During our travel in the Rhodope mountains we stayed in a beautiful house with very friendly and hospitable hosts in Shiroka Laka. The village is an architectural and folklore reserve, famous for its remarkably preserved Bulgarian National Revival houses, featuring white stone facades, wooden overhangs, and heavy slate roofs.
One of the key sights is the historic Church of the Holy Mother of God, built in just 38 days in 1834
Declared an architectural reserve in 1964, Shiroka Laka showcases the distinctive 19th-century Bulgarian Revival building style with its cobblestone streets and historic stone bridges.
Beyond its amazing visual charm, Shiroka Laka is celebrated as the heart of Rhodope folklore - home to the deep, haunting sounds of the Bulgarian
kaba gaida and centuries-old local traditions. The village houses the renowned National School of Folk Arts, making it a vital cradle for traditional Rhodope songs and master bagpipers.
The local taverns offer authentic Rhodopean specialties like
patatnik (a seasoned potato dish) or
klin (a local pastry wedge).
Our hosts treated us to a traditional Rhodope dinner with several appetizers, main course dish with wild bore meat, wild mushrooms and other local delicacies, that made the evening absolutely unforgettable.
