# Tsepina, Bulgaria: what it is and when to go > Tsepina is a castle and town in the western Rhodope mountains, southern Bulgaria, now in ruins (крепост Цепина), at 1,080 m above sea level. Interests: History. The best time to visit is May to October. In June there are 15 h 03 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 57. It has articles in 9 Wikipedias, so it is not one of the busiest places in Bulgaria: one to enjoy at a calmer pace. Here is what it is, where it lies, when to come, how to get there and what else is nearby to turn it into a trip. - Address: https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/tsepina/ - Reviewed on: 2026-10-02 - Language: en ## In a nutshell - **What it is:** Castle and town in the western Rhodope mountains, southern Bulgaria, now in ruins · History - **Local name:** крепост Цепина - **Where:** Bulgaria - **Elevation:** 1,080 m - **Best time:** May to October. - **Nearest airport:** SOF Sofia, 89 km as the crow flies - **Coordinates:** 42.08573, 24.12391 ## What it is and where Tsepina is a castle and town in the western Rhodope mountains, southern Bulgaria, now in ruins (крепост Цепина), at 1,080 m above sea level. It has articles in 9 Wikipedias, so it is not one of the busiest places in Bulgaria: one to enjoy at a calmer pace. Its coordinates are 42.08573, 24.12391; the nearest main airport is Sofia Airport (SOF, Sofia), 89 km as the crow flies. How to get around Bulgaria (train, car, bus) is covered in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/#moverse). - [Where it is](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=42.085734%2C24.12391) - [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=42.085734%2C24.12391) It is one of the [History](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/historia/) places in Bulgaria. In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) it is already on your trip map next to the places you save yourself, and it goes into a day's plan with one tap. ## When to go The best time to visit Tsepina is **May to October**. | Mes | Época | Hours of daylight | | --- | --- | --- | | January | Possible | 9 h 15 | | February | Possible | 10 h 22 | | March | Possible | 11 h 40 | | April | Possible | 13 h 09 | | May | Best time | 14 h 23 | | June | Best time | 15 h 03 | | July | Best time | 14 h 47 | | August | Best time | 13 h 42 | | September | Best time | 12 h 16 | | October | Best time | 10 h 50 | | November | Possible | 9 h 34 | | December | Possible | 8 h 57 | In June there are 15 h 03 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 57. Daylight hours are calculated from the site's latitude for the 15th of each month; when planning a full day on foot they matter as much as the weather. When to go to Bulgaria in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/#cuando-ir). ## Before you go to Bulgaria To enter Bulgaria there are 6 things to sort out before you leave, starting with “Valid Spanish ID card (DNI) or passport”: they are all, with their deadlines, in [the Bulgaria checklist](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/#antes-de-salir). Currency: Euro (EUR) since 1 January 2026; plugs: Type C and F · 230 V · 50 Hz (the same plug as in Spain); emergencies: 112. In [Kokai](https://kokai.app/en/) you tick off the checklist inside your trip, and each item reminds you when it is time to do it. ## What is nearby - [Dorkovo Museum](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/pliocene-epoch-park/): Paleontology museum about the Pliocene epoch in Pazardzhik Province, Bulgaria · 4.0 km - [Milevi Skali](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/milevi-skali/): Summit · 6.6 km - [ST512 Velingrad - Batak](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/st512-velingrad-batak/): Hiking · 11 km - [History museum Velingrad](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/historical-museum-velingrad/): Museum in Velingrad · 12 km - [Central mineral beach](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/central-mineral-beach/): Hot spring · 13 km Distances are as the crow flies. Everything else is in [the Bulgaria guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/). ## More in Bulgaria: History - [Rila Monastery](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/rilski-manastir/): Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria - [Boyana Church](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/boyana-church/): church in Sofia, Bulgaria - [Madara Rider](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/caballero-de-madara/): early medieval rock relief - [Srebarna Nature Reserve](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/srebarna-nature-reserve/): nature reserve and biosphere reserve in Bulgaria - [Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/iglesias-rupestres-de-ivanovo/): UNESCO World Heritage Site in Ruse Province, Bulgaria - [Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/thracian-tomb-of-sveshtari/): tomb in Bulgaria Every Bulgaria place under History, each with its season, is on [its page](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/historia/). ## Frequently asked questions ### What is Tsepina? It is a castle and town in the western Rhodope mountains, southern Bulgaria, now in ruins (крепост Цепина in the local language). It has articles in 9 Wikipedias, so it is not one of the busiest places in Bulgaria: one to enjoy at a calmer pace. ### When is the best time to visit Tsepina? May to October. In June there are 15 h 03 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 57. ### How do you get to Tsepina? The nearest main airport is Sofia Airport (SOF), 89 km as the crow flies. From there, [directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=42.085734%2C24.12391) opens the route on the map, and how to get around Bulgaria is explained in [its country guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/#moverse). ### How do I add it to my trip? With one tap. In Kokai it is already on the Bulgaria map, next to the places you save yourself: add it to a day's plan, give it a time and, if you like, get a reminder when you pass nearby. ### What else is around here? Nearby you have [Dorkovo Museum](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/pliocene-epoch-park/), [Milevi Skali](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/milevi-skali/), [ST512 Velingrad - Batak](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/st512-velingrad-batak/). The rest is in [the Bulgaria guide](https://kokai.app/en/paises/europa/bulgaria/). Data from [OpenStreetMap](https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/494981763), licensed under the ODbL, and from [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q191385), CC0. More about Tsepina on [Wikipedia](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zepina). Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in [credits](https://kokai.app/en/aviso/#creditos).