Rodopi: Hiking, Culture and Wine

Rodopi offers starting points for a trip where trails, cultural history and wine traditions come together.

Trails, Views and Landscape

Ustina lies in the foothills of the northern Rhodopes, near the historic Roman road that connected ancient Philippopolis with the Aegean Sea. From the surrounding area, views extend north to the Thracian Plain and south to the Chernatitsa section of the Rhodopes. The landscape and historic routes offer different perspectives on the area, without requiring you to make a single viewpoint the focus of your visit.

An eco-trail near Ustina leads to the Chapel of St. George and continues to the remains of the St. Yustina fortress. The chapel and fortress remains are two clearly identified destinations along the trail. Check the trail’s current condition before setting out. The Izvorska Gorge offers a distinctive experience of its own: it is known for its rich variety of plant and animal life, as well as its rock formations; one of the formations is considered the largest in the region.

Cultural History in Ustina and Izvor

Ustina is associated with the ancient Thracian settlement of Bessapara, which existed in the 2nd century BC. The Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Izvor is among the oldest Bulgarian churches from the National Revival period in Plovdiv District. It has architectural and artistic value. Together, these places offer two distinct ways to explore history: through the connection to an ancient settlement and through a church building from a later period.

Wine and Village Life

In Ustina, Villa Yustina offers a wine tourism visit that includes a tour of the production area, a visit to the vineyard park and a wine tasting. Check the current booking arrangements in advance. Brestovitsa is home to four boutique wineries; wine is also produced in Pervenets and Brestnik. Check the wineries’ names and current operating status before visiting.

The Dionysian Wine Festivals are held annually in various settlements and last two or three days. They offer opportunities to taste and buy products from participating wineries; a home wine competition is also part of the recurring program. The venue, dates and participating wineries may change, so check the current festival program before planning your trip. This helps distinguish a visit to a winery from a festival visit: the former focuses on the wine tasting on offer and the visit itinerary, while the latter is a multi-day event with a changing venue and program.

Annual village festivals also celebrate regional traditions. These include Kukeri processions, customs surrounding vine pruning, Epiphany rituals, traditional costumes, Rhodope songs and folk dances. Dates vary from village to village and from year to year. If you want to include a festival in your travel plans, check the specific dates in advance.

Getting There and Finding a Hotel

Bus services operate within Rodopi Municipality. The municipality is also crossed by the Sofia–Plovdiv–Svilengrad motorway and the Plovdiv–Asenovgrad–Smolyan road. Routes and timetables can change, so check the information before you travel. Then compare the details of specific hotel offers instead of assuming that a general profile of the area applies to individual hotel amenities.

Regional Context: Plovdiv Province

The wider destination of Plovdiv Province encompasses landscapes ranging from the Upper Thracian Plain to parts of the Rhodopes and Sredna Gora, as well as sub-Balkan valleys and the Balkan Mountains. Plovdiv is the geographical and logistical center of the Thracian tourism area. This broader regional perspective complements the focus on Rodopi’s specific trails, cultural sites and wine traditions.

Discover more destinations: Ustina, Branipole, Karlovo, Brezovo, Asenovgrad, Stamboliyski, Hisarya, Maritza.

Back to the main travel overview: Plovdiv Province.