Must See Bulgaria - Rila Mountains

The majestic Rila Mountains south of Sofia are a hiker's dream. The classic trip across the mountains to Rila Monastery can be done in a couple of days, depending on your mettle. The dedicated can start at the Borovets ski resort and climb Musala Peak, the highest mountain in the Balkan Peninsula.

Nestling in a narrow valley, Rila Monastery helped to keep Bulgarian culture alive during the dark age of Turkish rule from the 15th to the 19th centuries. The monastery was founded by Ivan Rilski in 927 and served as a retreat for hermits; it was moved 3km (2mi) to its present location in 1335.

In 1833, a fire destroyed the monastery, but it was soon rebuilt on a grand scale in the National Revival style. The magnificent church, with its three great domes, is lined with 1200 frescoes depicting donors and biblical figures. There's also a gilded iconostasis depicting 36 biblical scenes. The museums here house religious art and artefacts as well as folk costumes and household implements. A couple of kilometres into the forest is the cave where Ivan Rilski lived and where he is now buried. According to a local legend, those able to pass through the hole in the roof of the cave have not sinned, and since you'd have to be Mack-sized to touch the sides, the legend is very popular.