When arriving in Bulgaria, visit the historic city of Batak travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises spa and resorts

Batak is situated 36 km. south of Peshtera, 26km of Velingrad and 156km of the capital Sofia of Bulgaria. The name of this little town is sacred for every Bulgarian. It is a symbol of martyrdom and self-sacrifice in the name of freedom.
In spite of the ruins of ancient fortresses and towns, it cannot be stated with certainty when today’s Batak originated. Its name was mentioned for the first time in 1592 on the stone embedded in the drinking-fountain at the Krishim Monastery. During the pogroms by the Kurdzhalli it was repeatedly ruined and rebuilt again. In 1819 Konstantin wrote that it was “a little timber village” with 100 houses. According to traveller Vikenel, in 1847 the village -1000 houses. And 1865- Z. Stoyanov indicated that it had 400 houses, a lot of inns a multitude of cuttings and 1500 inhabitants. The name of the town is related most of all to the April Uprising. Five thousand people died. Those who remained alive in Batak welcomed the Russian Army of Liberation on 20 January 1878.
In the first place this is the already mentioned little stone church of St. Nedelya, turned into a museum and charnel-house. Even nowadays the bones of the heroes, chopping-log, the traces of yataghans and bullets remind of those terrible and grandiose days. It is situated in the centre of the little town. The town Museum of History is located in a new building and houses over 500 exhibits of the history of Batak. The several old Batak houses restored and proclaimed as cultural monuments are of interest, too.
Batak dam lake, which was turned into a recreation and sports zone spreads out at the distance of 3km north-west of the town. The dam-lake offers superb opportunities for camping sites, water tourism, fishing, water sports, hiking, and recreation.
The Tsigov Chark Resort offering greater opportunities for accommodation and entertainment than the town itself is situated on the south-west bank of the dam at the distance of about 8km west of Batak. The complex of the Orbita Bureau of Youth Tourism is situated here with two hotels. The regularly running buses to and from Rakitovo and Velingrad stop there.
The area of the 4 dams is another magnificent site for recreation, sports, and tourism Golyam Beglik Dam, Shiroka Polyana Dam, Beglika Dam and Toshkov Chark dam. They are located along the road Batak-Dospat, in the middle of the distance, amongst the ravishing Rhodope countryside. There are a lot of established recreation, fisheries, a camping site. The conditions for hiking and water tourism, fishing, herbs and forest fruit harvesting or just recreation among the magical scenery here are more than wonderful. A whole resort originated here, which is scattered upon quite a large area amongst the dam lakes. One can find accommodation in the holiday homes or in the camping with there own bivouac facilities. There is road to all dam lakes.
The nature, the animals, the reservations and the entire cultural worth of the city, will satisfy all You interests.