For millennia, the Iskar and Struma Rivers have carved deep gorges through the Balkan, Rila, Osogovo, and Pirin mountains. This rugged region was known only for centuries for its simple, hardy mountain people, the Shopi. Spread over parts of Serbia, Bulgaria, and Macedonia, today, it is known for its dramatic mountain scenery, hidden monastic enclaves, and the city of Sofia.
Any visit to Shopluk will naturally start in the only major city and the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia. The city sits in a wide glacial basin surrounded by soaring mountain peaks. Within this range lie hidden monasteries, grottos, and spectacular scenery waiting to be discovered. Sofia is a relatively young city, with only a tiny tourist district and a poorly preserved historical center. The Bulgarians stereotype the residents of Sofia as difficult and rude, and my experience confirms this. Any adventure to Shopluk or Bulgaria should look outwards to the region’s natural and cultural landscapes.
The Shopi people were pastoralist Bulgarians that once inhabited the highlands and mountains around the Iskar and Struma Valleys. Before the population transfers of the 20th century, they formed the most significant cultural group in a broad regional arc from the Balkan mountains down to the Pirin mountains, encompassing parts of modern-day Serbia and North Macedonia. They get their name from the shepherd’s rod, or “Shop” in many South Slavic Languages.
The pastoral background of the Shopi means that they were historically stereotyped as a hillbilly and uneducated mountain people. As the Shopi have slowly become increasingly associated with the residents of Sofia, this stereotype has become something of a meme. Today the Shopi are used as a frequent strawman for rude, dumb, or asocial behavior.
