Mount Vitosha

Mount Vitosha was formed by volcanic activity then shaped by the slow folding of the granite layers and a series of gradual uplift of the area. The dome-shaped mountain is 19km long and 17km wide and reaches a height of 2292m, so visitors can see Mount Vitosha from everywhere in Sofia city.

In 1934, part of the mountain was recognized as a park by the active participation of the Bulgarian Society for the Conservation of Nature. After many changes in boundaries, today, the park's area is about 27ha. Due to the great change in altitude, the climate as well as the flora and fauna here are also quite rich. Over a long period of research, 1500 species of higher plants, 500 species of fungi, 500 species of algae, 326 species of mosses, and 200 species of lichens have been identified living in a relative area at Mount Vitosha. Among them, 31 species are endemic and 52 species are included in the Bulgarian Red Book. Besides, the mountain is also home to many species of mammals, birds, insects, reptiles and amphibians. In different seasons, more than 200 species of birds can be observed at Mount Vitosha, of which about 120 species are nesting in the park. However, of concern for nature conservation are natural spruce forests, peatlands and caves.

Located on the northeastern slopes of Mount Vitosha, the Bistrishko Branishte and Torfeno Branishte conservation areas were established for the purpose of nature conservation and as a biosphere reserve under UNESCO's Human and International Biosphere programme. Thanks to this, the alpine peat areas with characteristic hydrophilic and water-retaining vegetation still exist and are preserved to this day.

Besides the rich nature, Mount Vitosha is also a suitable place for outdoor sports activities, typically mountain climbing, this is also the first social tourism activity organized in Bulgaria by the owner. written by Aleko Konstantinov in 1985. Today, the Vitosha mountain park is equipped with a well-built tourist infrastructure with roads and alleys over 300 km long. In winter, Mount Vitosha attracts many tourists coming here to participate in sports such as skiing, ice climbing,... Currently, the mountain has 6 ski runs with a total length of 13.6km with the same system. Modern cable car system, hotel, mountain chalet in the northern part are ready to serve tourists in winter.

With a geographical location quite close to the center of Sofia, Mount Vitosha in general and the mountain's natural park in particular welcomes a lot of tourists to visit, sightsee and is a place of education about responsible attitude. with nature. Visitors can reach Mount Vitosha via bus routes and other public transport.

Website : www.park-vitosha.org

Phone : +359 2 989 53 77