The Belogradchik Rocks are a group of bizarre sandstone and limestone rock formations, reaching up to 200 m in height. They form a strip, which is 30 km long and up to 3 km wide, and are located north of the western slopes of Stara Planina, near the town of Belogradchik in Bulgaria. The formations, which vary in color from red through yellow to grey, are a product of erosion and every distinct rock is named after an object it is believed to resemble.

The only site nominated in Bulgaria for the New 7 Natural Wonders of the World is the Belogradchik Rocks. The Belogradchik Rocks is competing against 261 natural phenomenon in 222 countries. Voting will take place until 07.07.2009. The final 21 sites will be announce on 21.07.2009. Another round of voting will take place until 2011, when at that time the 7 finalists will be named the New 7 Wonders of the Natural World.

Show your support for the Belogradchik Rocks by voting at the New 7 Wonders website at:
http://www.new7wonders.com.

For information about the Belogradchik Rocks in English visit the website:
http://www.resortsguidebg.com/bulgaria/the-belogradchik-rocks-belogradchishki-skali

How to Travel to Belogradchik?

Ropotamo preserve is situated 50 km south of the coastal city of Bourgas. It includes the banks of Ropotamo River. Ropotamo is one of the oldest preserves in Bulgaria, named as such in 1940.

In 1962, Ropotamo lost its preserve status. Coastal over construction and the increasingly growing number of tourists made authorities name Ropotamo a protected area once again in 1992.

The preserve houses untypical for the latitude plant species. It is also well-known for the beautiful rock phenomena, dunes and swamps.

Ropotamo’s banks are covered by thick forests. Some important plant species used in the production of medicines can be seen there.

More than 100 Ropotamo plant species have been included in Bulgaria’s red book of endangered plants.

The river mouth features salty water. Some marine fish species live there and sometimes go upstream searching for food.

Nearly 250 bird species inhabit Ropotamo. The number of endangered bird species there is 71.

If you decide to explore fully the preserve, hire a local to organize a boat trip. During the hour-long boat trip you will see many of the natural phenomena and some of the animal species.

Arkoutino region is part of Ropotamo preserve. One of Bulgaria’s most beautiful beaches carries the same name and is located in the same area.

Big sand dunes are typical for the region. The rare sand lily grows there.

Until recently, the beach was wild and a favorite spot for tent lovers and nudists. The beach gave them wonderful opportunities for sunbathing and swimming. Tourists who got tired of the noisy Sozopol beaches visited Arkoutino.

Several years ago, construction in Arkoutino began. The spot is not as calm as it used to be in the past. A major vacation complex is situated nearby.

The Arda (Bulgarian: Арда, Greek: Ardas) is a river whose source lies in the Bulgarian Rhodope Mountains near the town of Smolyan, flowing 290 kilometers eastward past Kardzhali and Ivaylovgrad and through Greece in the northern portion of the Evros prefecture including Kastanies. It then enters the Maritsa (Greek: Evros) just west of Edirne, Turkey. The portion in Bulgaria is accented by three hydroelectric and irrigation dams, Kardzhali Dam, Studen Kladenets and Ivaylovgrad Dam, and is 241 km long, making the Arda the longest river in the Rhodopes. The medieval Dyavolski most arch bridge crosses the river 10 km from Ardino.

The three floods of February 18, 2005, when the water level was at 4.8 m, March 1 and March 7, 2005 flooded the low lying areas, especially in the Kastanies area which turned the area into a lagoon. The merging of the waters of the Maritsa (Evros/Meri?) caused streets and buildings including homes to be flooded and people to be stranded in their homes.