Bulgaria Inside

Ivanova Voda cave is situated near the village of Dobrostan, 26 km away from Asenovgrad and 45 km away from Plovdiv.

The village of Dobrostan appeared during the Ottoman conquest in the region. Numerous legends have been told about the process and some of these are connected to Ivanova Voda cave.

The cave was named after the brave Ivana, who managed to save Rhodope villages from the Ottoman assaults.

Ottomans forced Ivana to show them a shortcut that will let them ambush young Bulgarians who were going to rebel. Ivana led the army through dense forests but instead of showing them a shortcut, she decided to lead them to death. Ivana talked the men into entering the cave, saying that a secret passage existed there. Ottomans entered the cave and drowned in the deep lake inside.

Ivana died alongside the Ottoman soldiers.

To honor her sacrifice, locals called the cave Ivanova Voda (Ivana’s water).

Today, the cave is unsuitable for tourist visits and lacks lights and railing. If you decide to explore it, you need proper equipment. It would be best to ask locals for a guide to take you inside and to tell you the stories connected to Ivanova Voda.