Bansko is not only one of our most popular resorts, it is also a starting point for organized one-day and two-day excursions and tours to some of the most beautiful places in Pirin, Rila and Rhodope Mountains.
If you have chosen Bansko for your summer vacation and you are looking for a way to make your holiday even more exciting and unforgettable, you can join one of these excursions and tours, the most popular of which we will tell you now.
Popular one-day trips and excursions to Bansko and the surrounding area
Bansko – Rila Monastery
The one-day excursion from Bansko to the Rila Monastery is one of the most popular excursions in which you can join while you are visiting the town.
The Rila Monastery is not only one of the oldest monasteries in Bulgaria but it is one of the largest and most important cultural monuments in our country. Situated on an area of 8800 m2, of which 5500 m2 are built-up area, the Rila Monastery is the largest monastery in Bulgaria and preserves extremely valuable examples of Christianity.
The excursions to the Rila Monastery are suitable for families and are organized both by authorized tourist companies and by almost all hotels.
The price of a one-day excursion to the Rila Monastery varies depending on which tour operator you are using and whether the trip is offered by the hotel where you are staying or by the tour operator, but in general the price does not exceed BGN 90 – 100.
If you have not been given a chance to visit the Rila Monastery so far, this one-day excursion is an ideal way not only to visit one of the biggest Bulgarian sights but also to return filled with many new emotions.
Bansko – Leshten – Kovatchevitsa – Ognyanovo
This one-day excursion is available in different variants, depending on the travel agency or hotel that organizes it. Some tourist companies and hotels offer a trip only to Leshten, others combine Leshten and Kovachevitsa, and third ones offer an even more attractive route that includes Bansko – Leshten – Kovachevitsa and Ognyanovo.
No matter which option you choose, you will not be disappointed for a moment. The villages of Leshten and Kovachevitsa are extremely popular for tourists as they offer a unique atmosphere to their visitors. The most characteristic of the two settlements are the preserved ensembles of houses of the Bulgarian Revival Period. Both Leshten and Kovachevitsa will impress you with the nature, the atmosphere and the architecture, which you will find hard to find elsewhere.
Ognyanovo is also not to be underestimated, especially if you like to enjoy the beautiful mountain views comfortably seated near a swimming pool. The village is popular with its mineral pools and your one-day excursion can very easily become an unforgettable day of complete relaxation and recreation.
The one-day trips and excursions to Leshten – Kovatchevitsa – Ognyanovo are offered both by hotels and by a number of tour operators, and the price varies between 70 and 100 leva.
If you are looking for a destination to visit with the family and just for a day, the one-day trip to these three unique villages will appeal to you very much.
Bansko – the village of Dobarsko
In recent years the village of Dobarsko has gained a huge popularity and has become one of the desired places for day trips and tours in Bansko and the surrounding area.
In the village is located one of the most remarkable churches “St. St. Theodor Strinton and Theodore Stratilat”, which is included in the list of 100 national tourist sites and is a cultural monument of national importance.
The church was built in the 17th century, and what makes it unique is the frescoes with which it is painted. There is also the famous fresco, which became popular as “Jesus in the Rocket”.
The one-day excursion to the village of Dobarsko includes, besides visiting the church and sightseeing, a visit to the Strakaloto waterfall, which is above the village.
This excursion is also family-friendly and is available from almost all hotels and travel agencies, and the price you can buy is about 50 leva.
Bansko – Rupite – Melnik
This one-day tour will surprise you very pleasantly as you are visiting Rupite, the place blessed by the prophetess Baba Vanga. Here you can have a walk around the beautifully landscaped park, explore Baba Vanga’s house, visit the temple and even organize a short picnic for lunch.
The excursion continues to Melnik – the smallest but one of the most charming towns in our country. The town is popular with its wine cellars, its old houses, the fortress that rises above the town and of course the Melnik earth pyramids that attract the view from afar.
The one-day excursion with a visit to Rupite and Melnik can also include a visit of Rozhen Monastery which is located a few kilometers from the town.
If you want to visit the monastery, before buying the excursion, first ask whether it is included in the tour route or not.
Bansko – Park of the dancing bears
The Dancing Bears Park is located a few kilometers away from Belitsa and, as it is open to visitors, is one of the most preferred places to visit the tourists who decided to spend their holidays in Bansko. One-day excursions to Belitsa and the Dancing Bears Park are offered by all hotels and tour agencies operating on the territory of Bansko.
The park was created for the re-adaptation of the dancing bears, which 20 years ago were one of the attractions that the tourists mainly enjoyed by the sea. Today, the dancing bears have their own home where they can live calmly and undisturbed in their natural environment.
The one-day excursion is suitable for the whole family and is a great way to introduce your children to these beautiful forest animals.
Typically, the cost of the trip includes transport and a visit to the park. Prices vary depending on the organizer between 50 and 70 BGN.
Bansko – Yagodinska cave
The visit of Yagodinska Cave will leave you unforgettable memories. The excursion is one-day and includes transport and sightseeing of the cave halls.
Yagodinska Cave is located in Buynovo Gorge and is one of the most beautiful caves in our country. The length of the tourist route in the cave is about 1000 meters long, and the halls you will pass through are filled with incredible cave formations such as cave stalactites, stalagmites, stalagnates, which form strange and interesting figures with even more bizarre names.
The walk to Yagodensko Cave is a great way to spend a wonderful day in the Rhodopes and to recharge with lots of new emotions.
This one-day excursion is offered by all tour operators and from almost all hotels, suitable for the whole family and the price you can buy it varies between 89 and 100 leva.
One-day excursion from Bansko to Kavala (Greece)
If you are in Bansko but want to enjoy the sea at least for a day, the one-day excursion to Kavala will surely appeal to you.
To spend a wonderful day on the Greek Sea, you just have to ask at the hotel to offer one-day excursions to Kavala, to buy the excursion and head to Greece to enjoy a wonderful day on the beach.
The trip to Kavala is usually offered at a price of around 100 leva, and includes free time for a beach and a visit to a Greek fortress.
Two-day excursions from Bansko to Kavala and Drama
If the one-day excursions and tours in Bansko and the surrounding areas seem short to you, then you can join one of the two-day excursions, which are increasingly offered by both tourist companies and hotels.
One of the most popular two-day excursions that appeal to tourists as well as people from Bansko is to Kavala and Drama. The excursion includes a visit to the beach and free time for walks and shopping in Kavala and Drama.
The prices offered by the two-day excursions to Kavala and Drama range from 150 to 200 leva.
Two-day excursion Bansko – Thassos island
More and more residents of Bansko choose the two-day visit to Thassos, as it is a great way to visit one of the most beautiful, quiet Greek islands and enjoy two quiet days on the beach.
Thassos Island is just 170 km away from Bansko and if you want to go to Greece for two days while on holiday, you can take part in one of the two-day excursions to the island, which are offered by most hotels as well as by all the tourist agencies that operate on the territory of the town.
The two-day excursion includes transportation to the island and leisure time on the beach. The excursion is suitable for the whole family, and the price at which it can be purchased depends on the accommodation.
Why the one-day trips and excursions in Bansko and the surrounding areas are so popular among the tourists?
Local residents of Bansko are famous for their hospitality and their love for their home land. For them it is important that the guests of the town feel very enjoyable and comfortable and strive to provide every tourist the fun, adventure or relaxation they need.
The tours and trips organized in Bansko are a wonderful way for every tourist not only to be able to relax in the town but also to get acquainted with some of the popular historical, architectural and cultural sights that are located close to the town.
Because the people of Bansko are able to meet their guests in a special way – with open heart and soul!