Top SPA destinations in Europe: Best SPA Resorts in Bulgaria

One of the most beautiful countries in Eastern Europe, Bulgaria, also has some of the best spa resorts on the continent. Combine your trip to the country with some spa procedures and indulge yourself for a couple of days. Below you will find more information on why my country Bulgaria is a top choice for a spa holiday and where to find the best spa resorts in Bulgaria.

Bulgaria – One of the best thermal SPA destinations in Europe

Bulgaria is a beautiful country, and its location, climate, and landscape offer something for everyone. And one of the most important and precious natural gifts is the mineral springs. Combined with high-class modern hotels around them, they make Bulgaria one of the best thermal spa destinations in Europe. So, if you are searching for a destination for your spa holiday, you should include Bulgaria in your list.

Bulgaria is in second place in Europe after Iceland regarding hot springs’ presence. You will find mineral water springs (80% warm or hot) scattered throughout the country – near the mountains and along the Black Sea Coast. Bulgaria has over 1600 springs, of which more than 600 are mineral springs. Most of them are located in Southern Bulgaria, where you can find excellent conditions for a spa holiday. The water temperatures are from 20° to 103°C (average – 37° to 50°C.) So generally speaking, Bulgaria has all the conditions necessary for developing round the year spa tourism. If you don’t believe me, go and find it by yourself.

History of Bulgarian mineral springs

It is long, influenced by Thracians and Romans between the I – VII century. Thracians first discovered the healing effects of thermal water. After that, Romans built thousands of Roman baths for treating various diseases.

The Roman bath in Varna (2nd century) was the biggest Roman bath on the Balkan Peninsula. Burgas Mineral bath (Aquae Calidae – Thermopolis) was a large center visited by emperors, kings, and sultans. In Roman times were established some of the most famous balneotherapy centers – Hisar (Augusta), Kyustendil (Pautalia), Sapareva Banya (Germanea), Sofia (Ulpia Serdica).

In the Middle Ages and Modern Times, Turkish baths were built on the ruins of their Roman predecessors, where in the early 20th century, modern and attractive balneotherapy centers appeared.

Hot springs in Bulgaria and their healing powers

Yes, my country Bulgaria is one of the leading spa destinations in Europe with excellent spa resorts. Here you can find mineral springs with different chemical characteristics, temperature, mineralization, gases, and effects on the body. 

Note: Mineral waters have a lot of benefits for your health. 

They can strengthen the immune system, improve metabolism, purify the body from toxins, and treat various diseases such as bronchitis and gynecological and skin diseases. In addition, mineral waters help heal the liver, kidney, digestive, neurological and ophthalmologic cases. 

Balneological and spa centers offer different healing procedures and massages: mud therapy, chromotherapy, thalassotherapy, aromatherapy, etc. 

You just need to choose one of the many spa resorts in Bulgaria and indulge yourself in a luxury hotel for a couple of days. Below you will find the best spa resorts in Bulgaria where you can spend a healthy and relaxing holiday.

Best spa resorts in Bulgaria

Velingrad

Velingrad in the Rhodope Mountains (130 km southeast of Sofia) is the “Spa Capital of the Balkans,” with more than 70 diverse mineral springs and water temperatures between 22° and 91°C. In addition, here you can find a real natural gem – the biggest karst spring in Bulgaria, Kleptuza, with an average water temperature of 8°C. In this small town, you will find many excellent spa hotels, baths, and swimming pools, offering a variety of spa procedures. It is one of my favorite destinations for a spa vacation in Bulgaria. Check one of the best spa hotels in Velingrad and why it is an excellent place for your next spa vacation – Spa Club Bor 4* Velingrad.

When in Velingrad, you can combine your holiday with a mountain walk. You will find Yundola Mountain in the area, a convenient starting point for Milev’s Rocks mountain route. Here you can also see the remains of Tsepina Medieval Fortress – ruins of fortress walls and churches from the 11th-13th century.

Sapareva Banya

Sapareva Banya is a small town but a famous SPA resort in Bulgaria. It is in the Western part of the country in Rila Mountain, 80 km away from Sofia. What unique can you find in Sapareva Banya? Here it is the only mineral geyser in the Balkans. It is one of the hottest geysers in the world and the hottest in Europe (103°C). The hot mineral geyser is in the center of the town. In addition, in Sapareva Banya, tourists can see interesting archeological finds from the ancient village Germanea and the church St Nicola (13th century). Sapareva Banya is a starting point for many tourist routes in Rila Mountain, near the beautiful mountain resort Panichishte.

Hisarya 

Another of the best spa resorts in Bulgaria is Hisarya. One of Bulgaria’s oldest balneotherapy and spa centers is located in Sredna Gora Mountain, 175 km from Sofia. Hisarya has 22 springs with different characteristics and temperatures from 37° to 52°C. Many quality spa hotels in Hisarya provide therapies with mineral waters, aromatherapy, massages, mud procedures, acupuncture, etc.

In addition, you can go for a walk and see some unique remains of the Fortress of Diocletianopolis town from the 3rd -4th centuries. For example, the preserved Southern Gate, called The Camels, because of its form. 

Near Hisarya and the village of Starosel, you can find the unique Starosel Thracian cult center. It includes several temples, archaeological monuments, and remains of royal tombs. If you are interested in wine tourism, you can visit one of the best SPA complexes and wineries in Bulgaria – Starosel.

Devin

Devin is located in the Rhodope Mountains, 210 km away from Sofia. The town is an attractive tourist destination that combines various relief and beautiful nature. There are mineral water springs with average temperatures from 16° to 78°C. You can relax in modern hotels with luxurious spa centers and enjoy different spa procedures.  

Mineral baths are used for the treatment of many diseases. For example, it helps treat nervous, reproductive system, and skin diseases; gastrointestinal, liver, kidney, and urologic diseases if you drink the water. 

The area also offers some exciting spots. In the center of Devin, there are remains of a medieval necropolis from the 13th – 14th centuries. If you are interested in hiking, the area has great opportunities. The rock phenomenon – the Elephant – is 4 km away from Devin. Trigrad Village is nearby. Getting to the village, you will pass the Trigrad Gorge and see the Trigrad River and the impressive cave Dyavolskoto garlo (The Devil’s Throat Cave). Nearby are Pamporovo and Chepelare – popular winter resorts in Bulgaria.

Ognyanovo

Ognyanovo is situated in the western part of the Rhodope Mountains, 200 km south of Sofia. There are 24 mineral springs with an average temperature of 39° – 40°C. They are located in two spring fields of mineral waters. These are Krairechno (near the river – Town Baths) and Kraiselsko (near the village – Village Baths), where you can find different hotels.

Important tourist attractions in the area are the ruins of the Roman town Nicopolis ad Nestum and the village with architecture from the National Revival Period – Kovachevitsa.

Banya

Banya is located in the southwest of Bulgaria, between the mountains Rila, Pirin, and the Rhodopes. It is 158 km away from the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia. In the winter, ski lovers choose Banya because it is also near the mountain resort Bansko. It is lovely to spend some time in the hotels’ outdoor hot pools while it is snowing over you. But the resort is a perfect destination for summer tourism, too.

The mineral springs of Banya are 72, with water temperatures between 37° – 57°C. The water is weakly mineralized and treats gynecological and nervous system diseases. There are also mud-curing deposits if you are interested in such procedures.

Dobrinishte

Dobrinishte is a village in the Pirin Mountain, 163 km away from Sofia. It is one of the best SPA resorts in Bulgaria and a preferred destination because of the ski resort Bansko nearby. Dobrinishte is suitable for balneotherapy, tracking, alpinism, and skiing. In addition, it is a starting point for “Gotce Delchev” and “Bezbog” chalets, where you can find excellent conditions for mountain tourism and ski sports. A lift connects the village with the Bezbog chalet for your convenience.

The Black Sea Coast

I am sure you don’t think about balneotherapy and spa when you think about the sea. But on the Black Sea Coast, there are a few first-class spa centers where you can find relaxing procedures and mud treatment. The Bulgarian Black Sea region has resources of healing mud. Nowadays, many people go there for different procedures with cleansing effects. Varna, Albena, Balchik, Burgas, Pomorie, and Sozopol are the biggest spa resorts where you can book such mud-treatment programs.

What is your favorite spa resort? I would like to know more! 🙂

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