The Mysteries of the Rhodope Mountains

Shiroka Laka is an folklore and architectural reserve in Bulgaria's Rhodope Moountains. It is famous for its authentic Rhodope-style houses, built by master builders who were known all throughout the country back in their day. The houses frame the river on both sides, standing as a testament to their skill to this very day.
Shiroka Laka still adheres to its folk customs. On the first Sunday of March, it hosts its own Kukeri festival, where men dressed in animal skins perform elaborate rituals to banish all evil from the village and protect its residents.

The Trigrad Gorge is a spectacular rocky canyon in the Rhodope Mountains. Passing through the gorge, the imposing cliffs on both sides reaching towards the sky, almost touching in some places, is a truly unforgettable experience.

The Devil’s Throat cave is one of the Trigrad Gorge’s most notable features. According to a local legend, the mythical musician Orpheus entered the Underworld in search of his beloved Eurydice through this very cave. The Devil’s Throat’s so called Rumbling Chamber is the second largest cave chamber in Bulgaria – it is large enough that the St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral can fit comfortably inside it. In this chamber is the tallest subterranean waterfall in the Balkans (60 m). The underground river goes into a syphon-tunnel, and where the water flows is yet unknown. At first glance, the river emerges from the depths of the mountain with ease, only 100 m from the entrance, but an experiment in which a large section of the river was dyed showed that it takes over 2 hours for the water to run its full course and come out through the other side. Judging by the speed of the flow and the time it took for it to reach the other side, the subterranean section of the river is 40 km long. The Devil’s Throat truly lives up to its name, and it is considered one of the most mysterious places in the world.

Enjoy a panoramic view of the Rhodope Mountains from the Eagle's Eye viewing platform – breathtaking landscapes as far as the eye can see, a view of the Buynovsko gorge from above, the mountain Rila and Pirin in the distance, and even a glimpse of the mountains of Greece. This platform at the edge of a cliff is where you can feel what it's like to soar through the sky like an eagle.