MOUNTAINOUS TOURISM IN BULGARIA

MOUNTAINOUS TOURISM

You are pretty much sure about the things you want to run away of – the tight grip of the everyday life, the stress of the big city, the constant competition against time and your own personality. You are probably unsure of where you want to go? The answer is not difficult at all – BACK TO THE NATURE! You may wonder where to find a mosaic of incredible landscapes and unique biodiversity, combined with modern facilities, wealth of historical layers and living traditions? COME AND SPEND YOUR HOLIDAYS IN THE MOUNTAINS OF BULGARIA! Here you will discover the magnificence of Nature; you will feel the warmth of the Bulgarian hospitality and the wisdom of the centuries. Unlike most of the major and traditionally proven tourist destinations, the mountains of Bulgaria are preserved from the excessive introduction of the technical facilities. They will offer you excellent conditions for tourism, sports and entertainment, without taking away from you the opportunity for seclusion and direct communication with the nature and the local culture.

THE NATURAL WEALTH OF THE BULGARIAN MOUNTAINS

On the territory of small Bulgaria there are 16 mountains, which occupy approximately 1/3 of the territory of the country. Each one of them is different compared to the others, with its own charm and fascination. Here are located the longest mountain range (Stara Planina Mountain) and the highest massif (Rila Mountain) on the Balkan Peninsula. The height above the sea level varies between 600 and 2925 m, but the prevailing area is that of 800 to 1600 m. The gentle slopes alternate with high peaks, deep precipices, picturesque river valleys and majestic gorges. There are many caves, waterfalls and fantastic rock phenomena, as if chiseled out by the hand of an invisible artist. The climate is incredibly healthful – temperately cooler during the summer and moderately cold during the winter, with plenty of sunshine and prolonged retention of the snow cover (it continues for 250 days a year in the highest parts). This makes the mountains in Bulgaria an attractive place for different types of tourism and helps for their transformation in desired destination during the all four seasons of the year. There are plenty of waters there – crystal clear rivers, more than 400 natural lakes and more than 1500 dam lakes. Hundreds of mineral springs with varied chemical composition gush out in the enclosing hollows, which put Bulgaria at one of the first positions, among the wealthiest of spa resources countries in Europe. The mountain regions are distinguished for the great diversity of their plant and animal life. Between 50% and 80% of their territory is covered with thick forests (while the average forestation of the country is about 30 %). Unique natural massifs of deciduous and coniferous forests of 250-300 year-old trees are preserved at some places, and the oldest three (the Baikusheva mura (white fir) in Pirin Mountain) is 1300 years old, thing which makes it a coeval of the Bulgarian state. Some of the most important habitats of the bear, wolf and wild goat in Europe are situated in our mountains. Here also live hundreds of rare representatives of the bird, water and cave fauna. The biological diversity is maintained by a wide network of protected natural territories, significant part of which are included in the List of the UN about the national parks and reserves.

CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL HERITAGE

The mountains have always played an important role in the life of the local people, who during the past hard times took a safety refuge in them and gained strength for their spiritual survival. That is why the mountains are not only an exceptional natural wealth, but also a treasury of the national culture. Tucked away in picturesque river valleys amid steep slopes, the mountain settlements and neighborhoods guard the memory of the centuries and whisper legends about far-off days. Nowhere else the traditions and folklore are so alive and the people so brave and hospitable. Harmonious consonance of natural beauty and affluent human spirit can be felt everywhere – in the authentic lifestyle of the highlanders, in marvelous works of the masterly craftsmen, in the magic of the music, songs and dances, which create lasting relationship among the people and draw them near to God. This is the place of interweaving of historical layers piled up since the Antiquity up to the present days, invariably marked by the cultural crossroad between the European civilization and the Orient. There are remains of the Thracian and Roman civilizations (village tumuli, dwelt caves, dolmens, mural paintings, remains of fortresses), remains from the time of the medieval Bulgarian state (Veliko Tarnovo, Arbanassi, Melnik), but undoubtedly the most preserved heritage from the past is that of the National Revival period. Entire settlements are declared architectural reserves (Melnik, Kovachevitsa, Shiroka lucka, Koprivshtitsa, Bozhentsi, Tryavna, Zheravna, Arbanassi etc.). These are magnificent ensembles of old houses with high stone walls and lovely gardens, cobblestone streets and vaulted bridges, built in harmony of stone and wood – living open-air museums, which bear the spirit of Bulgaria. The most beautiful monasteries are also built in the trustworthy embrace of the mountain slopes. They have a special place in the history of Bulgaria – not only as cloisters of the Christian faith, but also as asylums against invaders, centers of enlightenment and struggle for national independence. Nowadays some of them (Rilski, Bachkovski, Troyanski, Rozhenski monasteries) are among the most frequently visited tourist sites