House Maria

House Maria stands in the centre of Gela, one of the oldest villages in the Rhodope Mountains, its houses gathered in the lap of Karlak at around 1500 m above sea level. The house has 4 bedrooms sleeping up to 11 guests and is rented as a whole, which makes it a natural choice for family celebrations, gatherings with friends and long, unhurried stays in the mountains. The ground floor holds a large common room with a fireplace, a fully equipped kitchen with all the appliances, dishes and cooking utensils you need, and a WC. Upstairs are the four bedrooms — three triples and one double — two bathrooms, a terrace and a veranda. A local central heating system keeps the house at whatever temperature guests prefer, and the Wi-Fi is unlimited. In the common area downstairs you can settle into the lounge seating, put music on the HiFi system, watch the 55-inch TV, or simply spend the evening talking in front of the fire. Nearby stand the Holy Trinity Monastery, the Church of Saint Mary, the preserved remains of an early Byzantine basilica from the 5th century, the Gradishteto and Turlata fortresses, and a scattering of chapels and healing springs — and every summer the village fills up for the Ilinden celebrations and the famous Gela bagpipe gathering.