Till recently the most southern Bulgarian town belonged to the border zone, it was difficultly accessed and for this reason unknown for many Bulgarians. The town of Zlatograd is situated 3 km/1.8 miles from the Greek border. You’d find it where Bulgaria starts from – along the Varbitza River between the Western and Eastern Rhodope Mountains. Zlatograd bears its present name since 1934 for which the people say it originates from the golden colour of the tobacco leaves.

There are two routes to reach Zlatograd. The first one passes through Assenovgrad, the Bachkovo Monastery, Narecheni bani, Chepelare, then Smolyan and Madan. The second way is through the towns of Kurdjali, Djebel and Benkovski.

The town has a centuries-old history and the region has been inhabited for millennia. This is proved by the valuable archaeological finds, the antique sanctuary of “Belite kamani” (The White Stones) near Startzevo – the largest village in the region of Smolyan with its 3000 inhabitants, as well as the famous religious centre “St. Nedelya”.

The largest preserved and restored compact architecture reserve in the Rhodope Mountains is located In Zlatograd. Since 2001 the town is famous also for its unique ethnographic regional complex. It includes a Tailor, a Saddler, a Cutler and Braiding workshops where visitors can feel the spirit of past times and can find unknown objects and machines that are not just a tourist attraction but are working and are used effectively even today.

In the frames of the archaeological exposition an ethnographic museum collection is arranged. This is the only place where one can see a functioning upright as well as working horizontal looms. Throughout the year in authentic conditions of life all the activities connected with the primary processing of wool, fur and cotton are re-enacted live, and demonstrations of spinning, knitting and weaving are performed. All the handiworks could be bought at the place.

Besides the old-time workshops the Zlatograd traditional café and inn lend particular charm to the complex. In the inn the town visitors can taste delicious Rhodope specialties, the recipes of which are handed down from generation to generation. In the café one would be offered real Turkish coffee, mixed in small Turkish coffee-pots that are place on sand. And when one takes a sip of the coffee, he/she would be surprised by its remarkable taste and wonderful aroma.

Taking a walk through the narrow stone-paved streets in the Old Zlatograd there is no way to miss the unique round chimneys on the roofs of the Revival houses. Such chimneys could be seen only in Zlatograd and nowhere else in Bulgaria.

Here is one of the oldest churches in the Rhodope Mountains “Uspenie na Presveta Bogoroditsa” built in 1834. According to the legend it has been built in only 40 days.
Opened for visitors are also the museum collection dedicated to the enlightening (educational) activities in the Central Rhodope and to the post communications.

The people of Zlatograd are extremely proud of the fact that this is the birth place of the legendary leader Delju Voevoda the song for whom performed by the famous Valya Balkanska was sent in space in 1977. Today in the centre of the town the home house of the Voevoda is preserved together with the stone on which he is considered to have been shot.