SANDANSKI
General information
Sandanski is one of the best and internationally recognized SPA resorts in Bulgaria, “SPA destination 2009” prize winner for Bulgaria. The town is located in the district of Blagoevgrad, Southwestern Bulgaria. It is the third biggest town in the district with total population of 29,222 /June 2010 est./ . It is the administrative centre of the Municipality of Sandanski /population 43,688/.
Situated in the foot of the Pirin Mountains, on both banks of the Sandanska Bistritsa River, the resort is located at almost the same distance from Sofia and Thessaloniki and is a main centre on E 79 international road, part of Euro corridor № 4. Through the town there also passes Sofia-Koulata-Athens railway route.
The geographical location of Sandanski is a precondition for its extremely favourable climatic features. In combination with a concentration of thermal mineral springs in the region, the town becomes a recreation and entertainment centre. Its numerous tourists may take advantage of combining relaxing recreation in the beautiful town of Sandanski with a visit to the town of Melnik, unique with its architecture and Melnik Pyramids, and the Rojen Monastery which are located respectively at 22 km away and 28 km away from the town of Sandanski. Only 90 km away from the town is also the popular ski resort Bansko, attractive for visitors with its scenery and architecture. There is also a golf course. Last but not least, the proximity of Sandanski to the White Sea (around 110 km away) makes it still more attractive for its tourists and future residents.
History, culture and sights to see
The municipality of Sandanski has a rich cultural-historical inheritance and a lot of sights to see and has preserved exclusively valuable architectural-building monuments from ancient times, the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
Beyond the modern town of Sandanski the ruins of an ancient town lay, settled in II millennium AD. From there Spartacus came – the leader of the biggest slave riot (in 74) in the Roman Empire.
In Roman epoch the town was called Dezudava. Up to VIth century it had been one of the first Christian bishop’s centres in Bulgaria. At the end of the sixth century it was ruined by Barbarian tribes.
From those days it bore the name St Vrach in memory of the two brothers Kozma and Damyan who were people’s healers. That name the town bore until 1947, when it was renamed Sandanski in honour of Yane Sandanski (1872-1915). He was one of the leaders of the Inside Macedonian-Odrin Revolutionary Organization.
Climate and natural resources
The municipality of Sandanski is a wealthy municipality. Its greatest natural resources are the beautiful scenery, nature resources, unique climate, the huge cultural-historical inheritance and its people.
Sandanski is famous for its thermal mineral springs and favourable trans-Mediterranean climate. This in combination with the fresh breeze coming from the Pirin Mountains along the middle current of the Struma River make it into the best natural rehabilitation centre for bronchial asthma in Europe and respiratory problems treatment. It is known as the town with 288 days of annual sunshine. The climate in Sandanski is unique and provides the highest average temperature in Bulgaria - 14.7˚С, with mild winter and long, hot autumn.
The relative air moisture is 66 %. The spring starts early in April, and the autumn continues up to December. The summer is hot and the winter is with average temperatures of around zero. The air is exclusively clean.
Its unique climate is what makes it a popular tourist destination. It is typical for this resort to be warm and sunny all seasons. But perhaps, its most unique natural resource is the hyper-thermal mineral springs. They bring health and fame to this region namely as a balneo-therapy centre.
The mineral waters have a nearly uniform chemical composition, colourless, odourless, with a pleasant taste and curative properties. The temperature of the mineral springs is between 33˚С and 83˚С suitable both for bathing and drinking.
Climate-therapy in combination with balneo-therapy through mineral waters is considered as incredible potential for future tourist development.
St Vrach’s Park in the town of Sandanski
Sandanski and whole Bulgaria pride themselves on the unique town park bearing the old name of the town – St Vrach. It covers an area of 344 dka. Here grow over 100 tree species and more than 150 species of flowers. One can see centuries-old hollowed sycamores, willows, pine trees, pomegranate trees, figs, wild geranium, garden geranium and roses. The charm of the resort is its magnificent sycamores. Two of the trees have been declared as natural landmarks.
A multitude of alleys, wooden summer-houses, adventure playgrounds and other small corners around the town create unique conditions for recreation and entertainment.
Amongst the greenery of the park one can find the town stadium, the summer theatre, several outdoor swimming pools, an artificial pond with a restaurant, boats and water wheels and suspension-bridges over the Sandanski Bistritsa River.
Balneo-therapy and SPA treatment
The town of Sandanski is among Bulgaria’s most popular resort centres – a balneo-therapy centre of great national and international significance.
The town is an ideal place for modern science–based climate-therapy, spa treatment, rehabilitation, primary and secondary prophylactics and recreation. Eight of its balneological centres are located in the town park, and three of them are on the right bank of the Bistritza River. The main factors which characterise the climate of Sandanski are the factors of meteorological environment, which directly affect the warmth balance of the human body. Throughout the year its separate components can be used for treatment of bronchial asthma and a number of other diseases such as chronic pulmonary diseases, skin allergies, sinusitis, kidney, urological and neurological diseases. Associate Professor Dr Danail Petrov’s research and dissertation “Research on the efficiency of treatment with sick people suffering from bronchial asthma under the conditions of the resort of Sandanski” from 1979 onto the clinical, biochemical, functional, enzyme and immunological indicators with sick people having a different form and development of bronchial asthma under the conditions of Sandanski have proven to be highly effective. It results from a complex of beneficial bioclimatic factors, suitable annual temperature, air moisture, sun radiation and poor in allergens air. In 1962 a specialised sanatorium for balneo-treatment, including climate-treatment, physiotherapy, medicine and water-treatment through mineral waters was built in the town.
On the territory of the town there are over 30 modern hotels and a big part of them have modern SPA centres, using the curative mineral waters.
12 km away from the town of Sandanski is the village of Marikostinovo famous for its curative mud-beds.
Indications for medical treatment and prophylactic
• non-specific pulmonary diseases: chronic bronchitis, post-pneumonia or post-bronchopneumonia states, chronchiectasis, early pulmonary emphysema;
• conditions of the upper respiratory tract: chronic rhinitis, sinusitis;
• disturbances of the locomotory system of a degenerative or inflammatory origin: osteoarthrosis rheumatoid arthritis, tenosynovitis;
• neurological complaints: plexitis, radiculitis, slipped disc;
• allergic skin diseases: urticaria, psoriasis;
• some kidney and urological diseases and conditions of the digestive system: gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers in remission, colitis, glomerulonephritis, cystopyelitis.
Entertainment in Sandanski and the region
For many years Sandanski has been a festival centre in which different cultures meet. The following holidays are celebrated in the town: ‘Holiday of the young red wine’, ‘Holiday of my town’, the festival “With the Songs by the Bisserovs’ sisters”, the international youth festival “The Youth of the Balkans” and the famous all over the world Pirin Folk Festival.
The establishment of Pirin Folk festival dates back from 1992. In 2003 the festival received international recognition. It is a place where young performers, lyrics-writers and composers are given an opportunity to manifest their talents and quite often it turns out to be a springboard for their successful career. Pirin Folk festival is held within 2 days in the first week of September in the open amphitheatre located in the town park. There come a lot of foreign guests. Around the streets of the town you can feel the festival atmosphere. For the residents and guests, the municipality of Sandanski organizes a rich artistic programme on Bulgaria Square in the town centre, outside the summer theatre during the three days of the festival.
The resort town has a dozen cosy wine-bars, taverns, restaurants offering food specialities from the Pirin cuisine.
The town of Melnik, located 22 km away from the town of Sandanski, is the smallest town in Bulgaria. The small town is nestled amongst the Melnik sand pyramids in the south-western folds of South Pirin. It is declared as cultural-historical reserve and town-museum with the status of a unique village of international importance. The atmosphere is unique. There one can find architectural-artistic and historical monuments. The attractive natural landmarks provide a lot of opportunities for recreation and tourism. The town is renowned for its original thick red wine with specific flavour. The guests of Melnik can test the flavour of home-made Melnik wine in many places around Melnik, but the main attraction is the wine-testing in the only preserved wine-cellar-cave in Kordopoulov’s house. It is one of the biggest and oldest residential buildings in Bulgaria.
6 km away from Melnik is the Rojen Monastery – it is one of the oldest monasteries in Bulgaria. In the middle of the yard Rozhdestvo Bogorodichno Church /Virgin Mary’s Birth Church/ is raised with two chapels in it. The monastery church is a three-shipped pseudo-basilica, built probably at the end of XIV century and the beginning of XV century. The oldest fresco dates back from 1573. The windows are painted frescos. On one of them the date 1715 was written. In the neighbourhood of the monastery the grave of the famous revolutionary Yane Sandanski is located. In the Rojen Monastery you can see the wonder-working icon of Virgin Maria – the patron. Preserved its almost intact original architecture and frescos, the Rojen Monastery attracts pilgrims and tourists from all over the world. The church holiday is on 8th September (Little Virgin Mary’s Day or Malka Bogorodichka).
15 km away from Sandanski is the place called Roupite, which with its bright specifics significantly distinguishes from the remaining regions in the country. The place is a crater of an extinct volcano, and its outlines have been formed by the volcano hill Kozhuh. Roupite is known for their thermal springs with high curative properties, which attract a great number of visitors. In the Red Book of Bulgaria 13 species of plants from this region are included. On this land the famous fortune-teller Vanga used to live. The built by her Church St Petka and the house in which she used to live attract thousands of tourists.
Rila Monastery is the richest and largest monastery in Bulgaria. It was built in the 10th century. Nowadays, with its authentic atmosphere, valuable icons and unique woodcarvings, Rila Monastery that is announced a UNESCO World Heritage attracts people from all over the world. Rila Monastery is 63 km from Sandanski.
The famous ski-resort Bansko is only 90 km away from Sandanski. With its Renaissance architecture, local crafts, distinctive cuisine, unique local customs and folklore it attracts tourists from all over the world. High mountains, crystal-clean lakes, covered in snow footpaths, thermal mineral springs, town-museums, historical and cultural monuments, friendliness and hospitability – these are a part of the things which attract tourists from all over the worlds annually in the Pirin region. It is an ideal place for recreation far away from the noise and stress.
Samouil’s fortress is the name of a medieval fortress in the proximity of the town of Petritch, being included in the 100 national tourist sights by the Bulgarian Tourist Union. Typical for the region Renaissance architecture, the local crafts, distinctive cuisine, traditions in wine-making, local customs and unique folklore, along with the magnificent natural resources favour the development of rural tourism.