Chepino Valley
Due to its geographic location, the valley has a considerably milder climate than that in other parts of Bulgaria. The slopes that surround the valley are covered with venerable coniferous forests, mainly of spruce. The second highest peak of the Rhodopes, Golyama Syutkya, is located nearby, and an important city in the valley is Velingrad.
The valley takes its name from the medieval Bulgarian fortress of Tsepina, the capital of the domain of Despot Alexius Slav in the 13th century, which was excavated near the village of Dorkovo.
In the early 17th century, the Eastern Orthodox Bulgarian inhabitants of the valley were Islamized by the Ottoman authorities of the time, and thus today the population is mixed, with both Orthodox Bulgarians and Pomaks (Muslim Bulgarians) inhabiting the valley.
42°1′N 24°5′E / 42.017°N 24.083°E