About 190 km away from Sofia and 90 km away from the town of Blagoevgrad, you will discover the beautiful Semkovo mountain resort which has managed to preserve its peacefulness till present day.
Semkovo resort is situated approximately 190 km away from Sofia and 90 km away from the town of Blagoevgrad. The resort is hidden in the folds of Rila Mountain, near the small town of Belitsa.
To reach Semkovo, you need to head towards Belitsa. From the town, take the second-class road leading to the resort. The distance is 18 km. You can also use a regular bus line from Sofia to Belitsa. Belitsa’s tourism information center will organize transportation from the town to the resort.
During the winter, Semkovo turns into a ski resort. It has seven tracks. Their combined length is four km. Three of the ski tracks are positioned at Rila’s northern slopes. Eight lifts give tourists access to the slopes.
Everyone in love with extreme experiences can use Semkovo’s freeride opportunities.
Semkovo was first mentioned as a resort in 1960 documents. The region was named after Senko, a local man. In 1962 and 1963, professors from the Technical University and student athletes began constructing a mountain facility in the region of Semkovo. This was the first winter sports facility set up there.
In 1976, Semkovo was named a resort of local and national importance. Several hotels were constructed during that period.
Hiking lovers will also be charmed by the region’s tourism opportunities. They can take trips to Goliam and Maluk Mechi peaks, Angelov peak, Sreden peak, Souhoto lake, Vapski lakes and Skalishki lakes.
Another local attraction is the bear preserve near Belitsa. The preserve is situated 12 km away from the town in the region Andrianov Chark.
World-known experts helped in the setting up of the park for re-adaptation of dancing bears. Belitsa’s park features natural surroundings including small lakes and dens. The park was officially opened on November 17 2000. Three bears started living there directly after the opening. Today, the number of bears in the park in 25. Three of them were brought there from Serbia.
If you decide to take a trip to the park, keep in mind that the final 10 km of the road are in poor condition.