Incredible View
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Dine and Relax
Great food, such as the dishes of the Rhodope Mountains, is best enjoyed in fresh air with a beautiful view unfolding in front of you. From our porch and the two balconies you can see nearby farmland, the valley where the town of Zlatograd is located, and even look across the Greek border. What better place to relax for a few days...
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Southward View
Facing south, we are overlooking the valley of River Golyama winding towards Zlatograd. To the left you can see the hills with the Orthodox chapel Sveta Nedelya dating back to the sixth century. To the right another valley is opening up - that of River Erma flowing into a reservoir and ultimately into Golyama.
Immediately below the guest house are patches of farmland with typical haystacks and seasonal crops. The peaks further back are already on Greek territory, the border is some 5 km away.
Straight ahead, a small hill juts out with a few farm houses and a grove of trees. Only five minutes away is an even more impressive view - the valley and reservoir of Erma River and even the rooftops or evening lights of Zlatograd.
Our house is on the front of Startsevo, we are in the first line of houses. Unlike most other houses in the village, we have no immediate neighbors on two sides and can enjoy this magnificent view instead.
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Porch and Balconies
The front porch invites to sit in the sun and relax. Sheltered by the house itself, it is the perfect place to have a meal or enjoy a drink. It is large enough to easily accommodate up to twelve people. We have put up a garden table with six chairs, but more can be added quickly. A large sunscreen provides cool shade during the day.
Above the porch, the living room balcony runs almost the full length of the house. You can use it for a breath of fresh air or a smoke. Here we often cook on an electric grill conveniently set up next to the kitchen, ensuring that food can be prepared in the fresh air while having full access to household amenities. A larger, charcoal barbecue grill is set up on the porch below.
There is a second balcony that faces west. It is partially covered by a tall lime tree, spanning its shade over the balcony. Thus, even on hot summer days it stays cool there.
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Night or Day
No matter whether you prefer the rural lifestyle and are looking to turn in early, or would rather stay awake all night, one thing is certain - after sunset you will be surrounded by calm and quiet.
Moreover, even the impressive view of the surrounding valleys during the day is surpassed by the incredibly clear night sky seen from our balcony.
Startsevo, Zlatograd and the sparsely populated Rhodope Mountains in general emit so little light that at night stars are visible in great detail. The effect is even more stunning at midnight, when the street lights are suddenly turned off - the mountain landscape disappears and the sky is ablaze with countless stars and constellations.
More Highlights
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Most of Startsevo and its surroundings are ecologically pristine due to lack of development. This allows for ecotourism in the most authentic way.
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Besides the delicious offerings of the authentic local restaurants, you can request home-made cuisine from fresh organic produce right out of our garden.
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Every year we grow a large amount of organic fruit and vegetables in our garden, some of which we preserve for later consumption.