Sliven

In the east of the Balkan Mountains lies the town of Sliven, which was a center of rebels against the Ottomans — the local Hayduks who found refuge in the mountains and the blue rocks above it. Today, there is a long cable car that takes hikers up to these beautiful mountain heights.

Among the Blue Mountains is Karandila Mountain, with a cliff inside which is a ring-shaped opening called Halkata, through which the sun’s rays penetrate in mid-July. The rock is believed to have healing properties and is sacred to the Karakachani people living in Bulgaria, who celebrate their annual festival at this place during the conjunction of the sun’s rays and the mountain. It is an ancient megalithic site whose sanctity has passed through different times and cultures.

blue mountains Sliven Bulgaria