{"id":4170,"date":"2026-09-07T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/?p=4170"},"modified":"2026-09-14T22:01:22","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T20:01:22","slug":"bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/itineraries\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\/","title":{"rendered":"Bachkovo Monastery, Bulgaria: The country&#8217;s second largest monastery and the loop to the waterfall"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You do not have to hunt for Bachkovo Monastery. It sits directly on the road south towards <strong>Smolyan<\/strong>, <strong>10 km<\/strong> past Asenovgrad and <strong>30 km<\/strong> from Plovdiv, and you can see it from the turn-off. You stop, pay for parking, and everything after that is on foot. Between the car and the gate runs a <strong>lane of market stalls<\/strong> selling herbs, homemade fruit preserves and Rhodope wool blankets \u2014 and we liked it far more than expected. <em>It has the feel of a seaside promenade, and we are suckers for those.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We have been twice \u2014 once on an <strong>April afternoon<\/strong>, once on a <strong>July evening<\/strong> \u2014 and the two visits barely feel like the same place. In April the courtyards are empty and cool; in July the lane is packed. Allow <strong>an hour and a half<\/strong> for the monastery, the museum and the walk up to the waterfall, or <strong>under an hour<\/strong> if you stay inside the walls. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"background: #f4f7f6; border-left: 4px solid #2e7d6b; padding: 16px 20px; margin: 24px 0; border-radius: 4px;\"><strong style=\"font-size: 18px;\">Quick facts<\/strong>\n<table style=\"width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; margin-top: 10px;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 10px 14px 10px 0; width: 38%; vertical-align: top; border-bottom: 1px solid #d7e2df;\"><strong>Where it is<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 10px 0; vertical-align: top; border-bottom: 1px solid #d7e2df;\">the Rhodope mountains, beside the village of <strong>Bachkovo<\/strong>, in the valley of the Chepelarska river; 10 km from Asenovgrad, 30 km from Plovdiv; <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/search\/?api=1&amp;query=41.942278%2C24.849837\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Maps<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 10px 14px 10px 0; vertical-align: top; border-bottom: 1px solid #d7e2df;\"><strong>Getting there<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 10px 0; vertical-align: top; border-bottom: 1px solid #d7e2df;\">by car on the <strong>Asenovgrad \u2013 Smolyan<\/strong> road, turning right at Bachkovo village; the monastery is on the main road and hard to miss. Buses from Plovdiv towards Smolyan pass the turn-off<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 10px 14px 10px 0; vertical-align: top; border-bottom: 1px solid #d7e2df;\"><strong>How long<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 10px 0; vertical-align: top; border-bottom: 1px solid #d7e2df;\"><strong>an hour and a half<\/strong> for everything \u2014 courtyards, church, museum and the waterfall loop; <strong>under an hour<\/strong> for the monastery alone<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 10px 14px 10px 0; vertical-align: top; border-bottom: 1px solid #d7e2df;\"><strong>Opening hours<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 10px 0; vertical-align: top; border-bottom: 1px solid #d7e2df;\">in <strong>August we found it open until 19:00<\/strong>. The Bulgarian Tourist Union lists <strong>07:00 \u2013 19:00 in winter<\/strong> and <strong>07:00 \u2013 20:00 in summer<\/strong>; the monastery&#8217;s own site publishes only its services \u2014 <strong>7:00<\/strong> in the morning and <strong>17:00<\/strong> in the evening (18:00 in summer). Check the current times on the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bachkovskimanastir.com\/bg\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">official monastery site<\/a><\/strong>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 10px 14px 10px 0; vertical-align: top; border-bottom: 1px solid #d7e2df;\"><strong>Admission<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 10px 0; vertical-align: top; border-bottom: 1px solid #d7e2df;\">the courtyards and the church are <strong>free to enter<\/strong>. The <strong>museum is separate \u2014 \u20ac3.60<\/strong> (<em>pleasingly, the price is still quoted as \u20ac3 excluding VAT on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bachkovskimanastir.com\/bg\/cms\/%D0%BC%D1%83%D0%B7%D0%B5%D0%B9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">museum page<\/a><\/em> \ud83d\ude00). The ossuary outside the walls is charged separately again and is not permanently open.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 10px 14px 10px 0; vertical-align: top; border-bottom: 1px solid #d7e2df;\"><strong>Parking<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 10px 0; vertical-align: top; border-bottom: 1px solid #d7e2df;\"><strong>\u20ac2.50<\/strong> at the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/search\/?api=1&amp;query=41.942054%2C24.849708\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">car park by the south entrance<\/a><\/strong>. There are <strong>two of them, same price<\/strong>, and the attendants compete loudly for your car \u2014 <em>one has shade, and that is the whole difference.<\/em> Along the main road nearby, <strong>no-parking signs<\/strong> are almost everywhere; only <strong>two side streets<\/strong> near the monastery are free. Signage changes, so read it on the spot before you leave the car.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 10px 14px 10px 0; vertical-align: top; border-bottom: 1px solid #d7e2df;\"><strong>The waterfall<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 10px 0; vertical-align: top; border-bottom: 1px solid #d7e2df;\">the path starts from the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/search\/?api=1&amp;query=41.940966%2C24.858005\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">waymarking east of the car park<\/a><\/strong>; a <strong>loop of about half an hour<\/strong>, easy underfoot but poorly signposted<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"padding: 10px 14px 10px 0; vertical-align: top;\"><strong>100 National Sites<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"padding: 10px 0; vertical-align: top;\">one of the hundred national tourist sites of the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.btsbg.org\/100nto\/bachkovski-manastir\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bulgarian Tourist Union<\/a><\/strong> \u2014 a long-running scheme where walkers collect a stamp at each site in a booklet<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The icon that kept flying back to the rocks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A little history first, for atmosphere. The monastery was founded in <strong>1083<\/strong> by <strong>Grigorii Bakuriani<\/strong>, a Byzantine commander of Georgian origin, together with his brother <strong>Abasii<\/strong> \u2014 so its earliest history is Georgian rather than Bulgarian. Today it is the <strong>second largest<\/strong> monastery in the country after Rila.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Its great treasure is a <strong>miracle-working icon of the Virgin<\/strong>, and the icon comes with the best local legend. In the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/bg.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/%D0%91%D0%B0%D1%87%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8_%D0%BC%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%80\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">recorded version<\/a><\/strong> it runs roughly like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>The icon flew here from a Georgian monastery and came to rest at a spot in the rocks called Kluviyata. A fire broke out there that burned nothing. Two shepherds, a brother and a sister, watched the flames for three nights before telling the monks. They carried the icon down to the church \u2014 and several times it escaped back to the rocks.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The monastery&#8217;s own account is more down to earth: during the hard early years of Ottoman rule the icon was <strong>hidden at Kluviyata<\/strong> and found again in the <strong>early 17th century<\/strong>. To mark its return, a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bachkovskimanastir.com\/bg\/cms\/%D1%87%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B2%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">procession on Easter Monday<\/a><\/strong> was established back then and still walks today. <em>Two versions of the same events, and both beat a signboard.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The car park, the stalls and the gate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are two car parks side by side, <strong>identical prices<\/strong>, and attendants who wave you in at the same moment. If you back yourself, there is legal free parking nearby too \u2014 but the no-parking signs are densely planted along the main road, and <em>the mood can deteriorate quickly.<\/em> We paid and did not regret it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From there a <strong>cobbled lane<\/strong> runs to the gate, squeezed on both sides by stalls and small shops selling more or less everything that grows in the Rhodopes. At the end comes the <strong>stone gateway with saints painted above it<\/strong> \u2014 the best single frame on the site, and the point where the noise stops dead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-3 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4091\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-553.jpg\" alt=\"Cobblestone alley and stalls near the Bachkovo Monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4093\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-555.jpg\" alt=\"Cars in the parking lot in front of the Bachkovo Monastery against the background of the mountain\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4107\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-569.jpg\" alt=\"Entrance gate with murals of saints in the Bachkovo Monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Courtyards, arcades and cats<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Inside, the complex opens into several courtyards with <strong>stone paving<\/strong> and two storeys of <strong>wooden arcaded galleries<\/strong>. Greenery is everywhere \u2014 old trees, pots of cactus, a flowerbed cut in the shape of a cross. There are several stone fountains and all of them run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On one wall hangs a <strong>memorial plaque<\/strong> most people walk straight past. It records that in <strong>1943<\/strong>, during the rescue of Bulgaria&#8217;s Jews from deportation, dozens of persecuted people were sheltered here. <em>Worth the two minutes it takes to read.<\/em> The cats, for the record, are numerous and move for nobody. \ud83d\ude00<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-3 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4025\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-012.jpg\" alt=\"Courtyard with arches and murals in the Bachkovo monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4024\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-011.jpg\" alt=\"Stone arches and green plants in the Bachkovo monastery courtyard\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4048\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-507.jpg\" alt=\"Inner courtyard with stone pavement and buildings in the Bachkovo Monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4052\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-512.jpg\" alt=\"The inner courtyard of the Bachkovo Monastery with a small chapel\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4022\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-009.jpg\" alt=\"Cat on stone slabs in Bachkovo Monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4038\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-info-001.jpg\" alt=\"Memorial plaque on a stone wall of the Bachkovo monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Painted vaults, the church and the museum<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Inside the church it is dark, quiet and <strong>noticeably cooler<\/strong>. Ceilings and domes are painted end to end, oil lamps hang low, and the big chandeliers catch whatever light gets through the small windows. The murals are not confined indoors either \u2014 they run along <strong>outside walls<\/strong>, above doorways and under the vaults of the galleries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-3 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4018\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-005.jpg\" alt=\"Religious ceiling frescoes inside Bachkovo Monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4021\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-008.jpg\" alt=\"Richly decorated ceiling mural in Bachkovo Monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4028\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-016.jpg\" alt=\"Interior with icons and hanging oil lamps in the Bachkovo monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4044\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-503.jpg\" alt=\"Large chandelier under a wooden ceiling in the Bachkovo Monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4050\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-509.jpg\" alt=\"Murals on the ceiling and walls in the Bachkovo Monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The museum is <strong>ticketed separately<\/strong> and sits in the south courtyard. The collection goes back to the <strong>1930s<\/strong>, was rehoused in purpose-built rooms in <strong>2007<\/strong>, and gained a refurbished <strong>icon hall<\/strong> in <strong>2022<\/strong> holding icons from the <strong>13th to the 19th century<\/strong>. The cases hold crosses carved in miniature, old manuscripts, church plate and a scale model of the church. For <strong>\u20ac3.60<\/strong> it is more than we expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The oldest building of the complex is not in here. The <strong>ossuary<\/strong> stands about <strong>300 m east<\/strong> of the monastery, built in <strong>1083<\/strong> as a resting place for Bakuriani&#8217;s bones \u2014 two storeys, with <strong>14 graves<\/strong> on the lower floor, and described by the <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bachkovskimanastir.com\/bg\/cms\/%D0%BA%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%86%D0%B0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">monastery&#8217;s site<\/a><\/strong> as the oldest surviving building of its kind in the Orthodox East. It is not permanently open \u2014 <em>ask at the museum rather than assuming.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-3 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-4 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4058\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-518.jpg\" alt=\"Old manuscripts in a glass showcase in the Bachkovo Monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4063\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-523.jpg\" alt=\"Museum exhibition with church plate in the Bachkovo Monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4065\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-525.jpg\" alt=\"Old icons and stone walls in the exhibition of the Bachkovo Monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4067\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-527.jpg\" alt=\"Corridor with icons and exhibits in the Bachkovo Monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4073\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-534.jpg\" alt=\"Wooden display cases with exhibits in the museum hall of the Bachkovo Monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4069\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-529.jpg\" alt=\"View of the tomb in the Bachkovo Monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The loop up to the waterfall<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A <strong>forest path<\/strong> climbs from the car park towards the waterfall and a couple of small chapels. The waymarking is <strong>red paint<\/strong> on trees, alternating with wooden signs, but <em>signposting is not this place&#8217;s strong suit<\/em> \u2014 expect to stop and think at two or three junctions. The going is <strong>easy<\/strong>, mostly under trees and alongside a stream, and the route <strong>closes as a loop<\/strong>: up one side of the gully, back down the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The waterfall itself is modest \u2014 a <strong>narrow rock chute<\/strong> breaking into several strands. It is not the reason to come, but it rounds off the walk nicely and the whole circuit takes <strong>about half an hour<\/strong> if you keep moving. Wear something with grip: the stones by the stream stay wet. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-3 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-5 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4033\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-021.jpg\" alt=\"Forest path with wooden signs in Bachkovo monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4034\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-022.jpg\" alt=\"Rocky gorge with a small water stream near Bachkovo Monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4036\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-024.jpg\" alt=\"Small waterfall among the rocks in Bachkovo monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4085\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-547.jpg\" alt=\"Forest path in the Bachkovo Monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4086\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-548.jpg\" alt=\"Forest path near the Bachkovo Monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-id=\"4090\" src=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-552.jpg\" alt=\"Path along rocks in the Bachkovo Monastery\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Worth it<\/strong> \u2014 not for any single building, but because everything sits in one place and nearly all of it is free. The courtyards, the church and the murals cost nothing, the museum is <strong>\u20ac3.60<\/strong>, and the waterfall path adds half an hour of forest to a site that otherwise feels surprisingly urban. <em>We would come back, and in April rather than August.<\/em> <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/places-in-bulgaria\/asenova-krepost-bulgaria-fortress-church\/\">Asen&#8217;s Fortress<\/a><\/strong> stands on its rock <strong>10 km<\/strong> back down the same road, above Asenovgrad, and the two make an unhurried day together. If you are making a wider Rhodope circuit, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/places-in-bulgaria\/krichim-bulgaria-history-vacha-river\/\">Krichim<\/a><\/strong> sits at the other end of the same foothills and fits into the same day.<\/p>\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Related video: Bachkovo Monastery opens the ranking in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/bulgaria\/top-10-historical-sites-bulgaria\/\">Top 10 historical sites in Bulgaria<\/a><\/strong>, alongside Tsarevets, Plovdiv Old Town and Nicopolis ad Istrum.<\/p>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Bachkovo is Bulgaria&#8217;s second largest monastery \u2014 arcaded courtyards, painted vaults, a \u20ac3.60 museum, paid parking, a market lane and a short loop up to a waterfall.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4107,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bc_lat":"41.941888","_bc_lng":"24.849488","_bc_location_name":"Bachkovo Monastery, Bulgaria: The country&#8217;s second largest monastery and the loop to the waterfall","_bc_location_confidence":"1.0","_bc_location_source":"gemini+nominatim","_bc_extra_coords":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[38,50,41],"class_list":["post-4170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-itineraries","tag-monastery","tag-museum","tag-waterfall","latest_post"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Bachkovo Monastery, Bulgaria: The country&#039;s second largest monastery and the loop to the waterfall - BRONICABLE<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Bachkovo Monastery: Bulgaria&#039;s second largest, with arcaded courtyards, painted vaults, a \u20ac3.60 museum, \u20ac2.50 parking and a half-hour loop to the waterfall.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/itineraries\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Bachkovo Monastery, Bulgaria: The country&#039;s second largest monastery and the loop to the waterfall - BRONICABLE\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Bachkovo Monastery: Bulgaria&#039;s second largest, with arcaded courtyards, painted vaults, a \u20ac3.60 museum, \u20ac2.50 parking and a half-hour loop to the waterfall.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/itineraries\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BRONICABLE\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-09-07T10:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-09-14T20:01:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-569.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"bronic\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"bronic\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/itineraries\\\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/itineraries\\\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"bronic\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/67e3ae78e8122c37cbfd42a4258de1be\"},\"headline\":\"Bachkovo Monastery, Bulgaria: The country&#8217;s second largest monastery and the loop to the waterfall\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-07T10:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-14T20:01:22+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/itineraries\\\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1338,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/itineraries\\\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/places-bachkovski-manastir-569-1536x1152.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Monastery\",\"Museum\",\"Waterfall\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Itineraries\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/itineraries\\\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/itineraries\\\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\\\/\",\"name\":\"Bachkovo Monastery, Bulgaria: The country's second largest monastery and the loop to the waterfall - BRONICABLE\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/itineraries\\\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/itineraries\\\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/places-bachkovski-manastir-569-1536x1152.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-09-07T10:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-09-14T20:01:22+00:00\",\"description\":\"Bachkovo Monastery: Bulgaria's second largest, with arcaded courtyards, painted vaults, a \u20ac3.60 museum, \u20ac2.50 parking and a half-hour loop to the waterfall.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/itineraries\\\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/itineraries\\\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/itineraries\\\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/places-bachkovski-manastir-569-1536x1152.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/09\\\/places-bachkovski-manastir-569-1536x1152.jpg\",\"width\":2000,\"height\":1500,\"caption\":\"Bachkovski Manastir, July 2026\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/itineraries\\\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Bachkovo Monastery, Bulgaria: The country&#8217;s second largest monastery and the loop to the waterfall\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"BRONICABLE\",\"description\":\"Discover Bulgaria &amp; Beyond\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"BRONICABLE\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/cropped-Color-logo-no-background-1536x623.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2023\\\/03\\\/cropped-Color-logo-no-background-1536x623.png\",\"width\":3181,\"height\":1291,\"caption\":\"BRONICABLE\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/67e3ae78e8122c37cbfd42a4258de1be\",\"name\":\"bronic\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/25ff1fede0383d75d30524398c544fe9b3d552bf220106f6c6dcbf4381ee2070?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/25ff1fede0383d75d30524398c544fe9b3d552bf220106f6c6dcbf4381ee2070?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/25ff1fede0383d75d30524398c544fe9b3d552bf220106f6c6dcbf4381ee2070?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"bronic\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bronicable.com\\\/en\\\/author\\\/bronic\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Bachkovo Monastery, Bulgaria: The country's second largest monastery and the loop to the waterfall - BRONICABLE","description":"Bachkovo Monastery: Bulgaria's second largest, with arcaded courtyards, painted vaults, a \u20ac3.60 museum, \u20ac2.50 parking and a half-hour loop to the waterfall.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/itineraries\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Bachkovo Monastery, Bulgaria: The country's second largest monastery and the loop to the waterfall - BRONICABLE","og_description":"Bachkovo Monastery: Bulgaria's second largest, with arcaded courtyards, painted vaults, a \u20ac3.60 museum, \u20ac2.50 parking and a half-hour loop to the waterfall.","og_url":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/itineraries\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\/","og_site_name":"BRONICABLE","article_published_time":"2026-09-07T10:00:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-09-14T20:01:22+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2000,"height":1500,"url":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-569.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"bronic","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"bronic","Est. reading time":"7 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/itineraries\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/itineraries\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\/"},"author":{"name":"bronic","@id":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/67e3ae78e8122c37cbfd42a4258de1be"},"headline":"Bachkovo Monastery, Bulgaria: The country&#8217;s second largest monastery and the loop to the waterfall","datePublished":"2026-09-07T10:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-14T20:01:22+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/itineraries\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\/"},"wordCount":1338,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/itineraries\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-569-1536x1152.jpg","keywords":["Monastery","Museum","Waterfall"],"articleSection":["Itineraries"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/itineraries\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\/","url":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/itineraries\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\/","name":"Bachkovo Monastery, Bulgaria: The country's second largest monastery and the loop to the waterfall - BRONICABLE","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/itineraries\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/itineraries\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-569-1536x1152.jpg","datePublished":"2026-09-07T10:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-09-14T20:01:22+00:00","description":"Bachkovo Monastery: Bulgaria's second largest, with arcaded courtyards, painted vaults, a \u20ac3.60 museum, \u20ac2.50 parking and a half-hour loop to the waterfall.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/itineraries\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/itineraries\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/itineraries\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-569-1536x1152.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/places-bachkovski-manastir-569-1536x1152.jpg","width":2000,"height":1500,"caption":"Bachkovski Manastir, July 2026"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/itineraries\/bachkovski-manastir-bulgaria-monastery-waterfall\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Bachkovo Monastery, Bulgaria: The country&#8217;s second largest monastery and the loop to the waterfall"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/","name":"BRONICABLE","description":"Discover Bulgaria &amp; Beyond","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/#organization","name":"BRONICABLE","url":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/cropped-Color-logo-no-background-1536x623.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/cropped-Color-logo-no-background-1536x623.png","width":3181,"height":1291,"caption":"BRONICABLE"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/67e3ae78e8122c37cbfd42a4258de1be","name":"bronic","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/25ff1fede0383d75d30524398c544fe9b3d552bf220106f6c6dcbf4381ee2070?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/25ff1fede0383d75d30524398c544fe9b3d552bf220106f6c6dcbf4381ee2070?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/25ff1fede0383d75d30524398c544fe9b3d552bf220106f6c6dcbf4381ee2070?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"bronic"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en"],"url":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/author\/bronic\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4170","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4170"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4170\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4182,"href":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4170\/revisions\/4182"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4107"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4170"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4170"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bronicable.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4170"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}