Another Interesting Destination – a Small Town in Sredna Gora, Bulgaria – Koprivshtitsa

 

In my previous posting I covered some new and really off the beaten track places in Bulgaria – where you can find good opportunities for true mountain biking — after all the Balkan range offers great nature views and pretty challenging or mellow roads for your biking adventures.  

In this posting I will bring you — via some photos — to the town (or may be village — it is a very small town) of Koprivshtitsa — in the Sredna Gora (Middle Forrest – literal translation) mountain near the Balkan range as well.  The town was founded a few years after Bulgaria fell under the Ottoman empire rule – as the legend goes by rebelious Bulgarians who determined that its location will give them some level of minimal independence.  

The local folks continued to strive for independence and became strong supporters of a movement to start a rebelion which culminated in the Aprilsko Vqstanie (April Rebelion) of April 1876 which started in Koprivshtitsa and continued in a number of towns in South / Central B ulgaria.  The uprising was put down severely which in turn gave the impetus for the Russian – Turkish war of 1877-1878 which ultimately brought to the independence of Bulgaria.

Koprivshtitsa with its tradition of wealth and independence managed to maintain a nice mix of old Bulgarian architecture.  Thus a visit to the town can  both allow you to do some nice bicycling in the hills around the town as well as visit many old / traditional houses and learn more about the architecture.

Here are some photos from our trip there earlier in August this year:

Koprivshtitsa A Nice Small Town in Sredna Gora   Koprivshtitsa Koprivshtitsa – worth visiting

Bridge in Koprivshtitsa Old Bridge in Koprivshtitsa     Street in град Копривщица град Копривщица    

Church Sv. Nikolai град Копривщица – Church   Old Church град Копривщица – old Church

yard of the old church град Копривщица – Church  Bridge in the town град Копривщица

 

 If you come here in the summer, just a bike ride through the cobbled streets of the town will be enough of an exercise — I would think…. Next time we are doing that !

A quick map courtesy of Google Maps:


View Larger Map

 

Enjoy the trip!

 

Another new mountain bike location — in Bulgaria — in the Balkan mountains, near Maglizh and Kazanlak

In the spirit of constantly adding new places where we can enjoy mountain biking, here is another location also in Bulgaria.  Earlier (several months ago) I did a quick write up and published photos from Sinemoretz and now lets take a look at two little villages in Central Bulgaria in the foothills and in the mountains of the Balkan range.

I will start with the one which is further high up in the mountains — the village of Selce.  In Bulgarian it means little village — and it certainly is.  I could not even find it on Google Maps.  Selce is located about 16 km northwest of the village of Maglizh.  To find Maglizh itself you head out of Kazanlak or Stara Zagora and drive towards the Sofia – Burgas highway that passes below (South of) in the foothills of the Balkan range.  Once you are in Maglizh, keep going North exiting the village and start climbing a narrow paved road.    The altitude in Selce is 810 meters – so you get a bit milder weather — vs lets say the weather in near by Kazanlak. The permanent population is roughly 28 people — but I wonder how permanent that is — I would expect many are migratiing back and forth between the village and Stara Zagora or Kazanlak.

Az you get into Selce — keep going North and you will eventually hit some country dirt roads — you can see on the photos below – they are very nice for biking:

In the Balkan mountains Nice road for mountain biking – Selce, Bulgaria  Another mountain bike road Mountain biking near Selce – high gradient road

Nice scenary outside of Selce, Bulgaria You can enjoy biking and the nice surroundings  Roadside water fountain The water is freezing cold and great tasting – near Selce Bulgaria