Melnik

The smallest town in Bulgaria: wine, sand pyramids and a walk to Rozhen Monastery.

Smallesttown in Bulgaria

100 mhigh sand pyramids

8.1 kmto Rozhen and back

1346wine since

Melnik

Wine between the sand rocks

White houses against high sand rocks, cobbled streets and cellars full of wine. Take your time for a glass on a terrace and watch the sun colour the rocks.

What you will see

Four reasons to go

Town

The town

Wine houses against the rocks, cobblestones and 96 protected buildings. You can walk through it in a quarter of an hour.

Melnik

Nature

Sand pyramids

Sandstone rocks up to 100 m high, shaped over millions of years by rain and wind.

Natural monument since 1960

Monastery

Rozhen Monastery

One of the oldest monasteries in Bulgaria, with views over the pyramids.

6 km from Melnik

Nature

Rock tunnel

A hand-carved tunnel through the sandstone, between Rozhen and Lyubovishte.

Near Rozhen

The walk

From Melnik to Rozhen

MelnikStart, 437 m
Dry riverbedFlat start
ClimbAround km 3, steep
PlateauHighest point 661 m
Rozhen MonasteryAfter approx. 1 km

8.1 km there and backApprox. 3¾ hours400 m ascentEasySpring to autumn

The most beautiful part: right through the sand pyramids, with views of Melnik and the mountains of Greece.
The path is not marked everywhere. Bring an offline map.
Sturdy shoes: lots of thorn bushes and sometimes snakes.
It is hot in summer. Go early and bring plenty of water.

Return the same way, or get picked up in Rozhen.

Wine

Tasting in the rocks

Wine has been made in Melnik since at least 1346. The local grape, Shiroka melnishka loza, grows almost nowhere else.

Wine cellars are carved into the sandstone rocks.
Kordopulov House: an 18th-century merchant house with one of the largest wine cellars in the country.
According to tradition, Churchill was a fan of Melnik wine.

Our experience

What we thought

Melnik is our absolute favourite outside Bansko. Every time we enjoy the white sand pyramids, the old houses against the rocks and a glass of wine in a cool cellar. We recommend the walk to Rozhen Monastery to everyone: the view over the pyramids all the way to Greece remains impressive.

— The Groen family, Dobrinishte

Practical