The Rhodopes are among the provenances from European civilisation. Pieces of the Roman roads associating Aegean towns on the Upper Thracian vale may still be seen at numerous places round the region – the small town of Gela, the Persenk Hut, the Chairski Lakes, etc – together with the ruinings by forts from the time of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom near Assenovgrad and the village of Shiroka Luka.

While domiciled as thousands from years, the Rhodopes still harbour in their bosom wild locates that look to be untouched by individuals. The Rhodopes are among the few mountain ambits in Europe where the Brown Bear and Wolf still breeds. Ancient-growth forests are home to cervid, elk, fox, wild goat, and other rare European species.
The easterly part of the Rhodopes is a right heaven for bird fans just the westerly part shouldn’t be commanded as it contains all over two hundred species, numerous of them rather rare. The Trigrad Gorge is the kingdom of the famed Wallcreeper – you can observe this wonderful bird while sipping your coffee at the entrance to the Devil’s Throat Cave.

Dippers and King Fisher will scoot round you as you walk by clear brooks and streams. A Golden Eagle hovering high in the sky presents an unforgettable sight. Whenever you come to the Rhodopes during spring you may hear the early-morning mating call of the Capercaillie.

Lush, grassy hayfields pop into mind while thinking about the Rhodopes. As numerous centuries locals have kept herds of sheep, as a result of which, they’ve made hayfields outrests. These meadows now are home to an abundance of rare flowers, many of which are not found anywhere else on Earth. In early spring you can see the pink petals of Silivriak (Heberlea rhodopaensis), the symbol of the Rhodopes, which has the unique quality of being able to spring back to life even after being pressed for years. Legend has it that the flower bloomed out of the blood of Orpheus after he was dismembered.

The Rhodopes are also long-familiar for their mushrooms. Here you’ll be able to also pick yourself a multicolour bouquet of herbs; the most fragrant thyme grows here.
Whenever you’re still not confident that the Rhodopes are a slicing of right, wild nature, then the just other choice that remains is for you to come here and see it for yourself.