The incredible transformation of the Malyovitsa resort - the ideal place for both a winter and a summer walk!

Since I was a child, I remember how lively a mountain resort Malyovitsa was in the Rila Mountains. For many of my peers and their parents, it was a favorite place in the mountains. And the only reason was that it offered a real opportunity for solitude and real rest. Malyovitsa has never been like the big concrete resorts that are money machines, but it has always been a beautiful mountain place where nature is preserved. A place that you can really enjoy without being surrounded by huge buildings of hotels or discos and feel almost like in Sofia.

Unfortunately, until 2020, the resort of Malyovica was extremely neglected and due to the lack of investment did not attract any tourists, even the tourist routes did not enjoy much interest, not because they are not nice, but because no one thought that this starting point for trekking existed.

There was only one hotel that looked quite "social" and attracted almost no guests. For several years now, apparently the management of the resort has passed into other hands, who with hard work and a lot of sweat on their foreheads are developing it, and the complete change of the resort is definitely visible.

In the resort of Malyovitsa, it is lively again, and for no other reason than because tourists can once again enjoy cozy accommodations with a nice and modern environment, as well as carefully maintained ski slopes. Something that for many years we had forgotten right there and which made me and many other people choose other places for a mountain vacation.

The Malyovitsa resort is most often visited by the residents of Samokov and its surroundings due to its location, but it is also a favorite place for many Sofia residents.

Ancient theater in Plovdiv - Malyovitsa - 162km

St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia - Malyovitsa - 85km

Main square of Samokov - Malyovitsa - 26km

To get to the resort of Malyovitsa, you need to enter the town of Samokov and follow the turnoff to the village of Beli Iskar, from there through the pretty villages of Madjare and Govedartsi, which I can't deny are quite developed and have plenty of options for accommodation and even for entertainment, 20 km of mountain road awaits you, which I would say is in decent condition and easy to walk even in winter conditions.

On December 14, the opening of the ski season took place in the Malyovitsa resort complex, and I was happy to be able to be present to feel again this fabulous feeling that a walk in this incredible corner of the magical Rila gives us. I am glad that it is alive with people again and I hope that the days when the resort was neglected will never return.

The day of the opening of the ski season in Malyovica was extremely sunny and despite the cold, which is constant at this altitude at this time of the year, there was a lot of cheer, songs, dances and fun.

Here are some chaotic photos taken at the resort's iconic Mecha Polyana from the opening day, and then I'll tell you about what I like about the changed Malyovitsa and why I think it's an excellent place to spend your free time, both in winter and in summer:

The opening of the winter season in Malyovica was a well-organized event. Officially, the event started with a heartfelt speech personally by the mayor of Samokov Municipality, Mr. Angel Jorgov, and then the popular singer ANNE JI took care of the entertainment part. In the middle of the day, choirs were swaying to the sounds of the bagpipes of the incredible graduates of the Rila Folk Ensemble, whose performance really warmed the audience. The wonderful view of the majestic Malyovitsa peak, the blazing sun and the incredible sound of the bagpipes created a unique feeling for every guest. It was amazing!

I like the fact that you feel in the nature at the Malyovitsa resort, and at the same time you are sitting comfortably in your cozy and modern hotel room or in the even more cozy hotel lobby. In this place, the connection with nature has not been lost, as in many other cities and resorts in the country, both mountain and sea.

At the moment, the Malyovitsa resort has 2 modern hotels - the Malyovitsa hotel and the Alpinist hotel. Apart from cozy rooms and a restaurant with a unique panorama, Hotel Malyovitsa also has a modern relaxation center offering a variety of options for complete relaxation. I highly recommend their massages, they have hired great professionals! And Hotel Alpinist has an incredible lobby bar with French windows, from where a unique view of Mecha Polyana and Mount Maliovitsa is revealed.

For me, the perfect time to be there is at sunset, when I can "sink" into one of the comfortable armchairs of the Alpinist Hotel lobby bar with a cup of hot chocolate in my hands and take in the beautiful panorama.The view is truly breathtaking! And in the dark it is also dazzling, because for several years the Malyovitsa resort has been offering night skiing or snowboarding, and for this purpose they have equipped the slopes with very nice lighting, which together with the light Christmas decoration makes the atmosphere magical!

From what I heard during my stay, another hotel is currently being built in the resort, which will be of a higher class, and the Alpinist Hotel will soon get a spa. It seems that hard work is being done to establish the resort among the most developed and visited in the country.

For lovers of white sports, there is also good news. According to the media, work is currently underway to legalize a project to install a chair lift, which will certainly develop the resort. It is noticed that even in recent years, the conditions of the slopes themselves and the facilities that "move" the skiers and snowboarders over the slopes have been significantly improved and modernized.

I love the mountains, but I'm not a skier. 2 seasons ago, I had several lessons with a ski instructor precisely in Malyovitsa, but to be honest, it seemed a bit dangerous to me and I have not yet been afraid to continue with the training, but the time will come for that too, because it is a wonderful sport.

On Mecha Polyana, immediately before the official entrance to the Rila Nature Park and the beginning of the tourist trail to the Malyovitsa hut, there is a small chapel named after the patron saint of the Bulgarian people, St. Ivan Rilski. The small building is nestled among the pines. I won't post a picture so you can find it yourself and admire it live! It's really a wonderful place that you didn't expect to find right there.

I know that most Bulgarians would prefer such a resort in the winter, but I personally recommend visiting the Malyovitsa resort in the hot months as well. The Malyovitsa resort borders the Rila Nature Park, and from there you can head to one of more than ten mountain trails that are suitable for both beginner and advanced mountaineers, there are even mountaineers.

*An interesting fact is that the current Hotel Alpinist is the former building of the Central Mountain School, thanks to which in the early 50s of the 20th century mountaineering was born and later actively developed in Bulgaria. Almost all famous climbers of Bulgaria started from it, incl. Hristo Prodanov - the first Bulgarian to climb Everest, after whom it is named.The current management of the resort has not "broken" with the glorious past of Malyovitsa, on the contrary - they are protecting it. On the second floor of the Alpinist Hotel is the highest museum in Bulgaria - the Museum of Alpinism, whose exposition tells not only the history of the Central Mountain School, but also exhibits many of the equipment and devices that have been used by alpinists over the years.

During my walks in the area, I took the trouble to get information about some of the most popular routes starting at the Malyovitsa resort, which I present to you:

Mecha Polyana - Malyovitsa hut

Mecha Polyana - Mount Malyovitsa

Mecha Polyana - Yonchevo lake

Mecha Polyana - Scary Lake

Bear meadow - Vada hut

Mecha Polyana - Ivan Vazov hut

Mecha Polyana - Rila Monastery

Mecha Polyana - The Seven Rila Lakes

There are certainly more routes. I can safely say that the transition from the entrance of the Rila Nature Park to the Malyovitsa hut is the easiest. Without rushing, you can reach the end point in about an hour. Most of the trail is flat and follows a meandering creek, it gets a bit steeper towards the end, but you don't need to be a mountaineer to tackle this challenge. The climb to Mt. Malyovitsa is rather more difficult, but the view from the top is worth all the effort.

On the way to the Malyovitsa resort, leaving Samokov, you pass through the village of Beli Iskar, where there is also a very pleasant and carefully maintained eco-trail, which is a good option for a walk near Sofia. This trail is one of my favorite places around the Capital. I especially recommend it in the spring when the trees are "putting on" green. At this point it seems like a fairy tale place.

In July of this year, the first National Tourist Festival was held at the great Mecha Polyana. The event was organized by the Bulgarian Tourist Union and Samokov Municipality. Dozens of tourism companies from all over the country and tourism enthusiasts took part in it. During the three festival days, training sessions, guided courses, sports competitions, orienteering activities, mountain running and more were organized. The purpose of the event was to popularize the opportunities for recreation and walks in nature, as well as to exchange experience and create contacts between the Bulgarian tourist companies and at the same time increase the level of tourist culture among the tourist companies. In my opinion, the festival is an excellent initiative that, if organized every year, will not only popularize the resort and mountain tourism in the summer season, but also make even more people fall in love with it!

Even if in some of my next posts I tell you about my experiences in Bansko or Pamporovo, which also have their advantages, but also disadvantages... Malyovitsa will always remain my favorite mountain resort in Bulgaria.

I hope that the growth of the Malyovitsa resort will continue and it will become an increasingly beautiful place to rest, walk and practice sports. The Malyovitsa resort is a great example for all Bulgarians that it is possible to preserve nature and develop it at the same time!