Over gorges, fields and rivers - where are the most beautiful panoramic platforms in Bulgaria?

published on 4/24/24 12:49 PM

Photo: Veneta Nikolova, BNR

Can you explore Bulgaria from a bird's eye view, without the help of a drone or an aircraft ? The answer is yes, panoramic platforms are made just for that. They are built high in the sky and reveal breathtaking views of gorges, snow-capped peaks, dams, river meanders ...

The Rhodope Mountains are a record holder in this respect. And the most famous and oldest lookout in the region is

The Eagle's Eye Panoramic Platform

It offers a fantastic view of the Buinovsko Gorge and the villages of Borino and Yagodina. For this purpose, a metal platform has been built, which is about 1.5 metres wide and as long as 5 metres. So one can safely walk over the abyss and look at the world from a bird's eye view and more precisely from a height of 1,563 m. The lookout is reached by a steep road from the village of Yagodina. It can be also accessed with all-terrain vehicles.

Оff-road tours by jeep are organized from the village of Yagodina to the Eagle's Eye

Nearby are the Yagodinska Cave, the Devil's Throat Cave and the Trigrad Gorge - some of the most picturesque natural creations in the Rhodopes.

The panoramic platform "The Peak"

It allows you to walk "on the roof of the Rhodopes" in the area of the village of Mogilitsa.

"It leaps forward into the air from the cliff above Mogilitsa," says Ilija Godev from the Visitor Information Centre of the neighbouring village of Smilyan, adding:

New viewing tower with a breathtaking view of the Western Rhodopes

"Besides providing a view from 1,473 metres above sea level, its last metres, which are literally in the air, have a glass floor. So one has the sensation not of a free flight but rather of a free standing in the air, an incredible sensation. The site was built by the Smolyan Municipality in 2022. Enterprising people from Mogilitsa and Arda offer access to it with jeeps and small trucks."

The panoramic platform above the meanders of the Arda River

This is one of the newest attractions in the Eastern Rhodopes. It was opened in autumn last year, but has caused mixed reactions. The fear is where the place will attract an even bigger tourist influx that threatens this pristine scenic place. The glass structure in question is 9 metres long and is designed to accommodate up to 100 visitors once. It offers a view not only of the so-called "Bend" of the Arda River and the Kardzhali dam, but also of the ancient Patmos fortress and Mount Bezdiven.

The panoramic site near the Petrova Niva area

Strandzha is a magical mountain with almost pristine nature, which is still untouched by tourism. If you visit the Petrova Niva area, be sure to look for the signpost to the wooden platform built on the edge of a cliff. From here you can see an amazing panorama of one of the most cherished places of the mountain - the meanders of the Veleka River. And towards... Bosnia. But not the country! This is the name of the northernmost mountain ridge of the Strandzha Mountain.

The panoramic platform above the village of Bov

The Iskar Gorge near the town of Svoge offers some of the most spectacular aerial views in Bulgaria. The meanders of the Iskar River are one of them. In the western part of the village of Bov, a wooden platform over 500 m high has been built. From here, the river at your feet looks like a thin silvery thread and the houses like matchboxes scattered around. The place is also accessible by car, so it's suitable for people who are difficult to move.

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