Walks near Sofia
TRAILS FOR KIDS IN VITOSHA MOUNTAIN
(1) Zvezditsa hut
The stars are high in the sky, so the name Zvezditsa (Star in Bulgarian) bears the highest raised hut on Vitosha Mountain (at 1850 m altitude in the Marina Polyana area). The hut is easily reached by car, with lots of activities on the green wide meadow in front of the hut. There is a “baby” corner with a small climbing frame and a little house, next to them there is a volleyball and football field, and the favourite for all children big trampoline.
Very pleasant for walks, for young and old is the trail from Zvezditsa hut to Edelweiss hut. Even if you do not walk the whole route, the children will surely enjoy the shady alleys, small creeks and picturesque bridges.
Zvezditsa hut is an excellent place for picnics and escape from the heat of the city in summer, and in winter there are camps and ski-lessons for children.
(2) Simeonovo lift and walks around Aleko hut
The cable car Simeonovo-Aleko is the longest cabin lift in Bulgaria with a length of 6270 m. It was built in 1983, and its first station is located at 727 m above sea level, and the top is at Aleko hut at 1810 m altitude. Each cabin has 6 seats.
The children love this 30-minutes journey, with a spectacular panorama towards Sofia and Vitosha mountain.
Once you get off at the last station, you will get energized by the clean fresh mountain air and you can enjoy it along the numerous trails leading to Cherni Vrah (the highest peak of Vitosha) or as we chose the lighter path towards Bai Krastyo area. In August, this trails has lots of raspberry bushes along the way, so your walk will not be fast, but delicious and a with lots of fun.
(3) Eco path of health from the village of Kladnitsa to Selimitsa hut
The village of Kladnitsa is located about 20 km from Sofia, and with Google maps you can easily reach the beginning of the eco-trail, close to the end of the village. The parking lot is small, and on weekends there are many parked cars on the side of the road. The eco-trail of healthy begins slightly, and subsequently passes through larger stones.
The path itself is slightly steep, and if you are with younger children you can easily give up, but there are many places along the way with benches and tables to sit, relax and enjoy the fresh air. The eco-trail itself is very picturesque, walking along the river, with stones and trees beautifully decorated with moss.
General information:
Location: Vitosha mounthain is located south of Sofia, between the Balkan Mountains and the Rila-Rhodope massif, and is part of the Srednogorie region.
Highest peak: Cherni Vrah (2290 m)
Tourist map of Vitosha Nature Park: https://park-vitosha.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/%D0%A2%D1%83%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B7%D1%8A%D0%BC.pdf
More information about the oldest natural park on the Balkans – Vitosha Park can be found at: https://park-vitosha.org/
Trip Tips for Vitosha:
Best time to visit: all year round in good weather – in winter there are daily and night slopes, in summer – coolness from the heat of the city.
Places to visit: Less than 30 minutes by car from Sofia center, there are wonderful places for picnics, rest and walks. It is definitely worth visiting the Boyana Church, the Boyana Waterfall, the Dragalevtsi Monastery, as well as over 20 huts and shelters, between which there are picturesque hikes.
TripTips 