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The Stara Zagora Region - Stara Zagora, Kazanlak, Pavel Banya The Stara Zagora region
has one of the best climates in Bulgaria because of the southern
location and because the Balkan Mountains serve as barrier for the
winds from North, although snow still covers the mountains and long,
hot summers. Vegetation in the Stara Zagora region tends to be around
one month ahead of flowers and vegetables on the northern side of the
mountains. The economy for the region is very developed which is an
important consideration given that many rural areas of Bulgaria are
still very poor. So you have nice combination of large cities within
easy reach with all the amenities you would expect and rural
properties in the mountains. One of the main motorways in Bulgaria runs directly to
this region from Sofia to Stara Zagora which is about 200 km. The
airport in Sofia is 200 km away from Stara Zagora. The Burgas airport
(on the coast) is 180 km away from Stara Zagora and Plovdiv airport is
only around an hour away. The region as an excellent central location
and the Sea, Greece, Turkey, the capital, Sofia etc are all within easy
travelling distance. Stara Zagora is the 5th largest city in Bulgaria and the main city in the region and has a medical university with university clinics and so there is a high level of health service. There is also a veterinary university. It has a lovely pedestrianised centre with many street cafes and restaurants, an opera theatre, Roman ruins, neolithic remains and more. I usually hate cities, being a country girl at heart, but I think it is a nice small city and on summer evenings the streets are lined with chairs and tables for outside dining, there are some lovely restaurants and bars, large supermarkets, a fantastic park with a small zoo, football Stadium, tennis courts and lots of walking. Many of the residents of Stara Zagora, especially in the summer, head for the park to meet friends, sit and eat and drink or take the children to play. Below are a number of pictures showing different aspects of the city - the typical high rise blocks on the outskirts, the modern shopping centres, tree lined streets, Roman ruins.....
The city is one of the oldest in Europe with two Neolitich dwellings dating back to the 6th century B.C and it was also an important Roman town founded in the 2nd century A.D. Much Roman architecture still remains from the amphitheatre, large mosiacs and other ruins. In 1364 the city was conquered by the Ottoman rule and during the fighting for liberation from the Turks, it was the scene of a major battle which resulted in the entire city being burnt to the ground and thousands killed. The city was then rebuilt on a grid structure and so practically every street except one is in a straight line and makes finding your way around fairly easy. A massive new business park is currently being expanded on the edge of the city. This is the largest business park in the Balkans and 300 million BGN are being invested into the project. Apart from a huge Technopolis store and a Mr Bricolage DIY store the first project phase involves the construction of a large Mall with cinema and various shops, as well as a McDonalds and KFC (now completed)! A storage facility, office and corporate buildings will be constructed, as well. The development is being built in the eastern part of the city, close to the Bourgas highway. A further two shopping malls are planned and under constructions. The city itself has a large Billa and a huge Metro, a Kaufland, several big DIY stores and a number of technical stores selling every electrical appliance you will ever need (and many you don't). There are plenty of smaller bathroom shops, supermarkets, car show rooms and so on.... The valley where the Stara Zagora region lies is known as the Valley of the Roses as it is the main rose growing region of Bulgaria. It is very good agricultural land and lies between the Balkan Mountain range and the smaller Middle Forest mountain range. The mountains are a delight for hill walkers and there are climbing and cycling and hunting clubs close by to ensure all year round excitement and adventure for those who enjoy the great outdoors. The paragliding club in Kazanlak is very strong as is the parachuting club and other extreme sports. For those that prefer less dangerous pursuits you can go fishing and swimming in the large lakes, bath in the mineral spas or wander around lovely rural villages or the Thracian tombs and related museums.
View from top of Balkan Mountains
View towards Valley of the Roses There are all kinds of sport facilities, tourist places, spa-resorts, museums, small ski area.
Near by is Pavel Banya, a spa resort with many balneology centres and a lot of private hotels and guesthouses. Many foreigners come here to treat their diseases especially orthopaedic complaints.
There is a lake and park with old spa baths and a large out door pool complex. In time the spa baths will be renovated and put back into use and the lake cleaned out.
There are also a number of Thracian tombs in the area and these have recently been opened up and explored, yielding many treasures. In Kazanlak, there is the original Thracian tomb with wall murials (20 levs entrance) and a full size replica (3 levs entrance fee) with details of the tomb and others in the area.
And near Shipka, the tomb of Seuthus III is open to visitors:
Rural tourism is now developing and guesthouses are springing up and being rented out, mainly for foreigners. A small guesthouse or holiday home in this area should rent out for around GBP 100 to 250 a week depending on the facilities and size of the property. So you could combine, spa
with walking, skiing in the winter, rural tourism, culture, history and
so on. There is much more I could write about the Stara Zagora region here but briefly, I thought the area had much to offer. The area between the Balkans and Sredna Gora mountains has been compared to Tuscany and there are many lakes & forests. The area to the east and south of Stara Zagora has a more gentle landscape with rolling hills, fields that stretch as far as the eye can see and wooded areas. To the west lies the spa resort and many very pretty and quiet mountain villages nestle among the hills. It is an incredibly beautiful area. A brand new motorway runs directly to this region from Sofia to just south of Stara Zagora and the final phases of this will be completed shortly, allowing quick and easy access to the area. The airport in Sofia is 200 km away from Stara Zagora. The Burgas airport (on the coast) is 180 km away from Stara Zagora. There are talks to enable more flights into Plovdiv and cheap airlines coming. The region has an excellent central location and the Sea, Greece, Turkey, the capital are all within easy travelling distance. There are all kinds of sport facilities (walking, fishing, hunting, cycling, skiing, paragliding, water sports...), tourist places (Kazanlak & the Festival of the Roses, Thracian Tombs and Museums, Roman Ruins and Neolithic Dwellings), spa-resorts, a small ski slope.....all in one region.
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There
are also mineral spas just outside the city and this area is undergoing
a huge resurgence with new four star hotels offering massage and health
treatments (full body massage lasting an hour for just 50 BGN or
around 22 GBP - definitely to be recommended) and sports
complexes. A golf complex is now planned for this area. 
The
area is very pretty with lots of walking. 
