CULTURAL AREA Passport

Kyustendil

Bulgaria · "Pautalia – Velbazhd" Reserve

About the region

• The administrative and cultural center of Southwestern Bulgaria, famed for its mineral springs, Roman thermae (2nd–3rd century) and the copper-roofed Pirgova Tower. A "gold mine" for spa, balneological, cultural and mountain tourism.

Top attractions

• "Pautalia – Velbazhd" Architectural and Archaeological Reserve
• "Vladimir Dimitrov – The Master" Art Gallery
• Hisarlaka Park, the zoo, the Lovers' Alley
• Mineral baths and thermal pools (Chifte Banya, Alay Banya)

Local cuisine

• The Kyustendil zelnik pastry; Bulgaria's orchard — famous cherries and a festival of fertility.

Dupnitsa

Bulgaria · Gateway to Rila

About the region

• A regional hub between Sofia and Blagoevgrad, the starting point for the Seven Rila Lakes, the Rila Monastery and the natural phenomenon of the Stone Rivers (Moraines). The "Pautalia – Velbazhd" architectural reserve and the town's Secession-era architecture.

Top attractions

• The Clock Tower — the symbol of the town
• The History Museum, housed in a renovated mosque
• Vodenicharski Waterfall and the nearby Stob Earth Pyramids
• The Panichishte area in the Rila Mountains — winter sports

Local cuisine

• The Dupnitsa kebapche — the signature of the local cuisine.

Kriva Palanka

North Macedonia · Osogovo Mountains

About the region

• A border town near Bulgaria at the foot of the Osogovo Mountains. Home to the Monastery of St. Joachim of Osogovo — the most important spiritual center in Eastern Macedonia. A pristine natural setting of rivers, waterfalls and mountain trails.

Top attractions

• Monastery of St. Joachim of Osogovo (12th century)
• Tsarev Vrah peak (2,085 m)
• Stanechki Waterfalls
• Gradechka Chuka — a paleovolcanic terrain

Local cuisine

• Monastery cooking, eco-friendly local food and the "Shopska Sofra" tasting table.

Kratovo

North Macedonia · A Town in a Volcanic Crater

About the region

• One of the oldest living towns in the Balkans, set in the crater of an extinct volcano. Preserved medieval towers, bridges, underground tunnels from the Ottoman era and the unique geological phenomenon of the Stone Dolls (Kuklica).

Top attractions

• Six preserved medieval towers (of the original 13)
• Stone bridges over the Kratovska River
• Underground tunnels — two open to visitors
• The Stone Dolls (Kuklica) — over 50,000 years old

Local cuisine

• Kratovo pastrami and authentic local wines from ancient grape varieties.

"A la Franga"

European influences and local traditions during the Bulgarian Revival — architecture and interiors.

The Old Houses Tell Stories

A traveling exhibition of 19th/20th-century houses across the four municipalities.

Ancient Echoes and Mining Heritage

From the Roman thermae of Kyustendil to the underground tunnels of Kratovo.

Monasteries and Sacred Places

The Monastery of St. Joachim of Osogovo and the Church of St. George.

Nature and Adventure

Rila, Osogovo and the Kratovo–Zletovo volcanic zone.

Cross-Border Taste Zone

A shared gastronomic zone — from Kratovo's pastarmajlija to Kyustendil's zelnik and the Shopska sofra.

Crafts and Traditions

Pottery, weaving, blacksmithing and embroidery.