Vitosha Mountain
Vitosha is located in Western Bulgaria , between the Balkan Mountains and the Rilo-Rodopa Massif. It is the only dome-shaped mountain in Bulgaria and its main ridge stands out well from the other mountain ranges. It runs along the peaks of Cherni Vrh, Rezniove, Skoparnik and Ostritsa, in a northwest-southeast direction.
The shape of Vitosha is almost circular with a diameter of 20 - 25 km with an area of 278 km2 and an average altitude of 1500 m. Its highest point is the peak Cherni Vrh (2290 m). Characteristic of the mountain are the stone rivers, which are large accumulations of rock blocks.
Vitosha is the first park in Bulgaria and on the Balkan Peninsula oIt was built in 1934. It also includes two reserves:
1) Bistritsko Branishte - is located on the eastern slopes of the mountain and was created to preserve the spruce forests in the Stara Reka basin.
2) Peat bog - includes the peat bogs in the high parts of Vitosha between Cherni vrh and Cherna skala. The access of tourists is prohibited.
With its proximity to Sofia and its wonderful natural features, Vitosha is one of the most visited mountains in the country. It is a suitable destination for all mountain lovers with its numerous hiking and cycling trails.
Bike routes in Vitosha
The track of the long route passes through places that are not present in some maps. Once loaded into an app, the app itself makes its own interpretation of the route and displays the route with breaks. The problem occurs most often with Garmin. In the Mapzy.cz and Koomot apps, it is necessary to select the first option...
View moreAs soon as you turn left, take the first street on the right and continue just straight for 1,390 km until you reach a T-junction. At this turn left and then immediately right. At the Hotel Discreet, make a left, almost a U-turn, and go up the road only. From here on you just follow...
View moreLength: 2.5 km Descent: 535 m Level of technical difficulty: High We present you a wonderful route passing mainly on trails and a little on asphalt and dirt roads. Extremely interesting with climbs and descents, and we know from reliable sources that there can be some carry, but no more than 50-100m. At the same time...
View moreLength: 27.8 km | Ascent: 680 km | Descent: 680 m | Level of technical difficulty: medium (R1, R2, T2, T3, X) Level of physical exertion: medium Duration: 2-5 hours (depending on pace and breaks) Water: 1-2 litres, there are 1-2 water fountains on the way Food: for half a day. In Kladnitsa...
View moreStarting point. Vladaya, the square at the municipality Length: 22.4 km Climb: 1050 m Level of technical difficulty: medium (R1, R2, T2, T3) Physical exertion: medium (KFH=7) Duration: 2-5 hours (depending on pace, breaks, etc.) Water: 2 litres; no fountains on the route Food: for half a day; vhiza "Bonsovi...
View moreLength: 10.0 km | Ascent: 480 m | Descent: 480 m | Duration: 1-2 hours Technical difficulty level: medium (R1, R2, T1, T2, T3) Physical exertion level: medium Water: 1 l Food: not necessary Terrain: asphalt, paths and trails. This is a lesser-known route, but definitely worth it....
View moreLength: 31.2 km | Ascent: 900 m | Descent: 900 m Technical difficulty level: medium - R1, R2, T3 Physical exertion level: medium Duration: 3-5 h depending on pace and breaks Water: 1.5-2 l; there are fountains along the way, but mostly at the beginning and end of the route). Food: for half a day Food (supplement) There are no...
View moreLength: 21.7 km | Climb: 700 m | Descent: 700 m | Level of technical difficulty: low Level of physical exertion: medium Duration: 2-4 hours depending on the pace Water: 1-2 litres, there are fountains on the route in the first part (to Vladaya), then not.
View moreLength: 4.4 km | Ascent: 10 m | Descent: 570 m Technical difficulty level: medium According to many cyclists who have ridden this trail, the Red Riding Hood is one of the best trails in Vitosha. It is marked with a Medium level of technical difficulty , but is still challenging and interesting even...
View moreLength: 3.2 km | Descent: 440 m | Level of technical difficulty: High This is a relatively new trail for riding on Vitosha, also known as "The Moon", "The White Birches", "The Wild"... The trail is quite narrow but definitely interesting. There are slower sections because of the small width and the winding through the trees, but there...
View moreSights in Vitosha
The Boyana Lake was created artificially during the construction of the Sofia water pipeline. Previously it was a swamp fed by several springs. Today it is an important habitat for a number of amphibian species such as the brown toad, the great water frog, the lesser and greater crested newt. The presence of these species gives Boyana Lake a special value, as...
View moreKopitoto is a locality in the Vitosha Mountains, which is situated just above the city of Sofia and is visible from almost the entire city as a peak with a peculiar shape, hence the name. The Kopitoto TV tower was built there in 1985 at a height of 1345 m.
View moreTorfeno Branishte is a reserve located in Vitosha National Park. It was declared a reserve with a total area of 785.3 hectares in 1935. It originally occupied a much smaller area (about 144.1 hectares, the same area as the Upper Marsh), but this area was increased to nearly 785.3 hectares in 1980. The purpose of the reserve is to...
View moreVitosha is the first natural park on the territory of Bulgaria, as well as on the Balkan Peninsula. It is located on the territory of Vitosha Mountain, southeast of Pernik. The territory of the park is 27 079 hectares. The plant life in the park is diverse. The animal world is also very rich. There are two...
View moreBistritsko Branishte is a nature reserve in Vitosha Nature Park. It is one of the first reserves in Bulgaria established in 1934. The purpose of its creation was to preserve unchanged the vegetation that is typical for the mountain - centuries-old spruce forests, shrub vegetation and grasslands. In 1977 the reserve entered the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere programme and was declared a biosphere reserve...
View moreDragalev Monastery "Assumption of the Virgin Mary" is a Bulgarian Orthodox monastery. In the past, it was also called "St. Mary Vitosha" and "Vitosha Most Pure Theotokos". The monastery is a complex of church, residential and farm buildings. Burned and deserted after the conquest of Sofia by the Ottoman Turks in 1382, it was rebuilt in the middle of the 15th century and became the centre of...
View moreBoyana Waterfall is the largest waterfall in the Vitosha Mountains, 25 m high. It is fed by the Boyanska River, which flows from the northern slopes of Vitosha, below Cherni vrh. The waterfall itself is located at 1260 m above sea level (the base of the falls) and is at its most magnificent during the late spring months when the ice melt begins. But during each...
View moreThe arboretum is a wonderful place for the whole family to enjoy. Located at an altitude of about 1300 m above sea level, it is a botanical garden with wonderful paths and places to relax or picnic. Construction of the Arboretum, which translates from the Greek word for tree, began in 1962. A large...
View moreBike accommodation destination in Vitosha
Vitosha is located in Western Bulgaria , between the Balkan Mountains and the Rilo-Rodopa Massif. It is the only dome-shaped mountain in Bulgaria and its main ridge stands out well from the other mountain ranges. It runs along the peaks of Cherni vrh, Reznyovete, Skoparnik and Ostritsa, in a northwest-southeast direction.The shape of Vitosha is almost circular with a diameter of 20 - 25 km with...
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