Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Getting There & Away
From Sofia (17 lv, three hours), 15 daily buses serve Bansko, most via Blagoevgrad; from
the latter to Bansko, it's 6 lv. Several more buses travelling to Gotse Delchev stop at
Bansko.
From Bansko, four or five daily buses serve Blagoevgrad (two hours). Two morning
buses serve Plovdiv (16 lv, 3½ hours). Between mid-June and mid-September, three daily
minibuses (4 lv) serve Hizha Banderitsa.
The coolest route to Bansko, however, is by narrow-gauge railway ; the last such route
in Bulgaria, the train goes from Bansko to Septemvri station in five hours (5 lv, four
daily), from where you continue west to Sofia or east to Plovdiv and beyond.
At the two-hour mark after leaving Bansko is Avramovo Station , the highest Balkan
train station at 1267m. The leisurely, visually stunning ride passes through narrow tunnels
and dense forests and past bubbling rivers. It's highly recommended for those not in a
rush, and the train is as modern on the inside as it is lovably antiquated on the outside.
Word is that the government keeps this unprofitable route open only for the nostalgic
value and touristic enjoyment, so do consider patronising it.
Three daily trains depart Bansko for Septemvri. The ticket office sells tickets only 10
minutes before departure time, so ascertain these times ahead.
Melnik
07437 / POP 385
Tiny Melnik is one of Bulgaria's most distinctive villages due to its traditional architec-
ture, local wine, and location (about 20km north of Greece). Tucked beneath imposing
sandstone cliffs. the village has historically been a wine-production centre, and you'll find
plenty to sample at restaurants and even at National Revival-era house museums where
vintners once lived.
The yellow-white mixture of clay and sand in the backing hills has, over centuries,
eroded into bizarre formations resembling pyramids and giant mushrooms. (The village's
name probably comes from the Old Slavonic mel , 'sandy chalk'.)
Melnik has seen Thracian, Roman, Byzantine and early Bulgarian rule. After an Otto-
man doldrums, it had a resurgence during the National Revival period. Melnik's once-not-
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