Looking for the perfect escape to the mountains? Central Bulgaria offers a harmonious blend of natural beauty, cultural heritage, and tranquil retreats. Whether you’re planning a romantic getaway, a family vacation, or a solo adventure, our curated list of top-rated accommodations ensures your stay will be unforgettable. Explore serene guesthouses, rustic retreats, and luxurious vacation rentals close to the iconic Central Balkan National Park.

Why Central Bulgaria Should Be Your Next Destination

Central Bulgaria is a hidden gem for travelers seeking unique experiences away from the crowds. Here, you’ll find:

• Breathtaking landscapes: From rolling meadows to towering peaks.
• Charming villages: Discover Selishte and Apriltsi, where tradition meets tranquility.
• Year-round activities: Spring hiking, summer escapes, autumn foliage, and winter retreats.
• Proximity to history and culture: Visit nearby historical sites and immerse yourself in the local way of life.

Whether you’re craving adventure or relaxation, this region has it all.

Top Accommodations in Central Bulgaria

1. Traditional Guesthouse in Selishte Village

Experience rustic charm at this Airbnb listing, a guesthouse near Central Balkan National Park. Located in Selishte village, this property is perfect for those who love quiet surroundings and picturesque landscapes.

Features and Highlights:

• Authentic Bulgarian decor paired with modern comforts.
• Stunning views of the Central Balkan region.
• Ideal for spring hiking and wildlife exploration.
• A cozy option for winter retreats.

This rural accommodation is your gateway to serenity and adventure alike.

2. Authentic Rural House Near Apriltsi

Book this unique listing for an unforgettable stay in the charming town of Apriltsi. Perfect for history enthusiasts and nature lovers, this property combines the best of both worlds.

Why Stay Here?

• Spacious interiors with a traditional Bulgarian touch.
• Located near key historical and cultural landmarks.
• A perfect base for exploring the Central Balkan National Park.
• Excellent for both summer mountain escapes and autumn getaways.

Reconnect with nature and enjoy the comforts of a well-maintained rural home.

3. Luxury Mountain Retreat in the Heart of the Balkans

Discover this premium VRBO retreat, offering stunning mountain views and upscale amenities. Ideal for couples, families, or groups, this listing is a haven for those seeking a refined escape.

Highlights:

• Private outdoor spaces with panoramic vistas.
• Upscale furnishings and modern conveniences.
• Close proximity to nature trails and local attractions.
• Perfect for quiet getaways or celebratory occasions.

Whether you’re planning a summer vacation or a cozy winter retreat, this property delivers comfort and beauty in equal measure.

Activities to Enjoy During Your Stay

Spring: Hiking and Wildlife Exploration

Explore lush trails and encounter the diverse wildlife of the Central Balkan National Park. Perfect for nature enthusiasts and photographers.

Summer: Mountain Escapes

Escape the summer heat and rejuvenate in the cool mountain air. Enjoy outdoor adventures like trekking, horseback riding, and cycling.

Autumn: Scenic Getaways

Witness the mesmerizing autumn colors that transform the Central Balkan region. This is the ideal season for peaceful walks and cultural exploration.

Winter: Cozy Retreats

Unwind in a warm guesthouse while admiring snow-capped peaks. Winter in Central Bulgaria offers a magical atmosphere for relaxation and holiday celebrations.

Why These Listings Are Perfect for Tourists

For our visitors, these accommodations offer:

Easy access to hiking, cycling, and winter sports.

Peaceful surroundings for a ruhigen Urlaub in den Bergen.

Authentic Bulgarian charm combined with modern amenities.

Opportunities to explore unspoiled nature and cultural sites.

Plan Your Next Adventure

Central Bulgaria’s beauty is waiting to be discovered. With these top-rated listings, you’re just a few clicks away from experiencing a one-of-a-kind vacation. Whether you seek adventure, relaxation, or a bit of both, these accommodations provide the perfect starting point for your journey.

Book Now

• Airbnb Listing: Traditional Guesthouse in Selishte Village
• Booking.com: Authentic House Near Apriltsi
• VRBO: Luxury Mountain Retreat

Start planning your getaway today!

The post Discover One of the Top-Rated Listings in Central Bulgaria appeared first on Karashka.

Nestled in the quiet, rolling hills of central Bulgaria lies Karashka House, a place where the boundaries between time and nature seem to blur. Beneath a canopy of golden leaves and the gaze of ancient mountains, this house invites you into a realm of peace, beauty, and authenticity.

The roof, made of sturdy stone tiles, tells a story of resilience—weathered by the seasons yet standing proud. A wooden fence, twisted and knotted by hand, surrounds the house like a guardian, whispering, “Step inside, traveler. Rest here, where the world slows down.”

Visitors from all over—Amsterdam, Brussels, Luxembourg—are drawn to Karashka’s charm. They come seeking something different, something real: an escape from the rush of city life into the embrace of Bulgaria’s timeless countryside.

Here, every moment feels alive. The air carries the scent of herbs plucked from the surrounding fields. The walls, built with care and love, seem to hum with ancient songs. Outside, the whispering leaves tell tales of people who came searching for a weekend retreat but left with a lifetime of memories.

Karashka House offers more than just accommodation—it’s a unique experience. From walking trails that wind through the surrounding forest to the warmth of a home-cooked Bulgarian meal, every detail is crafted to connect you with the soul of this land.

Come to Karashka and discover:

• Unieke vakantiewoningen in Bulgarije (Unique holiday homes in Bulgaria)
• Charmante gastverblijven in de Bulgaarse natuur (Charming guesthouses in Bulgarian nature)
• Ontdek Bulgarije: Authentieke ervaringen op het platteland (Discover Bulgaria: Authentic rural experiences)
• Rust en natuur in Bulgarije: Perfecte uitvalsbasis (Tranquility and nature in Bulgaria: The perfect retreat)
• Betaalbare luxe in Bulgarije: Een onvergetelijk verblijf (Affordable luxury in Bulgaria: An unforgettable stay)

As you relax under the stars, you’ll hear the wind weave its stories through the trees. These are stories of travelers who found peace, love, and joy here—stories waiting for you to continue.

Karashka House is more than a destination. It’s a whisper, a promise, a dream waiting to come true.

The post Whispering Leaves appeared first on Karashka.

PHOTO EXHIBITION AND EXCHANGE OF

EXPERIENCE

The initiative “Wild animals of Stara Planina – Photo exhibition and exchange of experience” aims to explore opportunities for photo hunting and observation of wild animals in Stara Planina and the Pre-Balkan region. The desire of the organizers is to gather in one place people related to wildlife photography and fauna observation, as well as enthusiasts with regard to nature and its inhabitants.
Observation and filming, especially of large mammals and birds of prey in Stara planina, is a challenge. It often takes a long time, a lot of walking and patience to get to success. That is why a group of local enthusiasts organize this event to share good practices, suitable
locations for photo hunting, problems and solutions related to this activity. The event also aims to create conditions for the exchange of experience between the participants. We are fortunate to hold this event at the central
part of the Pre-Balkans – a region with exceptional natural features, which allows us to observe a brown bear and a black stork, or a wild goat and a native kingfisher in the same day. People in most of the European continent can only dream of such biodiversity – a value we have a duty to preserve for future generations. Another important factor favoring the holding of this event is the Municipality of Sevlievo, which supports the photography of wild animals, as a traditional host of the international photo exhibition “Divoto”. During the organization of the photo exhibition, the principles of supporting the local population and especially the small farmers are laid down. It also gives a platform to various artists who draw inspiration from nature, and directs the attention of
visitors and participants to environmental practices. The purpose of the event is not only to satisfy the aesthetic needs of visitors, but also to promote sustainable forms of tourism in
the area, such as alternative and eco tourism.

STARA PLANINA

The biggest and longest Bulgarian mountain

AREA AND BOUNDARIES
The Stara planina is located in Central Bulgaria and is part of the Staroplanina chain system together with the Pre-Balkan. Its area is 11,596.4 km2, and its width is from 15 to 50 km. Its average altitude is 722 m. It stretches along the entire length of the country – from the west, from our border with Serbia, to the east to the Black Sea. Its northern border with the Pre-Balkans is delineated by a number of valleys, saddles and depressions. To the south, the steep slopes of the mountain rest on the range of Sub-Balkan fields that separate it from Sredna Gora.

NAME
The oldest known name of Stara planina is Aemon, and later Hem, Hemus, Emus. They are of Thracian origin and mean ridge, watershed, border. Later, individual parts of it were given different names: Western Stara Planina – Silver Mountain; Middle – Matornie forests, Hemus balkan; Eastern – Veregava, Zygos, Im Planina, Emine Balkan. The current name – Stara planina, appeared for the first time in 1533 in the travelogue of the Dalmatian traveler Antun Vrancic.
In addition to the officially accepted name Stara planina, the name Balkan is also often used.

ANIMAL WORLD

INVERTEBRATES
2,387 species and subspecies of invertebrates from the groups of protozoa, roundworms, arachnids, centipedes, insects and molluscs have been found on the territory of the Central Balkan National Park. Of these, 29 species live only in the Middle Stara Planina and nowhere else in the world.
MAMMALS
Typical animal representatives are chamois, bear, fox, wolf, roe deer, red deer, rabbit, squirrel. 8 species of insectivores, 17 species of small and 16 species of large mammals are found in the “Central Balkan” NP. The snowy vole, the forest vole and the common dormouse are listed in the world Red Book.
BIRDS
Among the bird species there are eagles, alpine gargoyles, woodpeckers, thrushes. National Park “Central Balkan” is inhabited by 224 species of birds, 22 of which are included in the Red Book of Bulgaria.
REPTILES
Central Balkan National Park is home to 14 species of reptiles and some amphibians: rain lizard, viviparous lizard, green lizard, alpine newt. The viper is the typical poisonous snake of the highlands. In the lower parts it is replaced by the warbler.

SOME OF THE WILD ANIMALS OF

STARA PLANINA MOUNTAIN

BROWN BEAR
Habitat – Inhabits most often coniferous and broad-leaved forests, usually above 600 m.
Behavior – In no-quiet places, it is active around the clock. Adults go out for a meal in the evening.
Footsteps – The length of the print of the hind paws of an adult bear can reach 31 cm, on average they are between 11 and 18 cm.

WOLF
Behavior – Moves singly, but over long distances in a pack.
Habitat – They are found most often in mountainous areas.
Tracks – A wolf’s tracks can be confused with those of a dog. The difference is that the wolf’s tracks are much larger. With him, the step is oblong.

RED DEER
Habitat – Inhabits not very dense deciduous and mixed forests in flat, semi-mountainous and mountainous areas.
Behavior – They are active at dusk and at night. They live in herds.
Steps – These are characterized by the fact that the back toes are not printed in the steps.

WILD PIG
Habitat – Mostly inhabits forests.
Behavior – They are active at night, live in large herds.
Footsteps – Characteristic of the wild boar’s footstep is that its back toes are always imprinted.
Their length is up to 8.5 cm, and the width is up to 6 cm (for old boars).

FOX
Habitat – Plains, forests, parks and near populated areas.
Behavior – They are active at dusk and at night. Cautious and with quick reactions.
Gait – A fox’s gait is quite similar to that of a dog and cat. The front and back paws
are about the same size. Their tracks are 5 cm long and about 4 cm wide.

WILD GOAT
Behavior – Active during the day. They live in herds or small groups.
Habitat – Steep rocky slopes, forests and the highland treeless zone.
Footsteps – The chamois tracks are very characteristic – they are long and narrow, and the two hooves stand far apart.
The length of their steps is about 6 cm.

50 PHOTOS FROM THE PHOTO EXHIBITION

AND EXPERIENCE EXCHANGE WILD

ANIMALSON STARA PLANINA MOUNTAIN

ENVIRONMENTAL PRACTICES

Man’s relationship with wildlife is broken. Over the past 5 decades, the world’s wildlife populations have declined by 68%. These data are confirmed by a study published at the beginning of this year in the journal Nature – one of the most prestigious academic journals in the world. While humanity is rapidly developing and growing, wildlife is shrinking. In the 19th century, this problem did not exist on such a scale, but today we reap the fruits of the controversial 20th century, during which humanity increasingly consumes and pollutes, worsening the living conditions of other inhabitants of the earth.
Man is the number one enemy of wild animals and with his activities he changes or destroys their habitats. Habitat fragmentation is also a major cause of population collapse. Development, the clearing of large areas for industrial agriculture, the construction of new roads, mining and deforestation are the main causes of the decline and extinction of many species of wildlife.
What can each of us do?

• buy food from small producers, family farms or local people in rural areas. The scale of the farms of such producers does not threaten the habitats of wild animals.
• look for accommodations that have not contributed to redevelopment. Support accommodations that extend the life of older buildings.
• when you travel, avoid buying water in plastic bottles. Smaller towns in the country do not have a separate collection system and your bottles will end up in local landfills where they can easily find their way into wildlife habitats blown by wind or water.
• participate in litter clean-up initiatives, such as wildlife photographer Kalin Botev’s – #snimkizasmet. Unregulated landfills are dangerous for wildlife.
• exercise your civil rights and file reports and complaints if you witness illegal logging, poaching or illegal construction.
• keep the area you live clean. This does not mean that you clean up other people’s garbage, but that you care about the cleanliness around you. If each of us cleans up the waste where we live, everywhere will be clean. In the recent past, signs with the inscription “Cleanliness is a sign of high culture” were often found, and it is more relevant than ever.

SUPPORT OF THE LOCAL POPULATION

Until the beginning of the 20th century, a large part of the population of our country supported themselves by growing food for their own needs or through the so-called subsistence farming or subsistence production. Nowadays, this type of agriculture is gradually disappearing, both in Bulgaria and around the world. It is often considered primitive and backward, and is being displaced by industrial agriculture, which feeds increasing urban populations. There is also an alternative point of view, according to which the principles of natural production are the key to sustainability and harmony between man and nature.
One of the modern criteria for measuring people’s quality of life is access to services and material goods. In big cities, access to services is many times more than in isolated mountain villages and hamlets. However, this is not the case with quality and ecologically clean food. Urban supermarkets mainly sell products from industrial agriculture and animal husbandry, produced with artificial fertilizers, pesticides, growth hormones and antibiotics, and they bring with them a number of environmental and health problems. Fortunately, consumer awareness is growing and this is the reason why the global organic food market is growing with each passing year. However, organic foods are not available to everyone because of their high prices.

Is there an alternative?

If one bothers to seek out farmers and small food producers in the hidden mountain villages, it is possible

to find extremely high-quality and healthy produce with superior taste qualities. But what is behind producing homemade food in a mountain village?
Life in the mountains is hard. Apart from the lack of quality infrastructure and specific climatic features, there is another factor that hinders the development of local micro producers. In Bulgaria, there is a widespread belief that food bought in the village must be cheap. Many people bargain with farm producers, not realizing that they are the only affordable healthy food alternative for many of us.

How can we change this perception?

The fact that you are reading this page means that you have already taken a step in this direction, namely supporting a local initiative that brings citizens closer to mountain micro-producers. The truth is, if we really want to support local communities and producers, we shouldn’t ask for a discount, just like we don’t ask for a discount at the supermarket checkout. Clean food is health, think about how much you would pay if you wanted to extend your life by a few years for example?

Partners

BIOSPHERE PARK “CENTRAL BALKAN” – declared within the UNESCO Program “Man and the Biosphere” as an example of the harmonious coexistence between man and nature. On an area of ​​369,000 ha, the biosphere park covers the entire territory of the “Central Balkan” National Park, including its nine reserves – “Boatin”, “Tsarichina”, “Kozia Stena”, “Steneto”, “Severen Jendem”, “Singing Rocks”. “, “Sokolna”, “Jendema” and “Stara Reka, as well as the entire territories of Troyan, Sevlievo, Pavel Banya, Karlovo and Anton municipalities. The Biosphere Park aims to promote and support local initiatives, traditional practices, sustainable models for territorial development and biodiversity conservation.

www.visitcentralbalkan.net

AUTHENTIC HOUSE “KARASHKA” – a fully equipped guest house secluded in the wild nature of the Pre-Balkans. Built in 1921, the house is one of the most carefully restored old houses in the region. Only natural materials such as stone, clay and wood were used. The roofs covered with stone slabs still preserve the spirit of the 19th century buildings. The house is designed so that it can comfortably accommodate up to 5 people. In the barn there is an additional studio for two, with which the total number of people that can be accommodated is up to 7 people. The house is suitable for those who plan to visit the Central Balkan National Park, as it is also a good starting point for exploring central Bulgaria. The place is also ideal for people looking for privacy and relaxation.

www.karashka.com

PROART is a label of the company “EKIP” OOD – Veliko Tarnovo. We are a company with over 25 years of experience in the production of frames. Time during which we have helped individual clients, organizations and companies to “frame” their ideas.
Our aspiration is to constantly develop and protect our professionalism by supplementing it with creativity and imagination, inventing new and original things!
“Anything can be framed!” is not just our motto, but an aspiration and promise for high quality and attention to detail!

www.proart.bg

“M-PRESS” OOD – Our enterprise, located in the city of Sevlievo, is oriented in the field of offset printing. We offer a closed production cycle – from pre-press and design to finishing processes and transport. Check out our page and share what we can do for you. We will be happy to turn your goals and ideas into our task. Visit our online portal – www.epress.bg to conveniently and quickly order standard printed products.

www.m-press.info

Opticron.bg – is an online store for professional binoculars of the English brand Opticron. It has been on the market for nearly 50 years and has proven its name among millions of users worldwide with its excellent price/quality ratio. The brand has been on the Bulgarian market since 2016 and is gaining more and more supporters.

www.opticron.bg

PLANINKA is a brand that creates design books and accessories inspired by the Bulgarian mountains and nature. The purpose of the brand is to bring people closer to the mountain by providing them with interesting and easily accessible information. We want to offer a different experience. This is where the passion for design comes in, through which we portray all our ideas.

www.planinka.bg

BulWildPhoto – The Bulgarian wildlife photography platform. The objectives of the platform are: The organization of an annual photo contest as a tool for expression and incentive for the authors. Creation of an annual calendar with the best published photographs by Bulgarian authors. YouTube channel for entertainment and useful information. An event that will allow all lovers to gather.

www.bulwildphoto.com

The post PHOTO ALBUM WITH 50 PICTURES FROM PHOTO EXHIBITION AND EXPERIENCE EXCHANGE WILD ANIMALS ON STARA PLANINA 2022 appeared first on Karashka.

The post Waiting Mothers appeared first on Karashka.

The post Authentic Bulgarian Guesthouse appeared first on Karashka.

Tryavna

The Stone Bridge and Clock Tower

The Raikov House Museum

The post Bulgaria’s Unique Revival Architecture – A Stone’s Throw from Karashka appeared first on Karashka.

The post Good News For Our Neighbors The Wild Boars. appeared first on Karashka.