Village Manastir

The village of Manastir (Plovdiv district) is the highest village in Bulgaria (located at 1450 m above sea level) and is situated at the foot of Prespa peak in the heart of the Rhodope. It is the highest elevated settlement in the whole Balkan Peninsula and is located 70 km away from Plovdiv and 20 km from the town of Luki.
Manastir is probably founded by immigrants, coming from Perushtitsa who settled near to a destroyed monastery which gave the name to the village (Manastir means Monastery).
Winter there is snowy and long - lasting and summer is cool and pleasant. The nature is very beautiful. The village is a part of the territory of a nature reserve that forests are full of wild animals and protected plants.
It is an important starting point for the Prespa Subrange. Marked hiking routes lead to Svoboda (Liberty) Chalet (2.30-3 h.), Prespa (Snow- drift) Chalet (1.30-2 h.) and Haidushki Polyani (a small resort - 2 hours), located on the main watershed of the Prespa Range.