Municipality of Stambolovo is located in the northeastern part of the Rhodopes near the Thracian Plain. The river Arda passes through the municipality. This, along with the presence of volcanic rocks, reaching places up to 150 meters high, has led to the presence of wonderful shapes and rock formations. On the territory of the municipality can be observed almost all the main elements of the landscape: rivers, with their banks and drained old river beds, lakes, wet meadows and other ecological zones, many caves, rock niches and cliffs and other natural areas connecting all the mountain ranges, grasslands and meadows, flooded river terraces and unique fauna.
It is believed that the region of Stambolovo is one of the oldest wine producing regions. The favorable geographic location and the mild climate have attracted different Thracian and Slavic tribes that settled on these lands. The making and consumption of wine has been one of the main elements of the traditional Thracian culture so they have been famous for their wines in the ancient world. Remains of this time are the so called “sharapans” – Thracian wineries, consisting of rock slopes and joining channels used for wine production.
The enormous rock complexes and slopes are roosting places for a large number of different species, with a limited distribution in Bulgaria. Along with the predominantly dry-loving plants in the valleys, there are small areas of mesophilic oak forests. Here is the Protected Site “Golyam Sipei”, which is located on the northern shore of Studen Kladenets Dam. The region is characterized by really high biodiversity and has been declared an important ornithological site of global importance. Very important is the presence of 87 bird species, of which 38 have an unfavorable conservation status in Europe, and also one of the important nests of the Griffon Vulture in Bulgaria is located there. In the protected area the only gray heron (Ardea cinerea) population in the country can be found.