If you are embarking on a wine tour you shouldn’t limit yourself to wineries with an overnight stay but they could be the perfect place to stay and also a great starting point for further visits in the region.
In this article we have selected wineries with hotels or offering accommodation most of which have been personally visited by our team and we will share our personal impressions and recommendations. We will also mention some that we haven’t visited personally but are on our list for wine weekends this summer.
To make the article even more useful, we will also share some tips that will make it easier for you, saving you time in searching for cellar contacts and comparing the offers.
Struma Valley
The TV series “The Grapes of Guilt” (or “Vina”) is filmed in this area. Check out the filming locations and visit them or surprise a TV fan with an unforgettable experience.
Zlaten Rozhen
Zlaten Rozhen winery is located in the village of Kapatovo (12 km from Melnik) and the boutique hotel of the same name is located in the neighbouring village of Rozhen (15 km from the winery). Unlike the other sites, the hotel here predates the construction of the winery by several years. The owners, the Osikovsky family built the family hotel on the site of the old community centre in the village and purchased several small plots of land with vineyards in the region. The wine they make from them inspires them to embark on a more serious wine adventure. And so from the hotel business, the bottles of wine shared with friends and clients from the first few vintages, comes the courage to build a modern base in the village of Kapatovo.
We have learned quite a few things about the terroir in the region from our visit to the cellar in September 2019. You can read more about this here.
The style of the hotel is traditional for the area, it is incredibly cosy and you can truly feel at home. Each room is named after one of the grape varieties used in the wines of Zlaten Rozhen. There are organised tastings in the hotel’s tasting room for large groups. We personally recommend you stop by the winery in the village of Kapatovo (only 3 km from the Struma highway) and follow the entire production process together with the charming Maria while you sit comfortably in the winery’s modern tasting room.
Here’s our suggestion for tastings for two and a weekend package in Zlaten Rozhen:
Wine tasting for two in Zlaten Rozhen winery
Wine weekend in Zlaten Rozhen Family Hotel and wine tasting for two
In 2022 Zlaten Rozhen opened a Museum for vintage cars right next to the wine cellar. See more here.
Wine tasting weekend and a visit to a retro car museum in Zlaten Rozhen for two
Villa Sintica
There is hardly any fault to be found in this lovely place, made with such flair. Those most critical may not like the fact that it is located in the very urban part of Sandanski. But on the other hand the hotel is only steps away from the old part of Sintica Winery and the Experiment Station, where some of the iconic varieties such as Melnik 55 and Sandanski Misket were created.
All the other amenities like the outdoor pool and the beautiful garden around the hotel can only distract you from the wine path and decide to stay another day or two in the region for a full vacation. Here we recommend you enter the old cellar. If you’re anything like us you’re bound to feel something special when you’re in a space where the wines from the new Melnik varieties were aged for the first time.
Our suggestions for weekend packages:
Weekend for two “Wine and Food” in Villa Sintica, Sandanski
Wine weekend for two at Villa Sintica, Sandanski
Around the filming locations of the TV series “The Grapes of Guilt” (Vina)
Uva Nestum
Uva Nestum is one of the wine hotel complexes with the widest range of tourist services. A large spa centre with an outdoor and indoor pool, as well as a tennis court and other sports facilities are available to guests. This is one of the most suitable wine sites for families with children due to the large playground and park.
It is located on the outskirts of the city of Gotse Delchev (the Mesa Valley).
Here is our suggestion for a family wine weekend:
Weekend “Wine Aroma” for two in Uva Nestum Wine & SPA near Gotze Delchev
Kapatovo Family Estate
In southwestern Bulgaria, just 5 kilometres from the town of Melnik you will find Kapatovo Family Estate along with their vineyards. The story behind their wine began way back in 2006 and that of the farm back in 1992. Today the farm covers over 1,200 acres, in the lands of the villages of Kapatovo and Zornitsa. Kapatovo Guest Houses are located in the village of Zornitsa among the beautiful and clean nature. The location allows wine tourists to easily visit numerous local wineries, as well as enjoy a quality vacation in a cosy atmosphere.
You can check out the offer for Kapatovo Family Estate here.
You can read more about this here.
Check out Wine picnic and tasting in the vineyards of Rupel Winery.
Zornitza Family Estate Relais & Châteaux
Zornitza Family Estate is located in the Struma Valley, 15 km southeast of Sandanski and 5 km from Melnik, among vineyards and mountain peaks. Here you will find beauty, spaciousness, nature, luxury, cosiness, ecological food, an enviable wine collection… and so much more.
When I visited the estate, it only had 6 elegant villas, but today the capacity has been increased with the new boutique hotel.
You can view the accommodation offer at Zornitza Family Estate here.
Southern Sakar/Southeastern Thracian Lowland
Zaara Estate
Zaara Estate is just what the the region of Southern Sakar needed. The presence of so many small and medium-sized wine producers around Harmanli is the reason why passionate wine lovers head to the region. Zaara Estate offers excellent conditions to enjoy both wine and a truly comfortable stay. The complex was built in 2018 and is a modern yet secluded hotel together with a wine cellar.
It rises on top of a hill next to the village of Glavan, where the winery’s own vineyards are located. The complex offers themed packages with tours to other wine cellars and historical sights. You can see details of the Sakar Wine Tour for two here. Bikes are also available for a ride to the vineyards, to the remains of the ancient Via Diagonalis or to some of the many hidden Thracian monuments.
Our suggestions for an unforgettable wine weekend or wine trip at Zaara Estate:
Wine tour in the region of Sakar for two
Wine relax for two at Zaara Estate
Wine weekend in Zaara Estate for two
Wine and gourmet – Rise above it – Zaara Estate
Wine vacation and tasting including a “Thank You” Farm Basket at Zaara Estate
Castra Rubra
Castra Rubra is another winery you can stay at. But the condition is you have to rent the whole place. The 10 rooms to the wine cellar are available for private events, team building, etc. The winery and guest house share the same remarkable architectural style, setting it apart from other accommodations. The guests of the house can enjoy a gourmet dinner organised by the hosts but you also have the opportunity to organise a wine barbecue party yourself.
Other wineries Nearby:
- Villa Bassarea
- Bratanovi Winery
- Ivo Varbanov
- Wine Cellar Kolarovo
- Malkata Zvezda
- Terra Tangra
- Rosalea and Bisante
- Katarzyna Estate
- Mezek
Thracian Lowland
Villa Yustina
Villa Justina is one of the most visited wineries in Bulgaria. But not because of side attractions but because of the quality of the wine and the friendly hospitality. Its proximity to the wonderful city of Plovdiv is not to be underestimated. You can enjoy a combined tour to the city under the hills and visit the winery, which is only 30 minutes by car.
We have visited Villa Yustina many times – for tastings, at thematic events or on Trifon Zarezan and we still can’t get enough. The winery has already built several villas and a hotel to welcome guests from all over the country. They are built in a similar style to the winery complex and in harmony with the surrounding houses.
The winery is already welcoming guests, the hotel complex is open to individual tourists and is a preferred destination for organizing weddings and other outdoor family, corporate and team building events.
Here are our suggestions for wine team building in the cellar:
Wine team building “Oenologist for a day” in Villa Yustina
Wine and farm products – tasting for two at Villa Yustina
Other wineries nearby:
Edoardo Miroglio
Edoardo Miroglio is one of the big producers in recent times. The vineyards are so extensive around the cellar that it is best to climb the tower from where you can get an idea of the location of the vineyards and enjoy a fabulous view and the constant wind characteristic of the Sliven region. You will probably find this breeze much more pleasant in the hot summer months, as it is for the vines themselves, which cool and ripen moderately thanks to it. But you’ll be able to learn more about viticultural practices and winemaking from your winery tour.
Here you have the opportunity to follow the stages of production of sparkling wines according to the classic method and enjoy a tasting in their tasting room.
Each room is unique, bearing the names of different varieties of grapes and the restaurant offers a selection of typical dishes from Bulgarian and Italian traditional cuisine.
In addition to the wine tasting, the cellar tour and relaxing in the spa, you can do some fishing on the local dam and explore the small zoo. The hotel also offers sports recovery procedures with prior reservation. In the spa area you will find a sauna and a steam bath, and recently they opened an outdoor pool and a hot tub with a view of the vineyards.
Our suggestion for an unforgettable wine weekend at Edoardo Miroglio and Soli Invicto:
Midalidare Estate
Midalidare Hotel & SPA is located in the village of Mogilovo, municipality of Chirpan and offers a wide range of spa and tourist services. The wine cellar is in the village, but in a separate complex, where you can follow the production process and taste the wines of the cellar.
Other wineries nearby:
Rose Valley
Chateau Copsa
Chateau Copsa is a hotel complex and wine cellar near the town of Sopot. In the underground floor of the hotel part is where the barrels of wine are aged, while the production part is moved a little further from the complex and is not available for visits. You can enjoy a tasting in one of the hotel’s two restaurants or by the barrels in the cellar. The complex is surrounded by its vineyards which makes it quite a romantic place.
Here are our suggestions for gourmet tastings or overnight weekends:
Wine and SPA Complex Starosel
Wine and SPA complex Starosel transformed from a small boutique complex into one of the largest tourist sites in the area in the last few years. It is located near the village of Starosel, Hisar municipality. It attracts tourists with its impressive spa centre, many amenities and an authentic Bulgarian atmosphere.
From here you can go to Plovdiv on a slower but more wine-friendly route, passing through the Western Thracian Lowland and through:
Danube Plain
Wine Complex Seven Generations
Seven Generations is one of the wine tours we’ve planned for this summer. It is located in close proximity to the Danube River and 30 km west of the city of Ruse. The story of Lyuben Rabchev, who returns after 40 years spent in America to restore the old family wine traditions, sounds quite brave and interesting. The complex is small (8 double rooms and 3 panoramic apartments), which makes it even more attractive to us. It is quite remote in regards to its location to other wineries but they can be visited either on your way here or when you head back home.
Our wine tasting accommodation suggestion:
Yalovo winery and Raya Garden Hotel
Yalovo winery is located in the village of the same name, Yalovo, and is housed in the village’s old school building. A school in which the rooms have been converted into a barrel room for wine aging, the teacher’s room into a laboratory, the theatre salon into an event hall, and a large tasting room today attracts hundreds of tourists who want to learn more about the cellar’s wines. And while this was the place where children were once educated, today this place is where Dimitar Dimov shows guests everything he learned about wines and puts passion into the ones he creates. Owners Mitko Dimov and Anton Tanev grow their own vineyards in the region, trying to revive old local varieties, interweaving art, tradition and winemaking together, and may we say – they are succeeding beautifully. In addition to the winery, which is open daily for tourists, the owners also own a hotel in Veliko Tarnovo, located in the most beautiful park of the city – Sveta Gora. In Raya Garden, tourists can find the much-desired silence and cosiness while they are also close enough to the city, which takes us back to the Second Bulgarian Kingdom.
My wine tasting accommodation suggestion:
Wine and SPA Hotel Chukara
The hotel complex opened its doors in 2022 and offers a holiday suited to all ages, wine tourists and relaxation lovers, as well as travellers who want to explore Bulgaria. Located in Tryavna, the complex offers accommodation in large, spacious rooms, a spa centre with an indoor pool, two restaurants and a visit to their own wine cellar. Children are also welcome, and for their comfort, as well as that of parents, a children’s play room has been built next to the restaurant as well as two playgrounds and a zoo.
The area is rich in cultural tourist sites and in combination with the wine adventures and spa relaxation of the complex, you get a wonderful vacation in Tryavna.
Explore the offers for a wine weekend at the Wine and SPA hotel Chukara:
Wine and spa weekend at GARDEN HOUSE, Chukara complex
Wine and spa break in Chukara complex (main building)
Other wineries nearby (around Veliko Tarnovo):
Bononia Estate
Bononia Estate Wine Cellar and the newly opened Bononia Estate Winery & Resort boutique complex are located on the banks of the Danube River, Kosava village, Vidinsko. The main building intertwines three centuries – the 19th, 20th and 21st, and guests have the opportunity to see everything that the owners have managed to preserve and restore.
The complex has 22 hotel rooms, each with its own character and equipped with the highest class of materials, compliments and services. Some of the rooms have a terrace with a beautiful view of the Danube river.
Bononia Estate Restaurant is modern and cosy and the menu is carefully prepared by Executive Chef Filip Zahariev. The cuisine is seasonal and prepared with local Bulgarian products of the highest quality and they always strive to have something for everyone.
An outdoor pool and an indoor spa with a classic sauna, a steam bath and a herbal sauna are available to guests, as well as an indoor and outdoor children’s play area.
Check out the offer for a Wine Holiday at Bononia Estate here.
Black Sea region
Salla Estate
Salla Estate Winery is our second destination for this summer. We will probably combine the stay with a visit to the Wine and Gourmet Festival in Varna in July. The complex is located in the village of Blaskovo, municipality of Provadia, only 60 km from the city of Varna. The winery owns 300 decares of its own vineyards, located right next to the cellar.
In addition to a wine tasting room the winery also has a Bulgarian-style restaurant, a guest house, a picnic area, horse stables and picturesque vineyards. This is reason enough to stay in the complex alone but there are also sites of national importance nearby, such as the Madar Horseman only 32 km away and many others that are worth visiting.
Other wineries nearby:
Near Varna:
Near Shumen:
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