SOUTHERN BULGARIA 113 © Lonely Planet Publications Planet Lonely © Bachkovo Monastery Plovdiv Devin Borovets Bansko Melnik Rila Monastery Indolent enjoyment and Cleanse yourself with the spa waters massage therapies of the Devin spa resort ), deep in the rolling Rodopi Mountains p160 ( Marvel and repent Marvel Make a pilgrimage to the spellbinding ) and Bachkovo p117 of Rila ( monasteries ), and consider their vivid frescoes p153 ( damnation of eternal Liquid pleasure Sample Bulgaria’s best wine beneath ) p134 in little Melnik ( sandstone cliffs some action Get Bohemian old town and in to Plovdiv’s Dive ) p138 partake ( vibrant nightlife in its Hit the powder ), p120 ( ) and Borovets p127 Ski Bansko ( resorts Bulgaria’s baddest winter

HIGHLIGHTS HIGHLIGHTS The legacy of southern Bulgaria’s colourful legacy of southern Bulgaria’s The of ancient civilisations – and complex history

to a glorious past. medieval monastery of Bachkovo, numerous Ottoman mosques and other sites attesting numerous Ottoman attesting of Bachkovo, other sites mosques and medieval monastery Turks – is also abundantly evident, in Plovdiv’s grand Roman amphitheatre, the enthralling the enthralling grand Roman amphitheatre, – is also abundantly evident, in Plovdiv’s Turks from the mysterious Thracians and the Macedonians to Romans, Slavs, Byzantines and to Romans, Slavs, Byzantines and and the Macedonians Thracians from the mysterious Rodopi range, together home of Bulgaria’s best skiRodopi range, together resorts. the country’s best wine in splendid serenity, to the rugged Pirin Mountains and the gentler Mountains and to the rugged Pirin in splendid serenity, the country’s best wine striking you can sample the sandstone ‘pyramids’ of Melnik, where landscapes range from dynamic cultural capital of Plovdiv, southern Bulgaria offers something for everyone. Its Its for everyone. something Bulgaria offers southern of Plovdiv, dynamic cultural capital and the fabled Seven Rila Lakes,and the fabled Seven strung out likebeyond it, to the jewels in the mountains should be placed high on the itinerary of every traveller. From the stunning Rila Monastery From the stunning Rila Monastery traveller. on the itinerary of every should be placed high garia’s greatest spiritual and cultural attractions, the south is a truly fascinating region that attractions, spiritual and cultural region the south is a truly fascinating garia’s greatest With spectacular and infinitely varied nature just waiting to be explored, and some of Bul- and some explored, just waiting to be varied nature With spectacular and infinitely Southern Bulgaria Bulgaria Southern SOUTHERN BULGARIA from Macedonian and Egyptian royalty. enced antiquereligion, attracting initiates even Gods ontheGreek islandof Samothraki, influ- preme expression attheTemple of theGreat their mystery religion, which founditssu- downtousinGreek, and indeed passed been Turkey. Thraciancustomsandbeliefshave northeastern Greece andtoday’sEuropean inated large partsof modern-dayBulgaria, records intheirownlanguage, butoncedom- warlike groupof tribesthatleftno written ground of theancientThracians,anenigmatic, great historicaldiversity. Itwasthestomping geographymountainous have graceditwith The vastnessof southern Bulgaria andits 114 HISTORY SOUTHERN BULGARIA Stip Palanka Kriva OTENBLAI • Hsoy SOUTHERN BULGARIA••History SERBIA MACEDONIA Strumica Gyueshovo Strezimirovtsi Zemen Delcevo Kyustendil Breznik Berovo Lisichkovo Kalotina Stanke Sedemte Ezera (Seven Lakes) Zlatarevo Dupnitsa Pernik NORTHERN BULGARIA Rila Petrich Sandanski Slivnitsa Hizha Yane Sandanski Blagoevgrad Hizha Vihren Popina Lûka

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