The Sandanski region in Southwest Bulgaria bestows upon the traveller and the powers derived from healing waters
20.04.2007
Vanya Rainova from The Property Wise is writing about the Sandanski region and her trip around Sandanski.
Most recently, a new surge of development is transforming the town’s landscape, with hotels and holiday village springing up seemingly overnight. Last year, the local registry reported a record-breaking number of 4120 sale transactions accounting for 126.7 million leva. This amount is based on the official tax evaluation, though estate agents claim the market value is about triple that amount.
Foreigners show the greatest interest, especially Russian, Greeks, Irish and Macedonians. So there must be drawing people here. The secret we learn, is in the region’s natural uniqueness.
Located at 220 to 240m above the sea level, Sandanski is the warmest Bulgarian town year-round. There are more than 2450 hours of sunlight annually. The year is exceptionally clean with a low relative humidity of 66 per cent, and an average temperature of about 15° C.
No matter how Sandanski has changed throughout the centuries, the heart of the place, the mineral water that is in the centre of Sandanski’s seal, always defined its character. Long before of spa tourism became concept du jour in Bulgaria. Sandanski was well-developed balneology centre. The amazingly landscaped city park – more Brussels that Thessaloniki – still captures the mood of restful healing.
If the region’s soothing climate and healing springs are what brings so many tourists here, we decide to follow the water. This is how we end-up in Rupite, a small mountainous protected area, a 20-minute drive south-west from Sandanski. Located on the right bank of the Struma River, its landscape is dominated by the volcanic eminence of Kozhuh. Although it is only 280m high, it rises like a mountain in the low and flat Petrich plane. At the foot of Kozhuh is a curative hot spring with a temperature of 71 to 78°C.
On the way back to Sandanski, we drive to Melnik, for old time’s sake. The town is not disappoint – it is just remembered. Melnik merits a travelogue of its own, but I will say as much: in a time when many quaint towns exhibit the growing pains of developing tourism, Melnik has resisted.