Yablanitsa is a small town picturesquely scattered in between the average size massifs of Dragoitsa and Lissets, spurs of Stara Planina Mountain. It is situated at a distance of 80 km from the Capital-Sofia.

This area was populated even during the Old Stone, Stone-Copper and Bronze Ages. There are numerous Thracian mounds scattered around the town, part of them being thoroughly explored. The monastery Sveti Georgi Pobedonosets(10 km away from Yablanitsa)is perched on a rock ridge in the massive Lisets and it resembles medieval fortress.
The cave Saeva Dupka is 14km south of Yablanitsa. The cave is around 3.5 million years old. It is called the underground pearl, because it is one of the most beautiful caves in Bulgaria.

Sini Vir is about an hour away walking distance west of the Kovatchevitza village in the valley of the Kanina river (also called Karvava reka, meaning bloody river). The falling water has formed blue-green colored coves. This waterfall is more of a cascade along the river which in this area has created a small and charming gorge. For 3 kilometers the river makes its way among unreachable vertical rocks hanging over it. There are a few caves around, and several pines have found a way to survive here on the rocks.

Over 83 per cent of its area are on the Bulgarian territory, the remaining is in Greece.
It is located in the most southern part of the country. With its highest peak-Golyam Perelik (2191m) it occupies the 7 th place among the Bulgarian mountains.
The Rhodopes Mountains are some of the oldest mountains in Bulgaria.
Very interesting are the Karst areas with their deep river gorges, large caves and specific sculptured forms – Trigrad Gorge, the caves Devil’s Throat, Uhlovitsa, Yagodinska , the Wonderful Bridges.

CLIMATE & BORDERS

The location of the Rhodope in the southeastern part of the Balkan Peninsula determines to a great extent the climate here. It is influenced both by the colder air coming from the North and by the warmer breeze from the Mediterranean.
The average annual temperature in the Eastern Rhodope is 12-13oC, the maximum value of precipitation is in December, the minimum is in August. In the Western Rhodope the temperature varies with 5 to 9oC and the summer rainfalls prevail.
The mild climate combined with some other factors works in favour of the development of recreation and tourist activities.
The Pamporovo resort is an excellent example, where the micro climate permits a fat snow cover to be preserved for a long time – a real Paradise for skiing.
river, the To the North is the valley of the Maritsa river, to the South- the White sea plain, to the West – the valley of the MestaAvramovi Kolibi saddle, Lyuta Reka, the Yundola Saddle and the river Yadenitca, to the east- the valleys of Borovitza and Arda rivers.
The Rhodope are spread over 14 737 sq.km of which 12 233 sq.km. are on Bulgarian territory. The mountain is about 220 km long and about 100-120 km wide with an average altitude of 785m.
The best conifer woods in Bulgaria are in the Rhodopes.
15 reserves have been established, some of these are included in the list of UNESCO.
There are many mineral water springs, the most faumous are in Velingrad and Narechen.

WESTERN RHODOPES

The bigger part (66% of the total area), the higher, more developed and visited part of the mountain. The highest and best known peaks are also here (more of 10 are over 2000m) including the leader-Golyam Perelik (2191m). Among the interesting peaks are Shirokolushki Snezhnik (2188), Golyam Persenik (2091), Bataski Snejnik (2082), the wonderful Turla (1800).
River. The Rocky phenomenon Some of the deepest and most picturesque river gorges are here too – the Trigrad, Byunovsko, of the Mostova SushitcaWonderful Bridges, the Chaira Lakes and the Dams Dospat, Batak, Shiroka Polyana, Iglika, Toshkov Chark excellently fit into the environment.
The architecture reserves Shiroka Luka, Kovachevitza, Momchilovtsi, Kosovo, and many other interesting villages are in the Western Rhodope too.
The city of Batak is also located here as well as the large tourist centers Smolyan, Velingrad, Devin, Chepelare, the winter resort of Pamporovo, the Christian sanctuary Bachkovo Monastery, the ruins of Assenov fortress, the caves Devils Throat, Iagodinska and many others.
The highest village in Bulgaria-Manastir (over 1500m) is crouched in the northern foot of the Prespa peak.
The famous building Agushevi konatsi is here-in the village of Mogilitza, immediately to the south of Smolyan.
There are no chalets, but nearby Smolyan offers lodging and foot.

EASTERN RHODOPES

Spread over a territory of about 34% of the whole area of the mountain. This is a much lower part .
Here are the large artificial dams Kardjali and Studen kladenets that together with the rivers Borovitza and Varbitza offer great opportunities for water tourism.
The Region is rich in thermal mineral springs. Djebel has national reputation for healing many different diseases. “Belite brezi”, with their fresh mountain air, is an important healing center for respiratory and other ailments.
The Eastern Rhodope are much more populated than the Western.
Here are the major cities of Haskovo and Kardjali as well as the smaller Momchilgrad, Krumovgrad, Kirkovo.
The larger rivers in the Rhodopes are: Maritsa, Mesta, Struma, Dospat, Vutcha, Chepelarska and many others.

The town of Devin is situated in a wide valley, among the heights of the Western part of the Rhodopy Mountain. It stands 700 m above sea level and its population is about 6000 people. The resort is located 45 km north-west of Smolyan, 90 km south of Plovdiv and 198 km south- east of the Bulgarian capital Sofia.

In this area were found many Roman coins that prove the existence of settlements in Roman times. First it was called “Diov” and later it was renamed to “Dyovlen” by Slavs. During the time when a lot of people were forced to convert to Mohammedanism, the town was burnt down but soon the survived people rebuilt it on its today’s place.

Today Devin is a resort with superb nature, fresh mountain air and plenty of mineral springs.

Places of interest are the Historical Museum and the church “St.Yoan of the Rila Mountains”.

21 km distant from Devin is the architectural- ethnographic reserve “Shiroka laka”.

Some of the most impressive places in the Rhodope Mountain such as the gorge of Trigrad, the caves “Devil’s throat”, “Yagodinska”, “Haramiiska”, etc., are concentrated in this region.

There are a lot of hotels, private holiday houses and restaurants in the town.