national park
Rila National Park
Bulgaria's largest national park encompassing the highest peak in the Balkans (Musala, 2,925m) with alpine lakes, glacial valleys, and dense pine forests.
36 km · about 40 min drive
EuropeBulgariaSofia
Ihtiman
Sofia, Bulgaria · Europe
About Ihtiman
Ihtiman sits on the route: 30 minutes from Dolna Banya, 36km from Rila National Park.
Ihtiman is in Sofia, Bulgaria, with about 14,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Dolna Banya, about 15 km away.
Ihtiman (Bulgarian: Ихтиман [ixtiˈman]) is a town in western Bulgaria, part of Sofia Province. It is located in the Ihtiman Valley of the Ihtimanska Sredna Gora mountain range and lies in a valley 48 km from Sofia and 95 km from Plovdiv, close to the Trakiya motorway.
Formerly a Roman defensive station guarding theRead more
important roads to the Bosphorus, Ihtiman was then called Stipon. It continued to play this role under the Byzantine Empire and later under the First and Second Bulgarian Empires, with the main defensive centre in the region of the Gate of Trajan hill pass. In 986 the Bulgarian Emperor Samuel dealt a crushing defeat on the Byzantines in the battle of the Gates of Trajan.
Following the Ottoman conquest of Bulgaria in the 14th century, the town's name was changed to Ihtiman, which is thought to be of Ottoman Turkish origin.
The traditional and dominant religion is Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
Ihtiman Hook on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named after Ihtiman.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Ihtiman?
Within an hour or so of Ihtiman: Rila National Park (36 km), Seven Rila Lakes (48 km), Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (49 km), Koprivshtitsa (49 km).
Are there any good drives near Ihtiman?
The nearest famous roads are Troyan Pass (Beklemeto), Iskar Gorge and Petrohan Pass.
Where is Ihtiman?
Ihtiman is in Sofia, Bulgaria, about 15 km from Dolna Banya.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 14,154
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Bulgaria
- Region
- Sofia
- Timezone
- Europe/Sofia
- Coordinates
- 42.4382, 23.8161
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Bulgaria
Vignette required for all roads outside towns.
Full driving guide for BulgariaTags
Worth the detour from Ihtiman
5 notable places within an hour's drive.
natural wonder
Seven Rila Lakes
A chain of seven stunning glacial lakes stacked at different elevations in the Rila Mountains, each named for its distinctive shape.
48 km · about 55 min drive
cathedral
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
A neo-Byzantine cathedral in Sofia and one of the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedrals in the world.
49 km · about 55 min drive
landmark
Koprivshtitsa
Bulgaria's only town-museum: a Sredna Gora valley of cobbled lanes and brightly painted National Revival mansions where the 1876 April Uprising began. Six house-museums preserve the interiors of merchants and revolutionaries.
49 km · about 55 min drive
landmark
Rila Monastery
Bulgaria's most important UNESCO-listed monastery, a stunning 10th-century complex adorned with vivid frescoes nestled in the Rila Mountains.
52 km · about 60 min drive
Driving roads near Ihtiman
3 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 100km.
- 75 kmTroyan Pass (Beklemeto)At 1,525 m the highest paved pass over the Balkan Mountains, following an old Roman road between Troyan and Karnare with hairpins, panoramic ridgeline views and the Arch of Freedom monument.
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