Stara Zagora
Stara Zagora is one of the oldest towns on the territory of present-day Bulgaria, famous equally for its rich history and fertile lands. The town lies in the geographical centre of the country. Its origin can be traced back to Thracian times.
Stara Zagora is poetically nicknamed as the Town of Limes for the numerous lime trees planted along the main streets of the town and enchanting visitors with their marvelous scent in springtime. The town plan, designed by the Czech Loubor Bayer, strikes visitors with its perfectly straight and perpendicular streets and makes Stara Zagora unique in Bulgaria. Yet despite its through reconstruction, the town keeps the remains of the Augusta Trayana fortress and other sights of interest, such as Roman mosaics in 20 different places in the town. The Eski Mosk (Eski Dzamiya), built during the 15th century by the Ottoman authorities, is another place of tourist interest.
Modern day Stara Zagora has a wealth of tourist attractions including museums, art galleries and is home to the largest zoo in Bulgaria. There are many parks, including the Ayazmo (Spring) Park that provides a wonderful area for sports and recreation against a backdrop of trees from all around the world, planted within a botanical garden. Stara Zagora is also a highly cultural city, known nationally as the city of painters and poets. Stara Zagora has the only Opera House outside of Sofia and a huge Art Gallery displaying more than 4000 works. Stara Zagora is a large, exciting and cosmopolitan city and has excellent shopping and leisure
The moment you step in Kazanlak you will inevitably feel the beauty and magic of the Bulgarian Rose. This small, but extremely picturesque town will welcome you hearty and colourful every time you arrive. Even out of the season of the big events honouring the Rose, the town is checkered with colour gardens, where magical flowers bloom. The local people are smiling and are always ready to show you the way to the next historical sightseeing in the vicinity of the town. Kazanlak is extremely attractive town. Countless restaurants and pubs offer Bulgarian traditional cuisine and different thematic dinner parties, whose program includes – fire- dancing, Bulgarian national dances (horo), and the unforgettable music from this part of Bulgaria. Kazanlak offers countless surprises to its guests. The region around the town is checkered with many archeological and historical monuments that give a unique charm to this small town.
HASKOVO
Haskovo city is situated in Central South Bulgaria at the northern foot of the Eastern Rodope Mountain. The town’s historical museum offers information about the history of local lifestyle and customs. Constant exhibitions in the museum are “Archeology”, “Ethography”, “Revival and National- liberation struggles”, “The town’s lifestyle – from the XXth century”. You can see the house of Gurko, where General Gurko stayed during the straggles for liberation of the town. The highest statue of the Holy Mother with the new born child in the whole world is situated in Haskovo. The oldest mosque on the Balkan Peninsula is also situated in the town- Eski Dzhami.
Haskovo is a town with rich cultural traditions and achievements in the field of science and arts. Traditional literature days “South spring” takes place in the town in April every year. The fair of National arts “Beautiful Thracia sings and dances”, takes place in the “Kenana” park. In the end of September every year the Jazz fest of Haskovo entertains the citizens and visitors. The official holiday of the town is 8th September.
Haskovo Mineral Baths is a famous Spa resort, located at the northern foothills of the East part of Rodope Mountain. It is 18 km west of Haskovo, at 280 m altitude. There are many archeological finds from the prehistoric age, ancient and medieval times, found in the region. They prove that the mineral springs in Haskovo Mineral Baths were used for centuries now.
SPA and Climate: There are 15 hot mineral springs in the region. Their temperature varies from 54°Ñ to 56 °Ñ. The climate is temperate continental under Mediterranean impact. There are more than 1200 sunny hours per year that makes Haskovo Mineral Baths one of the sunniest regions in Bulgaria. The hot mineral waters, the sun and the gentle climate have very favourable influence over the human constitution.
Svilengrad is situated along the riverside of Maritsa river in close vicinity to the site where the boundaries of Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece get together. Svilengrad is one of the most important border towns in Bulgaria.
There was Thracian settlement in the region during the ancient times. Lately it became Roman and Byzantine fortress, which guarded the way to Constantinople. The contemporary town was founded after the Turkish invasion. It was built around the “Mustafa pasha” bridge. The town was a famous silkworms breeding centre and its name comes from the Turkish word “svila” which means silk. But the name Svilengrad was officially accepted after the Second Balkan War in 1913, when the town was finally included in Bulgarian state.
Sightseeing: “Mustafa pasha” bridge is situated in the town. It was built in 1529 and it is 300 m long and 6 m wide and it has 20 arches. The bridge is one of the most beautiful buildings of its age. Mezek village is situated 7 km away from Svilengrad. There are a lot of Thracian mounds in the region and one of them is a treasure mound where the scientist found many interesting finds. The ruins of the medieval fortress Neutzikon are above the village. This is one of the best preserved medieval buildings in Bulgaria. The frontier post Kapitan Andreevo at the Bulgarian – Turkish boundary is 14 km away from the town.
Harmanli
Harmanli town is situated 33 kilometres east of Haskovo where the Harmanliiska River pours into Maritsa River. The transcontinental route from Western Europe through Sofia to Istanbul passes through the town.
History: The town is known for its 500 year history. It is believed that the town was formed by caravan seraglio which was built to host those who traveled to Tsarigrad. The name of the town is connected to the Turkish word “harman”, which means even site, where wheat was stored.
Sightseeing: Harmanli is famous for the Church of St. Anastasias, The Kyumyurlyka Dam which offers well developed tourism facilities and “Izvorat na Belonogata” (The spring of the white - legged woman) Compound with the Gerganina drinking – fountain, which is actually the biggest attraction of the town. The beautiful Bulgarian maiden Gergana, which actually inspired the construction of the fountain, was also a poet inspiration to the great Bulgarian poet Petko R. Slaveikov.
Dimitrovgrad
Dimitrovgrad is one of the “greenest” towns in Bulgaria. There are more than 4 500 decares of parks and gardens. The Maritsa Park is on the right bank of the river, the oldest is the Vaptsarov Park, while the most interesting and picturesque one is the well-known Penyo Penev Park.
Every two years since 1970 the town hosts the so-called Days of Poetry, during which poets contest for the prize “Penyo Penev”. It is interesting to note that the first winner of this prize was the poet Damyan Damyanov. Since 1980 Dimitrovgrad also hosts the Bulgarian Theatrical Poster Exhibition and Contest. Dimitrovgrad has one of the largest Sunday markets in Bulgaria, it will take you most of the the day to look around.
Topolovgrad
The town of Topolovgrad lies in southeastern Bulgaria, 27km to the southwest of the town of Elhovo. The town and the municipality of the same name occupy the northern skirts of the Sakar mountain, while the region has been populated ever since antiquity.
The first written evidence of the existence of Topolovgrad dates to the 16th c. when the town, then named as Kavukli, was dominated by the Turkish Sultan Bayazid II. In the 18th and 19th c. the town and the region around it grew into a large vegetable-growing, animal-breeding, wine-producing and artisan centre. Vegetables produced here (onion, garlic, cabbage, etc) were sold in the markets of Odrin, Istanbul, Thessaloniki, Alexandria, Romania and Austria while each week, animal stock from the region was transported to the markets of Odrin and Istanbul.
The biggest tourist landmarks in the area are the so-called Dolmens, spread all over the region. These Thracian monuments are not only one-chambered, but also two and three-chambered, as is the case with the dolmen near the village of Hlebovo. Another historical sight is a Temple of the Sun, found in the Sakar mountain ridge between the town of Topolovgrad and the village of Hlebovo. The temple represents a 1.5km-long rock group in a fan shape, covered with more than 150 manmade circles, most of which are geometrically arranged into ensembles. The circles are all in relief with some of them being convex, and others - concave. A similar cult place of the Thracians in the region is Paleokastro. The Thracian fortress is situated 3km to the west of Topolovgrad and its natural rock walls to the east hold over 150 discs in relief that illustrate the Thracians’ cult to the sun. Finally, close to the Topolovgrad, tourists can visit one of the biggest monasteries in southern Bulgaria, namely the Holy Trinity monastery.
Shipka
Shipka is a real cultural centre of the Bulgarian lands. The town is situated just 5 km from the beautiful rose town of Kazanlak, in close vicinity to Koprinka Dam and the valley of the Thracian Kings. The beauty of the area, the good climate and fresh mountain air of Shipka ensures relaxing day throughout the whole year.
Sightseeing: One of the most popular attractions and a symbol of the town is the Russian Church of Shipka. In honour of the perished Russian soldiers and Bulgarian volunteers in the Russian – Turkish war of liberation a large beautiful monastery “Nativity” was built at the food of Stara Planina above the town of Shipka. The monastery was constructed in period 1885 – 1902 and the land property was granted by local people. The monastery church “Nativity” is very impressive. It is real masterpiece of architecture and was declared as a monument of culture. The temple was built in the Russian cathedrals traditional style from 17 century. The golden domes are shining far from the distance. There is 53 m long bell tower with 17 bells. The biggest one weights 12 t. The visitors can see 24 marble plates with the names of 18,491 Russian and Bulgarian soldiers who gave their life in battle at Shipka and Kazanlak.
