III. C    South - Central Region

1. From Pazardzhik & Belovo to Border Checkpoint Ilinden

(Roads N 84, 842 & N19)

Content:

     1. 1  From Pazardzhik to Avramovo Line Station;

      1. 2  From Avramovo narrow-gage

Line Station to Eleshnitsa;

      1. 3  From Dobriniste (Eleshnitsa) to

        Border Checkpoint Ilinden;

      1. 4  Border Checkpoint Ilinden:

      Approach from Greece from Prosotsani;

      It can be said, the best way to leave Bulgaria toward Greece by bicycle is this route (the food, water and overnight accommodation along this route are not a problem). No intensive traffic here, the countryside is one of the best in BG.

       For the route from Sofia to Belovo to Pazardzhik look into:

Chapter VI.

D. From Sofia to Plovdiv and Edirne (in Turkey)

      The route include Velingrad: it is very known spa centre - a lot of hotels&swimming pools of thermal water are available there. A nice places to relax for an afternoon&night here are Bansko, Dobriniste and Ognyanovo as well (there will be details about these places). 

      The route from Pazardzhik to Border Checkpoint Makaza is:

      From Pazardzhik to Lyahovo to Vetren Dol to Varvara to Velingrad to Yundola to Avramovo to Yakoruda (road N84) – Eleshnitsa to Gotse Delchev to Border Checkpoint Ilinden (road N19).

Some initial tips having in mind when explore this route:

      A. Pazardjik as a base point to enter in Rodopi Mountain toward Border Checkpoint Makaza.

      B. Varvara as a base point to enter in Rodopi Mountain toward Border Checkpoint Makaza.

      C. The narrow - gage train: from Septemvri to Dobriniste.

     Everywhere in the city there are a lot of labels which will lead you to the hotel, you easy will recognize the place seeing the red bicycle lane in front of it.

      According to me it would be nice to stay and relax here for a night, because:

              - It is very easy to find out this spot ;

-                - The place can be recognized easily by the new red bicycle lane just in front of it – the right side of the street going to North (the photos below);

-               - The place is clean, rooms are supplied by R-conditions, which is important in this town, where summer temperatures often are more than 40 deg C;

            - Opinions of the hotel guests concerning this place are very nice (bicyclists toured with me in BG – some of them are on the photo below – cooling with a glass of beer in the hotel restaurant - garden);

-                - The hotel restaurant offer nice dishes, the staff speak almost fluent English;

             - Wi Fi;

-                - There is an easy access to a free room for bicycle and pannier storage.

B. Varvara (or Vetren Dol)

as a base point to enter in Rodopi Mountain toward Border Checkpoint Makaza.

     Varvara is even a better place to be used as a base point when enter in Rodopi Mountains – there is a nice motel and swimming pool of mineral water there. Have only in mind that weekends in the summer time (June - August) this spot is overcrowded by relaxing tourists and there will be not free beds (Friday & Saturday nights) in the motel.

Some information for Varvara and Vetren dol:

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SC/pazardjik/septemvri/varvara

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SC/pazardjik/septemvri/vetren_dol

There are another possibilities for overnight accommodation in Varvara or Vetren Dol as well.

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SC/pazardjik/septemvri/vetren_dol

     The left photo - a motel ("Родопско ханче" : "Rodopsko Hanche") in Varvara (nice restaurant and small swimming pool are available here as well) - on the road coming from Septemvri (I recommend it);

      The right photo - a private home-hotel ("Радовата къща": "Radovata Kasta") in Vetren Dol - on the road coming from Pazardjik.

There is one original steam engine still at work, it is used only when there is a group of tourists paying in advance for such a travelling; See the video - speaking in Germans:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JbJvinBQ8s                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N2FfKQjvtg

 Sector III. C - 1. A

1. 1  From Pazardzhik to Avramovo Line Station.

 Route b:   From Pazardzhik to Mokriste to Leahovo to Bratanitsa to Vetren Dol to Varvara to Velingrad to Kostandovo Line Station to Velingrad to Yundola to Avramovo Line Station.

     Beginning from Pazardzhik, follow the route I point on the map above - so you will avoid the traffic between Pazardzhik,  Zvanichevo and Bratanitsa (road N84).

      From Pazardzhik to Mokriste to Lyahovo to Bratanitsa.

      Several photos for the countryside toward Vetren Dol, Bratanitsa, Lyahovo and Pazardzhik in different seasons.

      Several words for Velingrad: the city is a place with a lot of thermal springs. Information for Velingrad:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velingrad

http://www.visitbulgarianet/en/velingrad/velingrad.html

https://bulgariatravel.org/en/town-of-velingrad/

      The city a known spa resort not only in Bulgaria. There are a lot of hotels of different quality.

      A nice place to stay for a night in is Hotel “Iv” (the 3 photos below). It can be found out easy, there is a nice small swimming pool of thermal water next to it, the place is clean, inexpensive, and the hotel restaurant offers nice meals. The staff is friendly, they have an experience with touring bicyclists:                 http://hotel-iv.com

      Yundola is a little mountain resort placed just on the border between Rila and Rodopi Mountains, overnight accommodation is possible there:

http://www.bulgariatravel.org/article/details/178

      Three photos from Yundola toward Avramovo Line Station.

 ٭An Opportunity

      An excellent opportunity here, if you pedal in the back direction, is reaching Avramovo Narrow - Gage Line Station to hit a road toward Kandovi to Ablanitsa to Velingrad. You will enter in a different world, they paved the road in 2020, although between Kandovi and Ablanitsa

the road in the forest is still dirty. Because there is several dirty roads between them, do not be afraid, go only down, soon you will reach Ablanitsa. This opportunity is nice only when the weather is nice without raining.

      You will miss the climbing from Avramovo Line Station to Yundola as well.

Several photos of this area; needles to say it is perfect to camp here hear the river.

Well, back now again to Sector III. C - 1. A

Route a: from Belovo  to Avramovo Line Station

      The stronger bicyclists can climb:

      From Belovo to Goliamo Belovo to Yundola rezort (E842) to Avramovo Line Station.

      The route is 26 km. permanent climbing, the traffic

here is negligible. Bring some food with you. Beginning from Belovo, springs of drinkable water are available approximately after 4 km (just after leaving Golyamo Belovo), 9 km, 19 km and 23 km.

      This route is very nice in the back direction, I recommend it!

     The climbing begin from Belovo. It is a little town, overnight accommodation is available in it.

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SC/pazardjik/belovo/belovo

      You easy will recognize you are in the town - a mountains of toilet paper are sailed in the town - the biggest in Bulgaria paper mill (Belana Plc) that produces

Fore kilometers further is Golyamo Belovo - the last place you can find food.

Leaving Golyamo Belovo, you ill see a nice water spring. From the other side next to the river is maybe the only nice place for camp in the wilderness all along the road to Yundola.

So, after 20 km.  hard pedaling up the mountain, you will be in Yundola.

٭Opportunities: I have mention that the traffic along road 84 is intensive, next are opportunities to avoid it:

          - Route a: Bicyclists loving climbing can use also the next route:

      From Pazardjik to Glavinitsa to Debrastitsa  to St. Konstantin Resort to Batak Dam to Tsigov Chark Resort to Rakitovo to Velingrad.

      The route is extremely spectacular (photos below), no any traffic, the climbing is hard;

      - Route b: It is also possible to pedal road N37:

      From Pazardzhik to Glavinitsa to Radilovo to Pestera (road 37) to Batak to Tsigov Chark Resort to Rakitovo (road 376) to Velingrad,

      but the traffic is more intensive, especially Pazardzhik - Pestera and this route is not as spectacular as the previous one.

      Another very nice opportunity (I will not speak about it here) to reach Border Checkpoint Ilinden from Pazardzhik is given in:

   Chapter VII. Nice routes in mountains:

                    RODOPE Mountains

Route 2: From Pazardzhik to Velingrad to Dospat;

Route 3: From Pazardzhik to Batak to Dospat.

Route a (the map above)

Comparing with the route b the distance here is longer, the climbing is more as well, but no any traffic and the scenery us beautiful. I do recommend this variant.

      Two kilometers above Debrastica there is a nice relax place - hotel, restaurant, drinkable water are available there. Fore km up the mountain there is one more such a spot - all that I have pointed on the map Sector VII. 3. 1 above. The climbing here is not so easy, but it will be in a wood and shade area.

An especially scenic area is down toward Batak Dam.

      The next three photos are the area from Rakitovo toward Velingrad. And I can not forget a night we spent just before Rakitovo - August '21, when I was forgotten the

Route b

From Pazardzhik to Glavinitsa to Radilovo to Pestera (road 37) to Batak to Tsigov Chark Resort to Rakitovo (road 376) to Velingrad,

Here the climbing is not as hard as route a. The traffic from Pazardzhik to Pestera is relatively intensive, I would not say it is a dangerous road. Overnight accommodation is possible in Pestera.

Overnight accommodation in Pestera is possible; information and several photos from the little city.

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SC/pazardjik/peshtera/peshtera                                           https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peshtera

      Next to the town are remains of mediaeval fortress, a little museum is available there - you can try some mediaeval weapons in it. 

      Further up in the mountain is Batak. The traffic here is much less, the road is going up in the mountain via scenic gorge. Information for Batak:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batak,_Bulgaria

http://www.visitbulgaria.net/en/batak/batak.html

      The history of this little town was quite unhappy in connection with uprising April 1876. Information for it can be seen here, my suggestion to more sensitive persons is to miss this information.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Uprising

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batak_massacre

https://bulgariatravel.org/history-museum-town-of-batak/

      The only photo I have from this region is in right - relax near the beautiful river up the mountain.

      Seven kilometers up in the mountain is Batak Dam, Tsigov Chark resort is placed near the reservoir.  In the little Resort Tsigov Chark  (at Batak Dam) there is a restaurant, hotel, little shops, it is a place to relax.

Information for the little resort and several photos: 

https://bulgariatravel.org/batak-dam-resort-town-of-batak/

http://www.visitbulgaria.net/en/tsigov_chark/tsigov_chark.html

Sector III. C - 1. B

1. 2  From Avramovo narrow-gage Line Station to Eleshnitsa and a little further: (the crossroad of roads N19 & N1903 - point A)

          The next segment is one of my favourite ones all over BG. Always I have a time, I pedal and camp here in both directions. A perfect area (photos below). No problem to supply with water and food here.

        The road is just after reconstruction and it is in very nice conditions.

       Sometime in the weekends (Sunday afternoon) the traffic is more intensive.

      Overnight accommodation in Yakoruda is available, my suggestion is to go toward Bansko or Dobriniste. Information about Yakoruda:

http://www.visitbulgaria.net/en/yakoruda/

yakoruda.html

         Beginning from Avramovo Line Station, it follows very pleasant descending. The road is parallel to Mesta River, next to the road is the narrow gage line. The

A bigger settlement here is Yakoruda, overnight accommodation in it is available. Information about Yakoruda and several photos:          http://www.visitbulgaria.net/en/yakoruda/yakoruda.html

Toward Eleshnitsa.  Along the road there are a lot of springs of fresh and cool mountain water, here is not necessary to buy mineral water.

Several kilometers after the crossroad toward Eleshnitsa there is a spring of thermal water. (I point this spot on the map above).

      The place is easy to be recognized seeing a rope bridge over Mesta River, left, pedalling down the river stream. A little chapel is there and nobody will stop you to set up your tent next to it. You can enjoy of a little pool of thermal water there (36 deg C), usually nobody there.

     My FB friend, Dogaru Armin,  followed my instructions and May 2018 spent a nice night just here - the photo in right:

      "And your site is also very helpful. With a lot of useful information to plan a trip. Boris, I wanted to thank you. I followed your advice and I spent a night at Eleshnitsa. As you say on your site, I put my tent near the small chapel. The water there is amazing. So hot. Thank you and have a nice day".

     Eleshnitsa is a little village, you can find in it again very nice swimming pool of thermal water. Never mind the facilities there are old and does not look nice, the place in fact is very clean, the water is beautiful.

Overnight accommodation is available there too. The nature toward and after Eleshnitsa is very scenic.

A little information for Eleshnitsa:

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SW/blagoevgrad/razlog/eleshnitsa

٭Opportunities in the region

Sector III. C - 1. B - a

      Here I will increase the scale a little showing an opportunity in the region.

      If you have a time, my suggestion is to elongate the route a little to visit Banya, Bansko, Dobriniste, or Razlog.

      From Dobriniste or Bansko walks in Pirin mountain can be done, I have mentioned it in the:

Capter VII.  Routes in Mountains,

PIRIN Mountains

The next three photos illustrate the road toward Banya

      Banya is a nice place for overnight accommodation, it is also a place with thermal water. You can easy find out an appropriate place to stay for a night there.

      But I would suggest you to go further toward Bansko and Dobriniste.

Information for Banya:

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SW/blagoevgrad/razlog/banya

      Pedaling from Banya toward Bansko you will enjoy of extremely exciting view of Pirin Mountain. You will see the highest part of it, the view is extremely impressive May - June, when the higher part of the mountain is still covered by snow.

      Bansko (next photos) is a winter resort, each winter thousands of tourists (most of them are coming from GB) spend their vacancy in it; as a skiing resort, COVID'19 came just from here February '20 and spread all over the country. More information about Bansko can be seen here:

http://www.bulgariaski.com/bansko/

http://www.banskoski.com/en

https://bulgariatravel.org/en/bansko/

     Summer time the resort is not over crowded by tourists (except of several days on August, when there is several day jazz festival, I think they change dates each year) there are a lot of hotels you can stay for a night.

I can say that here people are masters of cooking of meat meals. Have in mind, that this place is more expensive than the next one I will describe further (Dobriniste: 7 – 8 kilometers east from Bansko).

      The view toward mountain in the night when the moon is thick is amazing, it must be seen. Next several photos are taken in the old part of Bansko.

      For the possibilities to explore Pirin Mountain from Bansko, please look in:

Capter VII.  Routes in Mountains,

PIRIN Mountains

      Dobriniste is 6 kilometers east from Bansko, again it is overcrowded by tourists winter time. My suggestion is to choose this place - comparing with Bansko it is much more inexpensive, especially restaurants, people here also are masters of preparing meal food.

https://www.visitbulgaria.net/en/dobrinishte/dobrinishte.html

https://bulgariatravel.org/en/dobrinishte/

      I love this place. Several are the reasons for it: there is very nice swimming pool of thermal water (I have never missed to stay there for an afternoon), there is a chair type lift to the higher part of Pirin Mountain, there are very nice local type restaurants offering very tasty meet meals (look for "Makedonska Krachma" - its place is well labelled), the overnight accommodation is not a problem at acceptable price, so I do not miss to stay here for a day or two I am touring.

For the possibilities to explore Pirin Mountain from Dobriniste, please look in:

Capter VII.  Routes in Mountains, PIRIN Mountains

      In the region here is located Razlog. Information for Razlog can be seen here:

http://www.visitbulgaria.net/en/razlog/razlog.html

      The last time just before to enter in it my speed shifter broke, fortunately in the centre of the town there

Sector III. C - 1. C

1. 3   From Dobriniste (Eleshnitsa) to Border Checkpoint Ilinden

       Here is the long  Gorge of Mesta River:

      From Dobriniste (or Eleshnitsa) to Mesta to Gospodintsi to Gotse Delchev  to Border Checkpoint Ilinden.

      On your right side is Pirin Mountain, your left - Rodopi Mountain. Never mind it is an international road, the traffic is not intensive, the road is after reconstruction, it is wide enough. Yhe road in the long and scenic Mesta River Gorge. The pedalling here is a real pleasure in the both directions.

      Almost in the middle of this road segment there is a little restaurant. Along the road there are a lot of water fountains as well.

٭Opportunities in the region

OGNYANOVO

sector III. C - 1.C - a

      Bicycling along road N19, my suggestion is to visit Ognyanovo in both cases - leaving BG or entering in BG from Greece.

      Because of the thermal springs in the region, it is very nice spa center perfect for relax. The last years August and weekends more tourists are available in the small resort.

      A lot of places for overnight accommodation in Ognyanovo are available. Information for Ognyanovo:

https://bulgariatravel.org/ognyanovski-mineralni-bani/

https://www.visitbulgaria.net/en/ognyanovo/ognyanovo.html

      The next several several photos show the approach toward Ognyanovo from Gospodintsi road N1905.

Approaching to Garmen and Ognyanovo from Gotse Delchev can be seen remains of the ancient Roman fortress Nikopolis ad Nestrum.                  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicopolis_ad_Nestum

     I would recommend one very nice place to stay for a night here is hotel Elegance: the relation "price/quality" here is very nice. The hotel consists two buildings - a new and older one, both are in very good conditions (unfortunately the Site is in Bulgarian):

http://www.comunicatorbg.com/elegance.html

      I will not write about it, fortunately the hotel Home page is written in English – you can see information concerning prices, rooms, restaurant, swimming pool, SPA procedures and so on.

      It is very easy to find out this spot. Simply look for signs on the street poles:

      - coming from North, the hotel is in the opposite end of the village;

      - coming from South, the hotel is to right, immediately after the bridge entering in Ognyanovo.

      I will mention only that it is a clean place having a nice restaurant and a swimming pool of beautiful thermal water. Guiding bicyclists, I always recommend them to stay here for a night, and they have never been disappointed.

Overnight accommodation is possible in Gotse Delchev too. Information about Gotse Delchev:

http://www.visitbulgaria.net/en/gotse_delchev/gotse_delchev.html

1.4   Border Checkpoint Ilinden: Approach from Greece

      For bicyclists coming from Greece:

      Reach of first Prosotsani - from Drama, or Serres, or Thessalonici.

      Just after Prosotsani (alt. 130 m.) it begins a long climbing (just after the crest you see on the photo) up to Granitis (alt. 815 m). It is very sunny and dry place - the photos in right illustrate it very well, so do not climb it in sunny afternoons and always have water with you.

      Hotel, restaurant, water can be found out in Granitis located on the highest point of the road.

      2. From Haskovo (Plovdiv) to Chernoochene to Kardzhali

      What about Point 2 I can say the roads are in very nice conditions and all that area is very nice countryside.

      Unfortunately the last several years the traffic on the roads E 85 and N5 toward Border Checkpoint Makaza - Thermes was increased considerably especially in the vacancy months July and August, when tourists from Romania are visiting the Aegean. So, in my next description I will give a lot of opportunities to avoid these roads.

      If you pedal the back direction, have in mind that immediately north after Kardzhali (toward Chernoochene) there is 7 - 8 kilometers long hill (road 5), the slope here is 12%, it is quite tough to pedal it in the hot summer afternoons.

Content of the point:

2. 1   From Stara Zagora to Haskovo;

2. 2   From Haskovo to Kardzhali;

2. 3   From Plovdiv to Kardzhali.

2. 4   From Kardzhali to Border Ckeckpoints

          Makaza - Thermes & Zlatograd - Nimfea

     For a comparison, next are the road profile charts for routes:

     - From Haskovo toward Border Checkpoint Makaza - Thermes to Komotini (in Greece), and

     - From Haskovo to Border Checkpoint Zlatograd - Nimfea to Xanti (in Greece)

Road profile from Haskovo to Border Checkpoint Makaza:

Road profile  from Border Checkpoint Makaza to Komotini (in Greece):

Road profile from Haskovo to Border Checkpoint Zlatograd:

Road profile  from Border Checkpoint Zlatograd to Xanthi (in Greece):

Sector III. C - 1

2. 1   From Stara Zagora to Haskovo

      The most important in this sector is to avoid road E85, where the traffic is intensive.

      From Stara Zagora to Elenino to Egrek to Kaloyanovets to Lovets to Borovo to Kozarevets to Dimitrievo to Dtransko to Zdravets to Bryast to Dimitrovgrad yo Haskovo.

      The route here is: the road is in the Thracian Field away from bigger towns. Here roads are "III and IV road class" according to our notification, so roads here are not numbered.

      You will travel several little villages, I remember food was available in Kaloyanovets. The traffic here is zero, you will see only several cars and some agricultural machines.

      The signing of the road is not nice, so GPS device would may be useful from time to time.

      The road profile chart shows that the route is easy to be pedalled in the both directions. I do recommend this route.

     The biggest city in this part of the country is Stara Zagora. Overnight accommodation in Stara Zagora is not a problem.

Links with information about the city is here:

https://bulgariatravel.org/en/stara-zagora/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stara_Zagora

very nice early spring. Elenovo is a little  if left from the road. it is still a suburb of Stara Zagora. Food is available here.

Next town is Dimitrovgrad. A little information for it:

http://www.visitbulgaria.net/en/dimitrovgrad/dimitrovgrad.html

       Overnight accommodation here is not a problem. The traffic from Dimitrovgrad toward Haskovo is more intensive, but the road here is wide enough, I think it is save to pedal here.

Sector III. C - 2

2. 2   From Haskovo to Kardzhali

      For the distance from Haskovo to Kardzali I will suggest the next three routes:

- route a:

      It is the main road N5: the distance from Haskovo to Kardzali is approx 50 km:

      From Haskovo to Konush to Kozlets to Chernoochene to Kableshkovo to Kardzali.

      As the road N5 is intensive some days, you can follow some of the next two routes:

- route b:

      For this route further I will show 2 alternatives:

            - route b, 1: the first one is only the road 5009:

      From Haskovo to Konush to Kozlets (road N5) to Zornitsa to Beli Plast to Stremtsi to Rani List to Skarbino (road N5009) to Kardzhali;

      - route b, 2: the second one - including road 5071.

      From Haskovo to Konush to Kozlets (road N5) to Zornitsa to Beli Plast to Stremtsi (road N5009) to Gorna Krepost to Murgovo to Chiflik (road N5071) to Zhinzifovo to Sedlovina to Kardzhali (road N507) .

- route c : (road N507)

      From Haskovo to Manastir  to Gorno Voevodino  to Maslinovo to Chernyovtsi  to Madrets to Zhinzifovo to Sedlovina to Kardzali.

Haskovo is relatively big town, overnight accommodation is possible in it. Information for it can be seen here:

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SC/haskovo/haskovo/haskovo

On the map above I point a spot Mineralni Bani located 10 - 12 kilometers west from Haskovo, it is a nice local spa resort with very nice thermal water:

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SC/haskovo/mineralni_bani/mineralni_bani

Sector III. C - 2,  route a:

It is the main road N5: from Haskovo to Kardzali: As a mountain area, the route includes a lot of ascending and descending.

From Haskovo to Konush to Kozlets to Chernoochene to Kableshkovo to Kardzali.

The road from Haskovo to Kozlets  is relatively easy for pedalling. Food is available in both villages Konush and Kozlets.

     The distance between Kozlets and Pchelarovo I travelled only by a car. The next several kilometers

      If you travel in the back direction - from south to north, after Kardzali you will pedal up six very difficult kilometers.

Sector III. C - 2,  route b:

       To avoid the road N5 I will give two opportunities (I do not point it to the map above, but it is easy to be recognised):

- the first one is only the road 5009;

- the second one - including road 5071. 

            - route b, 1:

      From Haskovo to Kozlets to Beli Plast to Stremtsi to Rani List to Skarbino to Kardzhali (road 5009).

      After Kozlets you will pedal a road without any traffic. An interesting spot here on the highest point north from Beli Plast

is the place with the stone mushrooms near Beli Plast:      

https://bulgariatravel.org/kamenni-gabi-

stone-mushrooms-natural-landmark/

      Next to Stremtsi is placed a little vacancy village "Vili Perpereshka Reka"; water, restaurant and

overnight accommodation are available there:

http://www.visitbulgaria.net/en/kardjali/villas/perpershka

_river_villas.html

      - route b, 2: this route is little longer comparing with the previous one, but it is much more scenic:

     From Haskovo (road 5009) to Konush to Kozlets to Zornitsa to Beli Plast to Stremtsi (road 5071) to Gorna Krepost to Murgovo to Chiflik (road 507) to Zhinzifovo to Sedlovina to Kardzhali.

      If you pedal in the back direction, I would recommend this route to avoid the hard climbing north from Kardzhali.

      A place you can visit here (if you love rock remains)

is Perperikon. Information for it:

https://bulgariatravel.org/medieval-archaeological-complex-perperikon-town-of-kardzhali/

http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/perperikon

      Pictures from the megaliths in Perperikon:

Sector III. C - 2, route c:

      From Haskovo (roads 5, after 507) to Manastir  to Knizhovnik to Dolno Voevodino to Gorno Voevodino to Maslinovo to Most  to Madrets to Chiflik to Zhinzifovo to Sedlovina to Kardzali.

      It is the last opportunity I would suggest in this sector.

      The distance here is almost the same as of the other routes, but here there is not any traffic. Never mind that just after Haskovo you will see a sign directing heavier

Food and water supply here is not a problem. Several kilometers south from Manastir there are 2 restaurants near the road.

A lot of information for Kardzhali can be seen here: http://www.visitbulgaria.net/en/kardjali/kardjali.html

http://www.bulgariatravel.org/article/details/361

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kardzhali

Several photos from Kardzali.

Sector III. C - 3

2. 3    From Plovdiv to Kardzhali

      From Plovdiv (road 86) to Asenovgrad (road 58) to Cherven to Novakovo to Komuniga to Chernoochene  (road 5) to Kardzhali.

      This route is nice to enter in Rodopi Mountain starting from Plovdiv. The road is in a nice condition, pedalling is save. There is springs of drinkable water and food.

      The road profile chart shows that the pedalling is in the mountain area except several kilometers in Thracian Field between Plovdiv and Asenovgrad.

      For more detail description, I will part it in two sectors.

Sector III. C - 3. a

      The route in this sector is:

      From Plovdiv to Asenovgrad (road 86) to Cherven to Dolnoslav to Topolovo to Novakovo (road 58).

      The road segment from Plovdiv to Asenovgrad is still in Thracian Field. the traffic here is quite intensive but the road is after reconstruction, it is wide enough, pedalling here is save.

      The climbing to Novakovo is almost 300 m., for this distance is not so much. A steeper hill is just after Asenovgrad.

      The last time I pedalled this route was a June Sunday afternoon 2019, the traffic between Cherven and Asenovgrad was intensive.

       The road toward Kardzhali in Asenovgrad is signed well, if you follow signs toward Kardzhali, you will not enter in the town center. Overnight accommodation in Asenovgrad is available.

Information for Asenovgrad:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asenovgrad

http://www.visitbulgaria.net/en/assenovgrad/assenovgrad.html

      Several photos from Asenovgrad

    Above the town are remains of a mediaeval fortress:

https://bulgariatravel.org/asens-fortress-and

-the-city-of-asenovgrad/

     The church you see on the second photo is used as a

      Leaving Asenovgrad you will start climbing Rodopi Mountain. The first village after Asenovgrad is Cherven:

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SC/plovdiv/asenovgrad/cherven

Sector III. C - 3. b

      It is extremely pleasant mountain area. The climbing after Novakovo is not hard and if you are earlier there, you will climb on the shade.

      The route is: more intensive traffic is available on the road N5.

      From Novakovo to Komuniga to Chernoochene to Kableshkovo to Zheleznik to Kardzhali.

Eight - nine kilometers after Novakovo there is a restaurant and cool water, a nice spot to relax.

      The main road N5 is with more intensive traffic, but it is wide enough and I think it is save. Unfortunately no any shade here and summer afternoons are a little tough for

      Just before Kardzhali there is a steep 7 - 8 km descending. The slope here is even 12 %, and the

 Route a. 1

It is the main road 5 from Kardzhali toward  Border Checkpoint Makaza - Thermes. As it can be seen from the road profile chart, all the area is extremely nice to be explored by a bicycle.

To avoid the traffic, as an alternative, you can use Route a. 2:

Form Kardzhali to Momchilgrad to Progres to Podkova to Shoptsi to Domiste to Border Checkpoint Makaza.

      Very little information for Momchilgrad is in the next link; overnight accommodation in it is possible, you can find a hotel leaving the town toward Podkova

(the last photo below).

http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SC/kardjali/momchilgrad/momchilgrad

      Several photos from the little town:

      Leaving Progres, you will climb a lot. The hill is not steep, there are a lot of water springs, but water is not

Sector III. C - 4

2. 4  From Kardzhali to Border Checkpoint Zlatograd - Nimfea

Route b:

The route is:

      From Kardzhali to Valkovich to Dzhebel to Rogozche to Samodiva to Hadzhiisko to Dryanove Glava to Benkovski to Dobromirtsi to Zlatograd to Border Checkpoint Zlatograd.

      It is extremely pleasant for exploring route. Along the road there are springs of water, no any traffic here. In villages there are food shops. The blackberries are everywhere along the road.

Dzhebel is a little town, Google tells me there is a possibility for overnight accommodation in it, some information for Dzhebel Municipality information to put it here:           http://www.guide-bulgaria.com/SC/kardjali/djebel

      Leaving the little town you will cross very nice clean river - a perfect place to relax near it and charge with

 If you do not love ants, beetles and insects at all, you can go in Benkovski. Before it and after it there are 2 places to relax. The first one is next to the road, for the second one there is a label.

      Zlatograd is a tourist place, but it is not overcrowded by tourists. There is a nice ethno complex in the town. Information about Zlatograd is available here:

http://www.bulgariatravel.org/article/details/56

http://www.visitbulgaria.net/en/zlatograd/zlatograd.html

      The Border Checkpoint is 5 kilometers up the mountain above the town.

     Each year in the early September it the town there is a festival. If toy love a crowd, noise, BBQ, it is your place.

Border Checkpoint Ivailovgrad.

This checkpoint would be appropriate to be used, if some one leave Bulgaria crossing Rodopi Mountain from west to east. Information about this area (East Rodope Mountain) is available in:

Chapter VII. Nice routes in mountains: RODOPE Mountains

back to content