Travel Guide - The Nature

SMOLYAN LAKES
The Seven Smolyan lakes are the sparkling eyes of The Rhodope Mountains. They are situated picturesquely on several terraces, surrounded by spruce woods. The green hills are reflected in the lakes and leave them endowed with a mystical dark green color. The highest located, but the deepest one is called Matnoto (4.5 m).

THE VILLAGE OF SHIROKA LAKA
This lovely small village keeps the spirit of the Bulgarian national revival times and the typical rhodopean architecture is still preserved there. Houses with old wooden balconies had perked along the cobblestone roads. Graceful women voices are enchanting the air.

TRIGRAD GORGE
The gorge is one of the most dazzling landmarks of The Rhodopes. It strikes the eye with its upright marble rocks round which the turbulent waters of the Trigrad River flow. The main part of the gorge spreads at 2-3 km along the riverside. At some parts the rocks of the canyon gorge reach the height of 250 m.

DYAVOLSKO GARLO CAVE
Near Smolyan, a landslide has formed the most extraordinary phenomenon of the Rhodopes. The abyss cave called Dyavolsko garlo (The Devils Throat). Within it stands a huge underground hall (10m/ 30 m) and also one of the most splendid underground waterfalls in Europe - 42m. According to the legends the cave is the entrance to the Underground kingdom, where the mythical Orpheus was looking for his beloved Eurydice.

CHUDNITE MOSTOVE
This rocky phenomenon most probably is formed by a cave landslide during an earthquake. It is to be found on the Arda River bank, nearby the Chernatitsa Hill. The course of time and the natural atmosphere processes has carved in the marble stones two formidable unique rock bridges. The bigger one is 12-15 m wide and 96 m long furnished with a vertical hole - wide and deep approximately 44 m.

BUYNOVSKO GORGE
The Buynovska River gracefully winds its waters in vivid pools and waterfalls. Here the tenacious water flow has created one of the most imposing landmarks in the Rhodopes - The Buynovsko Gorge. From the both banks of the river there are high limestone rocks overhanging and at certain places they are standing from one another only at a distance of few meters. The place, where two rocks almost touch each other is called, Valchi skok (the Jump of the wolf).

UHLOVITSA CAVE
This is one of the most ancient caves, which lies only 3 km from the village of Mogilitsa. This is the home of a great number of dendrite formations shaped in the outlines of sea corals. Its beauty is completes by a true pageant of corallites and helicates. The final gesture of nature brings to this brilliant picture the seven marvelous lakes and the rock flushes of the summer waterfall.

YAGODINSKA CAVE
The Yagodinska cave is to be found in the upper part of the Buynovsko Gorge. Its maze curves for 10 km and its galleries rest on 5 floors. The most famous among them is the huge New Year Eve Hall. The cave is famous for its odd rock formations, shaped in the course of thousand hundred years - draperies and stalactites.