# Elhovo

Elhovo (Bulgarian: Елхово) is a small town in south-eastern Bulgaria, in the valley of the river Tundzha between the low Strandzha and Sakar mountains that take up the south-eastern tip of the country. With a population of about 10,000 people, it's the second largest settlement in Yambol Province after the much larger Yambol itself.

## Understand

Elhovo (EL-ho-vo) lies on the left bank of the Tundzha river (TOON-jah), the most significant tributary of the larger Maritsa that drains the Upper Thracian Plain. The town is close to several protected natural areas and archeological sites related to the ancient Thracians.
The annual tides of the river Tundzha is part of the natural ecosystem of the three reserves located next to each other around the town of Elhovo. Tunzha is the largest tributary of the river of Maritsa, which flows into it on Turkish territory. It springs from the central part of Stara Planina mountain east of Botev peak. Its length to the Turkish border is up to 350 km. Tundzha river offers excellent conditions for practicing sports-recreational tourism activities. The beauty of the area and the river gorge between Derventski Hills and Sakar hills were declared a natural landmark. The river has excellent conditions for sport and hobby fishing. Every year here goes the National kayaks regatta.

## Get in

The railway line to Elhovo was closed in the early 2000s, so your only choice is some kind of road transport.
Elhovo is linked with major roads to the rest of the country and the neighboring Turkey, Greece, and Romania. It is 339 km away southeast away from Sofia, at 60 and 37 km south of Sliven and Yambol, at 30 km northeast of Topolovgrad, at 94km and 66km southwest from Bourgas and Sredetz.

## Get around

Elhovo is a small town, you can easy reach every point with a short walk.

## See

* 42.17111126.5669441 Ethnographic and Archaeological Museum, ul. "Shipka" 4 (off the small square next to the old church on the pedestrian main street). M-F 08:00-12:00 and 13:30-17:00. Established in 1958. As the name suggests, its exhibits showcase both the traditional everyday life of Bulgarian peasants in the 19th century and archaeological finds dating back to ancient times. One of the 100 National Tourist Sites of Bulgaria, with the distinction of being Site №100 (because Yambol is at the end of the alphabet). Adults: 5 лв, various discounts apply; guide: 7 лв (Bulgarian only?). (updated Jan 2024)
* 42.19871726.5668082 Dolna Topchia reserve. extends on an area of 467.47 hectares next to the park zone of the town of Elhovo. You can easily reach it with a short walk from the center of Elhovo to the park area. After crossing a bridge over the river of Tundzha you will find the beginning of the natural trail which is red marked and pass through the most important and scenic spots in the reserve. This reserve is created to preserve the only natural habitat of the Phasianus colchicus in Europe. Today you can't see wild pheasant to the reserve because of the stronger animals that don't leave them alive but there is a pheasant farm where people look after the birds so they still habit the reserve.
* 41.96194426.5391673 Darkaia (Near the villages 41.99560526.5732111 Lesovo and 41.932326.49522 Radovets). The river forms a picturesque gorge, which covers an area of 19 thousand hectares. It was declared as protected area in 2007. It falls under the law protection because of the rare 149 bird species, 8 amphibians, 21 reptiles and other rare and protected plant and animal species.
* 42.02396126.5682114 Thracian Suns. A group of mystic Thracian rock circles located 4 km sought from the village of Melnitsa. They are more than 200 scattered over 245 m altitude in the beautiful landscape of Derventski hills. The names of this terrains are “Mochukovi kamani” and “Mircholovi kamani”. The specific circles are ancient cult to the God Sun and that's why local people call them Thracian Suns. Through this rocks pass tourist trail “Drunchi dupka”. It is thematic trail which shows 2 groups of this circles and the beautiful landscape of the region. All these sights take visitors to an ancient and mystic world.
* Thracian dolmens (They are found near the village of 41.98524226.7434863 Golyam Dervent just next to the border with Turkey (the dolmen country extends across the border into the area around 41.83826.7364 Lalapaşa)). Thracian dolmens are one of the most important archeological findings from ancient Thrace in Elhovo area. Dolmens are the oldest Thracian tombs. They have rock structure build from few natural stones. Thracian people used them to bury seniors of the tribal aristocracy. Similar megalithic structures are preserved in Western Europe and the Caucasus. In the Balkan Peninsula they are found only in the Eastern Rhodopes, Sakar and Strandja. The larger of the two dolmens near the village of Golyam Dervent was investigated in 2007. It is consists of two cameras and dromos (entrance) and dated from 9th - 8th century BC.

## Sleep

* 42.17131726.5648561 Hotel-Restaurant Kolhida (Хотел "Колхида"), ul. "Indzhe Voyvoda" 2 (western side of the main square, with distinctive art on the façade). 3-star hotel in a renovated Communist-era building overlooking Elhovo's central square. The name is the Bulgarian rendering of Colchis, an ancient area now in Western Georgia. (updated Jan 2024)