Homemade Hostel Bulgaria

This is a great traditional Bulgarian farm house hostel in the Iskar Gorge, Stara Planina mountains 1 hour north of Sofia on the Ruse train line.

To drive to the farm you must have good driving skills for the mountain roads and you take drive to Svoge and please contact us in advance and we will meet you and your car at the Svoge train station. We need to know your time of arrival.

At home made hostel we make and grow a lot of our own produce, art and music. This hostel is unique, run by two artists and a musician, We can cater for vegan, vegetarian and meat eaters but this must be requested in advance.

We also like to source as much organic local food as possible and we do like good tasty and healthy food. We are also a working farm, one of the artists is an agricultural scientist and holds residential courses in the second farm house on the property.

There is a 6 dorm room in our guest house but this room can be booked as a family room for a max of 6 people. You also have full use of the farm house kitchen in the guest house.

The hostel is based on the door step of the Central Balkan National Park. Horse riding is available at the farm next door but must be booked in advance. Great mountain air, water and beautiful traditional villages near to the farm. The mountain walks are fantastic and the caving at Lakatnik is fantastic also.

A pickup can be booked for a cost of 15lv min or 5 lv per person from Svoge train station. Or you can down load a very detailed map and hike up from Tserovo to the farm. http://www.cropscheme.org/gettingtocrop.JPG

See you soon and please leave your mobile number when making the booking, as we will text you the link for a detailed hiking map!

Directions

Arriving by car,
The drive to Svoge is very lovely and then you take the road from Svoge to Jelen, the road from Jelen to the farm is difficult but possible but please down load our detailed map http://www.cropscheme.org/allroutestocrop.JPG print this and enlarge it.

Arriving by air at Sofia airport
You will arrive at terminal 1 or 2, you take the 84/284 bus to Vasil Levski (30 mins journey max) and get off at this street. Once you are off the bus walk towards the street called Graf Ignatiev if you are not sure which direction ask anyone what direction for Popa. This is a well known meeting place and monument, most Bulgarians know where this is. When you come to the corner of Graf Ignatiev you take the tram number 12 going to the central train station (Centralna Gara).

From Sofia central train station:
When you arrive at the train station you catch a train from Sofia central to Cerovo (Tserovo/Tzerovo/Церово) and you can find the times for the trains here http://bdz.bg
When you have bought your ticket and you are on the train please text us but if you don't have a mobile phone then please call us from the train station to tell us which train you are going to take. Down load the detailed map to walk up from Tserovo www.cropscheme.orggettingtocrop.JPG
We can meet you at the train station and help with your bags with our donkey for a cost of 5lv but you need to book this and then text us your train time.
If you want us to pick you up by car please take the train to Svoge and there is a cost for a car pick up, min 15lv one way or 5 lv per person. If you miss the train for any reason please call us and tell us this info so we know what time to meet you.
A big tip about Sofia station: go to your train at least 20 mins before departure and confirm with anyone that you are on the right train, show them your ticket and then get on that train.
The train journey will take you about 1 hour, you will know when you come to Svoge. To get off at Tserovo you get off the train the second stop after Svoge station. If you need help ask young people if they speak English (Govorite li Angliski?) 'do you speak English?' and they will help you if they can. A lot of young people here speak a little or a lot of English. You will see us at the station and if we are not yet there go to the cafe behind the station (Pepe's cafe) and wait for us there. Please note there is a 1 hour walk to the farm from the cafe and some of this is up hill, if you want to off load some baggage at Sofia central station it is very safe and cost 2lv a bag per day. If you are good with maps contact us before you arrive and we can e-mail you a great detailed map of how to walk to the farm :) Come and enjoy the beauty.

Facilities

Internet Access, Airport Pick Up, Linen Included, Towels, Luggage Storage, Travel Desk/Travel Info, Common Room, Bike Parking, BBQ Area, Free Carpark, Breakfast Not Included, Breakfast