Villages

Bansko, Dobrinishte, Razlog and Banya are only a few kilometres apart, but each feels different. From ski town to spa village: this is the valley where we live.

The best-known village in the valley

Bansko

In winter Bansko is the ski town of Bulgaria, with a gondola that goes up the mountain from the centre. But behind the ski shops lies an old town with cobblestones, stone houses and heavy wooden gates. In the 18th and 19th centuries it was a wealthy trading town; Holy Trinity Church from 1835 and Velyan House still show that. Pirin Street runs from the square straight into the mountains. In summer you walk right into the national park, and in August the Jazz Festival plays on the square.

Jazz FestivalGondola to the slopes

Old town of Bansko Skiing

Our village: quiet, with hot springs

Dobrinishte

Dobrinishte means something like 'good place', and that is true. It lies 6 km from Bansko and is quiet and relaxed. There are 17 springs with water of 30 to 43 °C, a Roman bath just outside the village and the Silver Water spring where you put your feet in the warm water. From the Gotse Delchev hut the chairlift goes up to Bezbog, and the narrow-gauge railway ends here. In summer there is dancing on the square on Saturday evenings, on 6 May the village celebrates St. George's Day and on 22 September Independence Day. This is where we live.

Bezbog chairliftThermal baths, 17 springsSt. George's Day, 6 May

Cable cars and lifts Thermal baths Local dishes

The lively heart of the valley

Razlog

Razlog is the largest town in the valley, with some 10,000 inhabitants, shops, markets and all facilities. The renovated centre has a car-free square with fountains and terraces, the Sveti Blagoveshtenie church and a history museum with traditional costumes and crafts. On 1 January the Kukeri parade through the streets here, the biggest festival of the region. Climb the 365 steps to the observation tower for a view over the whole valley, from the Pirin to the Rila.

Kukeri on 1 JanuaryObservation Tower

Culture and events

The village of hot springs

Banya

Banya means 'bath', and that says it all. Water of 37 to almost 60 °C comes from more than 70 springs. Thracians and Romans already bathed here, and old bathhouses still stand. The village lies between Razlog and Bansko, small and relaxed, with spa hotels and outdoor pools where you can swim even in winter. From the edge of the village you look out on the Pirin and the Rila.

70 hot springsUp to 60 °C

Thermal baths

Affiliate links: we receive a small fee, you pay nothing extra.