Rhodopi Municipality lies south to southwest of Plovdiv, at the foot of the northern slopes of the Rhodope Mountains. Its approximately 300 km² also include Rhodope forests between Asenovgrad, Mihalkovo and Krichim. For your trip, you can choose from different focuses: wine and wineries, festivals in the settlements, or trails through the landscape.
Wine Museum and Wineries
In Brestovitsa, the “Vlahovata Kashta” Wine Museum presents the old and modern history of wine from the region. If you are planning a visit, check the current opening hours in advance. Also in Brestovitsa is Villa Vinifera, a classic-style winery built in 1936. Dzhinvira, a small family winery, is located in the center of the village; arrange the details of your visit with the operator.
Villa Yustina offers a different kind of visit: a “wine journey” through the production facilities and the Enoteca. The format and reservation conditions may change, so it is worth checking them in advance. These places each offer a different focus—from the Wine Museum and a classic winery complex to a guided tour of the production facilities and Enoteca.
Festivals and Traditions Throughout the Year
At the beginning of December, the municipality holds the “Dionysian Festivals of Young Wine” every year. The festival rotates among the settlements and lasts two or three days. On February 14, “Trifon Zarezan” is celebrated especially impressively in Brestovitsa: several wineries take part, young people participate actively, and the tradition is authentically reenacted.
Another annual municipal festival takes place between June 1 and 10. This festival also rotates between locations and lasts two or three days; its program includes performances by more than 35 amateur ensembles. As the host location and program may change, it is worth checking the current festival dates if you are planning your trip around it.
Local culture is also expressed in various ways at the annual village festivals. There is a trend toward reviving and renewing older customs and rituals, including Kukeri processions, vine pruning for the Day of the Winegrower, the retrieval of the cross on Epiphany, and Babinden. The festivals also feature traditional Bulgarian costumes, Rhodope songs and horo dances. The specific programs vary from village to village.
Trails, Fishing and Landscape
The Izvor Eco Trail mainly comprises the two routes “Momina Skala” and “Trite Chuchura.” A fishpond is part of the route, where you can combine your excursion with fishing. Before setting out, check the trail conditions and find out locally about fishing rules and availability. Another route, “The Path of Dionysius,” passes through Rhodopi Municipality.
In the Sv. Georgi locality stands a protected centuries-old winter oak, safeguarded under the Biodiversity Act. Together with the Rhodope forests and the municipality’s location at the foot of the mountains, it gives the landscape a different focus from the wineries and village festivals.
About Rhodopi Municipality
The municipality forms a natural suburban zone of Plovdiv and has cultural and tourism resources. Its small mountain villages combine proximity to Plovdiv with practical infrastructure, fresh air and traditional cuisine; at weekends, they attract residents and visitors from Plovdiv. As a result, rural experiences are also a key part of the municipality, alongside its specific wine and festival offerings.
When choosing when to travel, it makes a difference whether you are planning around an annual festival or would rather explore the wine destinations and trails independently. The host location and program for festivals can vary, and trail conditions on the Izvor route can change. Take these factors into account when planning, and check the current visiting arrangements for any specific winery.
Discover more destinations: Belashtitsa, Dedovo, Boykovo, Krichim, Kaloyanovo, Brezovo, Stamboliyski, Hisarya.
Return to the regional travel overview: Plovdiv Province.
