Rodopi Mountains (Rhodope Mountains)

The isolated Rodopi Mountains lie in the southwest of Bulgaria. There are numerous gorges and the rocky slopes are covered with pines. An ethnic divers population inhabits the many small villages in the area. They include Bulgaria's largest Muslim community of ethnic Turks and Pomaks, whose ancestors convertetd to Islam during the rule of the Ottoman Empire. The culture and traditions of Bulgaria's Slavs are also strongly represented in the Rodopi area.

During communist times a 20 km wide area along the Greek border was an exclusion zone and cut off from the outside world. This has helped to preserve many traditional customs in the area. Some interesting places in the Rodopi area include the Bachkovo Monastery, some 30 km south of Plovdov; Smolyan, which is further south iand a good place to stay when visiting the area; Pamporovo, which is only busy during the winter, as it is a ski resort and LÃ¥ki, which is the most scenic town in the area.

Accommodation is available in many of the small towns that are scattered all over the Rodopi Mountains. The whole area is excellent for hiking.