Pirot – cheese, carpets and Poganovo Monastery
A day trip to Pirot – the famous Pirot kashkaval cheese, Pirot kilim carpets, the Kale fortress and Poganovo Monastery in the Jerma river gorge.
- Best time to visitApril – October
- Suggested stay1 day
- Getting there~100 km from Sofia via Kalotina, about 1 h 30 min
Pirot is the first town after the Kalotina border, just an hour and a half from Sofia. It’s a small Serbian town with big traditions, famous for two products: Pirot kashkaval cheese and the Pirot kilim. Nearby, in the Jerma river gorge, is one of the most beautiful medieval monasteries in the Balkans – Poganovo.
Pirot kashkaval
Pirot kashkaval is made from sheep’s and cow’s milk using a traditional recipe. The town’s Dairy School has a shop where you can learn how the cheese is made and taste cheese, kashkaval, kajmak and other dairy products. The local markets also sell excellent cheeses.
Pirot kilims
The Pirot kilim is a hand-woven wool carpet with geometric patterns in red, blue and black, once prized throughout the Ottoman Empire. You can see them at the Ponišavlje Museum (the Hristić House) and buy them from small workshops.
Kale fortress
The medieval fortress of Kale (Momčilov Grad) stands above the Nišava River in the centre of town. Its towers and walls have been restored and are open to visitors.
Poganovo Monastery
About 25 km from Pirot, in the deep Jerma river gorge (the Jerma also flows through Bulgaria near Tran), is the 14th-century Poganovo Monastery of St John the Theologian. Its church holds frescoes of exceptional artistic value. The famous Poganovo icon came from here and is now kept in the Crypt of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia. The setting of cliffs and river is spectacular.
Itinerary
- 8:00 – leave Sofia via the Kalotina–Gradina border.
- 10:00 local time – Pirot: the Dairy School and the market.
- Lunch and a walk to Kale.
- 13:00 local time – Poganovo Monastery and a short walk in the gorge.
- Early evening – back in Sofia.
Practical tips
- Serbia is 1 hour behind Bulgaria – keep it in mind for timings.
- Note: EU rules ban personal imports of meat and dairy products from most non-EU countries, including Serbia. Enjoy the cheese on the spot, and check the current rules before carrying any across the border.
- Combine with Niš for a longer day.
Photos
Updated: November 2026
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