Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
And while it's well equipped for self-catering, why cook, when the best restaurant
for miles is a stroll down the lane?
Krachma
(literally, “restaurant”) is a tiny
building on the main road through town, marked by the red-and-white gingham
tablecloths you'll see under the spreading canopy of a magnificent old tree. From its
branches wine corks dangle; tug one and tinkling bells summon the waiter. The “Kofte
Leshten Style” is superb—a single tender cut of pork rather than a patty, delicately fla-
vored—order it with Ljutenitza (mashed red peppers, leek, and spices) and chips—the
latter a deep yellow color, waxy and rich in flavor; even the plain cucumber salad,
remarkably sweet, is superb. Hardly surprising then to hear that all the produce is
hand-grown on Misho's farm.
Tip:
Across the road from the restaurant is a gallery;
pop in to see the art on display; with any luck you'll bump into the Bulgarian poet
Boris Christov (his wife is the artist), a fascinating character whose eyes are as blue as
the horizon behind him, and passionate about Leshten. Boris has a created a photo-
graphic catalog of the village history in a small book,
Leshten,
which is on sale here,
along with CDs that expound his “personal mythology about the universe.”
Leshten is 40km (25 miles) from Bansko (40 min.).
&
07527/552
or 0899 990 776. 15 units. 60lev ($39/£21) room;
120lev ($77/£41) house. No credit cards.
Amenities:
Restaurant. In room:TV, kitchen, backgammon, fireplace.
HIKING & SKIIING IN THE RILA, PIRIN
& RHODOPE MOUNTAINS
Hiking
The most rewarding hike in the country is the “Rila Seven Lakes” trail, a moderate 2-
to 4-day walk (walking 5-6 hr. a day). It is well signposted, but if you would prefer
an English-speaking guide, with meals and accommodations arranged, the best com-
pany to deal with is
Zig Zag
(see Sofia “Visitor Info,” earlier in this chapter); their 4-
day Rila hike (180
€
/$231) also includes a visit to Rila Monastery and Mount
Malyovitza—at 2,729m (8,951 ft.) not much smaller than nearby Mount Mussala
(2,925m/9,594 ft.), the latter the highest summit in southeast Europe. Zig Zag also
offer a 4-day guided hike in the Rhodope for 250
($318) per person (minimum two
participants); as well as hikes that combine kayaking on rivers and dams in the
Rhodope.
In Pirin the most highly rated trail is the Bansko-to-Melnik hike; almost on a par
is the hike from Mt. Vihren (Pirin's highest point at 2,914m/9,558 ft.) to Tevnoto lake
(the highest water in Pirin). Both 2-day hikes are offered by
Intersport
(www.
intersport.bansko.bg), which charges 50
€
/$64 per person, all-inclusive (see “Bansko:
Essentials: Getting There & Getting Around,” earlier in this chapter, for details).
Skiing
Bulgaria has three main winter resorts:
Borovets,
the oldest, is in the Rila Mountains,
but attracts the younger end of the market with the cheapest package deals. Skiing in
the Rhodope range is centered around
Pamporovo,
attractively situated in forested
surroundings but with no retail or nightlife heart, while in Pirin it is popular
Bansko
that is pulling in the punters, turning it into the fastest developing winter resort in
southeastern Europe. Combining the most sophisticated lifts in the country, the
longest ski season (mid-Dec to mid-Apr some years) and a characterful 19th-century
village heart, Bansko is likely to be your first port of call (see entry above). However,
given the uncontrolled development that is slowly ruining this town, less developed
Pamporovo may be a better bet; here the best hotel (and with no attractive heart to
the resort, you do want to stay in a hotel with the best facilities in town, not least as
€
