Venue: Grand Hotel Bansko
Date: 27 May 2025, Tuesday, 20:00 h
images from icnpu2023
Date: 30 May 2025, Friday, 9:00 – 14:00 h
We plan to take you in nature this time. Prepare for some hiking in the beautiful Pirin Mountains.
Extending over an area of 27.400 ha and lying at an altitude of 1,008–2,914 m in the Pirin mountains, in south-west Bulgaria, Pirin National Park has a limestone Balkan landscape, with lakes, waterfalls, caves and pine forests. The rugged mountains, with more than hundred glacial lakes scattered throughout them, are home to hundreds of endemic and rare species, many of which are representative of the Balkan Pleistocene flora.
Pirin Mountain, a glorious glacial landscape of peaks and lakes, offers some of the finest hiking and climbing in Europe. Pirin has acquired an Alpine relief – rocky marble or granite peaks and cliffs, deep cirques, well-shaped glacier valleys and numerous lakes.
Northern Pirin is the home of the highest peak, Vihren (2914m), of 60 peaks above 2500m – 3 peaks above 2900 m, 7 peaks above 2800 m and 14 peaks above 2700 m, and of beautifully glacial lakes (140-150 in number, from them more than 100 in central massif).
Because of its unique nature, in 1983 UNESCO decided to include the Pirin National Park in the list of the world’s cultural and natural heritage.
Date: 28 May 2025, Wednesday, 9:00 – 12:00 h
Rila Monastery is the biggest operating monastery in the country and one of the most important cultural sights in Bulgaria. It has been founded in 10th c. by a Bulgarian monk Saint Yoan of Rila and rebuilt in 13th -14th c. This is the period when the stone tower was erected by local feudal Hrelyo Dragovola. Bishop’s chair, wood-carved door, some books, icons, and church plates are of the same period. 19th c. frescos are remarkable. Rila Monastery is included into UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List since 1983.
Bookings can be made during initial registration or later on by visiting the following website: