Winter arrives early in Bulgaria’s highest mountains, turning the alpine landscapes into a wonderland of snow and ice. You might think the end of autumn also signals the conclusion of the hiking season in the Balkans — but that’s far from the truth. Rila, Pirin, the Rhodopes and the Balkan Mountains are especially alluring in their winter coating, and one of the most rewarding ways to experience this is on a guided snowshoeing tour with Top Guides Bulgaria.

I’m a seasoned summer hiker with dozens of treks in Bulgaria and abroad, but I only started venturing to our highest peaks in winter a couple of years ago. I had never tried snowshoeing, so in late December I booked a day trip with Top Guides to add a new skill to my trekking portfolio. I had a delightful day up on the slopes of Rila, battling the wind, basking in the winter sun and practicing my snowshoeing technique.

110 kilometres of Arctic trekking through the wild tundra of Swedish Lapland – that’s Fjällräven Classic Sweden in a nutshell. I participated in this inspiring multi-day hiking adventure in 2019 and in this unaffiliated guide, I’ll reveal all about my preparation and my experience of summer hiking on the Kungsleden (King’s Trail) in Northern Sweden.

Read on for details about the 2021 ticket price and trekking route, tips for your packing list, links to downloadable maps of the area and answers to many frequently-asked questions!

What is Fjällräven Classic? 🦊

Fjällräven Classics are organized by the Swedish outdoor equipment company Fjällräven (famous for Kånken, those trademark boxy backpacks), so in a sense, they’re promotional events for the brand – but I found the experience authentic enough and not too commercial, and I don’t own a single piece of Fjällräven gear.

The Sweden Classic is the original event, taking place annually since 2005 – as of 2020, there’s a total of eight Classic events in places like Denmark, South Korea, the USA and Germany. The Sweden Classic remains the longest and one of the most challenging though.

In essence, this is a self-guided hiking and camping adventure with thousands of participants from all over the world. You begin in one of eight starting groups, you can complete it on your own or with friends or family – and you’re practically guaranteed to make friends with like-minded fellow hikers on the trail. You are obliged to sleep in a tent and you’re expected to cook your own meals and carry everything necessary on your back.

The event is by no means a race or a competition. Spending longer on the trail and revelling in the wilderness is encouraged, but you do have to mind the closing time for the supporting checkpoints and the finish (if you want to get a finisher’s medal).

On the map of Europe, Slovenia fits neatly between Austria, Italy, Croatia and Hungary – and indeed, this delightful little country is a fascinating mix of cultural influences against the backdrop of diverse natural landscapes. In Slovenia, the sophistication of Central Europe meets the raw charm of the Balkans. Slavic, Germanic, Latin and Hungarian legacies shake hands along the banks of the Sava River. And the dazzling Julian Alps rise to 2,864 metres, not too far from the country’s tiny but scenic Adriatic shoreline. In short, Slovenia is a cultural heaven as well as a natural paradise!

Starting in the European green capital, passing through an endless cave system, washing up at the Mediterranean coast and ending high above the clouds in one of the Alps’ top national parks, kashkaval tourist presents 7 things to do in lovely little Slovenia.

1. A capital to fall in love with: go for a leisurely walk in historic Ljubljana

A capital to fall in love with: go for a leisurely walk in historic Ljubljana

With its 280,000 inhabitants, Ljubljana is one of Europe’s smallest capital cities – and that’s no bad thing! The city is compact, walkable, bikeable, surrounded by parks and low mountains. A stroll in Ljubljana’s car-free city centre feels like a journey back to Austro-Hungarian times. And a short walk up to the medieval Ljubljana Castle will reward you with the best city panoramas as well as views of the Kamnik–Savinja Alps in the distance.

When you’re done with checking off the main sights like the curious Dragon Bridge, the baffling Triple Bridge next to Prešeren Square and the classical Town Hall with the Robba Fountain, you can enjoy a glass of local wine on the banks of the pristine Ljubljanica River. A bike tour through the scenic Tivoli Park might well end up with… a beer tasting at the Union Brewery pub. And for nightlife enthusiasts, the semi-legal bars and clubs in the Metelkova autonomous cultural centre (or “squat” for short!) provide a refreshing Berlin vibe.

A canal cruise on the pristine Ljubljanica is a great way to enjoy the city

2. Slovenia’s postcard: chill by the shores of Lake Bled

Slovenia’s postcard: chill by the shores of Lake Bled

Situated at the foot of the Alps in the country’s northwest, the elegant resort town of Bled lies by the shores of a gorgeous mountain lake. Surrounded by jagged Alpine peaks, thick forests and classy hotels, Lake Bled and its blue-green waters might be Slovenia’s prime tourist destination. Traditional pletna boats take visitors to the quaint little island in the middle of the lake for a pilgrimage to the Church of the Assumption of Mary. And on the other, northeastern side of the lake, the thousand-year-old Bled Castle adorns the cliffs above the town.

For the top vistas of Lake Bled including the castle and the island with the church, your best bet is a brief hike to the Osojnica hill west of the lake. And if you’re too lazy for that or think you’ve deserved a culinary reward for completing the hike, you can always end your day with a slice of Bled’s legendary cremeschnitte cake. The classic place for this is the splendid Park Café, where it has been served (with cappuccino and calming lake views on the side) since 1953.

Don’t miss out on the cremeschnitte cake, Bled’s famous pastry!

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Or as Bulgarians say, Честита Коледа и щастлива Нова година (Chestita Koleda i shtastliva Nova Godina)! Christmas Eve may have brought temperatures and sunshine more typical for Australia for that time of the year, but today’s snowstorm made sure Bulgaria is now covered by a layer of snow. Perfect for some merry holiday spirit!

May 2015 bring us lots of wanderlust and many exciting opportunities to discover Bulgaria and the Balkans together with kashkaval tourist! Nazdrave!

With the descent of the Iron Curtain after World War II, all of Southeastern Europe bar Greece and Turkey fell into the hands of communist regimes – some like Bulgaria and Romania were Soviet satellites, secluded Albania’s closest ally was, curiously, China, and the vast Yugoslavia followed its own direction as a non-aligned state.

One thing that united these countries in their (ultimately unsuccessful) pursuit of a communist society was the construction of awe-inspiring monumental buildings. The new communist architecture in the Balkans followed a radically different trend than that of the past and left behind some truly imposing buildings.

From the world’s largest civilian building to an abandoned concrete flying saucer on a mountain top, kashkaval tourist will guide you through 8 striking communist buildings in the Balkans.

1. 99 domes and some fishing net: National Library of Kosovo, Pristina

99 domes and some fishing net: National Library of Kosovo, Pristina. Photo credit: A. Dombrowski, Flickr.

Kosovo may still have some bad rep over the war in the late 1990s, but the Kosovar capital Pristina may stun you with one of Southeastern Europe’s most unique buildings. The current National Library of Kosovo was opened in 1982 and designed by a Croatian architect, since at the time Kosovo was part of Yugoslavia.

The one-of-a-kind appearance of the building owes a lot to the 99 white domes topping it… and the thick metal net which covers it entirely. Curiously, ethnic Albanians and Serbs still argue about the cultural influences in the building’s design – some find elements of Islamic art in its design, while others argue that the shapes were inspired by Byzantine traditions.

2. Administrative behemoth: Palace of the Parliament, Bucharest

Administrative behemoth: Palace of the Parliament, Bucharest

Well, Bucharest isn’t strictly in the Balkans, but being so close, it would be a shame not to include the world’s largest administrative building in this list. Enter the Palace of the Parliament, the child of infamous Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu’s megalomania. Located bang in the middle of the capital of Romania, the construction of the Palace of the Parliament required that an entire historic neighborhood be torn down in the 1980s… as well as the underlying hill!

With its well over 1000 rooms, 12 overground and 8 underground floors and nearly square shape measuring 270 by 240 metres, the Palace of the Parliament was meant to host the entire administration of Romania’s communist government. And while those plans never came to fruition, the gargantuan edifice remains one of Bucharest’s most famous attractions.

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