One of Bulgaria’s many attractive landscapes – the Rhodope mountains – are in Southern Bulgaria. At just about two hours from Sofia and forty minutes from Plovdiv, you drive right into them. You’ll pass steep cliffs and deep valleys. You’ll have wide views over mountain lakes and rivers. Enjoy a coffee in a small village surrounded by green, wild mountains. Or, what about sleeping in a traditional, Rhodope-style guest house? Your hosts will make sure you feel very welcome, by pouring you some homemade rakia or even preparing you a meal with produce from their own garden! It has never been so easy to explore Bulgaria. The Rhodope mountains, some of the last remaining wilderness of Europe, is more accessible than ever. Good roads connect the towns and you can get high up to explore any village. Follow your senses – you never know what you’ll find. Waterfalls, green meadows with flocks of sheep or one of the many regional museums. The Rhodope mountains are packed with treasures that are yours to explore!

As you drive east from Sofia, make sure to leave the highway early and check out the remains of the ancient fortress ‘Tryanova vrata’. Meaning ‘The Gate of Trajan’, the fortress reminds us of the ancient border between the regions Thrace and Macedonia. Bulgarian historians know this place, on top of a hill, for the major Battle of the Gates of Trajan. It was fought in 986, between Byzantine and Bulgarian forces. Bulgaria had a great victory over the Byzantines – this was the largest defeat of the Byzantines whom fought under emperor Basil II. After checking out the remains and imagining the enormous battle in what is nowadays a quiet forest, let’s continue towards the Rhodope mountains.

Dospat Reservoir	Беловска базилика	Velingrad

Take the old road to Burgas instead of the highway, passing through Momin Prohod and Kostenets. Don’t forget to check out the Chavcha waterfall just a few kilometres out of Kostenets, easily accessible by car. Then, if the weather’s on your side, have a swim in the public pool just east of Belovo. You’ll notice paper is sold on the streets of Belovo, the town has a large paper mill. Seemingly an uninteresting town, its history dates back to the New Stone Age. Evidence of inhabitation dates back as far as the Third until Sixth Millenium B.C. Belovo is a rather important town in Bulgarian history. Remains of a large basilica (6th Century) can still be admired at about 10 kilometres south of Belovo, 1,5 kilometres from the neighbouring town Golyamo Belovo. The last part of the trail, leading towards the basilica, is inaccessible by car. Therefore, check Google Maps for ‘Беловска базилика’. You´ll be close to the fortress, yet it can be hard to find because of the lack of signs.

Batak	Trigrad	Golyam Beglik

You are now in the Rhodope mountains. Should you drive south, you´ll be right between the Rila mountains (Western Bulgaria) and the Rhodope mountains (South/Southeastern Bulgaria). You may choose to drive south and visit Velingrad for a luxurious spa retreat. There are many stunning hotels – yet there are plenty of regular guesthouses as well. You may design your trip as you like, Velingrad has something to offer for each individual. Yet, everyone enjoys the same in the end, the quiet and relaxed atmosphere, the pure and fresh air coming from the mountains and the dark skies packed with stars at night.

No matter the direction you choose, it would be a pity to skip a visit to Batak. This serene mountain town has houses in a typical Northern Rhodope style. This means most houses are built of bricks and concrete, whereas houses in the Southern Rhodopes are mostly built of wood and finished with a white layer of plaster. Batak is again a historical town. As in several places in Bulgaria, remains of several Thracian, Byzantine and Slavic fortresses were registered in the area. During the Ottoman era, Batak played an important role. Especially in the April Uprising in 1876. The Batak Massacre was one of the most horrific acts to the Bulgarian people. Eventually, it was reported worldwide and this caused an outcry in many nations. This created a favourable position for the Russians to eventually enter and take a stand against the Ottomans. The Old Church, right next to the New Church in the center, is a historical monument to be visited when you’re in Batak.

Yagodinska cave	Chepelare	Rhodopes

Nowadays, Batak is a popular destination from tourists from all over Bulgaria and abroad. The forests around are very dense and just stunning. Plenty of attractions can be seen nearby, such as the Batak Dam at 8 kilometres from town. There’s plenty of hiking opportunities nearby, such as to the peak Golyama Syutkya (2.186m.). Or, how about exploring the underground world? Bulgaria is famous for its many caves and Snejanka, at 15 kilometres north of Batak, happens to be one of the most beautiful. Snejana means ‘snow white’ in Bulgarian, in case of the cave this derives from the nature-made crystal-white figure in the main hall of the cave. This hall is called the Magic Hall.

You could continue south, past the two main attractions in the Batak region – the Golyam Beglik and Shiroka Polyana reservoirs. It’s lovely to have a picknick by the side of the water, or to visit one of the many restaurants that serve local, Rhodope specialties. Again, the nature is quite wild and bears, foxes and deer are just a few of the many inhabitants of the deep forests. Farther south is the second largest reservoir in Bulgaria, the Dospat Reservoir. Named after the town Dospat, on the Southeastern end of the reservoir, this place is again rich of many flora and fauna. Even though accessing the lake other than from the Southeastern part is quite hard, this doesn’t stop many fishermen and tourists from the excellent opportunities for recreation in this area. The views of the lake and the forests around it are just breathtaking.

Bachkovo Waterfall	Bachkovo Monastery	Zlatograd

The people in Dospat mostly rely on logging, woodworking and the textile industry. Hunting is also thriving and so is the picking of forest fruits through summer. Tourism is developing and several families are now more than willing to accommodate you in their hotels. Through summer, water sports and activities on and around the water are plentiful. The area is beautiful to visit for at least a day.

Now that you’re in the Southern Rhodopes, almost on the Bulgarian-Greek border, let’s move east. The Yagodinska cave is the longest in the Rhodopes and the third longest in Bulgaria, with its impressive 10.500 metres of length. Home to 11 species of bats, this cave is very important for Bulgaria’s biodiversity. Only a small part of the cave can be seen by tourists. Interestingly, the upper part of the cave was found to be the place of an ancient dwelling, having stood here in 4.000 B.C. Excavations led archaeologists to believe that this, at one point, was an important center for production of pottery and ceramics. The site was abandoned after an earthquake and the cave was discovered in 1963 by the Speleological Club of Chepelare, a town not too far away. Make sure to bring something warm to wear, as the part accessible for visitors is at a constant temperature of only 6 degrees Celcius.

From beneath the ground, it’s now time to go all the way up.. At only 2,4 kilometres from the Yagodinska cave is the Eagle’s Eye, a steep climb, however. A steel construction with a view platform raises 670 metres above the ground, at some 1563 metres above sea level! Here, you have a wide view over the Southern Rhodopes and it shouldn’t surprise you that this is one of the most popular sights in the whole of Southern Bulgaria. You should be able to see the peaks in Greece from a distance. Make sure to bring sun block, as the summers in Bulgaria are warm and you’re out in the open on this platform.

Should you be in the mood for seeing another cave, drive on through the Trigrad Gorge, a dramatic landscape of steep cliffs. After a while, you’ll arrive in Trigrad. There, you find one of Bulgaria’s most spectacular caves. It’s called the Devil’s Throat. It is said that the entrance of this cave resembles the devil’s head and through the cave rushes a gigantic waterfall. This is the so-called ‘throat’. The highest underground waterfall on the Balkan peninsula. Many attempted to track where this river goes after it falls down for 42 metres, yet pieces of wood never came out on the other side, outside the cave. It’s obligatory to be accompanied by a guide inside. The steps up and down are secured by a railing you can hold. In the evening, retreat to one of the many guesthouses around or enjoy a spa treatment in the town of Devin.

You have the possibility to continue farther east into the Rhodope mountains, all the way to the border with Turkey. South of Trigrad is Greece, so you’ll have to go north or east to continue your tour of the Bulgarian side. Either continue east towards Smolyan, Zlatograd and the Devil’s Bridge. These are all wonderful places in the Rhodope mountains that totally reward the patient traveler, driving through the mountains curve after curve. Continue north to Kardzhali, with the huge Kardzhali and Kladenets reservoirs. Enjoy some freshly caught fish in one of the lakeside restaurants just outside the city. Then, continue north to Perperikon, an ancient arcthitectural complex that dates back as far as 5.000 B.C.

Should you want to return towards Sofia earlier instead of taking this detour, drive east from Devin and take the road north near Smolyan. You’ll have a wonderful trip through the Central Rhodopes, past towns such as Chepelare and sights such as the Wondrous Bridges. You’ll pass Bachkovo Monastery and eventually Asen’s Fortress, just south of Asenovgrad. Then, you’ll be close to Plovdiv and with a good impression of Bulgaria’s unique Rhodopes, you can head west to Sofia by taking the highway again.

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by Leon de Leeuw Website: https://www.leondeleeuw.net/ Youtube: Visit