Musala is the highest mountain on the entire Balkan Peninsula, and it also exceeds the famous Greek Olympus with 2917m and the highest peak of the Pirin, the Vihren with 2914m. the name musala comes from the original name mus allah, allah's mountain. it comes from the time when Bulgaria was still part of the Ottoman Empire. On the summit there is a weather station, built in 1932, and since the 60ths also used as a space observatory. The all-round view encompasses practically the entire Rila as well as the neighboring Pirin and Rhodopes. This hike can be started from the top of Yastrebets, where the gondola from the village of Borovets will end. The working time is from Wednesday to Sunday from 08:30 to 18:00. You may want to avoid the weekend altogether. Saturdays and Sundays are very busy, with queues at the gondola long during the morning. The hiking path itself can get very busy: in fact, too busy for comfort, as thousands of people attempt to climb up to the top of the mountain. Many will be neither physically up to it nor in possession of a decent pair of walking shoes.