Kosovo Houses Bulgaria – The Heart of Rhodope Mountains

On our mission to explore more of Bulgaria in 2016 the early spring lead us to the beautiful Kosovo village – surrounded by 7 hills, hidden deep in the Rhodope mountains, this is the place where you can experience the true authentic rural life in Bulgaria.

If you dig a bit deeper you’ll indeed discover that the country is a lot more than beautiful beaches and all inclusive summer vacations. The splendid countryside, spectacular nature and natural phenomenons (and the lack of tourists too) are what makes Bulgaria such a great travel destination.

But back to the point. Kosovo village is situated on several hills and has only 9 permanent residents but it has its own Ethnographic museum, a church and a local tavern called “Carefree Life”. How appropriate! The village is a typical example of preserved Revival architecture immersed in the magnificent Bulgarian nature. 

But what makes this village so special is no other than its people – especially Svetlana and Christo who created the Kosovo Houses Complex with the idea to bring back to life this small Rhodopian gem. They didn’t just created an accommodation for passing tourists.

The houses are fully renovated in the traditional Bulgarian architecture style from the Revival period combined with all the modern amenities you need for a relaxed and peaceful time in the village. 

Living in Latin America for 17 years, Svetlana and Christo were determined to return to Bulgaria, settle in Kosovo and create the Kosovo Houses to preserve the true Bulgarian spirit. You can see that it has always been part of them no matter where they lived. 

We arrived in Kosovo in the early afternoon. The Hadjyiska House, one of the three houses part of the Complex, was going to be our home for the weekend. You can feel the authentic atmosphere with the first step in the house which has 8 rooms located in 2 floors and a common area on the second floor. 

It’s the most notable house in the Complex. It was first built in 1853 and for Svetla and Christo it was a challenge to restore a house of such significance but they did great. You can see the traditional Rhodopean woven blankets, rugs and wooden ceiling. And most importantly, everything in there feels like home! 

The highlight of the place is definitely The Tavern located just next to Hadjyiska House. It was once a barn but now it welcomes you with authentic Rhodopian atmosphere, delicious local cuisine with local ingredients and unique view to the mountain from the summer porch outside.

Everything is made only with local products from nearby villages. The home-made yoghurt and bread, the unique mountain tea they make themselves are only a small part of the delicious menu. As our blogger friends The Sisters recommend, the trout fish they make is absolutely delightful!

For breakfast we tried amazing and gigantic pancakes (called Katmi) with home made jam, honey and y favourite – Bulgarian cheese, Rhodopian wedge (something like banitsa with rice) complimented with Ayran and tea.

All of this makes Kosovo village and the Houses the heart of the Rhodope mountains – a place everyone should visit! So if you are headed that way, visit Kosovo and spend a nice relaxing weekend with Svetla and Christo.

And last but not least, there are many things to do while you are in Kosovo village. I’m going to tell you more about the endless opportunities in another post but make sure to check out their website for more recommendations. 

How to get to Kosovo Houses Bulgaria

Kosovo village is located an hour away from Plovdiv (50 km) and 2,5 hours from Sofia (197 km). It can be reached by car or by bus from both cities. The buses go from Sofia, Plovdiv or Asenovgrad to Narechenski Bani, then you can call to Kosovo Houses and someone from there will pick you up.

Website: www.selokosovo.com
Phone: +359 (0)3342 2333
E-mail: info@selokosovo.com
Social: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram 

Special thanks to Kosovo Houses Bulgaria for providing us with the great opportunity to explore the area and to Svetlana and Christo for the hospitality, passion and hard work! Thanks to Val&Kar for providing us the transportation to Kosovo village! 

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