The Ogosta, Tsibritsa and Lom rivers shape the waterscape of Montana Province. Reservoirs, museums with very different collections, and places where carpet art, Roman traces and mineral springs shape your discoveries round out the picture. Montana Province lies in northwestern Bulgaria and borders Serbia and Romania. Depending on your interests, you can focus on nature, cultural history or the spa tradition of Varshets.
Rivers, reservoirs and trails
The region’s main rivers include the Ogosta, Tsibritsa and Lom. Ogosta and Srechenka Bara are among the region’s reservoirs, along with around 50 locally significant micro-reservoirs. The Ogosta Reservoir dam is described as Bulgaria’s largest earth-fill dam; the reservoir itself is considered one of the largest reservoirs of this type in the Balkans. Its capacity is 500 million cubic metres.
Montana Reservoir is used for recreation, sports, water tourism and fishing. There are recreational bases and other facilities nearby, as well as regular bus services. Before your trip, check which facilities and connections are relevant to your visit.
The trails also lead to a range of nature experiences. The protected Chiprovtsi Waterfall is 18 metres high and can be reached via the Deyanitsa eco-trail in about one to two hours. Trail conditions and water flow can vary by season. The Haydushki Waterfalls are a protected area about eight kilometres west of Berkovitsa; an approach trail of around five kilometres leads there from the town. The area is visited year-round, but trail conditions can change.
The Kom area has downhill and cross-country ski runs, as well as opportunities for cycling, hang gliding and paragliding. Routes such as Kom–Emine and the international E-3 trail can be accessed from there. Check current trail and activity conditions before heading outdoors.
Museums and history across the region
In Chiprovtsi, the Historical Museum focuses on the spiritual and cultural development of the 17th century, the 1688 uprising, local carpets, church art and regional archaeology. Katerinina House is part of the museum complex and features an ethnographic collection about the life and culture of the Torlak people. St. Ivan Rilski Monastery also tells a story of a long history: it dates from the 10th century, was a literary centre in the Middle Ages and was repeatedly burned down during the Bulgarian National Revival.
In the city of Montana, the Regional History Museum preserves more than 60,000 movable cultural objects dating from the Eneolithic period to the first decades of the 21st century. The exhibitions are spread across three main buildings. The collections include Roman inscriptions, a copy of the Yakimovo treasure, a local 14th-century treasure, icons and weapons. Mikhailova House depicts typical urban and rural life in the region. Other cultural attractions in the city include the Kiril Petrov Art Gallery, the Drama Theatre, the Lapidarium Complex and the historic Kale Bair area. The museum offers a guided service for the ancient and medieval Kaleto fortress; ask about this service before your visit.
In Lom, the Historical Museum covers subjects ranging from archaeology and medieval history to ethnography and art. Its themes span local ceramics and Roman architecture, Thracian and Roman finds, theatre and temporary exhibitions. The ancient city of Almus is located in Lom on the banks of the Danube. It is a national cultural monument, continues to be archaeologically investigated and is included on the UNESCO Tentative List as part of the Lower Danube Limes. Dobri Dol Monastery near Lom is known for its scenic setting and unusual architecture from the Bulgarian National Revival period.
Mineral springs and a park in Varshets
Varshets is described as Bulgaria’s first balneological resort. Warm mineral springs shape the town’s focus on balneology, spa and health tourism. If you are considering treatment, have your medical suitability assessed by a professional. The Varshets Historical Museum complements these themes with sections on antiquity, archaeology and coins, balneology and ethnography. Its exhibits include Thracian and Roman finds, as well as the bronze sculpture of Telesphoros.
Another notable place is the man-made park in Varshets, covering an area of 800 decares. It is described as Bulgaria’s second-largest park after Borisova Garden and leads into the Sun Garden, laid out in 1934. Its paths radiate like sunbeams. In Varshets, mineral springs, museum themes and landscaped parkland sit side by side, while the nature and cultural attractions elsewhere in the province remain within reach.
Getting there and finding your way
TINA Corridors 4 and 7 run through Montana Province. Road II-81 via Petrohan Pass is described as the shortest route from Vidin to Sofia and also serves the port of Lom. Montana is the administrative centre of the province. These regional connections and the range of cultural and scenic highlights can help you plan your trip around the places and themes that interest you most.
Discover more destinations: Montana, Lom, Chiprovtsi, Varshets, Boychinovtsi, Berkovitsa, Valchedram, Bukovets, Georgi Damyanovo, Varshetz, Montana, Chiprovtzi, Lom.
For the broader travel overview: Bulgaria.
