Chepino Valley

"Chepino" redirects here. For other uses, see Chepino (disambiguation).

The Chepino Valley (Bulgarian: Чепинска котловина, romanized: Chepinska kotlovina), or simply Chepino (Чепино), is the largest valley in the Rhodope Mountains in southern Bulgaria. It lies along the Chepinska River near the Batak Mountains in the northwestern Rhodopes, at an elevation of approximately 750 meters. The valley spans 18 kilometers in length and between 4 and 7 kilometers in width, with a relatively flat floor interspersed with low hills. Its fault-line structure accounts for both the frequent seismic activity and the presence of more than 80 mineral springs, making Chepino a key destination for spa tourism in the region. Due to its geography, the valley has a milder climate than other parts of Bulgaria and is surrounded by dense coniferous forests, predominantly spruce. Nearby is Golyama Syutkya, the second-highest peak in the Rhodopes, and the valley's main urban center is the town of Velingrad.

View of the eastern part of the Chepino Valley

The valley takes its name from the medieval Bulgarian fortress of Tsepina, the capital of the domain of Despot Alexius Slav in the 13th century, which was excavated near the village of Dorkovo.

In the early 17th century, the Eastern Orthodox Bulgarian inhabitants of the valley were Islamized by the Ottoman authorities of the time, and thus today the population is mixed, with both Orthodox Bulgarians and Pomaks (Muslim Bulgarians) inhabiting the valley.

42°1′N 24°5′E