This industrial Bulgarian town grew from its mining roots in the western valley. Its mineral springs and location near the Pirin Mountains draw local visitors.
Located 30 kilometers from Sofia, Pernik is surrounded by the Vitosha, Golo Bardo, Lyulin, and Viskyar mountain ranges. You can explore a former coal mine 100 feet underground, walk through medieval fortress ruins, or time your visit for January when thousands of dancers in wooden masks and colorful costumes perform traditional rituals during the Surva Festival.
Getting to Pernik
Regular trains connect Sofia to Pernik, taking about 70 minutes and costing 2.30 lev. Buses depart from Sofia's Western Bus Station (Avtogara Zapad) in the Ovcha Kupel district. Walk 15 minutes from the train station along Targovska Street to reach the city center.
The Surva Festival Experience
Every January, more than 6,000 participants transform Pernik's streets during Eastern Europe's largest masquerade festival. The dancers, called Kukeri, create their own wooden masks and costumes, performing traditional dances accompanied by heavy bells. You'll find local food vendors throughout the main square during the three-day celebration. Bring warm clothing - temperatures typically fall below freezing.
Underground Mining Museum
Descend 100 feet into Pernik's first coal mine from 1891. The underground tunnels contain original mining equipment and recreated work scenes showing mining conditions from different periods. Above ground, explore the main Mining Museum and Historical Museum buildings. Guide services are available in Bulgarian and English. Visit Tuesday through Saturday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Book guided tours at least one day in advance.
City Center and Cultural Sites
Walk through the paved paths of the park behind Drama Theatre Boyan Danovski, where locals gather in the afternoons. Browse through 300,000 books and documents at the Svetoslav Minkov Library, including detailed records of local history. The stone-built St. Ivan of Rila Church is a five-minute walk from the park, with daily services and an distinctive bell tower visible from most of the city center.
Krakra Fortress
Climb the hilltop path in southwestern Pernik to reach this 9th-century fortress. A 20-minute walk from the city center takes you to defensive walls and building foundations from the First Bulgarian Empire. Information panels in Bulgarian and English explain the fortress's military significance and daily life during medieval times.
Day Trips from Pernik
Hike along the Erma River gorge near Tran (40 km northwest), where cliff walls rise 100 meters above the water. Visit Zemen Monastery (35 km southwest) to see its 14th-century frescoes depicting biblical scenes and Bulgarian rulers. Explore the limestone formations and rare plant species in the Dragoman protected area, 25 km north of Pernik.
