Above Rila Monastery, in the folds of the Rila Mountains, a path leads to the hermit's cave where it all began. The monastery was founded in the tenth century by Saint Ivan of Rila, a monk who left the world to live as a recluse in these forests, and he gathered followers who built a community.
The setting is lovely. The Rilska river rushes down the valley, the slopes are dense with forest, and above the tree line rise bare granite peaks, the highest in the Balkans. In autumn, the beeches turn gold and copper, and in winter, snow lies thick. The monastery itself, with its striped arcades, domed church and painted frescoes, is the most important in Bulgaria, and was inscribed by UNESCO in 1983. During the centuries of Ottoman rule, it kept the Bulgarian language and faith alive, and is treasured as a symbol of national identity.
The road up to the monastery from the town of Rila is a good, winding mountain road, with long bends, forest on both sides and little traffic outside the tourist season. The valley is a place for a slow ride. Weather is changeable, and clouds can come down fast, bringing rain or fog, and even in summer you will need a warm layer. Snow can close the upper road in winter.
Sapareva Banya, the nearest town in the list, is famous for its geyser, which is said to be the hottest mineral spring in continental Europe, at about a hundred degrees. Fuel is available in Rila town and in larger towns such as Dupnitsa, and you should not count on finding any near the hermitage. Walking shoes are useful for the last part, and a respectful dress code applies at the chapel.