Bulgaria is blessed with a number of picturesque locations scattered across the country. One of them is the Rupite area at the foot of an extinct volcano, not far from the town of Petrich in southwestern Bulgaria.

The area has been known for its healing mineral water springs since the times of the Roman Empire, as well as for its incredibly beautiful nature, nearly untouched by human hands. This is the only place in Bulgaria where you can observe all four species of turtles living in these lands and almost all types of snakes. 201 species of birds can also be observed, as Via Aristotelis - one of the two main flyways of migratory birds over the Old Continent, passes above the place.

The area of Rupite is shrouded in a mystical aura. This is the place where world-famous Bulgarian clairvoyant mystic Vanga spent the last years of her life. In 1994 she financed a project to build a church named after St. Petka near her home. Many people come here to light a candle in the church and take a look at Baba Vanga's house, which has been turned into a museum. A beautiful green park with rare tree species, stone sculptures and small pools formed by the mineral water springs can be seen nearby. Many visitors say they feel the place is charged with special energy and that upon leaving they feel reassured and charged with faith.

You can learn more about this magnetic place from the article "The magic of Rupite locality", part of the collection of Radio Bulgaria.

Compiled by: Veneta Nikolova

English: Alexander Markov