In the very heart of the mountain, straggling as pearly necklace beads, is situated the town of Smolyan. Once leaving far behind the long meandering, twisting and turning road from the city of Plovdiv, you will find yourself in a hospitable town that melts your tiredness quickly away.
   This ancient and young town, which outlasted hard and good times will fascinate you with its bizarre combination of old and new architecture, captivate you with the languorous scent of lime-trees in the beginning of summer and enchant you with the multi-tints magic of autumn and the white silence of winter.
   If you are somebody who enjoys the comfort and conveniences of the city life and at the same time art a keen skier, the town of Smolyan is the ideal place for your holiday.
   Only 15 km. away from Smolyan is located the mountain resort of Pamporovo with its wondrous ski-tracks and every hotel in the town can offer you transport to find them easily.
   The Rhodope Mountains is like a sea of shading dark green colour hills. If you just spare a single moment feasting your eye on the beautiful panorama and breathe in the crystal clear air, you will once and for all fall in love with the lyrical and magnetic Rhodope Mountain.
   More than 200 species of birds live here, among which there are – skalolazka, black stork and imperial eagle. In springtime the green tufted rugs of the meadows are studded with wild fragrant flowers and a lot of orchids.
   Here one can also see kinds of plants that can be found only in this part of the world, plants that take their names after the mountain such as the Rhodopes’ lilies, the Rhodopes’ violet and the Rhodopes’ tulip.
   In the early springtime you can also enjoy the flowering rosy florets of the silivryak that has the unique characteristic to burst into blossom after years on end it lied dry in your herbarium!
   The Rhodopes is also a real find for the amateur mushroom and herb-gatherers. Walking in the mountain you can fill your basket with delicious edible boletus, maslovkas/a kind of mushrooms/, parasol mushrooms and also pick up a fragrant bunch of herbs.
   The Rhodopes has a treat for all your senses in store for you – your eyes will be full of tints, your ears will resound a song and hear the chatter of the mountain brook and the silver ringing of chan bells/typical Bulgarian bells/ and your lips will take a sip of the crystal clear mountain water, running from the numerous fountains where your soul can find rest and relish.
   Thousands of years on end the inhabitants of this region live in harmony with nature treasuring in the mountain recesses wild and pristine beauty spots together with incredible variety of plants and animals.
   In the town of Smolyan you can spend a wonderful holiday and in the same time look after your health. The balneology and treatment center with its open thermal spa will take care of you and the legend tells that it is as old as the Roman times.
   The mineral water has nitrogen content along with hydrocarbons, sulfate, sodium, potassium and fluoric compounds.
   In the healing facility one can undergo a number of balneology and physiotherapy seances as well as be a subject to specialized kinesitherapy methods of treatment. There is equipment for underwater exercises, underwater massage/tangentor/, electricity and light treatment, drinking hall, and inhalation and paraffin treatment rooms, kinezitherapeutic gym along with a lot of SPA centers.
   In 1961 The Miracle of Rozhen comes into being - the distinctive bagpipe band under the name of Sto kaba bagpipes that becomes the symbol of the fair.
   The famous folklore song Izlel e Delyo Haidutin sang by Valya Balkanska flies off here and perches on board the spaceship station Voyager along with the music composed by Bach, Beethoven and Mozart in its way to find alien civilizations in the space.