This small Bulgarian town played a key role in the 1876 April Uprising against Ottoman rule and houses a gold treasure from 300 BC in its history museum.
Panagyurishte lies 91 kilometers east of Sofia in the Sredna Gora mountains. You can walk through 19th-century merchant houses with painted wooden ceilings, examine nine solid gold Thracian vessels in the Historical Museum, or hike the 9-kilometer trail to Oborishte's forest clearing. Stop at a local restaurant to try the town's signature poached eggs served on thick yogurt with melted butter and crumbled sirene cheese.
Getting to Panagyurishte
You can reach Panagyurishte by bus from Sofia's Southern Bus Station, with the journey taking about two hours. If you're driving from Sofia, take the Trakia highway east and follow the signs north at the Panagyurishte exit - the drive takes about 90 minutes. The town's bus station sits in the center, while the train station lies 3 kilometers away, making buses the more convenient option.
Museums and Historical Houses
Inside the Dudekova House, you'll find rooms with copper cookware, wooden furniture, and weaving looms from the 1800s. The Rayna Knyaginya House contains the workshop where local teacher Rayna Popgeorgieva sewed the uprising's flag. In the Lekova House, carved wooden ceilings and painted walls show the living spaces of 19th-century merchants. A single ticket for 7 BGN (4 BGN for students) gives you access to all museums.
The Golden Treasure of Panagyurishte
The Historical Museum displays nine Thracian gold vessels weighing over 6 kilograms. Three brothers found these vessels in 1949 while working at a tile factory near the town. Each piece depicts scenes from Greek mythology, with the largest being an amphora showing scenes of the Trojan War. The museum opens daily from 9:30 AM to 5 PM except Mondays when it closes at noon.
The Apriltsi Memorial Complex
The white stone and bronze memorial rises 30 meters above Manyovo hill. From the viewing platform, you can see the town center and the mountains of Sredna Gora. A marked hiking path behind the monument leads 9 kilometers to Oborishte's forest clearing.
Local Food
The town's signature dish combines poached eggs on thick yogurt with melted butter and crumbled sirene cheese. Look for "Eggs Panagyurishte Style" on menus throughout town. The central square gets busy during lunch hours, particularly at places serving grilled meats and bean soups.
Mountain Activities
The beech forests around Panagyurishte have several marked hiking trails. In summer, you might spot locals gathering wild strawberries and porcini mushrooms. The Luda Yana River creates small rapids through town, with paved paths along its banks. During snowy winters, you can ski on a 400-meter run in the nearby mountains.
