Hotels near Rila National Park

Rila National Park is the first genuine national park on this list and the largest protected area in Bulgaria. Its best known corner is the Seven Rila Lakes, a staircase of glacial tarns lying between 2,095 m and 2,535 m: Dolnoto Ezero, Ribnoto Ezero, Babreka, Bliznaka, Trilistnika, Okoto and Salzata, each named for its shape.

The Seven Rila Lakes chairlift carries you from roughly 1,500 m at Panichishte to 2,100 m near Rilski Ezera Hut in about 20 minutes. Adult tickets cost 11.00 EUR (21.51 BGN) one way and 16.00 EUR (31.29 BGN) return; children aged 5 to 12, pensioners and disabled visitors pay 8.00 EUR (15.65 BGN) return, and under-5s travel free. It runs 08:30 to 17:30 Tuesday to Sunday, opens only at 12:30 on Mondays, and closes all day on the last Monday of each month. Parking at the base station costs 5 BGN (2.56 EUR) a day. Rila National Park is administered from 12B Bistritsa Street, Blagoevgrad.

From the top station the full circuit of all seven lakes runs 9 to 10 km with 350 to 500 m of climbing and takes 3 to 4 hours, with the Haramiyata viewpoint as its high point.

Pro Tip: There is no direct bus from Sofia. Take a BDZ train or a Union Ivkoni coach to Dupnitsa, around 2 hours, then a local bus to Sapareva Banya and a taxi for the last 15 km up to the chairlift base at Panichishte.