The central location of Stara Zagora enables you to see many other parts of Bulgaria and even visit the two neighbouring countries of Greece and Turkey. The motorways and main roads linking Stara Zagora to all of these places are built to modern standards. The journey times indicated here are based on travel by car from Stara Zagora city;
To the North of Stara Zagora lies the old Bulgarian capital of Veliko Turnovo. The trip will take under two hours during which time you will pass through Kazanluk, capital city of the 'Valley of the Roses', where 80% of the world's rose oil is made. You then go over the Shipka Pass, scene of many historic battles with some of the most beautiful mountain scenery in Bulgaria. The town of Veliko Turnovo is beautiful, historic and very highly recommended.
To the North East (less than 2 hours) lies the Black Sea port of Burgas, a thriving city of 200,000 people. Burgas is a good access point to explore the beautiful Black Sea coastline. Head North to Sunny Beach for all the delights of an ultra modern holiday resort or head South on the Ahtopol road if a quieter location by the sea is your preference.
To the South-East of Stara Zagora is the border with Turkey and beyond this is the country's fabulous city of Istanbul. This trip ideally needs at least one overnight stay to make the visit more enjoyable. We would recommend a two or three night stay in Istanbul to experience the place where East meets West. The journey time is around 2 hours.
Bulgaria's border with Turkey is also close to the border with Greece. As an alternative to using the main route, This is Stara Zagora recommends going due south for about two hours from Stara Zagora and heading for the Greek Mediterranean port of Alexandroupolis. Again we would recommend a longer stay to get a real feel for this enchanting area. Sandy coves and boat trips to the Greek islands are to be found here. This coastline is relatively quiet with plenty of glorious sunshine during the long summer months.
To the south west of Stara Zagora is the ski-resort of Pamporovo (1650 m above sea level). This trip takes approximately two hours so it is possible to have a day on the slopes from Stara Zagora. Again, it may be better to spend a couple of days there to recoup after an adventurous day of skiing! The skiing at Pamporovo is highly recommended if you visit Stara Zagora during the winter months. During the rest of the year, the resort is an upmarket centre for mountain walks in the Perelik Range of the Western Rhodopi Mountains
Further round the compass but still to the South West of Stara Zagora you will arrive at Plovdiv, the second largest city in Bulgaria. This trip will take you approximately one hour by car and the highlights include the International Fair and the Roman Amphitheatre that is the best preserved in Bulgaria. Beyond Plovdiv to the west (approximately two hours) is Sofia, Bulgaria's Capital city.
To the North West of Stara Zagora city lies the famous mineral spa resort. The trip takes around half an hour by car and the wooded scenery is absolutely spectacular. The spa resort, centred around the village of Staraozagorski bani, is discussed in more detail in the Stara Zagora Region section on the tourism page.
We do hope this information has given you an insight into the wealth of opportunities and activities on offer from the Stara Zagora region. The combination of tourism choices, facilities, transport links and sheer value can rival any city and region in Europe.