Sapareva Banya

Sapareva Banya (Bulgarian: Сапарева баня) is a spa town in southwestern Bulgaria, part of Kyustendil Province. It sits at 983 m elevation at the north foot of the Rila Mountains, 15 km east of Dupnitsa. Known for its hot mineral water reaching 103°C — the hottest in the Balkans — and a geyser that sprang forth in the town centre in 1957. The Roman town of Germania once stood here, and the great Byzantine general Belisarius was born at this location.

By Plane

The nearest airport is Sofia, about 70 km north.

By Train

The nearest railway station is in Dupnitsa (15 km west) on the Sofia–Blagoevgrad line. Local buses connect Sapareva Banya to Dupnitsa.

By Car / Road

Sapareva Banya is about 15 km east of Dupnitsa on National Road 62, which continues east towards Samokov and Borovets.

The town is compact and walkable. The geyser and mineral baths are within walking distance of the centre.

• The geyser in the town centre — a natural hot water fountain that erupted in 1957
• St Nicholas Church — a medieval Orthodox church from the 12th–13th century
• St George's Church — built during the Bulgarian National Revival (18th century)
• Forty Martyrs Church — built in 1859
• Roman ruins of the ancient town of Germania

Take the mineral baths and balneotherapy treatments. The mineral water is hyperthermal (103°C), hydrocarbonate-sulphate-sodium, and is claimed to treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system, nervous system, and upper respiratory tract. The town has several spa complexes.

Restaurants and mehanas serve Bulgarian cuisine, with an emphasis on local produce and mountain specialties.

The mineral water is the main attraction. Cafes serve coffee and soft drinks.

Several spa hotels and guesthouses offer accommodation with access to mineral water pools and treatment facilities.

Local shops sell mineral water products, traditional crafts, and groceries.

• Dupnitsa — town below Rila Mountain, about 15 km west
• Rila Monastery — UNESCO World Heritage site, about 30 km southeast
• Kyustendil — provincial capital with Roman baths, about 50 km west
• Samokov — historic town, about 60 km east
• Sofia — the capital, about 70 km north