Melnik & Rozhen Monastery Wine Day Trip

Melnik holds the title of Bulgaria's smallest town, squeezed into a valley beneath surreal sandstone pyramids sculpted by centuries of erosion. Its white Revival-era houses sit above wine cellars carved straight into the soft rock, and we stop at one of them for a guided tasting of the local Shiroka Melnishka Losa — a powerful, dark red said to have once been a favourite of Winston Churchill.

After lunch in Melnik, we climb into the hills to Rozhen Monastery, where a beautifully carved wooden iconostasis and sweeping views over the Pirin foothills make for a peaceful close to the day. Between the wine, the scenery and the history, this is one of our most popular trips for couples and small groups looking for something a little different from the usual sightseeing route.