Lyubimets (Bulgarian: Любимец) is a small town in Haskovo Province, southern-central Bulgaria. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Lyubimets Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 7,670 inhabitants.

The town's nearest neighbour is Svilengrad. It is positioned near the Greek and Turkish borders, and has an international TIR trucking road travel past it. Lyubimets has some agricultural, industrial, and commercial industries as well as a small tourist industry. The main tourist attraction is the rue du fromage located just outside the town to the west. The peak tourist season is May through September but is open all year round, and some say best seen at night. Former name of her was Habibchevo (Habibçeova for Turkish).

Lyubimets is the seat of Lyubimets municipality (part of Haskovo Province), which, in addition to Lyubimets, includes the following 9 villages:

Hristo Botev (Bulgarian: Христо Ботев, also transliterated as Hristo Botyov) (6 January 1848 – 1 June 1876), born Hristo Botyov Petkov (Bulgarian: Христо Ботьов Петков), was a Bulgarian poet and national revolutionary. Botev is widely considered by Bulgarians to be a symbolic historical figure and national hero.

Botev was born in Kalofer (some historians suggested that he was born in Karlovo and after several days was brought to Kalofer). His father, Botyo Petkov (1815–1869), was a teacher and one of the most significant figures of the late period of the Bulgarian National Revival towards the end of the Ottoman occupation. He had a strong influence on his son during the latter's youth.

In 1863, after completing his elementary education in Kalofer, Botev was sent by his father to a high school in Odessa. While there, he was deeply impressed by the work of the liberal Russian poets of the day. He left high school in 1865 and spent the next two years teaching in Odessa and Bessarabia. In the meantime he began creating his first poetic works and also established strong connections with the Russian and Polish revolutionary movement. His political views soon started to take shape.