Saeva Dupka Cave

Saeva Dupka lies near the village of Brestnitsa and is one of the more heavily decorated show caves in Bulgaria: about four hundred metres of route through five chambers packed with stalactites, stalagmites, columns, draperies and flowstone, with names attached to individual formations, and lighting installed along the way. The largest chamber, the Harman, has a roof around twenty metres high and acoustics good enough that concerts are held in it. The cave was named after two brothers said to have hidden there during Ottoman rule. Temperature stays around eleven degrees. It is easily reached from the main Sofia to Varna road and is a common stop on that route.

The landscape

• Five densely decorated chambers - formations along the whole route.
• The Harman hall - a twenty-metre roof with concert acoustics.
• Columns and draperies - the flowstone the cave is known for.
• Easy access from the main road - a straightforward stop on the Sofia to Varna route.

When to go

April to October, though the cave temperature is constant year round. Two hours. Tours are timed and go in groups. A jacket is needed underground. Summer weekends are busiest.

Good to know

Tours are timed and in Bulgarian unless arranged. Lighting is coloured, which some find gaudy. There are many steps and the floor is wet. It is one of several caves in the area and visitors doing all of them will find them repetitive.

Nearby

Devetashka and Krushuna are east; the Sofia to Varna road runs past.

Key facts