Sopot is one of the best places in Europe because of the steep southerly slopes of a 400 km long mountain range. A chair lift just 300 meters from Nest.bg takes you 850 meters higher, up to 1450m above sea level, where you can easily catch thermals and go cross-country. A classic route is to fly east for 20 or 50km and come back and land at the Monastery Meadow, next to the cable lift and 300 meters from your room.
Above Sopot is the 2100 m high Levski peak, the beginning of the highest and most spectacular part of the whole mountain range up to the Botev peak (2376m), Dzhendema (Hell) and Raiskoto Praskalo (the Paradise Waterfall) above. Stara Planina means Old Mountain and indeed it's rounded grassy summits were once the border between glacier-covered Europe and the warmer Mediterranean climate.
South Bulgaria was part of the ancient Thracian civilization, which co-existed with the ancient Greeks. Their main god was Dionysius, and wine and parties were part of life. Rose Valley near Karlovo and Kazanlak is full of Thracian tombs and the most interesting ones are around Kazanlak and Starosel, both 50km from Sopot. The 13th century Anevsko kale fortress is 5km away. St Spas monastery, where the national hero Vasil Levski took his quest towards immortality is just 400 meters from the Nest. Koprivshtitsa, an attractive town with typical Bulgarian architecture is 30km from Sopot.
Rose Valley of Karlovo and Sopot is a lovely place to be...