Persina National Park

The Persina Nature Park is situated along the Svishtov - Belene lowlands, including a part of the surrounding steep Danube coast around Nikopol and Svishtov and all the Bulgarian islands in that part of Danube river.
Persina Natural Park is the youngest park in Bulgaria, founded in December 2000. It covers 21,762.2 ha. There are two island groups within the territory of the park: the one in Nikopol with four islands and the Belene group, known as Belene Danube Archipelago (BDA), which consists of 19 islands, with total length of 18 km. Among them is the largest Bulgarian island - Persina, which has given the name of the Natural Park.

Several protected areas are situated in the region. Most of them are very important for conservation of valuable and characteristic habitats with the respective animal and plant species - Persinski Blata Nature Reserve, Kitka reserve, Persin East Natural Monument, Kaikusha Protected Area. The bird world is rich and original. All 154 species have conservation status. Along with the natural wealth, Persina NP territory is a witness to a rich historical past. There are three religious communities living in the area of the park: Catholics, Orthodox and Mohammedans. For a very long time Belene was the capital of the Pavlikians - the Bulgarian Catholics. The excavations of Roman and Byzantium camp Nove, the Kaleto place, dating back from the 13th and 14th centuries are proof of the century-long history of the town of Svishtov. The medieval Rock church around Nikopol is a valuable archeological object. The Shishman castle and the St. Peter and St. Pavel church date back from the Second Bulgarian Kingdom.