The breathtaking drive from Shanovo to Kolena

Set high in Stara Zagora Province in the historical region of Thrace of Bulgaria, the mountain road from Shanovo to Kolena is not for the faint of heart.

Shanovo-Kolena Road

Located in the Balkan mountains, north of Stara Zagora, in the southern part of the country, the road is paved, but the road conditions are really poor, due to the inclement weather. It’s 12.7km (7.89 miles) long, running north-south from Shanovo to Kolena.

The road tops out at 518m (1,699ft) above the sea level. It’s a steep drive hitting an 8% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps.