4Sleeping & Eating
White GuesthouseGUESTHOUSE$
(%0878152726; ul Tsar Simeon 6; s/d/tr 27/37/45 lv; aW)
With white walls and wooden floors, rooms here feel a little bare. Still, the place is spotless, rooms are kitted out with TVs, fridges and nice bathrooms, and it's managed by a friendly owner who speaks some English. It's tucked within a quiet residential building on a side street off main-drag ul General Kartsov, 150m east of Vasil Levski Museum.
Shterev HotelHOTEL$
(%0335-93 380; www.shterevhotels.com; pl 20 Yuli; s 33-40 lv, d 40-50 lv, ste 68-85 lv; paW)
Overlooking Karlovo's monumental square and its popular cafes and restaurants, the Shterev enjoys a fine location, though its rooms are somewhat bland.
Restaurant DionisiBULGARIAN$$
(%0335-93 412, 0885244346; ul Evlogi Georgiev; mains 9-12 lv; h11am-11pm Mon-Sat)
Over near pl Sveti Nikolai, Restaurant Dionisi does hearty, home-cooked fare, including a range of meat and veg soups.
8Getting There & Away
The train station (%0335-94 641; route E871) is served by trains on the Sofia–Burgas line, via Kazanlâk and Sliven. Direct trains reach Sofia (7.40 lv, 2½ to three hours, four daily), Burgas (14 lv, 4½ hours, one daily), Koprivshtitsa (3 lv, one hour, one daily) and Plovdiv (4 lv, 1½ hours, six daily).
The bus station (%0885218139; ul Vasil Levski), 200m north of the train station, has services to Sofia (18 lv, three hours, two daily); Plovdiv (5 lv, one to 1½ hours, five daily, sometimes via Hisar), Pleven (16 lv, 1½ hours, one daily) and Lovech (14.50 lv, 1½ hours, one daily).
Kazanlâk КАЗАНЛЪК
Pop 47,300
Bulgaria’s Valley of the Roses, nestled at the foot of the Stara Planina mountains, is thought to produce almost two-thirds of the world’s rose oil. When flowers bloom in the valleys each May and June, visitors flock to Kazanlâk, the dusty town at the core of this fragrant industry. Roses are Kazanlâk’s main lure, but Thracian history has also left a powerful mark. A major 4th-century-BC tomb is here, while the so-called ‘Valley of Thracian Kings’, a chain of ancient burial mounds, extends north towards Shipka.
Modern Kazanlâk has a working mosque and sizeable Turkish and Pomak Muslim populations, making it one of Bulgaria’s more multicultural cities. The town itself doesn’t compete with the loveliness of its surrounding valleys, with a jumble of Soviet-style buildings and shabby marketplaces flowing from the well-groomed main square. But it has pockets of great beauty, especially in the 19th-century buildings along its riverbank.
Kazanlâk
1Sights
1Kulata Ethnological ComplexC1
2Museum of RosesA2
3Replica Thracian Tomb of KazanlâkD1
4Thracian Tomb of KazanlâkC1
4Sleeping
5Diamond HotelB2
6Hotel TeresC1
7Hotel-Restaurant ChiflikaC2
8Roza HotelB4
5Eating
9Banicharnitsa Violeta AsenovaC3
10MagnoliaC1
11New York Pub & GrillB3
1Sights
Thracian Tomb of KazanlâkTOMB
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Tyulbe Park)
In hilly Tyulbe Park, a 15-minute walk northeast of Kazanlâk's centre, is one of the archaeological finds of the century: a brilliantly frescoed, 4th-century-BC tomb of a Thracian ruler. Discovered in 1944 during construction of a bomb shelter, it's now a Unesco World Heritage site. Tragically for would-be tomb raiders, visitors aren't currently allowed inside, but you can explore the replica next door.
Along the dromos (vaulted entry corridor), a double frieze depicts battle scenes. The burial chamber is 12m in diameter and covered by a beehive dome typical of Thracian 3rd-to-5th-century-BC design. The dome's murals depict events such as a funeral feast and chariot race.
Replica Thracian Tomb of KazanlâkMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Tyulbe Park; adult/child 3/1 lv; h9am-5.30pm)
This museum has a full-scale replica of the 4th-century-BC tomb next door. Photography inside the museum costs an extra 5 lv.
Museum of RosesMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0431-64 057; bul Osvobozhdenie 10; adult/student 3/1 lv; h9am-6.30pm)
Kazanlâk's shiny Museum of Roses opened in June 2016 in Park Rozarium, 500m north of pl Sevtopolis. The museum guides visitors through the history of rose-oil production and the 300-year-old production methods that continue to be used today. Its light-flooded atriums are packed with antique perfume-making equipment and photographs of rose pickers past.
Kulata Ethnological ComplexMUSEUM
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0431-63 762; bul Nikola Petkov 18; 3 lv; h8am-noon & 1-6pm)
Just down from Tyulbe Park and the Thracian tomb, you’ll find the appealing Kulata (Tower) district, site of the Kulata Ethnological Complex. A replica of a 19th-century one-storey peasant’s home and wooden sheds with agricultural implements and carts are among the rustic exhibits.
DON'T MISS
SMELL THE ROSES IN KAZANLâK
For centuries, Kazanlâk has been the sweet-smelling centre of European rose-oil production. The Valley of the Roses' underground water and rich soil are ideal for cultivating the flowers, and the region churns out pink-packeted soaps, moisturising balms, rose liqueurs, jams and sweets.
Roses come into flower from around mid-May to mid-June, and Kazanlâk's valleys are aflame with pretty blooms at this time of year. Kazanlâk's Rose Festival (hfirst weekend Jun) is the highlight of the season, but smaller villages such as Razhena, Kanchevo and Rozovo often have rose-themed festivities at weekends during the season. Celebrations often involve rose picking, costume-clad dancers, blessing visitors with a shake from a branch dipped in rose water, and the opportunity to buy scented souvenirs. An entrance fee of around 10 lv is usually charged.
To thoroughly immerse yourself in rose season, join a tour. Guide Nikolay Tsutsov runs multiday rose-themed excursions from Cucovata House (%03133-5483, 0887804223; www.cucovata.com; Kalofer) in Kalofer village, 40km west of Kazanlâk. Book up to a year in advance to avoid disappointment.
There is plenty of fragrant fun outside rose season. At Enio Bonchev Rose Distillery (%02-986 3995; www.eniobonchev.com; Tarnichene; admission with/without rose picking 9.60/6 lv), 27km west of Kazanlâk in Tarnichene village, you can learn the history of Bulgaria's rose-oil trade (and inhale its soothing smell). Touring the 1909-founded distillery's huge copper vats and small museum is possible year-round, but call or email in advance to fix a time.
Meanwhile, Kazanlâk's newly opened Museum of Roses is a worthy introduction to the industry's history. Finally, you can sample rose-flavoured goodies as part of a visit to Kulata Ethnological Complex.
4Sleeping
Travellers are spoilt for choice in Kazanlâk, which has abundant midrange hotels and a couple of thriftier guesthouses. Almost all are overrun with visitors during rose season (May and June), with many attracting large tour groups. Book more than three months ahead if visiting in summer.
Hotel TeresHOTEL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0431-64 272; www.hotelteres.com; ul Nikola Petkov; d 50 lv; paW)
For a quieter locale than the centre of town, this friendly hotel in a pretty whitewashed wooden building is a gratifying spot. It has clean, modern rooms, a lobby bar and an adjacent restaurant. Find it directly below the hill of the Thracian tomb.
Hotel-Restaurant ChiflikaHOTEL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0431-21 411; www.hotelchiflikakazanlak.bg; ul Knyaz Mirski 38; d 35-46 lv; paiW)
Just south of the Thracian tomb, the Chiflika has a faux-traditional look, though the bones of the building date to 1851. Rooms are of a relatively high standard and have buffed modern bathrooms. The tavern, complete with cosy fireplace, does good Bulgarian standbys.
Diamond HotelHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0431-63 192; www.hoteldiamant.bg; ul Shipchenska Epopeya 2; d 65-76 lv; paW)
Facing Kazanlâk's History Museum, Diamond offers a
hint of old-world glamour for a midrange price. Its six rooms are furnished with a nostalgic eye: satiny golden sheets, textured floral wallpaper and twinkly chandelier-style lamps. A choice of breakfasts is on offer (7 lv).
Ask for directions to the tiny underground garage if there is no street parking available.
Roza HotelHOTEL$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0431-50 005; www.hotelrozabg.com; ul Rozova Dolina 2; r 50-110 lv; paiW)
Despite its setting in an office complex, Roza Hotel is a homely hideaway, thoughtfully managed by friendly staff. Its private terrace, bedecked with flowers, overlooks the main square. Rooms on the hall's right-hand side are smaller, with beds jammed in lengthways, whereas the slightly larger ones on the left have more elbow room (and are slightly more costly).
Free tea, coffee and fruit are available throughout the day in the breakfast nook. Parking costs an extra 4 lv per 24 hours.
5Eating
New York Pub & GrillINTERNATIONAL$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0431-62 464; www.newyorkpub-bg.com; pl Sevtopolis; mains 5-10 lv; h9am-10pm; W)
There's no risk of imagining you're in the Big Apple, but this enormously popular spot is beloved for its wide menu of pizzas and grills, and everything is fresh and high quality.
Banicharnitsa Violeta AsenovaBAKERY$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Otets Paisii 33; banitsa from 0.80 lv; h7.30am-9pm)
Kazanlâk’s best breakfast nook is this tiny hole-in-the-wall place opposite the open market, serving a variety of flaky cheese (and other) pies from the banitsa and byurek family of Balkan pastry. Go early, as service stops when the fresh-baked goodies run out.
oMagnoliaBULGARIAN$$
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0431-89 546; www.magnolia-kazanlak.com; bul Nikola Petkov 1; mains 5-14 lv; h10am-10pm)
Inside this peach-coloured building, just across the river from the Thracian tomb, lies an unmissable mehana with a menu of well-executed Bulgarian classics such as meaty claypot medleys (from 5 lv) and mixed grills (12 lv). Choose between the Bulgarian Renaissance–style dining room or, better yet, the white-tiled courtyard with its walls draped in vines.
8Information
ATMs are on the square and especially on the section of ul 23 Pehoten Shipchenski Polk that runs between the square and ul Petko Stajnov.
Tourist Information CentreTOURIST INFORMATION
( GOOGLE MAP ; %0431-99 553; ul Iskra 4; h9am-1pm & 2-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat & Sun)
Assists with hotels, excursions and general information about the town.
8Getting There & Away
From the bus and train stations, it’s a 10-minute walk (or 2 lv taxi ride) northwards to the square. Kazanlâk’s bus station ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0431-63 200; ul Sofronii Vrachanski) has connections to Sofia (17 lv, three hours, five daily), Plovdiv (9 lv, two hours, three daily) and Gabrovo (6 lv, one to 1½ hours, eight daily) via Shipka. Daily buses also reach Ruse (16 lv, 3½ hours) via Veliko Târnovo, and Svilengrad (12 lv, 2½ hours).
Minibuses for Stara Zagora (4 lv, 45 minutes) run half-hourly from just outside the main station. Along the road by the roundabout, town bus 6 runs to Shipka (1.80 lv, 25 minutes, half-hourly); the central stop for this bus is at the corner of Knyaz Al Battenberg and ul Kiril i Metodii.
Kazanlâk train station ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0431-62 012; ul Sofronii Vrachanski) serves Sofia (10 lv, 3½ hours, three daily) and Burgas (12 lv, three hours, three daily), via Karlovo (5 lv, 1½ hours, six daily) or Stara Zagora. Daily services reach Sliven (6 lv, two hours, four to six daily). Trains to or from Plovdiv involve changing at Karlovo or Stara Zagora station.
Shipka ШИПКА
Humble mountainside Shipka has stirring monuments that span the breadth of Bulgarian history. Forbidding Shipka Pass, the one good route through the Stara Planina, was where the Russian army and Bulgarian volunteers decisively thwarted an Ottoman counter-attack in the 1877 Russo-Turkish War. In their memory, a stone monument now crowns the pass, while an exquisite Russian-style church shines out of quiet Shipka village, 13km south.
Shipka also boasts a seam of tombs, dating back to the 4th century BC. The countryside between Kazanlâk and Shipka has been dubbed 'Valley of the Thracian Kings', thanks to hundreds of grass-topped burial mounds and archaeological sites. Shipka makes an excellent day trip from Kazanlâk, though staying a night or two allows you to tomb-hop and visit the offbeat Buzludzha Monument ruin.
1Sights
Buzludzha MonumentRUINS
(Shipka)
The concrete UFO looming over Shipka Pass is central Bulgaria's most peculiar sight. This former assembly hall slid into disrepair after the fall of communism, but its space-age silhouette has turned it into an irresistible stop for travellers. At the time of writing, authorities had reopened its front doors after months of barring them shut and forbidding visitors. We strongly recommend admiring it from outside: there's a high risk of injury from broken glass or falling masonry inside the unmaintained building.
Buzludzha Monument stands on a 1441m peak overlooking the pass. On the drive up, look for the steely monument of clenched fists. Next to the UFO, the concrete shard pointing skywards is crowned with a red star. Rumours that the star was made of rubies led to locals looting and chipping the site (it's really glass). While local people have mixed feelings about Buzludzha, news that the monument will eventually be transformed into a history museum have been largely well received.
The monument is accessible along a pitted, zigzagging road branching from the E85 between Shipka and Kazanlâk. It's a 30-minute drive from Kazanlâk.
Nativity Memorial ChurchCHURCH
(Church of St Nikolai; h8.30am-5.30pm May-Oct, to 5pm Nov-Apr)
A magenta-and-white ice-cream cone of a church glows above tumbledown Shipka village, its golden onion domes glittering from thick woodlands. Part of Shipka Monastery, the magnificent structure was built in 1902 as a dedication to soldiers who died at Shipka Pass during the Russo-Turkish War (1877–8). To get there, follow the Hram Pametnik sign for 1.2km through the village, or walk 300m up from the restaurant along the Kazanlâk–Gabrovo road.
The church's design is heavily influenced by Russian architecture and features five golden domes and 17 church bells, within a 53m-high bell tower that can be heard for several kilometres when rung. Thirty-four marble plaques on the outside walls list the names of soldiers who perished in the Russo-Turkish War. Inside the crypt Russian soldiers are interred, and there are some wonderful frescoes depicting scenes from Russian history.
Souvenir and food stands can be found in the car park of this enormously popular sight. Indoor photography permits cost 5 lv.
Ostrusha TombTOMB
(adult/student 3/1 lv; h9am-5pm May-Nov)
Discovered in 1993, the sarcophagus within this whopping Thracian burial mound was carved from a single 60-tonne stone during the 4th century BC. The site continues to puzzle archaeologists – a horse's skeleton has been found, but no human remains – with the biggest mystery being how the granite (not native to the region) was hauled to Shipka. The mound is 3km south of Shipka village.
Byzantines damaged many Thracian burial mounds, and Ostrusha Tomb is no exception. Most frescoes have, tragically, been chipped off, but the serene face of a woman on one of the ceiling panels hints at the tomb's past splendour.
Freedom MonumentMONUMENT
(Shipka Memorial; h9am-7pm Apr-Oct, to 4.30pm Nov-Mar)F
About 13km along a winding road north of Shipka village is the Shipka Pass. Almost 1000 steps lead to the top of Mt Stoletov (1326m), dominated by the impressive, 32m-high Freedom Monument. It was built in 1934 as a memorial to more than 7000 Russian troops and Bulgarian volunteers who died in the Battle of Shipka Pass, which culminated in August 1877. The fighters successfully repelled numerous attacks by around 27,000 Turkish soldiers.
To reach the pass from Kazanlâk or Shipka, take a bus to Haskovo, Gabrovo or Veliko Târnovo and ask the driver to let you off at the Shipka Pass (Shipchensky prokhod).
4Sle
eping & Eating
The popularity of the Shipka Pass Freedom Monument has allowed cafes to bloom at the base of the monument, near the Hotel-Restaurant Shipka. Shipka village has a very quiet restaurant scene, aside from a cafe at the northern end of town; enjoy more choice in Kazanlâk.
oHotel IT ShipkaGUESTHOUSE$
(%0896755090; www.shipkaithotel.com; ul Kolyo Adjara 12; s/d/apt 37/49/86 lv; aWs)
In a quiet residential area 500m east of Shipka village square, this friendly, family-run guesthouse has attractive, modern rooms with great views of either the Valley of Roses, or the mountain and the shimmering domes of the Nativity Memorial Church. The hotel’s restaurant serves home-cooked Bulgarian fare, and there’s a small outdoor swimming pool, an infrared sauna and a steam room.
Ring ahead and English-speaking owner Ivan will collect you from the bus stop on the main square. He can also arrange local hiking and other outdoor activities. Rooms have either air-conditioning or ceiling fans. Breakfast costs 6 lv for for a home-cooked spread of pancakes, pastries and more.
Hotel-Restaurant ShipkaHOTEL$
(%0888356479; [email protected]; Shipka Pass; d 40-60 lv; pW)
If vertiginous views from the top of the pass appeal more than snoozing down in Shipka village, this hotel features 13 simple rooms, each with fridge and TV. The restaurant downstairs (8am to midnight) dishes up Bulgarian food. Little English is spoken, but staff are sympathetic. It’s 50m up from the car park at the top of the pass.
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