The town of Chepelare nestles at the foot of Mechi Chal peak near one of Bulgaria’s best alpine ski runs. There is a four-seater lift operating all year round. Mechi Chal peak is the starting point of several more ski trails with a total length of 20 km. The area is a true paradise for skiers and snowboarders!

Here tourists can also enjoy the famous Rhodope hospitality. Chepelare is famous for its guest houses and small family hotels offering delicious local food.

The small Rhodope town has two museums. In 1998, after Ekaterina Dafovska earned the first gold medal for Bulgaria at the Winter Olympics, local enthusiasts opened the Ski Museum, which traces the city's long history of sports.

The Museum of the Rhodope Karst displays a unique exhibition of minerals, precious and semi-precious stones, various types of rocks and cave formations found in numerous caves in the area.

The famous master bagpiper Iliya Uchikov, who made dozens of kaba bagpipes,also lives in this Bulgarian town. His productsare popular all over the world.

You can learn why it is worth visiting this small Rhodope town in Radio Bulgaria’s article: Chepelare, the town of ski and Olympic Glory

Compiled by: Veneta Nikolova

English: Kostadin Atanasov