A Guide to the Strandzha

The Strandzha is Bulgaria's, and possibly Europe's, least known mountain range. It is a wild maze where you can easily get lost and a safe haven for species that survived the extinction of the last Ice Age. It is a mysterious place where century-old legends and stories cohabit with paganism, Christianity and modern mythology. It is dotted with ancient and latterday ruins. Yet, it is a lot more than that.

Its pristine beaches at the Black Sea coast, its nature reserves, its rivers and its forests provide the intrepid traveller with countless opportunities to explore: from the perplexing ruins of Begliktash to the sea daffodils at Arkutino, from the fireflies at Ropotamo to the thickets around Mishkova Niva and the mysteries of firewalking in the village of Balgari.

This book is designed as both a travelogue and a guide into the unknown Strandzha. It will take you to the important sites and events and at the same time explain the contexts. A must for anyone with an interest in southeast Europe in general and Bulgaria in particular.

Фондация Фрий спийч
София 1000
р-н Оборище, ул. Будапеща № 23 A, ет. 4
elena@vagabond.bg

Discovering the Strandzha
The Mountains where the past lives on
Strandzha' s beaches
Strandzha's churches
Wandering around the Strandzha's Black Sea coast
Border zone and communist-era military ruins
Nestinari and firewalkers
Strandzha's rivers
Strandzha's stone faces
Bulgaria's stonenenge?
How did Markov rock appear?
"Tomb of Bastet': How laterday myths get born
Malko Tarnovo's quiet charm
Village of Leo Tolstoy?
Valchanov bridge: Borderline legend
What is Indipasha?
Strandzha's fireflies, and where to find them
Plant from the past
Sea daffodils
Foreigners who left their mark in the Strandzha
What was Strandzha-Sakar?
St Elihaj-transfiguration uprising of 1903 and Petrova niva
The people of the Strandzha