Kardzhali

On a rocky ridge northeast of Kardzhali, archaeologists have uncovered an entire city carved out of stone: Perperikon. A trip to Kardzhali leads into the Eastern Rhodopes, a quiet landscape of hills made of volcanic rock, reservoirs, and villages with a Turkish-speaking population.

Landscape and History

The province lies in southern Bulgaria on the border with Greece. Unlike the Western Rhodopes, the mountains here are lower, often bare, and shaped by bizarre rock formations. The Arda River has been dammed to form the Kardzhali and Studen Kladenets reservoirs, where you will find anglers and day-trippers along the shores. A large part of the population is of Turkish origin, and mosques and churches stand side by side. The town of Kardzhali itself is compact, with a regional museum in a former madrasa building and the 11th-century Church of St. John the Forerunner.

Sights in Kardzhali Province

Perperikon was a sanctuary for millennia: the Thracians probably worshiped Dionysus here, and a fortress, a palace, and churches were built later. You climb rock-cut stairs up to the acropolis and look far out over the Perperek valley. Near Momchilgrad lie the Stone Mushrooms of Beli Plast, pink-and-white rocks topped with caps of darker stone. Near the village of Tatul stands a Thracian sanctuary that is interpreted as the possible tomb of Orpheus. The Stone Wedding near Kardzhali, a group of towering rock pillars, is another natural wonder. Other destinations include the Monyak Fortress above the Arda and the Devil's Bridge near Ardino, a daring stone bridge from the 16th century in a wooded gorge. The mountain town of Ardino is surrounded by tobacco fields, hiking trails connect many of these places, and griffon and Egyptian vultures circle above the rocks.

Cuisine, Getting There, and Best Time to Visit

The cuisine blends Bulgarian and Turkish influences: pide, tarhana soup, gözleme, and sweets such as baklava. Tobacco was long the region's most important product. You can reach Kardzhali from Plovdiv in about two hours via Haskovo; the train connection is slow. The best times to visit are spring and fall; in summer it gets very hot in the bare valleys.