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Southwest Bulgaria > Kyustendil > Surrounding areas
Surrounding areas of KyustendilIn close proximity to the south of the town, at the lowest foothills of Ossogovo Mountain, is situated Hissarluka Park. The remains of a fortress, a hotel, catering facilities, walking alleys, alcoves, beautiful villas are situated amidst a splendid coniferous forest, planted in the end of 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. The Spring Festival (organised about 22 March) is annually held there. Kyustendil is the outgoing point to the beautiful Ossogovo Mountain with many sights of interest. A marked hiking route leads consecutively to the village of Bogoslov (1.30 hours, there is an asphalt road from Kyustendil to Trite Buki Chalet - 5 km), to Iglika Chalet (about 3 hours, it makes 11 km along the road, phone 078 23132), to Ossogovo Chalet (4.30 hours, 17.5 km along the road) and to Trite Buki Chalet (about 5 hours, along the road 19.5 km, the highest chalet all above-mentioned - 1550 m above sea level , tel.: 078 22332). Regular bus transport from the town can be used to the village of Bogoslov. Trite Buki Chalet is a basic outgoing point to many marked hiking tracks across Ossogovo Mountain, to many peaks around, as well as to the highest peak of the mountain Mt. Rouen (2252 m, situated on the very border line with Macedonia - 4 hours).
More information about the mountain can be obtained by the Tourist Association in the town. 13 km to the south-east of Kyustendil in Nevestino village (a bus stop of the lines between Kyustendil and Doupnitsa) is located Kadin (Nevestin) Bridge over the River Strouma - one of the biggest engineering and construction facilities in our country from 15th century. It was built of hewn granite in 1469-1470 on the ancient and very important in the past Tsarigrad-Plovdiv-Samokov-Kyustendil-Skopie road. It has 5 impressive vaults. A commemoration inscription is preserved. The village of Shishkovtsi is 10 km away from the town to the north and a large collection of pictures of Vladimir Dimitrov Maistora, who lived and worked here for 27 years are preserved in its fund. The village is a station on the railway line Sofia-Kyustendil-Gyueshevo. It has bus connections with the town. 39 km to the north of Kyustendil, on the line to Sofia, the town of Zemen is situated and in its vicinity is the historic Zemen Monastery, built in the 11th-12th century. Its murals are the most valuable ones from 14th century in our country. Along a 22 km distance from the town of Zemen to the village of Ruzhdavitsa, between Konyavska and Zemenska Mountains, Strouma River has created a rare, picturesque beauty, called Zemenski Gorge. It is a miniature copy of the Iskar Gorge. There are queer rock formations - Agapie, Saraya, Galabinski rocks, Ritlite, vigorous karst springs, unexplored caves, picturesque meanders, sideways running waterfalls, of which the most impressive is the Polsko-Skakavishki Waterfall (50 m) below the village of Polska Skakavitsa (there is a railway stop).
At the end of the gorge, near Ruzhdavitsa village, one can enter into the fantastic canyon of the desiccating River Shegava (left tributary of Strouma). The railway line Sofia-Kyustendil, from where the whole gorge can be very well observed was laid out in the Zemen Gorge in 1909. There is no road and one can only walk along the railway track.
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