The town of Sopot lies at a distance of 5 km northwest of Karlovo and has a population of 10 000 inhabitants. The town is situated at the southern foot of the Stara Planina Mountains at an altitude of 525 m. The region is specialized in the growing of oil-bearing rose and lavender.

In the region of the town there are archaeological findings of Thracian mounds, remains of a late-ancient-times fortress, a Roman road station, a medieval fortification from XII-XIV c. The settlement has been described in the Ottoman documents from XVI c. under the name of Akcha Kisile which in translation means white church. During the Revival period Sopot is a big craftsman's centre under the name of Kyuchuk Manchester/ The little Manchester/. The town takes active part in the April Rebellion and after its failure has been partially burned down. Sopot is the home town of the greatest Bulgarian poet and writer Ivan Vazov.

The tourist sights of the town are: The nunnery " Sveto Vavedenie Bogoodichno"/ The Annunciation/ from XIX c., the house-museum of Ivan Vazov, the monastery "St. Spas", the remains of a medieval Bulgarian fortress in the "Anevo" site. Sopot is a starting point for many tourist routes for the Stara Planina Mountains.

Tourist sights

The house-museum of Ivan Vazov has been built in 1933 as an exact replica of the house of the poet which has been burned down in 1877 during the Russian-Turkish War. It has an exhibition hall housing the works of the writer. Ivan Vazov is the patriarch of the Bulgarian literature after the Liberation. He writes in all literary genres. His works are mainly related to the fights and struggles of the Bulgarian people. His greatest work is the novel "Under the Yoke"

The nunnery in Sopot is founded in 1665. In 1877 the monastery has been burned down and has later on been restored. Nowadays it has preserved precious icons, mural paintings and the hideaway of Vasil Levski.

The "St. Spas" Monastery lies at a distance of 2 km from Sopot along the Manastirska River. During the Revival period the monastery has been a thriving cultural and educational centre. It exists in its present-day outlook since 1879.

The "Anevo Kale" fortress is a medieval Bulgarian fortress from XIII and XIV c. The fortress has been erected on a hard-to-reach hill at the southern slopes of the Stara Planina Mountains. Remains from towers, fortified walls, a church and other buildings can be seen over the hill.