Krichim is a town in Plovdiv Province, about 25 km south-west of Plovdiv, where the Vacha river leaves the Rhodopes for the Pazardzhik–Plovdiv plain. It has about 7,100 inhabitants (NSI, end of 2025) and is the only settlement in its municipality. The road up the Vacha gorge to Devin starts here.
The fortresses at Krichim guarded the pass into the Central Rhodopes. In 1190 the area was retaken in the campaign of Tsar Ivan Asen I. In 1198 the fortress was held by Ivanko, and the Byzantine sebastokrator George Palaiologos was killed storming it the same year. Tsar Asen’s inscription is linked either to the 1190 campaign or to Ivan Asen II around 1230.
By car from Plovdiv it is about 30 km, around 45 minutes; from Sofia about 150 km. Vacha (Krichim) station is on the Plovdiv–Peshtera line.
Perushtitsa (about 6 km), the town of Peshtera with Snezhanka cave, and the Krichim reservoir on the road to Devin.
Plovdiv region
6.1 km away
Plovdiv region
6.4 km away
Krichim is located in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Krichim is most easily reached by car. Use the coordinates above to navigate, or open the location in OpenStreetMap or your preferred maps app for turn-by-turn directions. Public transport options vary by region — for remote destinations a rental car gives the most flexibility.
Krichim can be visited year-round, but late spring (May–June) and early autumn (September–October) offer the most pleasant weather and fewer tourists. Summer is the busiest season; winter is the quietest, with shorter daylight and possible cold weather.
Bulgarian settlements typically reward unhurried walking — historic centres, churches and monasteries, local markets, and family-run restaurants serving regional dishes. Larger towns often have museums and seasonal cultural events. The local tourist information centre is a good first stop for current opening hours and what's on.
