Karlovo - town in Bulgaria

Karlovo (Bulgarian: Карлово) is a beautiful town of about 20,000 inhabitants (2021) in the Balkan Mountains of Bulgaria. It's best known as the birthplace of Bulgarian national hero Vasil Levski who organized an uprising against the Ottoman rule in the late 19th century. Other than that you can see buildings in national style and rural Bulgarian life.

Understand

Geography

Karlovo lies in the valley of the Stryama, a part of the Sub-Balkan Valleys - a series of valleys between the Balkan Mountains proper to the north and the smaller Sredna Gora chain to the south; the larger area is known as the Valley of Roses (Розовата долина) due to the widespread cultivation of oil-bearing roses. Karlovo is close to the southern slopes of Balkan Mountains, on the banks of a small river, Stara Reka ("old river", one of the many with that name), that is a tributary to the Stryama. It's a very scenic part of the country and mountains are visible in all directions.

History

After the Ottoman conquest, at the end of the 15th century the village Sushitsa was awarded to a Muslim lord, Karlizade Ali Bey, who endowed a mosque there. The settlement started growing and a century later it was a small town. The name "Karlovo" (or "Karlova") is derived either from the name of the bey, or from the Turkish 'karlı ova', "snowy plain". For the rest of the period, it remained a relatively prosperous provincial settlement, and since the beginning of the 19th century it benefited from the educational fervour of the Bulgarian National Revival, including the establishment of one of the first Helleno-Bulgarian schools there in 1828.

Vasil Levski

In the history of Bulgaria, Karlovo is notable mostly as the birthplace of a national hero, Vasil Levski. He was born in 1837 as Vasil Ivanov Kunchev, the first son of a craftsman. He received both religious and secular education and was studying a craft, but his father died when Levski was 14. Under the influence of his uncle, he pursued a religious career. After becoming a monk in 1858, he reached the rank of hierodeacon, but his heart wasn't in it. In early 1862, he left Karlovo for Serbia, where he joined the First Bulgarian Legion, a group of volunteers assisting Serbia against the Ottomans, organized by another famous Bulgarian revolutionary, Georgi Rakovski. A "lion's leap" over a trench during military training earned him the nickname "Levski" ("lionlike"). The Legion was disbanded and Levski spent the next few years in Bulgaria and Romania, meeting various other revolutionaries who organized armed bands (cheti) abroad that tried to enter Bulgaria and spark a popular rebellion.

After a few failures, Levski became convinced that instead of a spontaneous, externally-instigated revolt, the liberation of Bulgaria would require an internal conspiracy to produce a carefully planned, wide-ranging uprising. In 1868, he entered Bulgaria and started travelling around the country, agitating against Ottoman rule and organizing a clandestine network of revolutionary committees. Levski's views of a liberated Bulgaria were quite progressive for his time: he wanted it to be a democratic republic with religious and ethnic equality. Despite his cleverness and daring, he was caught by the authorities and hanged by Sofia in early 1873. Nevertheless, other revolutionaries continued his work, leading to the April Uprising of 1876, which was declared not far away from Karlovo - in Koprivshtitsa (50 km to the east). The uprising was quickly suppressed, but the atrocities turned public opinion in Europe against the Ottoman Empire, and the Great Powers allowed the Russo-Turkish War of 1878-1879, which lead to the liberation of Bulgaria. Levski could now be openly celebrated as a national hero; due to his religious background and his "proselytizing" travels, he was dubbed "the Deacon", "Deacon Levski" and "the Apostle of Freedom", the last name being popularized by the famous Bulgarian author Ivan Vazov.

In the 1930s, increased nationalistic sentiment lead to efforts to recreate Levski's native home as a museum and preserve other architecture in the city. Not to be outdone, later the Communist regime renamed Karlovo to Levskigrad ("Levski's city") between 1953 and 1961.

Orientation

Get in

By train

Karlovo is on the northern railway line between Sofia and Burgas, and there's also a line coming in from Plovdiv in the south. From Sofia there are three fast trains (less than 3 hr) and three suburban trains (4 hr), though delays are common. From the east on the same line there are trains from Kazanlak (1 hr) and Sliven (2.5 hr). Finally there are six daily suburban trains from Plovdiv (1.5 hr).

The trip from Sofia is one of the most scenic railway trips in Bulgaria, especially the descent from the mountain pass at Koprivshtitsa with its loops. It's a single track railway with low speeds so the travel time varies from time to time.

• Railway station, 42.6319°, 24.8049°. A rather empty Soviet-style building with a small shop and a cafe-bar at the platform. 2018-02-07

By bus

There are buses from Plovdiv every hour, with a journey time of one hour. Two buses a day come in from Pleven via Troyan, providing the only connection in from the north. There are two daily buses from Sofia that however aren't faster than trains. Moreover there are local buses to surrounding villages, the city website (dead link: January 2023) provides more info about this.

• Bus station, 42.6341°, 24.8035°, +359 885 21-81-39. Not too lively on the outside, it has a waiting room and a cozy cafe. 2018-02-07

By car

There are roads from all four cardinal directions. From the west, Highway 6 from Sofia (140 km) descends into the Valley of Roses, and you can take a side trip to the village of Koprivshtitsa, described as the most beautiful town on the southern slopes of the Balkan Mountains. Another scenic route is Highway 35 from Troyan (65 km), Lovech and Pleven in the north with hairpin curves descending from the mountain pass at 1520 m ASL, joining the road from Sofia west of Karlovo. From the east Highway 6 comes in from Kazanlyk (60 km), Sliven and Burgas. From the south comes Highway 64 from Plovdiv (60 km).

Get around

The town is quite small and you can walk from anywhere to anywhere in less than 20 minutes or so. Taxis are also available (see advice at Bulgaria#By taxi). There may be an infrequent city bus service too.

See

The center of Karlovo is the площад 20 Юли (July 20th square), about 100 m from ulitsa Gen. Karzov, which forms part of the Sofia-Kazanlyk-Sliven highway. Here you can see some of the pretty houses from the early 20th century, and there are much more of them along ulitsa Vasil Levski leading south to the railway station. The main attraction though is the площад Васил Левски (Vasil Levski square) with a statue of the guy himself and the main cluster of old houses. Just north of the town you can visit a natural attraction - the Suchurum Waterfalls - and right at that point the mountains begin.

Monuments and squares

• Monument of Vasil Levski, Vasil Levski ploshad, 42.63745°, 24.80609°. Finished in 1903, the memorial of the national hero is one of the main sights in Karlovo. It looks a bit strange as Levski is pointing his revolver directly at the onlookers. The roaring lion next to him refers both to the translation of Levski's name ("lion-like") and lions being the heraldic animal of Bulgaria. 2018-02-08
• July 20th square (Площад 20 юли), 42.64363°, 24.80624°. The town square of Karlovo, named in memory of the massacre of 800 Bulgarians by Turks in the town on 20 July 1877, during the Russo-Turkish war. There's a memorial to the massacre as well. Buildings surrounding the square include an eclectic bank building, a library built during the People's Republic of Bulgaria, a city hall with a mural symbolizing space exploration and peaceful use of nuclear power. 2018-02-08

Religious buildings

• St. Nicholas church (Свети Никола), 42.63658°, 24.80674°. A church in what can be described as "experimental" style (like the nearby historical museum), finished in 1847. It has unusually large windows for its time and a set of columns giving it an Italian appearance. 2018-02-08

• Dormition of the Theotokos Church (Успение Богородично), Ulitsa Todor i Ana Pelevi, 42.63856°, 24.80498°. A small stone church from 1851, with a blue and white bell tower added in 1897, and a mural of Levski on the northern wall. 2018-02-08

• Kurshum mosque (Куршум джамия), Ulitsa General Karzov, 42.64225°, 24.80771°. Built by the Turkish in 1485, the mosque is the oldest building in town. Nationalized during Communism, it was returned to the Islamic community in 2014 , nevertheless it remains closed. 2018-02-08

Museums

• Starinno Karlovo museum (Старинно Карлово), 42.63782°, 24.80602°. This museum is a set of traditional houses with restored interiors. Most require a little effort to visit, there are signs outside each of them with a description of what's displayed on the inside and contact information of the caretaker. To see the indoors, you need to contact them to come and open the house and pay a fee of a couple of leva. 2022-11-25

• Buhaloviyat Han (Бухаловият хан), Ulitsa Vasil Levski, 49, 42.63889°, 24.80573°. Winter: Tu-Sa 09:00-17:00; summer: daily 09:00-18:00. The name of this handicraft museum translates to Buhalov's Inn, as the building first was built as an inn. There are for instance wool toys, lace, and woodcarvings on display. Also, the decorated building with the second floor coming out of the building a bit is indeed an attraction in itself (it includes a café with nice views of the mountains). The staff of the souvenir shop act as guides and most speak English. 2018-02-16

• Vasil Levski Museum (Национален музей "Васил Левски"), 42.6425°, 24.8031°. Daily 08:30-13:00, 14:00-17:00. Vasil Levski was born in a building from the 18th century at this place, but the current building is a replica from 1933. The house can be admired from the outside and the interior through the windows. There's more to see in the adjacent exhibition hall; documents, objects, paintings and holograms. There's also a memorial chapel with a strand of Levski's hair and a statue of his mother. 3 leva 2018-02-07

• Historical museum, Ulitsa Vzrozhdenska 4, 42.63667°, 24.80623°. Daily 09:00-12:00, 13:00-17:00. Presents Karlovo during Ottoman rule, as well as the independence struggle in the 19th century. The building is a former school from 1871, whose architecture combines national style, baroque and classicist elements. 3 leva 2018-02-16

Houses

• Patev's house (Патевата къща), Ulitsa Vasil Levski 41, 42.6377°, 24.8059°. A wooden house painted brown, making it an unusual sight in Karlovo. It was named after Vasil Patev, the first owner of the house. 2018-02-16

• Raino Popovich's house (Къща "Райно Попович"), Ulitsa Vasil Levski 28, 42.63952°, 24.80569°. The home of teacher Raino Popovich who in 1826 opened the first school in Karlovo where lessons were taught in Bulgarian. All the local revolutionaries studied here. Visitors can try printing something on the old printing press in the house. 2018-02-16

• The "white yard" house (Къща "Белият двор"), Ulitsa Sokolova 2, 42.6389°, 24.8075°. An art school where visitors can see art being created and buy finished works by students. 2018-02-16

• Mazakov's house (Мазаковата къща), Ulitsa Yevstati Geshev 3, 42.64024°, 24.80702°. M-F 09:00-12:00, 13:00-17:00. The ethnographic part of the city museum is in this red house. Showcasing traditional crafts and local life in the late 19th and early 20th century, this is probably the best museum for people who are less interested in Levski and the independence struggle. 2018-02-16

• Daskal Botev's house (Даскал Ботевата къща), Ulitsa Daskal Botyo 11, 42.6400°, 24.8092°. Visit at request, ask at the historical museum. Hristo Botev, born in the nearby town of Kalofer (where the main memorials to him can be found), was another revolutionary figure just like Levski. His home in Karlovo is also a museum, though not that impressive. The house built around 1800 was named after the nickname of his father, Botyo Petkov (Daskal Botyo, "teacher Botyo"). 2018-02-16

• Old wool factory (фабрика за вълнени издълия), Ulitsa Vodopad, 42.65031°, 24.81030°. Industrial heritage is not so common in Bulgaria. This former wool factory from 1891 was built by Evlogi Georgiev. His villa on the factory grounds looks like it's about to collapse. The factory is in a better shape, but it is likewise abandoned. 2018-02-16

There are many other old houses worth passing by. Some function as museums or guest houses for example. Many houses have plaques telling about the life of Levski.

On the way from 20th July square to the waterfalls, along waterfall street (Ulitsa Vodopad), you can see mansions from the early 20th century including examples of Bulgarian functionalism.

Do

• Suchurum Waterfall (Водопад Сучурум), 42.65335°, 24.80913°. The Stara River comes down the mountainside and forms an 8-meter high waterfall right north of the town. While it's not so that high, it is picturesque. There's a hydroelectric plant nearby driven by water from another river flowing down the mountain through pipes. 2018-02-07

The street up to the waterfall is named Waterfall Street (Ulitsa Vodopad). When you've left the city, you have two choices. Cross the river on a bridge, check out the power plant if you like and continue to the waterfall. Alternatively, don't cross the bridge but continue up the mountain to a lookout point 📍 with great views of Karlovo. If you have time, go see both the waterfall and the lookout point.

Buy

There are souvenirs for sales in museums and houses. Also, local crafts make for fairly nice souvenirs. General Karzov street the main shopping street with many grocery and household stores.

• T Market, Obshinski Pazar 44 (in the western part of Karlovo), 42.6417°, 24.8008°. Daily 08:00-21:00. Grocery supermarket. 2018-02-15

Eat and Drink

• Shenit (ШЕНИТ, earlier Zakusvalnya/Закусвалня), Ulitsa General Karzov (opposite the Levski house museum), 42.64307°, 24.80292°. M-F 07:00-16:00. Traditional Bulgarian eatery, rough and colorful. 2018-02-15

• Café Venera (Кафе «Венера»), Ploschad Vasil Levski, 42.63748°, 24.80716°. Daily 07:00-21:00. A cute café in a former building of a "women's club". There's no hot food but a range of drinks and outdoor seating if you like. 2018-02-15

• Mekhana Vodopad (Механа «Водопад»), Ulitsa Vodopad 41 (halfway between the 20th July square and the waterfall), 42.6496°, 24.8092°. Daily 10:00-00:00. Traditional restaurant housed in a wooden pavilion. 2018-02-15

• Pizzeria Staro Karlovo (Пицария "Старо Карлово"), Ulitsa Vasil Levski, 42.63799°, 24.80558°. Daily 10:00-17:00. Cheap and tasty pizza in the old town. 2018-02-15

• Sladkarniza Deja Vu (Сладкарница Deja Vu), Ulitsa General Karzov 25, 42.64180°, 24.80677°. Daily 07:30-21:00. Pastry shop with Turkish coffee and a range of cakes. 2018-02-15

In addition to these, some hotels have restaurants too.

Sleep

• Hotel Sherev (Гостиница «Щерев»), Ploshad 20 yuli, 42.64326°, 24.80649°, +359 335 9-33-80, shterev_reception@abv.bg. Hotel at the main square with Wi-Fi, tv, A/C and minibars in the rooms. Guests have complained about small rooms and poor service, however. There's a restaurant on the ground floor serving hot food all day. double room from 60 leva 2018-02-15

• Zoevata house (Зоевата къща), Ulitsa Yevstatu Geshev 11, 42.63971°, 24.80734°, +359 888 89-94-92, villa.vuchev@gmail.com. Two old wooden villas, sleeping 8 and 12 persons, suitable for bigger parties as you can't book just a part of the villa. 2018-02-15

• Hotel Hant (Отель «Ханът»), Ulitsa General Karzov 27 (opposite the mosque), 42.64175°, 24.80723°. double room 40 leva 2018-02-15

Go next

Karlovo is the middle of the Valley of Roses (Розова долина) which, true to its name, is famous for roses that bloom in May and June. The region stretching from east to west is also known for its Thracian remains and independence struggle memorials. For instance, in Kazanlak to the east there's a Thracian tomb with frescoes.

The Balkan Mountains is to the north, with some summits higher than 2000 m above sea level. This is the wildest part of the range with very beautiful landscapes, part of the Central Balkans National Park and it merits a hiking tour of a few days. For a quicker trip, you can travel to next door Sopot and take the cable car up the mountain range (1400 m ASL), or drive the scenic serpentine road (Highway 35) up to Trojan.

To the west there's the picturesque village of Koprivštica with well preserved old wooden houses and some independence struggle heritage. The nearest big city is Plovdiv to the south, if you head there you can stop by Hisarya with mineral springs and Roman walls.