Visit Startsevo

Natural Beauty

• Inspiring Environment

  The Rhodope Mountains offer the perfect backdrop for an inspiring vacation. With an area of 14,735 km² it is one of the largest intact mountain habitats in Europe. Its natural beauty, fresh air, and peaceful atmosphere ensure perfect relaxation and help foster creative endeavor.

• Rhodope Mountains
  

  With soft slopes, thick forests, and secluded villages the Rhodopes are one of the most versatile mountains on the Balkan Peninsula. They offer numerous places of natural beauty, many pristine habitats and astonishing cultural diversity.

  The mountains are home to the largest coniferous woods in the Balkans. Their geological relief is distinctly mild, allowing for lush vegetation throughout the year. Summers are hot and dry, while temperatures as low as -15° centigrade are common in winter. This climate allows for northern tree species such as the Norway Spruce and the Silver Birch to thrive here.

  There is a dense network of mountain springs and rivers in the Rhodopes. The region is rich in thermal mineral springs, too. Many are accessible to visitors and can be used for bathing. Additionally, various species of birds of prey can be encountered in the Eastern Rhodopes, including the rare Cinereous and Egyptian vultures.

• Harmonious Life
  

  People living in harmony with nature is a deeply-rooted characteristic of the Rhodope Mountains. Originally caused by economic hardship, the way small-scale subsistence farming is conducted here harmoniously supplements the overall natural beauty.

  The Rhodopes have been inhabited from the Prehistoric age, as shown by many archaeological finds of ancient tools and artifacts. Throughout time human settlements have been established on the soft mountain slopes without growing so much as to threaten the natural balance.

  Even now, houses and farms blend in seamlessly with the surrounding woods and clearings. Many structures here, especially the old ones, show traits of Mediterranean as well as Bulgarian architecture, which only serves to enhance the harmonious overall impression of the Rhodopes.

• Plants and Animals
  

  The Rhodope Mountains have always been remote and inaccessible - a fact that has preserved biodiversity in plants and animals alike.

  Nearly 2,000 plant species live here, in the eastern part of the mountain, of which 37 are found only on the Balkans. Among them are ancient plants such as Rhodope haberlea (Haberlea rhodopensis) and "Rhodope mountain mother" (Lathraea rodopaea).

  They are also home to an amazing company of birds, more specifically, a total of 278 species. These include a rich array of birds of prey and songbirds. Their songs provide a melodious accompaniment to an early morning sunrise or a beautiful summer sunset.