It initially sprung as a Thracian settlement that turned into a traveler’s center located on a major Roman road. During the Middle Ages, the Lovech fortress was used as a strategic fortification in northern Bulgaria. A three-month siege ended in a peace treaty between the Bulgarian rulers Asen and Petur and the Byzantine ruler. This treaty marks the establishment of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom.

During the revival period, Lovech acted as a craftsmen meeting point. Lovech merchants traveled throughout the empire and the town prospered. It was often called Altun (golden) Lovech. Many revival activists and revolutionaries acted in Lovech. Some of them are Vassil Levski, Angel Kunchev, P.R. Slaveikov.

Today, Lovech is a picturesque town that has many landmarks to show to visitors. The Lovech fortress is the most important historic remain. The remains can be seen on the right river shore, on the hill of Hissarya.

Varosha residential district is another well-known attraction. The district has been named architecture and historic preserve. It features more than 160 renovated houses that were constructed in the 70s of the 19th century. Lovech traditional houses have their distinct architectural style. The front part of the house faces the yard, while the back side is turned towards the street. The owners of most of these renovated houses live there.

The covered bridge of Lovech also deserves its fame. The bridge is one of the four such constructions in Europe. Accidents led to the destruction of the bridge several times. Initially it was wooden but a river overflow damaged it. Kolio Ficheto constructed the second bridge. The unique construction is 84 m long. The covered part hosts more than 20 shops.

A conflagration in the 20s of the 20th century destroyed the bridge for the second time. The third reconstruction occurred in the 80s. Some of the old bridge foundations were used. Its initial looks were preserved but the new bridge turned out to be 20 meters longer than the work of Kolio Ficheto.

Stratesh, the town’s park, is among the most beautiful Loech features. Locals set up the park on their own. Many alleys allow peaceful walks, the park has a small lake and the second biggest zoo in Bulgaria.

A museum and a monument have been dedicated to the revolutionary Vassil Levski. The monument in Lovech is probably one of the tallest statues of Levski in the country.

Bash Bounar alley will take you for a walk on the left shore of the river. The nature and calmness attract lovers of secluded and relaxing activities.

During May, Lovech turns into a lilac city because of the many flowering bushes. The lilac music days take place at that time.

A settlement called Beroe was founded by the Thracians in the 6th – 5th century BC. Romans named it Augusta Trajana after the Roman emperor Trajan. Later Byzantines gave a new name to the place- Irinopolis but in 717, after being annexed to the young Bulgarian State, it was renamed Borouy. After the occupation of the settlement by the ottomans it accepted a new name– Eski Zagra. In the XIX century it had a Bulgarian name– Zheleznik and its present name Stara Zagora it accepted in 1870.

In the Revival period Stara Zagora was an important economic and trading center. Unfortunately during the Liberation war it was burnt down several times and lost a third part of its population. After the Liberation the city was rebuilt in chess board order after the design of an Austrian-Hungarian architect.

Today Stara Zagora is known as the city of the lime-trees and it is the third biggest industry center in Bulgaria. There are lots of parks and the most popular is the Ayazmo. Other places of interest are the ancient forum of “Augusta Trayana”, the antique mosaic floors from the end of the VI century, the Chilendar Covent, the memorial complex of “Defenders of Stara Zagora”, the temples of “St. Virgin Mary”, “St. Dimitar”, “St. Trinity”, the antique theatre,etc.

At a distance of 15 km is located the “Ladjite” balneological resort with its preserved Roman thermal springs.

In the place of Mechi kladenets (Airbunar) there are copper mines. In the area of the Ayazmoto park is situated the largest Bulgarian zoo.

Interactive map of Stara Zagora:

View Larger Map

The settlement arose in XIV century but its efflorescence as an important craft and trade center was reached during the Revival period. Sopot and the close villages produced rose oil, carpets, glass, cloaks, leathers, woolen braiding, etc. The town was several times attacked and robbed, and in 1877, during the Liberation war it was burnt down.

The Patriarch of the Bulgarian literature- Ivan Vazov, was born on July 9 1850 in Sopot. Its birth house is located on the “Ivan Vazov” square and today it is turnes into a museum- house. Places of interest are also the Young girl convent with the “Presentation of the Blessed Virgin” church, the “St. Peter and Paul” church (situated near to the convent), the “St. Spas” Monastery, the church of “Ascension Day”, the water mill, etc.

Medieval fortresses, called “Anevsko kale” and “Sopot kale”, could be visited in this region, too.

Not far away from the “St. Spas” Monastery is built a lift station with seats lift which elevates to 1600 m above sea level near to the “Nezabravka” chalet.

The intermediate lift station, 1350 m elevated above sea level, is a favorite place of glider fans.

Interactive map of Sopot:

View Larger Map

Romans inhabited that area and were mainly engaged in the processing of ores. Numerous furnaces and hammers, operating with water worked in the Middle Ages.

The biggest Art School in Bulgaria was opened in Samokov during the Revival period. The town was famous for its master icon- painters and artists. It is a birthplace of one of the most famous artists – the brothers Dimityr and Zakhari Zograf.

Today Samokov is a modern town, preserved its cultural and historical heritage, known as a centre of the potato production. Places of interest are the Historical Museum, the Nunnery Monastery, the “Uspenie Bogorodichno” church, “St. Nikola” church, the “Rojdestvo Bogorodichno” temple, etc. The Big Fountain – the symbol of the town, was built on the main square in 1662. According to the legend, one who drinks its water will stay here forever.

The town is a starting point for routes in the whole Rila Mountain.

The Borovets, Maliovitsa, Belchinski Mineral baths resorts are located not far away from Samokov.

The resort of Govedartsi is 12 km to the southwest and the resort of Dolna banya stands 29 km to the east.

Numerous hospitable hotels, taverns and restaurants function for the tourists.

The discovered remains of Thracian fortresses, bridges, cobblestone paths prove that it arose as a settlement in IV century BC.

Crafts and building flourished in the Revival period. The most impressive architecture examples from that time are the churches “St. Petka” (1710), “St. Dimitar” (1825); “St. Virgin Mary” (1864), the first Monastery school, the “Hope” community center, the clock tower which was erected between 1650 and 1710, etc. In Peshtera there are 40 architecture sites, declared architecture monuments with local significance and one Municipal Historical Museum with a museum gathering statute.

6 km from Peshtera is situated the village of Raylovo with a museum gathering, showing the participation of the locals in the April rebellion (1876).

The “Batak” artificial lake and the “St. Konstantin” summer resort are at a distance of 15 km from the town. In summer they offer excellent conditions for sunbathing and fishing, and in winter- for skiing.

Not far away from Peshtera is located the “Snezhanka” cave. Remains, showing the life of a Thracian tribe called Besi and dating back to the Bronze Age, have been discovered there.

According to the discovered stone inscription it was founded in the 13th century under Tzar Mihael- Assen. The Turkish invaders burnt it to ashes, but in 1836 master Konstantin from Peshtera rebuilt it again with a beautiful stone church. The Revival master Stanislav Dospevski has painted the icons in it and the master from Tryavna, named Tzanio Zahariev – The old made the wood-carved iconostasis. One of the first monastery schools was opened here during the Revival period.

Bacho Kiro and Angel Kanchev sojourned in the monastery during the April Rebellion.

Its unique ancient houses are located on the steep sides of the mountain and have all the distinguishing features of the architecture style of Kovachevitsa houses. In the past the locals were mainly engaged in masonry and mining of auriferous sands. The village offers excellent conditions for ecotourism .The most remarkable architecture monuments, dating from 1833 are the Monastery village school and “St. Parashkeva” house.

At disposal of the tourists are 15 restored houses from the Bulgarian Revival period, turned into hotels and two comfortable taverns. There are many things to do as pastime – fishing, hunting, horse riding, etc. The village is a starting point for many itineraries to the southwestern Rhodope Mountains. The ethnographic museums– Kovachevitsa,located only 7 km away, Delchevo – 18 km away and Dolen – 20 km away could be also visited.

Evidence of life origin from the late Iron age was found on the territory of the contemporary village of Kovachevitza. Legends recount that the first settlers were refugees from the Tarnovo kingdom, routed by the Turks. The village rapidly developed thanks to the abundance of drinking water, the mild climate, wide pastures and fertile lands. The village is tucked away in the mountain and this fact also made it in an attractive place for the refugees. Kovachevitsa grew and became famous for its self- taught master builders.

The first monastery school was founded in 1830, the church “St. Nicolas” was built up in 1848 and in 1873 was founded the first professional builder’s association in the Pirin’s region.

Today the village is unique and inestimable, in 1977 it was declared a historical and architectural reserve.

There are over 100 ancient houses from the Bulgarian Revival period, to the present day some of them are cozy and quiet hotels.

In the period of the Turkish yoke Koprivshtitsa was robbed and burnt down by Turkish burglars but the locals rebuilt it three times. The village reached its glory in XIX century when its population was 12000 people. On April 20 1876 the April Rebellion burst out and the first shot fired in Koprivshtitsa. The rich displays in the houses of Todor Kableshkov and Georgi Benkovski tell the story of that glorious time. Koprivshtitsa is unique place, over 300 monuments of the Bulgarian culture from the revival period have been preserved. The old houses have big eaves, stone walls and wide wooden gates. The exterior features windows, shutters, bay- windows painted blue, yellow and red. The house- museum called Oslekova house is the most famous architectural and ethnographic monument in the town. Its owner was a rich merchant from Koprivshtitsa and the house features with its artistic carved ceilings and its walls, painted in beautiful geometrical figures.

Famous Bulgarians were born in this town, today their houses are transformed into museums. Among them are the writer Luben Karaverov and the poet Dimcho Debelianov.

The first monastery school in the town was opened already in 1810 and in 1846 was founded the first secondary school in Bulgaria. Koprivshtitsa has a reputation of a wealthy village from the period of Bulgarian revival. Tourists could put up in houses, rooms, comfortable family hotels, there are lots of taverns.

The legends recount that the first settlers were the blinded soldiers of tsar Samuil. After the Belasitsa battle in 1014 they stayed on this place to cure their eyes with the healing water which sprаng out of the yard of the church “St.Teodor Tiron and Teodor Stratilat”. In the years of the Bulgarian Revival period it became popular with resourceful cotton traders and it was the richest village in the region. Today Dobarsko has all the prerequisites for being an interesting tourist destination: dazzling view, crystal air, amazing waterfalls with 25 m of height, a healing spring, two unique churches and its location near to the resort of Bansko. The village is most famous for its church, erected in 1614. On one of the mural paintings Jesus Christ is pictured in a spaceship at that in times when our ancestors had absolutely no idea what is a spaceship. Near to the temple is located another rich in its mural paintings church “The Candemass” from 1860. Every year, on the 6 of January, in Dobarsko takes place a folklore festival and all the people participate in a Christian custom called “Cross throwing into the river”.