It has less than 400 inhabitants, but still holds the category of city. Hence, in some tourist brochures it appears as “the smallest in Bulgaria”. It might seem that its splendor has already passed, since the almost 70 churches that are in the area are largely abandoned or disused. But Melnik appears as one of the architectural jewels of that eastern European country, enhanced by its peculiar location.
Located in the southeast corner of the country, already very close to the border with Greece, Melnik is usually left out of the tourist routes of foreigners. However, Bulgarians value it very much, and tend to escape on weekends and special holidays to enjoy its peculiar surroundings. The approach to the city already begins to indicate that the geological formations are going to have a lot to say. The clay soil, very soft and easy to shape by meteorological agents, marks deep furrows and draws upright towers.
In fact, the name of the village derives from the Old Slavonic “mel”, which means white clay. Melnik is in a ravine, practically in a well. It is surrounded by light beige mineral buttresses that turn golden in the sunset. Precisely the location leads it to have the highest temperatures in the country, which is a blessing in winter, but turns it into an oven in summer.
The work of the wind and sporadic torrential rains has carved vertical towers in the style of Turkish Cappadocia, although here the mineral is more homogeneous, so the typical hoods of the dammes coiffées do not usually appear, but rather they form gullies that resemble a textile folds.
In Melnik, lined up militarily in front of the main boulevard, the classic houses of the Bulgarian Renaissance appear, dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries, with their wooden fronts painted with floral decorations that speak of very powerful merchant guilds. Some are visited. The most splendid is Kordopulov, at the top of the city.
Despite its apparent aridity, the Melnik region produces some of Bulgaria’s most prized wines. The nearby vineyards have wineries that in turn distribute the wines among the abundant mehana (classic taverns) and restaurants that feature Melnik. On the main street of the town there is a wine museum that explains the history of wine production in the province.
If you are not afraid of steep paths – which in many cases are well equipped with wooden steps and even railings to help you – one of the most rewarding activities in Melnik is to climb the clay platform that surrounds the town and see churches and monasteries. The most notable and best preserved is Rozhen, with the beautifully restored Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, which is considered a benefactor by Bulgarians, which is why it receives many visits. On the walk along the clay paths you can see several of the natural pyramids that have made Melnik famous and that in many cases have been colonized at their summit by vegetation that gives them a shocking appearance.
Bulgarian public transport is not the best in the world and getting to Melnik using it is an odyssey for stoics. On the other hand, by private vehicle you can easily access it via fast and modern highways. The town belongs to the municipality of Sandanski, located 20 kilometers to the west. The most important city of reference is Blagoevgrad, located an hour and a quarter away using the A-3 highway.
