Chepelare: Pamporovo, Nature and Culture

When choosing a hotel in Chepelare, the focus of your trip may be the deciding factor: winter sports, nature or culture. Most of the Pamporovo resort complex lies within the municipality of Chepelare. Obshtina Chepelare is located on national road II-86 between Plovdiv and Smolyan.

Pamporovo for skiing and mountain biking

Pamporovo has 50 kilometres of pistes for alpine disciplines, served by eight lifts. At Mechi Chal, the lifts and ski runs are Chepelare’s main offering for winter sports and ski holidays. The Pamporovo mountain bike park was established in 2012 and has facilities and mountain bike trails. Alpine pistes and mountain bike trails therefore provide distinct options for planning a trip.

Natural sites and viewpoints

The Wonderful Bridges are natural rock bridges formed over thousands of years. The area is secured with railings; stone steps carved into the rock make it easier for visitors to reach them. Check the condition of the safety barriers and steps on site. The Mechi Chal panoramic platform is at an altitude of 1,852 metres and offers views of the surrounding area. The centuries-old spruce tree “Chepelarski Yunatsi” can be reached by hiking trail or lift.

In the Orehovo area, Duplevo Waterfall is a protected natural landmark. Sbirakova Cave in the village of Progled has sinter lakes. These natural features offer different highlights: the Wonderful Bridges showcase rock formations shaped over a long period, while the platform at Mechi Chal offers views of the surrounding area.

Trails on different scales

The “Stara Vodenitsa” eco-trail, described in 2022, starts at the last building of the ski factory in Chepelare and leads to the old mill. The route is listed as 3 kilometres long, with a walking time of 1 hour; check the distance and condition on site. Hvoyna is the starting point for a 200-kilometre cross-border eco-route along the Chernatitsa ridge. The two distances show a clear difference in scale: three kilometres compared with a 200-kilometre route.

Culture and local history

Chepelare’s clock tower has a history of more than 100 years and is considered one of the town’s landmarks. The Church of “St Athanasius the Great” in Chepelare dates from 1834 and is a monument of art of national significance. Hvoyna is home to the Church of “St Ilija”, which has been preserved since 1857.

The Museum of Rhodope Karst presents five topics related to speleology and the karst riches of the Rhodopes and Bulgaria. The Ski and Sports Museum in Chepelare displays nearly 1,000 exhibits. In Orehovo, the community centre “Rodopsko Badeshte” houses a historical and ethnographic museum collection of tools and household items from local everyday life up to the mid-20th century. The museums therefore differ both in their subjects and in their collections.

The Chepelare Tourist Information Centre provides visitors with information about sights in the region and places of interest to tourists.

Discover more destinations: Progled, Orehovo, Hvoyna, Zabardo, Pavelsko, Borino, Zlatograd, Rudozem.

For the broader travel overview: Smolyan Province.