Charmanli: Holiday Apartments and Holiday Homes

Harmanli is described as a place between the Sakar and Rhodope Mountains. Its history, landscape and regional customs are reflected here in very different forms.

Culture

The Historical Museum of Harmanli displays a model of an ancient wheel found during excavations at Shihanov Bryag near Harmanli, as well as a coin hoard from Castra Rubra containing gold coins from the reigns of Tiberius Mauricius and Heraclius. The collection also includes traditional women's clothing, jewellery and men's clothing from the Harmanli area. The archaeological exhibition covers the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Antiquity and Middle Ages. The ethnographic exhibition presents local everyday life and festivals in 19 display cases. An exhibition on more recent history presents the town from the liberation to the beginning of democratic changes through weapons, medals, archives and photographs.

The cultural centre and library host authors' and art exhibitions, travelling exhibitions and art bazaars in the exhibition hall. The facility has more than 60,000 titles and a children's section. It also provides information about Harmanli's places described as emblematic, as well as local writers, artists and other public figures.

The Belonogata Fountain is a historic landmark of Harmanli associated with a poem by Petko Slaveykov and described as an emblem of the town. The urban heritage includes the almost intact Humpback Bridge, a preserved caravanserai wall, the churches of St. Athanasius and St. Ivan Rilski, the Chapel of St. Tryphon and the Gergana Monument, which is associated with the Belonogata Fountain. The Humpback Bridge is described as one of the examples of Ottoman architecture in Bulgaria and as a structure built in the 16th century by the architect Mimar Sinan. It is a pedestrian bridge; by car, you can get to within 100 metres of it.

Nature and Trails

The Defileto Eco Trail leads through a scenic area to the Dado-Todorova Fountain after 2.7 kilometres. The Defileto protected area is described as a landscape with rock formations, rivers flowing through small gorges, waterfalls and wooden bridges. Places for resting and walking are described along the banks of the Harmanliyska.

Castra Rubra is described as having been built on the Roman road Via Diagonalis and as a road station where the Roman state post changed horses. An asphalt road takes you to within approximately two kilometres of Castra Rubra; a two-kilometre walking route follows.

Regional Customs and Cuisine

Cherepovo is associated with the traditional wedding preparation custom of Zameski and is also linked to traditional katmi. Balgarnin is associated with local customs, buffalo products and the sheep's milk product ahchak. Ivanovo is associated with sodeni kolacheta, and Dositievo with kartalatsi. The wines of the Sakar wineries are associated with wine tastings. A culinary tour in the Harmanli area combines a traditional breakfast, two wine tastings and a culinary workshop.

Anyone wishing to rent a holiday apartment in Charmanli can continue searching for accommodation afterwards.

For the higher-level travel overview: Harmanli.