Velingrad: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

Velingrad is located in the Chepino Valley in the Western Rhodopes at an altitude of 755 meters above sea level. The thermomineral deposit of Velingrad is described as the largest in Bulgaria. In the Chepino thermal area, 12 springs are spread over approximately 70 meters; among them is the thermomineral spring with the highest flow rate in Bulgaria. In the central Lyudzhene district, 40 thermal springs are located along the Lukovitsa Valley across an area approximately two kilometers long.

Nature

Central Mineral Beach has three pools, including a 33-meter-long pool fed with mineral water. Around Velingrad and Yundola, more than 30 marked eco-trails are part of tourist routes and are offered year-round with guides. The Kurtovo area has a ski slope; marked hiking trails also start from there.

The Elin Vrah route reaches a 1,568-meter-high summit and offers panoramas toward Velingrad, the Rhodopes, the Stara Planina, Pirin, and the eastern Rila. Pashovi Skali is a natural monument reached via a marked trail and offers panoramas toward the Rhodopes, Rila, and Pirin. The Felibelijska Meadow is a protected area designated in 1981 because of its habitat for the mountain peony. The Seven Brothers tree in the Felibelijska Meadow has seven trunks growing from a single root.

At Kleptuza, two artificial lakes form a recreational area with pedal boats. Marked hiking trails begin there and lead toward Harmanite, Brezi, and Sivata Voda. A marked route from Kleptuza also leads toward Prosce and Brezi, which are described as year-round excursion areas for mountaineers.

Culture

The Velingrad Historical Museum preserves and researches more than 19,000 archaeological finds and cultural heritage objects. Permanent exhibitions include Vela Peeva, local ethnography, painted Easter eggs, and Nikolay Gyaurov. The Church of the Holy Trinity in Kamenitsa was built in 1816 on the foundations of an older stone church. At its western entrance is a rare Bulgarian variant of a blue icon of the Virgin Mary.

The Cepina Fortress is located 18 kilometers east of Velingrad and was the seat of Despot Slav. Traditional health kurbans take place on May 6 at the sanctuary on Mount Ostretz. The Bess sanctuary on Mount Ostretz has been sacred to the local population for more than 3,000 years.

Getting Around

The Rhodope narrow-gauge railway connects Septemvri, Velingrad, Yakoruda, Razlog, Bansko, and Dobrinishte and is described as a year-round tourist journey through picturesque landscapes. Velingrad is described as having good transport connections to European Transport Corridors 4 and 8.

More local pages: Panagyurishte, Pazardzhik, Peshtera, Batak.

Those wishing to rent a holiday apartment in Velingrad can continue their accommodation search afterward.

To the higher-level travel overview: Pazardzhik Province.