Rhodope Mountains are located in southern Bulgaria close to the border with Greece. There are magnificent pine forests, lakes and valleys in this beautiful and unspoilt region, said to have once been the home of Orpheus. The mild climate provides great opportunities for vacations all year round, a true paradise for sightseeing, hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, fishing, hunting, bird watching, caving, rock climbing and of course winter sports.

Right in the heart of the region is the famous international ski resort of Pamporovo with its modern facilities and a reputation of being one of the sunniest mountain resorts in Europe boasting no less than 240 sunny days a year on average. This is the reason why the biggest observatory on the Balkans was built not far way in the Rozhen area.

Situated some 1000m (3000ft) above sea level and only 12 kilometers from Pamporovo is the town of Smolyan - the regional centre where all the local authority and the district court, notary and land registry offices can be found. There are also Art Gallery, Ethnographic and Mid-Rhodope Mountains History Museum, Planetarium and plenty of shops, cafes and bars.