Yambol

The Tundzha River flows lazily through a plain of vineyards and sunflower fields before turning south into Turkey. A trip to Yambol takes you to the ruins of the Thracian-Hellenistic city of Kabyle, to wine cellars in the Thracian Plain, and to villages where ancient mask traditions are still very much alive.

Yambol and Kabyle

The city of Yambol lies on both banks of the Tundzha. At its center stands the 15th-century Eski Mosque, and next to it an Ottoman-era covered bazaar, the Bezisten, which now hosts exhibitions. About six miles (10 km) to the north lies Kabyle, a city that Philip II of Macedon conquered in the 4th century B.C. and that later flourished under Thracian rulers and the Romans. Excavations have uncovered city walls, baths, and churches, and a museum displays coins and pottery. From the hill above the site, once a Thracian rock sanctuary, you have sweeping views across the plain.

Sakar, Straldzha, and Elhovo

To the south, the low Sakar range rises, a hill country of oak forests and Thracian-era dolmens that is also a habitat for imperial eagles. Elhovo, near the Turkish border, is a small town with an ethnographic museum. Wine is grown near Straldzha in the east, and several estates in the province produce Mavrud, Merlot, and rosé. In the villages around Yambol, kukeri in bells and masks parade around New Year and at the start of Lent. If you want to go birdwatching, head to the Sakar, where besides imperial eagles you can spot rollers, bee-eaters, and hoopoes. Old willows and poplars line the banks of the Tundzha near Yambol.

Food, Getting There, and Best Time to Visit

The cuisine of the plain relies on vegetables, lamb, kavarma, and beans, served with red wine from the region. Yambol sits on the Plovdiv–Burgas rail line and on the Trakia Motorway, and Burgas is about an hour's drive away. The best times to visit are spring and fall; summers on the plain get very hot. If you plan to visit the wineries, make a reservation first; many small producers welcome guests only by appointment.