Smolyan is a town in the far south of Bulgaria near the border with Greece. It is the administrative and industrial centre of the homonymous Smolyan Province. The town is situated in the valley of the Cherna ("Black") and the Byala ("White") Rivers in the central Rhodopes at the foot of the mountains' highest part south of the popular ski resort Pamporovo. As of February 2011, it has a population of 30,283 inhabitants.

Due to its suitable location on top of Mount Rozhen, the Bulgarian National Astronomical Observatory is located nearby, with a planetarium in operation in the town. There is one theatre, the Rhodope Drama Theatre, and a gathering of theatre practitioners and scholars known as The Rhodopi International Theatre Laboratory is held every summer. There is also a regional historical museum founded in 1935.

Between the year of 2006 and 2011 Smolyan was capital of the Bulgarian hip-hop culture holding one of the greatest young people festivals on the Balkans -Jam On It. The festival brought artists, performers and public from all corners of the world.

In the past Smolyan was known as important cultural center in Bulgaria.

Smolyan has an elite division football team, PFC Rodopa Smolyan, that had been playing in the A Professional Football Group between 2003-2007.

There are also Olympic gold medalists from Smolyan in the area of heavyweight lifting and swimming.

The largest church in southern Bulgaria, the Cathedral of Saint Vissarion of Smolyan, was inaugurated in the city in July 2006.