Blue Rocks of Sliven

The Sinite Kamani, the blue rocks, are a run of syenite towers, pinnacles and cliffs along the ridge above Sliven, rising to about eleven hundred metres, and the name comes from the way the rock takes a blue cast in haze and at certain times of day. It is a nature park with beech forest on the slopes, open plateau above, marked walking routes and a set of named formations, of which the Halkata, a natural rock ring on the ridge, is the best known and carries local traditions about passing through it. A gondola runs from the edge of Sliven up to the plateau in about half an hour, and there is a small ski slope at the top. The rock is used for climbing.

What you actually see

• Syenite towers along the ridge - the formations above the town.
• The Halkata rock ring - a natural arch with local traditions attached.
• The gondola from Sliven - about half an hour up to the plateau.
• Beech forest and open plateau - the two halves of the park.

When to go

April to October for walking; autumn colour in the beech is very good. A day. The gondola runs on limited days outside summer and closes in wind, so check before relying on it.

Honest expectations

The gondola is old and its schedule is unreliable; it closes for maintenance and wind. Paths on the plateau are marked but signage is patchy. The blue colour depends entirely on light and haze. Sliven itself is a plain industrial town.

Nearby

Zheravna and Kotel are north-east; Stara Zagora lies west.