Melnik is set in astonishing scenery : it's well hidden among sandstone cones and cliffs, impossible to see from a distance. In 1880 is was a town of 20000 people, but today only 250 people inhabit this place. This stunning decline is due to the Second Balkan War (1913), which caused the destruction of the town and its trade routes, and when ethnic cleansing struck the largely Greek population. The town has a few houses turned into museums (very similar to Turkish Konaks, but with a clear Slav influence). It's also a great place for hikes, either at the bottom of amidst the sandstone formations, or on top where one can get a better impression of how they are arranged.