Stara Planina (The Balkan Mountains) is the longest mountain in Bulgaria. It crosses the entire country from east to west and is remarkable with its high waterfalls, steep rocks, intriguing caves and lush forests. Stara Planina shelters a lot of old villages, which offer the possibility to meet the cultural and historical sides of Bulgaria. It is no coincidence that the Balkan Peninsula has been named after this astounding mountain and if you are eager to know why, then you have found the perfect destination. Where to go? Stara Planina is a place where anyone can look into the history of our country, but also explore it's astonishing nature, which has been glorified by our poets for centuries. Although History is what springs to mind when we think about it, the mountain also has a lot of beautiful natural sights to offer. One such example is the highest waterfall on the Balkans – Raiskoto pruskalo. To visit it, you can first go to Kalofer or you can directly go to hut Pleven and climb the highest peak in Stara Planina – Botev. The Balkan Mountains are tightly intertwined with our past, as a lot of revolutionary actions during the Ottoman rule took place in towns there. Nowadays people can still visit houses in Karlovo, Kalofer and Kazanluk, where revolutionists lived and fought for Bulgaria. Located in the Rose Valley, Kazanlak is called the city of roses and each year hosts the Festival of the Rose. The festival attracts a lot tourists and local people as it is a unique experience. Another town which worths visiting is Jeravna. Located 360km away from the capital Sofia, it is an architectural reserve of national importance consisting of more than 200 wooden houses from the Bulgarian National Revival period (18th and 19th century). Which routes? 1st route: Kalofer – Panicite – hut Rai – waterfall Raiskoto pruskalo – peak Botev – hut Pleven (-Aprilci) (8h) 2nd route: Karlovo – Kalofer – Kazanlak - Shipka 3rd route: Jeravna – Sinite kamani How to get there? Karlovo: take road E871 Kalofer: after Karlovo continue along road E871 Kazanlak: after Kalofer continue along road E871 Jeravna: take road E80, then continue along road E 773 (Stara Zagora), take road 7 and pass by Mokren and then continue along road 48