Visit Startsevo

Driving Directions

• Getting to Startsevo

  Due to its remoteness, traveling to Startsevo is best done by car. The village is located 330 km from Bulgaria's capital Sofia, which makes for four hours travel time. The Greek port of Kavala is only 120 km away with different possible routes, yet the trip still takes over two hours.

• From Sofia
  

  The first stretch of the way from Sofia to Startsevo follows Trakia Highway and then Maritsa Highway for some 210 km to the city of Haskovo. The next roughly 120 km are overcome via secondary roads, past the city of Kardzhali.

  Trakia (A1) is Bulgaria's oldest highway, but as it has been recently modernized, it is currently in good condition. You follow it for 170 km until the newly finished highway Maritsa (A4) splits from it in direction Svilengrad. You follow Maritsa for another 40 km, taking the exit onto Route 5 (E85) towards Haskovo. It is best to circle around Haskovo itself, by following Route 5 when it merges with Route 8 (E80) after 7 km, and staying on Route 5 when it again splits from Route 8 after another 5 km, thus avoiding the city center.

  From here on, you continue following Route 5 for 50 km to Kardzhali, go through the city itself, and continue on Route 5 in the direction of Makaza border crossing with Greece. Roughly 30 km after Kardzhali, you turn right onto Route 867 to Zlatograd. You will reach Zlatograd after another 30 km. Pass on through the city, continue straight on Route 8652 to Smolyan, and after 3 km take a right turn to Startsevo.

• From the Black Sea
  

  To get from the Bulgarian Black Sea coast to Startsevo you again travel via Trakia Highway. Depending on where at the Black Sea you are located, you first need to get to Burgas, where Trakia has its eastern terminus.

  From Varna, for instance, you take Route 9 (E87) along the coastline for 130 km, before catching Trakia Highway (A1) at Burgas. Following the highway for 120 km, you take the exit Stara Zagora and get on Route 5 (E85) towards Haskovo.

  Haskovo is located 45 km south of Trakia Highway. It is best to circle around, instead of crossing it. Thus, at the merging point of Routes 5 and 8 (E80) follow the latter towards Svilengrad for 5 km. When Routes 5 and 8 (E80) separate again, take Route 5 to Kardzhali for another 50 km. Once you have reached Kardzhali, you can follow the instructions above to get to Startsevo.

• From Greece
  

  Greece's well-developed highway network gives easy access to destinations such as Thessaloniki, Kavala, Komotini, and Fanari. There are two different routes for getting to Startsevo from northern Greece.

  You can cross the border at Makaza, following the newly constructed Route 5 to Kardzhali. Approximately 20 km after entering the Republic Bulgaria, you turn left onto Route 867 to Zlatograd. Please note that even though this route is faster and more comfortable to drive on, there can be waiting times at Makaza border crossing.

  Alternatively, you can follow a much smaller road north of Xanthi, crossing the border near Zlatograd. This route follows a narrow, yet beautiful mountain road, which despite being in good condition, is difficult to drive on. From Xanthi, you take Route 14 to Drama and later Route 55 to Thermes, before reaching the border near Zlatograd. After entering Zlatograd, turn left on Route 8652 to Smolyan, and after 3 km take a right turn to Startsevo.