutes away from the capital city of Sofia. The mountain is known for its so-called stone rivers. Zlatnite Mostove (the golden bridges) is one such natural phenomenon. The stone river ‘flows’ at an altitude of 1500 to 1350m. Large stone blocks, covered by gold lichens, have given the name of Zlatni Mostove. According to another version, the place had some gold deposits. Tourists can have a picnic or sunbathe on the large, smooth stones. Another option is trying to climb up the stone river. Zlatnite Mostove is one of the most popular Vitosha spots. In case you like a calm walk away from all the noise look for another location. If you want to explore several Vitosha beauties at the same time start your walk from Aleko, cross the Vitosha plateau and head down to Zlatnite Mostove. The walk lasts...

Boyanski waterfall

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:52:00 +0300

Sofia’s water-related masterpieces are almost entirely connected to the puddles that appear in the city after each rain. Well, a few exceptions do exist. One of them is a real waterfall, located a walking distance from the center of the city. Boyanski waterfall flows only five kilometers away from the residential district of Boyana. It also happens to be the largest waterfall of Vitosha Mountain. You can reach the waterfall from Boyana, following Boyanska River. The walk lasts an hour and the final part involves climbing up a steep path. If you love extreme and alternative forms of tourism- try climbing up the waterfall during the winter. Boyanski waterfall is one of the few places in Bulgaria that offers good conditions for ice climbing. The waterfall freezes in two separate branches. The two offer differing difficulty levels. The left branch is less steep while...

Cherni Vruh Peak

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 17:55:00 +0200

If someday you decide to view Sofia from high above, try climbing to Cherni Vruh peak. The peak happens to be one of the 100 national tourism sites. Cherni Vruh is Vitosha’s highest point, impressive with its 2290 m. To reach the peak, you can use one of the following routes. Option A includes walking from Zlatnite Mostove to Koumata cabin. From there, you start the actual climb to the peak. The entire hike lasts three hours and a half. Option B involves a longer hike, starting from the village of Yarlovo, through Siva Gramada peak. The walk lasts nearly five hours. Cherni Vruh is also accessible from Aleko (a hike of an hour and a half), Tintyava cabin (three hours and a half), Edelvais cabin (two hours and a half), Chouipetlovo village (four hours and a half). Make your research in advance, since some of the routes lack clear marking. Vitosha is the only...

Kopitoto

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 17:58:00 +0200

Two of the Vitosha must-sees are Zlatnite Mostove and Kopitoto. The television tower set up in the area creates the illusion of mobility, as you look at its 100 meters of height. Kopitoto area is located in Vitosha, at an altitude of 1350 m. The distance from Sofia is insignificant. An entire tourism center has formed, using the tower as its focal point. The center has its restaurants and shops. A walk from Sofia to Kopitoto lasts an hour and a half to two hours. Your starting point should be either Kniazhevo or Ovcha Koupel residential districts. Public transportation and lifts can make your trip to Kopitoto easier. Kopitoto is actually one of the lower Vitosha peaks. The television tower has been built in its western part. The tower can clearly be seen from Sofia. The tourism center has its luxurious five-star hotel. Hotel Kopitoto is located in the eastern part of...