Kleptuza is a karst spring in the Chepino district of Velingrad; its flow rate is 600 to 1,200 liters per second. The location also shapes the character of the municipality: it lies in the Chepino Basin in the western part of the Rhodope Mountains. Between Beglika and the Chepino district, the marble outcrops have significant tourism value.
Water and Landscape
The mineral water theme includes the three Velingrad deposits of Chepino, Ladzhene and Kamenitsa, as well as the deposit in the village of Draginovo. These mineral waters have a stated official extraction flow rate of 124.28 liters per second and temperatures ranging from 25 °C to 97.3 °C. Velingrad’s mineral water is described as hyperthermal and weakly mineralized. It contains bicarbonate, sulfate and sodium, as well as fluoride, silicic acid and radon. The flow rate, temperature and composition give the springs several distinct characteristics.
Another natural feature can be found in Kleptuza Park: there are two lakes of the same name, the first of which was created in 1933. This date anchors this part of the townscape in a specific history. Together with the karst spring and the marble outcrops, it shows the variety of landscape features found within Velingrad.
The Historical Museum
The Velingrad Historical Museum has four permanent exhibitions. These include a memorial exhibition about Vela Peeva in her birth home, the ethnographic exhibition “The Mountains – a Hospitable Home,” an exhibition about painted Easter eggs, and another about Nikolay Gyaurov, the great bass singer. The themes range from an individual personality and ethnographic insights to crafts and music.
The museum preserves and studies more than 19,000 archaeological finds and objects from everyday life in earlier times. The collection also includes icons, old printed works, personal belongings and archives of well-known figures, as well as photographs and documents. Those particularly interested in the Easter egg exhibition can also visit a workshop where tourists are offered the chance to paint Easter eggs with wax.
Yundola: Nature and Culture
Yundola also offers different ways to explore the surrounding area. The nearby coniferous forests are suitable for walks and hikes in summer. Hiking routes from Yundola lead to Belmeken (2,626 m) in the Rila Mountains and Chernovets (1,834 m) in the Western Rhodope Mountains. The two destinations are in different mountain ranges; their elevations provide a concrete comparison without implying that the routes are the same length or take the same amount of time.
Yundola also has ski slopes with lifts. Another kind of destination is the St. Petka Chapel, which stands in a meadow in the center of the village. It is an important stop for tourists visiting the holy sites in this part of the Rhodope Mountains. The chapel was built with support from the local forestry administration and donors.
Routes and Directions
Six cycling routes start and end in Velingrad. Their descriptions list different intermediate points:
- via the peaks of Strazha, Kaleto and Vrani Kamak, as well as Draginovo;
- via Peyova Polyana, Kladova Hut, Arapchal Peak and Lokvata;
- via Yundola and Lokvata;
- via Kachakov Chark, Pashino Burdo and Tsigov Chark;
- via Avramovo Railway Station, Veliytsa Peak and the Sofandere forestry outpost;
- via the access point to Lepenitsa Cave, Removo, Blattsa and Brezi.
The route from Velingrad to “Stariyat Chark” is listed as taking one hour. If you plan to walk this route, check the trail conditions and markings locally. This keeps the stated duration separate from the trail conditions you encounter.
The Septemvri–Dobrinishte narrow-gauge railway line runs through Velingrad. Today it carries passengers only; in the past, it also transported goods. For information about Velingrad’s attractions and accommodations, visit the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise Information Center at Freedom Square.
Discover more destinations: Sarnitsa, Pobit Kamak, Yundola, Rakitovo, Strelcha, Pazardjik, Lesichovo, Bratzigovo.
For the regional travel overview: Pazardzhik Province.
