Five weekend drives from Sofia

With a rental car the weekend is all yours — no timetables, no changes.

• Rila — lakes, a monastery and mountain trails two hours away.
• Plovdiv — the Old Town and Kapana, with parking outside the centre.
• The Rhodopes — hairpins, villages and views; take a car with more power.
• Bansko — skiing in winter, hiking in summer.
• Koprivshtitsa — Revival houses and quiet.