Dominated by the peaks of the Pirin Mountains, the people of this region inhabit the wide Struma valley as the river carves its way towards the Aegean Sea. Due to its relative isolation from the rest of Bulgaria, it is considered separate from Shopluk and represents a borderland between Macedonia and Bulgaria. Today it is known for its traditional architecture and excellent wine.
Pirin is primarily known for the town of Melnik and the wine the region produces. The Struma Valley was the gateway to Bulgaria from the South, and one of the primary mountain passes through the Balkan mountains. For centuries it was an important trade route and a center of agriculture.
Isolated from the north by the Pirin and Rila Mountains, the region once offered a geographic and, thus, cultural connection to the people of Macedonia. However, Communist rule in Bulgaria and Yugoslavian Macedonia resulted in a significant divergence in the language and shared experiences of these historically close regions.
