Sliven is a historic town at the foot of Stare Planina and at the same time a good base for people who like mountain hiking and active tourism. In the past, it was known for the hardness of the inhabitants and resistance against the Turks, today it attracts with interesting museums and the proximity of the mountains.
During the Turkish rule, Sliven was called the city of a hundred voivodes. The local inhabitants preferred to flee to the mountains and wage guerrilla warfare with the occupiers as hides. One of them was Hadji Dimitar, one of the local heroes. In the city, you can see his monument and the House of the Hadji Dimitar Museum.
The attractions of Sliven also include the Cathedral Church of St. Dimitar and the remains of the Krepost Tuida Fortress. Among the local museums, the Dimitar Dobrovich Art Gallery, the Museum of Old Popular Habits, the National Museum of the Textile Industry founded to commemorate the first cloth factory in Bulgaria, which was established in Sliven, and the Haji Danczov Ethnographic Museum, stand out.
The proximity of Stara Planina makes Sliven attractive for people who practice active tourism. The nearest areas include the Karandila National Park, which includes the Karandila Resort and Lake Karandila. You can get to it both by road and walking routes, as well as by the Silven-Karandila train. Dolapite Waterfall is also a charming destination for walks.
