The region of Kurdzhali is situated in the south-eastern part of the Republic of Bulgaria. The county of Kurdzhali totals 117 settlements, and is located in the heart of the eastern part of the Rhodopa mountain, on both banks of the Arda river, in between the two large dams, the Studen Kladenetz dam to the east and the Kurdzhali dam to the south. The town of Kurdzhali itself boasts millennia of historic development, that is why remnants of different civilizations were discovered here. The town has some remarkable historic and cultural monuments, like the Bulgarian basilica “St. John” from the XI – XII century A.D. At the end of 1998 for the first time a unique finding was made public – the tomb of an bishop, dressed in all his gold vestments, and the fact that in the whole world only three vestments of this kind are found, makes it a precious and well-kept exhibit at the local museum of history. The museum is of interest to its visitors also with the fact, that it is situated in the former “Konak”, or the Turkish city hall, built around 1870 A.D. The lovers of fine arts will certainly experience unforgettable moments while visiting the local arts gallery, where the works of world renowned artists like Vladimir Dimitrov – Maystora, Kiril Tzonev, Dechko Uzunov and many others are displayed. The town of Kurdzhali has emerged as the administrative, commercial, cultural and industrial centre of the eastern part of the Rhodopa mountain.
The two large dams at both ends of the town are an excellent place for relaxation, sports, tourism and entertainment. Here many restaurants, villas and other facilities can be found, and the interest of foreign investors to this area is growing year after year. After you pass by the wall of the Studen Kladenetz dam, you can see the the extremely narrow canyon of the Arda river, known as the Devil\'s bridge. And near the village of Zimzelen, about 5 kilometres to the north-east of the town of Kurdzhali, one can witness another natural phenomenon – the Kurdzhali pyramids. The unique flora and fauna of the region are preserved in the nature reserve “Valchi dol” in the surroundings of the “Studen kladenetz” dam, as well as the only natural birch reserve “Belite brezi”. The medieval stronghold of Perperikon is sited in the glen of a small river, only 7 kilometres to the south-east of the town of Kurdzhali, near the village of Perperek. This huge palace and fortress complex is considered to be the temple of the deity of Dionysus. Particularly interesting are the remnants from a medieval fortress together with a Thracian temple, known as “Tatul”, near a village with the same name, the remnants in the “Harman kaya” place in the vicinity of the village of Bivolyane and the fortress “Hisarlaka”. The incredible scenery in the eastern part of the Rhodopa mountain and its century-old history make the whole region a perfect place to purchase a real estate and settle there.
The town of Ardino is situated in the western part of the Eastern Rhodopa mountain, with the Egridere river flowing through it. Its vicinities are rich in historical places and monuments. One of them is the ancient road, used throughout the Middle Ages, linking the interior of the Thrace plain with the White Sea plains. Some two kilometres away from the town of Ardino the so-called Eagle Cliffs are found, and less than half a kilometre from them is the Thracian fortress of “Kaleto”. Near the “Kurdzhali” dam tourists can see remnants from the “Hisarya” fortress. Yet another stronghold, which is a remarkable historic monument is the “Crivus”, only 3 kilometres away from the village of Bashevo, not very far away from the town of Ardino. In fact, the whole region of Ardino has excellent requisites for rapid development of tourism. On its territory there are a great number of country cottages, suitable for ecological and rural tourism. The tourist complex “Belite brezi” is situated on the road from Kurdzhali to Smolyan, some 7 kilometres away from the town of Ardino. Its has eight modern villas with entertainment and relaxation places too. The air in this place is suitable for climatic treatment of pulmonary diseases and allergic ones. The Ministry of Public Health has declared it a resort of national importance.
One special place of interest for the tourists is the natural phenomenon “Hladilnika”, which is actually a Karst cave in the neighbourhood of the village of Lyubenovo. The name “Hladilnika”, in English “The fridge”, is derived from the extremely low temperatures down there even in the hottest summer days. The natural game reserves for breeding of bucks, does, moufflons, wild boars, the rivers swarming with fish make the region of Ardino a piece of heaven on earth for the naturalists, the lovers of angling and ecological tourism.
In immediate proximity to the ton of Ardino is situated the village of Dyadovtzi, nestled in the eastern parts of the fabulous Rhodopa mountain. As small the village can be, nevertheless it has preserved the untainted great beauty of the Bulgarian Rhodopean village, which turns it into a coveted place for purchasing of a real estate and settling in. One of the many reasons for this decision may be the proximity of the village to the famous Devil\'s bridge, built in the beginning of the XV century A.D. Another one may be the fact, that the village of Dyadovtzi is a starting point for many ecowalks and tourist tracks in the region.
The village of Zornitza is situated at 1400 metres altitude at the foot of the marvellous Rhodopa mountain, only 4 kilometres away from the town of Chepelare and 14 kilometres away from the Pamporovo winter resort. Boasting excellent communications with all the big winter resorts nearby, the village is attracting a lot of investors, seeking to purchase real estates and land here. The proximity to the resorts of Chepelare and Pamporovo offers great opportunities for winter and skiing holidays. Many lovers of hiking start their journeys from the village. Its vicinities have numerous picturesque ecowalks. The village of Zornitza is the starting point for the tracks leading to the “Izgrev” hut, Pamporovo, “Chudnite mostove” (The Wondrous bridges), the village of Shiroka Laka and many others. In the summertime one will find in the village of Zornitza and its neighbourhood the much sought after refreshment and tranquillity of the century-old forests, the fresh mountain air, mingled with the scents of herbs and wild flowers.
