The mountains of southwestern Bulgaria are among the wildest in the Balkans, and the area between Rila and Pirin holds a string of small monasteries tucked into forested valleys. During centuries of Ottoman rule these monasteries kept the Bulgarian language, the Orthodox faith and the art of icon painting alive, and the great Rila Monastery, founded in the tenth century around the hermitage of Saint Ivan of Rila, became the national symbol.
The setting is lovely. To the north rise the granite peaks of the Rila range, the highest in the Balkans, with Musala above 2,900 metres, and to the east the Pirin, with limestone ridges and glacial lakes. Rivers such as the Struma and the Rilska run through deep valleys, and beech and pine forests cover the slopes. Sapareva Banya, a small spa town not far away, has a geyser of very hot water, reputedly the hottest in continental Europe, and the region is full of mineral springs.
Riding in the area is a pleasure. The roads climb through forest in sweeping bends, with views over valleys and ranges, and surfaces range from good to pitted, depending on the winter. Traffic is light apart from weekends and pilgrim days, when the monasteries are busy. Be ready for sudden weather changes, and watch for loose gravel on corners and animals on the road, especially at dusk. May to June, when wildflowers cover the meadows, and September to October, with golden beech forests, are the best seasons.
Monasteries expect modest dress and quiet behaviour, so cover shoulders and knees, remove helmets and sunglasses, and ask before photographing inside. Blagoevgrad, about twenty kilometres away, is a university town with several fuel stations, supermarkets and restaurants, and Sapareva Banya and Rila have smaller services. A bowl of bean soup, a plate of grilled meat with shopska salad, and a glass of local rakia complete the Bulgarian picture, though the rakia is best left until you have parked.