
Chepelare
The town of Chepelare is situated in the central part of the Rhodope Mountain, at a distance of about 70 km from Plovdiv and 220 km from Sofia. The main road between Plovdiv and Smolyan passes through Chepelare. The resort Pamporovo is situated at a distance of only 10 km from Pamporovo.
Chepelare is the highest situated town in Bulgaria – 1,100 meters above the sea level. Its climate is temperate continental; the snow cover stays for 80 – 120 days in the year, and its average depth reaches 30 – 80 cm. The town population is about 5,800 people.
The region around Chepelare was populated since antiquity – articles and necropolises from the Neolithic Age, mound necropolises, etc. have been found. In the 5th – 6th century the Slavs founded a settlement here, which had existed until the 14th century when it was destroyed by the Ottoman Turks.
The contemporary settlement was established at the beginning of the 18th century. After the Liberation from the Ottoman Dominion (1878), Chepelare developed as a cultural and educational economic center in the region of Middle Rhodope Mountain.
Chepelare is famous as one of the winter resorts of Bulgaria. Chepelare Ski Center is situated in close proximity to the end of the town, on the way to Pamporovo. The town has long-term traditions in ski sports. The ski tracks and the ski roads of the center are 20 km long. The tracks are of various lengths and difficulty levels and are suitable for advanced, as well as for beginners in skiing and snowboarding. A four-seat ski lift is available for the skiers, which passes the distance of 2,700 meters from the starting point of the station in Chepelare to Mechi Chal peak for 9 minutes.
The only Ski Museum in Bulgaria, which was established in 1998, can be visited in Chepelare. The museum exposition traces the development of ski and ski sports in the town and the country. Visitors can learn interesting facts about some of the most successful athletes in winter sports in the country – Ekaterina Dafovska, Borislav Kiryakov, Mitko Hadzhiev, etc.
The Museum of Rhodope Karst is also situated in Chepelare. It is the only one of its kind on the Balkan Peninsula. Unique exponents are presented inside it – diverse minerals, crystals, the lower jaw of a leopard – an animal which had inhabited the region in the past, as well as a restored skeleton of a cave bear, reaching 4.5 meters height.
The temple “St. Atanasius the Great” is also interesting for tourists. It was built in 1834, for only 40 days. One of the pleasant places for relaxation in the town is the Olimpiyski square.
During the winter the Chepelare region and the nearby resort Pamporovo are suitable destinations for skiers and snowboarders. During the rest of the year the region of the picturesque villages in the Rhodope mountain offer options for country and ecological tourism. Multiple small villages – Bogutevo, Hvoyna, Zornitsa, Orehovo, etc. are spread around the main road from Plovdiv to Smolyan. Various ecological paths start from them. The rock phenomenon The Wonderful Bridges, for example, is situated at a distance of 5 km from the village of Zabardo. The pathway between the villages of Zabardo and Orehovo passes by the bridges. The local people offer accommodation in cozy guest houses, and tourists can sink into the traditional Rhodope atmosphere and taste the local specialties.
The architectural reservation Shiroka Laka is situated at a distance of about 25 km from Chepelare. The village is popular for its beautiful Revival houses, perching on the steep slopes.
The town of Chepelare also offers various accommodation options – hotels situated on the town hills and in its center, guest houses, etc. There are multiple restaurants in the town, where you can taste the delicious Rhodope cuisine.
Museum of Rhodope Karts
Opening hours:
From Monday to Saturday – 9.00 am – 12.00 am and 1.30 pm – 5.30 pm,
day off – Sunday
Admission:
Adults – BGN 3.00,
school students,
university students and seniors – BGN 1.50
For disabled people – free admission
Guided tours in Bulgarian language – BGN 5.00
Audio lectures in a foreign language – BGN 5.00
Ski Museum
Opening hours:
From Thursday to Saturday – 9.00 am – 12.30 pm and 1.30 pm – 6.00 pm;
days off – Sunday and Monday;
Admission:
Adults – BGN 1.50
Students and seniors – BGN 1.00
Guided tours (only in Bulgarian language) – for free
Municipality of Chepelare –
town of Chepelare, 44B Belomorska Str.
Tel: +359 3051 20 04
Museum of Rhodope Karts –
town of Chepelare, 7A Shina Andreeva Str.
Tel: +359 3051 30 41
Ski Museum –
town of Chepelare, 25 Vasil Dechev Str.
Tel: +359 899 09 23 95
e-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.chepelare.org
Altitude of the ski tracks: from 1,150 to 1,873 m
Total length: 20 km
Maximum displacement: 710 m
The longest ski track: 6 km
Ski lifts: 1
TOURIST INFORMATION CENTER – SMOLYAN
Contacts
Tel/Fax: +359 301 62530
е-mail: [email protected]
5, Bulgaria Blvd, town of Smolyan, 4700
Services
The Tourist Information Center of Smolyan Municipality offers complete and up-to-date information about:
• natural landmarks and cultural sites in the region, tourist attractions, events;
• accommodation places in the town and the region;
• offers catalogs, advertising brochures, and other advertising materials;
• restaurants, inns and entertainment establishments in the town and the region.
• medical centers, polyclinics, private offices, cosmetic and rehabilitation centers, etc.;
• trade centers, specialized stores for souvenirs and gifts;
• transport lines for and from Smolyan, within the region;
• 24/7 gas stations, drugstores, shops;
• sports facilities – stadiums, swimming pools, fitness halls, tennis courts, saunas, etc.;
• rope lines, ski rent wardrobes, ski schools /services prices/.TOURIST INFORMATION CENTER – CHEPELARE
Contacts
Tel: +359 3051 2110
Fax: +359 3051 3475
e-mail: [email protected]
1 A, Dicho Petrov Str., town of Chepelare, 4850
Services
1. Receives guests of the town (region) and acquaints them with the regional landmarks and the sites of interest to tourists; 2. Provides up-to-date information about the available accommodation places and the prices of hotels and guest houses in the town and the municipality, as well as contact information; 3. Maintains and regularly updates the data base of the categorized sites on the municipality territory; 4. Maintains connections with the other Tourist Information Centers of the region and the country; 5. Participates and renews the activity of the Regional Tourist Association “Rhodope”; 6. Organizes the activities related to advertising and marketing of tourist products on the territory of the municipality and the region; 7. Organizes trainings for raising the qualification in the area of tourism; 8. Maintains resources library with regular editions; 9. Coordinates the relations between tourist business and the local authorities in the municipality; 10 Organizes and conducts technical conferences at the contests as per the program of the sports calendar of the Ministry of Physical Education and Sports, performs marketing and promotional activities.
Virtual map
Pictures
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