Sapareva banya

The town of Sapareva banya is located in the northern foot of Rila mountain, in the south-western part of Bulgaria. It is a popular resort center, attracting thousands of tourists every year. They come here drawn by the cold and pure mountain water, as well as by the unique mineral springs – one of the hottest in Europe. Probably the most famous natural phenomenon in the town is the mineral spring in its center. It is the hottest in Europe – the temperature of the water is over 100ºC. In 1957, this spring developed into a natural geyser which is the only one of its kind on the Balkan peninsula. Ever since, it has been erupting regularly (each 7-8 seconds), throwing the hot mineral water up to a height of around 18 m. The town of Sapareva banya is also famous for its healing baths.