Few people, even in Bulgaria, have heard of the beauty of Belitsa – a small town secluded in the slopes of the Rila Mountain. Quite recently, however, it was included in the specialized tourist network of the most attractive spots for eco-tourism in Europe. This became possible due to the European project EDEN aimed at the promotion of little-known cultural and natural sites on the Old Continent.
Within the framework of this project, a national competition for “tourist destination of excellence” took place for the second consecutive year in Bulgaria. After a heated competition between different municipalities, nature parks and protected areas, Belitsa won the first place. Currently, this picturesque Bulgarian town, along with 21 tourist destinations across Europe, is advertised by the European Commission through promotional films and video clips distributed in Internet sites and on TV channels. What is more, the town of Belitsa is located in the periphery of Rila National Park, which is part of another European network called PAN Parks, which unites the best-managed protected areas on the Old Continent. So, if you desperately want to escape from civilization for a while, this is the right place! You can spend entire days roaming along the mountain paths that go down steep ravines, follow meandering rapid streams, and then enter dense, centuries-old forests, and you see no signs of human presence.
The towns and villages in this area, Belitsa being one of them, are situated at the foot of the Rila Mountain. The town itself does not possess the appeal of National Revival period towns and ethnographic villages. The majority of its houses, which were built in the period of Socialism, have a monotonous, rather boring, architecture, but they compensate with the verdure and abundance of flowers surrounding them. Like in many other places in Bulgaria, the cross of the local church and the minaret of the local mosque rise above the red tile roofs of the houses – as an eloquent testimony to the friendly co-existence of two different religious communities. A clear mountain river winds through the town, and the clean fresh air is filled with the scent of resin coming from the surrounding woods. The real charm of Belitsa lies in its geographical location. Situated in the shelter of the southern slopes of the Rila Mountain, surrounded by two other mountains – the Rhodopes and Pirin, the town is visited by lovers of beautiful natural scenery, keen photographers, and dreamers seeking seclusion in nature.
Maya Padareva, from Belitsa Community Centre, explains:
“A project of Belitsa municipality created 6 eco-paths with tourist signs, designated spots for rest and relaxation, and observation towers. Each eco-path presents our unique natural heritage in a different way. We also offer guided tours. People show a keen interest in walking these routes. In the past several months, about 300 tourists in organized groups walked along the eco-paths, but individual visitors are much more numerous. We hope that with Belitsa becoming part of the European EDEN network, the number of our visitors will quickly multiply.”
Belitsa is surrounded by some of the most beautiful and well-preserved white fir communities in Bulgaria. The mountain paths cross thick beech and juniper woods where you can enjoy the songs of birds and breathe the aroma of moist tree mosses and lichens. One of the paths takes the roaming tourist to the foot of Vapa peak in the Rila Mountain, where, at more than 2200 meters above sea level, you can have a wonderful view of two glacial lakes and their crystal-clear waters. From that viewpoint, you will also be able to see circus lakes and moraines. Here the spectator can clearly distinguish the outlines of the last surviving glaciers that reigned on the Earth millions of years ago. The southern slopes of the Rila Mountain bask in the sun. In the warm months, its meadows and fields are painted by the colors of wild herbs and grasses, and of the clouds of butterflies flying over them. This part of the mountain abounds in numerous butterfly species; that is why local people have designed a special route tracing their habitats.
The site drawing the largest number of visitors, however, is the park for re-adaptation of dancing bears situated in the wooded hills and sunny meadows near Belitsa. Bears spend the whole day basking in the sun and playing with the water in the artificial ponds to the delight of visitors who can watch them and take pictures from the special observation platforms. In the summer, the flow of tourists coming to the bear park never ends. Many people visit the information tourist centre in Belitsa to learn more about the mountain and its inhabitants. The town offers accommodation for its guests in 4 guest houses and one bigger hotel. One can also find good accommodation at very reasonable prices in the holiday homes in the nearby ski resort of Semkovo.
Local people offer various services: mountain bikes renting, horse riding, and going out on open-air picnics with homemade food. The traditional Bulgarian pastry dish called banitsa is a local specialty and is cooked in a number of ways – with a filling of leek, chicken meat, spinach, or sauerkraut. Local salads are also a must for each visitor. The most popular salad is the one prepared with green beetroot leaves, green garlic, and yoghurt.
After you have had your fill of the culinary specialties of the region, you can continue your stroll in the Rila Mountain and be absorbed in the almost unreal stillness disturbed only by the occasional birdsong or breeze of the wind. You will immerse yourself in the endless scenery of nearby snow-capped mountain peaks, and slowly be imbued with a feeling of freedom and a desire to return here in order to experience yet another adventure in Bulgaria’s wildness.
English version: Rossitsa Petcova
