You'd be foolish to visit Gotse Delchev without making the effort to visit DELCHEVO , a wonderfully atmospheric village perched up in the mountains just south of town. Buses are infrequent (currently Mon & Fri only at 8am & 4pm), but a taxi there and back shouldn't cost more than US$15. If you're driving, head out of town along ul. Papalezov and keep going.

Almost immediately the road begins switchbacking up a steep hillside, passing lush orchards and vineyards, with occasional gaps revealing fine views of the town sprawled across the plain below. A few kilometres out of town you'll pass the convent of Sveta Bogoroditsa , a minor foundation which nevertheless boasts a restful garden and a large meadow for picnics - the latter pressed into service on major Orthodox feast days like Assumption (Golyama Bogoroditsa; August 15). After 9km of twisting and turning you arrive at Delchevo itself, its streets ranged amphitheatre-style around the curving mountainside. Most of its houses are built in the frugal Rhodope style rather than mortared and multi-storeyed in the Pirin fashion - the circle of houses around the church is especially fine. There's a spectacular panorama of the Mesta valley from the village square, but nowhere to stay, or even buy food - unless the sporadically open village shop is doing business.