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The Rhodopi mountains are a geographically old mountain range with rolling slopes smoothed out by erosion and an average altitude of 800m. The highest peak measures 2200m (Mt. Goliam Perelik) and there is enough snow in winter to support major ski resorts like Chepelare and Pamporovo. Favorite summer activities are bathing and boating in the large artificial lakes of Batak or Dospat, discovering the magnificient gorges and caves of the Trigrad region and hiking or mountain biking through largely untouched forests with rich wildlife. The mountains are also rich in mineral water and support several thermal resorts.
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The first knonw inhabitants of the area were Thracian tribes that can be traced back to 2000 A.D. Remnants of their culture are still being discovered today, as was for example the Thracian capital of Perperikon in 2002. They were famous goldsmiths and their legendary treasures are still being sought after by archeologists and metal-detector wielding looters alike. Their principal activity, however, was the husbandry of large numbers of sheep for wool and meat, a tradition that has been carried on in these mountains until quite recently. The internationally admired polyphonic Bulgarian folk songs are being attributed originally to the Thracians and this rich tradition is being kept alive by many local folk festivals. The Rhodopi mountains are also the setting of the ancient myth of Orpheus. |
| Roman-built roads criss-crossed the mountains and notably linked the major city of Trimontium (today Plovdiv) to the Egean Sea. The remnants of these roads are now being used by hikers and mountain bikers. The Byzantine era has left castles and fortifications located at strategic locations in the Rhodopi mountains. Bachkovo monastery, the second-most important Bulgarian monastery after Rila, has been a spiritual center in the region for centuries. The biggest city today is Smolian, close to the Bulgarian-Greek border. The Ottoman period has left several purely Muslim villages here with the unexpected minaret as prominent sign. |
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