Choose an established viewpoint or guesthouse route and avoid unmarked cliff edges.
Stays 
Bin im Garten · CC BY-SA 3.0Places · Dazhdovnitsa
Kardzhali Reservoir viewpoints
Гледките към язовир Кърджали
Arda waters twist between forested ridges, small villages and striking bends best seen from high roads.
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Visiting advice
Photos & short video
Bulgarian food
Local food →Local food
Rhodope klin · kachamak · baklava · herb tea
Yeasted pancakes
Katmi
Soft, slightly tangy pancakes traditionally cooked on a clay sach and served with sweet or salty fillings.
What's in it Flour, water or milk, yeast, eggs and salt; sometimes yogurt.
Wikimedia Commons contributorsSyrup pastry
Baklava
Crisp filo and nuts absorb fragrant syrup in a dessert shared across the Balkans and lovingly made in Bulgarian homes.
What's in it Filo, walnuts or pistachios, butter, sugar syrup and lemon; cinnamon is common.
K kapustin / Wikimedia CommonsRegional · vegetarian
Patatnik
A fragrant Rhodope potato dish with onion and herbs, crisp outside and soft in the middle.
What's in it Grated potatoes, onion, mint or savory, salt and sometimes cheese.
Wikimedia Commons contributorsWhole-roasted lamb · feast
Cheverme
A whole lamb turned slowly over wood fire for a communal Rhodope celebration.
What's in it Young lamb, salt and sometimes a simple herb or butter baste.%202016%20(1).jpg)
EvelinaRibarova / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Sweet bread · festive
Kozunak
A rich, braided Easter bread with a stringy crumb, citrus aroma and sugar crust.
What's in it Flour, eggs, milk, butter, sugar, yeast, lemon zest and optional raisins or nuts.
Viktorija N. Ivanov / Wikimedia CommonsSalad · vegetarian
Shopska salad
The classic first order: tomatoes, cucumber and peppers under a generous snowy layer of white brined cheese.
What's in it Tomatoes, cucumber, roasted or fresh pepper, onion, parsley and sirene cheese.NEARBY
Public transport
Дъждовница
© OpenStreetMap contributors · Open Database License · availability depends on local mapping
Map
Directions
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Directions
Buses and trains
Some village buses run from Kardzhali, but a taxi or guesthouse transfer is more dependable.
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Nearby places
Nenko Lazarov · CC BY 2.5Gorna KrepostPerperikon
Перперикон
A monumental rock city and sanctuary crowns a ridge above the Eastern Rhodope valleys.
Read the guide
Anton Lefterov · CC BY-SA 3.0Tatul villageTatul sanctuary
Светилището Татул
A compact Thracian rock sanctuary with a distinctive carved tomb overlooks a quiet village landscape.
Read the guide
Klearchos Kapoutsis · CC BY 2.0ArdinoDevil's Bridge
Дяволският мост
A graceful Ottoman stone bridge spans a narrow, forested bend of the Arda River.
Read the guide