Sunny Paradise Campsite

Want to be out and about on foot? Trek up to the spectacular Mangaro or Dabitsata falls in Belasitsa Nature Park (40 minutes’ drive), or turn west and hike into a forested gorge to picnic overlooking the dramatic Leshnishki Waterfall (50 minutes). Anglers can fish the Struma river (20 minutes), and there are cycling and walking trails criss-crossing the foothills of Pirin National Park (an hour). Just over the border into Greece is Kerkini Lake National Park (50 minutes), where footpaths lead to a lake that's home to flamingos and pelicans. Closer to base camp, you can take a dip in steaming waters at the natural mineral baths in Rupite (25 minutes). For a taster of Bulgarian history and culture, tour the crumbling remains of the once-important Thracian town of Heraclea Sintica (half an hour), where Alexander the Great started his military campaign. There are ornate frescoes in the chapel at medieval Rozhen Monastery (40 minutes); coming more up to date, you can visit the simple peasant home of blind 20th-century mystic Baba Vanga in Petrich (20 minutes).