Karlovo is where Vasil Levski was born, and in Bulgaria that alone puts it on the map. Levski, the Apostle of Freedom, was the organiser of the revolutionary network against Ottoman rule, travelling from village to village in disguise until he was captured and hanged in Sofia in 1873, and he is still the most admired figure in Bulgarian history. His family house in Karlovo is a museum, with a small church next to it, and the town's main square has a statue of him. It is a modest, moving place, and many Bulgarians come here almost as pilgrims.
The town sits at the foot of the Balkan range, at the western end of the Rose Valley, the broad depression between the main range and the Sredna Gora where Damask roses are grown for their oil. In late May and early June the fields around Karlovo are full of pickers gathering the petals at dawn, when the oil content is highest, and the scent hangs over the valley. Above the town, the Stara Reka river tumbles out of a gorge, with a waterfall and a path leading up into the mountains. Neighbouring towns have their own famous sons: Kalofer, to the east, is the birthplace of Hristo Botev, and Sopot, just to the west, of the writer Ivan Vazov.
The riding here combines the valley and the mountains. The main road through the Rose Valley runs east and west along the foot of the range, with gentle curves and fine views of the mountains rising to the north, but it carries a lot of traffic. Just west of Karlovo, the road over the Troyan pass climbs north into the Balkan range, a fantastic ride with long climbs, plenty of bends and views over the mountains and the valley, leading to the high pass at Beklemeto before descending toward Troyan. The surface is decent, though rough patches appear, and the weather at the top can be far colder and wetter than in the valley.
Stations, supermarkets and kebab and grill joints make Karlovo an easy refuelling and lunch stop. The old part of town has some handsome Revival houses and a pleasant square. In early June the town hosts celebrations for the rose harvest, with parades and festivities, and accommodation fills up quickly then.