SOFIA - KOPRIVSHTITSA - HALF-DAY TOUR BY CAR AND A DRIVER

Koprivshtitsa most likely was founded at the end of the Second Bulgarian Empire, at the end of the 14th century. Due to the massive fires in the time of the Ottoman Empire, the town was badly destroyed hence what you can see there now is the amazing architecture from the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century mostly during the Bulgarian Revival period.

Koprivshtitsa was also one of the centers of the April 1876 uprising against the Ottoman Empire (that Bulgaria was part of then) which eventually resulted in the re-establishment of Bulgaria two years later.

You can visit some of the houses inside too. Many of them were transformed into memorial houses of their former inhabitants – famous Bulgarian writers, revolutionaries, or politicians. Some of the most beautiful ones are the Oslekov House (built between 1853 and 1856, today it’s home to the Ethnographical Museum), the Georgi Benkovski Memorial House (1831), the Dimcho Debelyanov Memorial House (1830), the Todor Kableshkov Memorial House (1845) or the Lyutov House (1854).

Don’t miss other sights too, such as Kalachev most, St. Virgin Mary church or the Sts. Cyril and Methodius School from 1837, with the first class school in Bulgaria. All of them are also built in the Bulgarian Revival style and fit just perfectly in this little town. The best view of Koprivshtitsa is from the Georgi Benkovski monument located above the town. Going up there isn’t too difficult and you will be rewarded with some amazing views of Koprivshtitsa and the surrounding Sredna Gora mountains.

But the best thing to do in Koprivshtitsa is to just wander around the cobbled streets and fall for the charming town and its old-times vibe. Today Koprivshtitsa is a sleepy picturesque town that feels like time has stopped there.