Samokov enjoys favourable geographical location and climate – no stormy winds or snowdrifts; diverse mountain terrain and water resource availability. All of this makes it an even more suitable choice for visitors. Additionally, its rich cultural and historical heritage, the abundance of cultural monuments and Bulgaria’s biggest nature reserve – Central Rila Reserve – strengthen the visitors’ feeling that they have come to the right place.

Today Samokov contributes to the development of tourism and of various sports as well as to the preservation of the cultural-historical heritage. Historically, these lands have been home to different peoples ever since antiquity.

The Borovets resort also belongs to the Municipality of Samokov. It is Bulgaria’s oldest and biggest mountain resort. Its development began in 1896 when the first holiday villa was built. Later Knyaz Ferdinand built his summer residence there. In the beginning the resort was known as Chamkoriya. Today, Borovets offers opportunities for practicing all kinds of winter sports – alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing and snowboarding. It holds sports competitions of various scales, including world championships. Because of the moderate climate, winter here is mild and it snows a lot. Borovets has 24 runs with a total length of 58 kilometres. There are three different ski zones – Sitnyakovo Ski Center, Yastrebets Ski Center and Markudzhik Ski Center. The highest ski point is at 2560 metres of altitude and the longest run is 12 kilometres.

Borovets is a good place for tourism not just during the winter but throughout the rest of the year, too. It is a starting point of many trails. The hunting lodge of Tsarska Bistritsa is nearby – it is a former palace of the rulers of the Third Bulgarian Kingdom. The country’s only wooden church is also worth seeing – The Transfiguration of Jesus is built in a typical Gothic alpine style.

Aesthetes will undoubtedly like the resort and the mountain – they hold too much natural beauty to disappoint.