famous road
Trigrad Gorge
Narrow Rhodope canyon road squeezing between 250 m marble cliffs to the Devil's Throat Cave, where a river thunders underground: one of Bulgaria's most dramatic drives.
28 km · about 35 min drive
EuropeBulgariaSmolyan
Smolyan
Smolyan, Bulgaria · Europe
About Smolyan
Smolyan is worth a stop: 30 minutes from Rudozem, 28km from Trigrad Gorge.
Smolyan is in Bulgaria, with about 31,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Rudozem, about 15 km away.
Smolyan (Bulgarian: Смолян) is a town and ski resort in the south of Bulgaria near the border with Greece. It is the administrative and industrial centre of the Smolyan Province. The town is built along the narrow valley of the Cherna ('black') and the Byala ('white') river in the central Rhodope Mountains. It isRead more
located at the foot of the mountain's highest peak Golyam Perelik (2,191 m). Popular ski resorts of Pamporovo and Chepelare lie in the vicinity. As of June 2022 the town has a population of 30,689 inhabitants.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Smolyan?
Within an hour or so of Smolyan: Trigrad Gorge (28 km), Devil's Throat Cave (28 km), Wonderful Bridges (29 km), Devil's Bridge (Dyavolski Most) (34 km).
Are there any good drives near Smolyan?
The nearest famous roads are Trigrad Gorge, Troyan Pass (Beklemeto) and Shipka Pass.
Where is Smolyan?
Smolyan is in Smolyan, Bulgaria, about 15 km from Rudozem.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 30,689
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Bulgaria
- Region
- Smolyan
- Timezone
- Europe/Sofia
- Coordinates
- 41.5744, 24.7120
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Bulgaria
Vignette required for all roads outside towns.
Full driving guide for BulgariaTags
Worth the detour from Smolyan
5 notable places within an hour's drive.
natural wonder
Devil's Throat Cave
A cave in the Trigrad gorge where a river plunges into an underground hall, visited via a tunnel entrance with roadside parking.
28 km · about 30 min drive
natural wonder
Wonderful Bridges
Two natural marble rock arches formed by a collapsed cave in the Rhodope mountains, reached by a paved road with a car park.
29 km · about 35 min drive
bridge
Devil's Bridge (Dyavolski Most)
Elegant 16th-century Ottoman arch bridge spanning the Arda River in a wild Rhodope gorge near Ardino, reached by a short mountain road: a legendary photo stop steeped in folklore.
34 km · about 40 min drive
castle
Asen's Fortress
A medieval fortress ruin with a surviving 13th-century church on a rock spur above the Chepelare river, beside the Asenovgrad–Smolyan road.
48 km · about 55 min drive
Driving roads near Smolyan
3 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 150km.
- 28 kmTrigrad GorgeNarrow Rhodope canyon road squeezing between 250 m marble cliffs to the Devil's Throat Cave, where a river thunders underground: one of Bulgaria's most dramatic drives.
- 34 kmDevil's Bridge (Dyavolski Most)Elegant 16th-century Ottoman arch bridge spanning the Arda River in a wild Rhodope gorge near Ardino, reached by a short mountain road: a legendary photo stop steeped in folklore.
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