Bulgaria Inside

Do you like mountains? But at the same time would enjoy rest near a large, peaceful and deep blue water basin? It might be easy to combine the two. A spot, hidden in the heart of the Rhodope Mountains, 80 km away from the town of Smolyan and 190 km away from Sofia, will give you this chance.

Dospat is a relatively small town, having a dam situated nearby. The dam is the highest and second biggest in the country. Since it is situated in the mountain, summer in Dospat is cool and spring comes late.

According to historians, the name of the town comes from the old words 'dos' and 'pat' meaning on road. An ancient road to Plovdiv and Smolyan passed through the region. Remains from the 4th and 5th centuries BC were found there.

The town is relatively young, named as such in 1974. Agriculture and light industry have been developed there. Yet, tourism opportunities are still unexplored and infrastructure in the region is in poor state.

Dospat itself lacks major attractions. But there, you can rest peacefully and enjoy the virgin nature. You can also indulge yourself in Rhodope culinary pleasures.

The dam offers good fishing conditions. It is rich in trout, grey mullet, carp and bass. The dams of Vucha, Surnitsa and Batak are also nearby.

To explore the dam, you can make use of one of the numerous options that locals offer. Take a boat or a yacht trip or enjoy water sports like surfing and rowing.

Forests near the dam are suitable for hunting. Several game breeding stations are situated nearby.

From Dospat, you can travel to Devin and Smolyan and enjoy the attractions in the spa resort and the regional town.

An eco path is to connect Dospat to the village of Gela. Still under construction, the path will pass near Yagodinska cave, Trigrad gorge and Diavolskoto Gurlo cave.

Numerous accommodation options can be made use of. Dospat has its hotels, villas and houses for rent. Prices are moderate and for 10 leva per night, you can enjoy stay in a house.

Restaurant prices are also low but service in some is below the needed level. Most offer Rhodope dishes like klin, kachamak, patatnik and beans.

Accommodation Sites
- Iva Vacation Village