The Rila Mountains
The Rila Mountains are probably the best known and most frequented mountain range in Bulgaria. They posses a rugged alpine beauty, with rocky ridges, bristling peaks, plunging precipices and a host of sparkling lakes and streams. The Rila Mountains are thought to derive their name from an ancient Thracian word meaning “rich in water”. It is certainly a fitting title, for the Rila Mountains form one of the chief water catchment areas in the whole of the Balkan Peninsula. The Mesta and Maritsa, two of the greatest rivers in the region, have their source in the Rila Mountains, whilst a third, the Struma, receives many of its major tributaries from the range.