Malyovitsa is a peak and ski resort in the northwestern part of the Rila Mountains in southwestern Bulgaria

Bulgaria

Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...

. It is 2,729 m high and is one of the most popular tourist regions in the mountain. The Rila Monastery

Rila Monastery

The Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila, better known as the Rila Monastery is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It is situated in the southwestern Rila Mountains, south of the capital Sofia in the deep valley of the Rilska River at an elevation of above sea level...

 is situated at its southern foot, and Malyovitsa Ski Centre — with two downhill tracks and two ski drags — is to the north. The main starting point for treks in the region is Malyovitsa Hut (at about 2 hours walk from the top of the summit).

The Malyovitsa region is the cradle of Bulgarian rock climbing and mountaineering. The first organized expeditions were made in 1921-22 by tourists from the town of Samokov

Samokov

Samokov is a town in Sofia Province in the southwest of Bulgaria. It is situated in a kettle between the mountains Rila and Vitosha, 55 kilometres from the capital Sofia...

. The imposant north wall of the summit was first climbed in 1938 by Konstantin Savadzhiev and Georgi Stoimenov (about 200 m, grade UIAA V+). That was the greatest success of Bulgarian climbers for its time and is deemed as the date of birth of Bulgarian mountaineering. Later other walls in the region were climbed too with the most difficult routes being made in 1970s. In the last 15 years, Malyovitsa region has become very attractive rock-climbing district with the possibilities it gives for mountaineering and sport rock climbing.

Other interesting walls and summits are: Zliya Zab (200 m wall with one of the most famous climbing routes in the country — Vezhdite), Dvuglav (a 450 m high wall, with climbing routes often over 500 m long), Iglata, Dyavolski Igli (several aretes with the hardest climbs in the region), Ushite and others. A wall that is available for not so experienced rock-climbers is "Kuklata". It is situated across Malyovitsa hut, 10 minutes walking, and the main part of its tours is bolted.

Honour

Malyovitsa Crag

Malyovitsa Crag

Malyovitsa Crag is a rocky peak rising to 290 m in the east extremity of Delchev Ridge, Tangra Mountains on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Surmounting Sopot Ice Piedmont to the west...

 on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands

South Shetland Islands

The South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands, lying about north of the Antarctic Peninsula, with a total area of . By the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, the Islands' sovereignty is neither recognized nor disputed by the signatories and they are free for use by any signatory for...

, Antarctica is named after Malyovitsa.