| Dolna Banya Долна баня |
|
|---|---|
| Dolna Banya in the 1910s | |
|
Dolna Banya
|
|
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Bulgaria |
| Provinces (Oblast) |
Sofia |
| Elevation | 643 m (2,110 ft) |
| Population (13.09.2005) | |
| • Total | 5,667 |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) |
| • Summer (DST) | EEST (UTC+3) |
| Postal Code | 2040 |
| Area code(s) | 07120 |
Dolna Banya, also Dolna Banja or Dolna Bania (Bulgarian: Долна баня) is a town located in Sofia Province in southwestern Bulgaria. 75 km from Sofia and Plovdiv, Dolna Banya is located by the north-eastern slopes of the Rila Mountains, 18 and 30 km respectively from the ski resorts of Borovets and Samokov. Dolna Banya is known as a resort town, famous for its hot mineral waters, with temperatures of 56.3 C. The area surrounding the town is largely agricultural, although hiking trails and skiing in the nearby mountains are easily accessible.
Dolna Banya is a small, but lively town. The square has a vegetable market, bakery, 2 bars, restaurant, used as a disco on the weekends. From the inside of the town's Bulgarian Orthodox church is covered in beautiful murals, the churchyard located next to a stream. The local stadium is named Vasil Levski, a tribute to the leader of Bulgaria's liberation from the Ottoman Empire and the national stadium of the same name in Sofia.
Dolna Banya is easily accessible by car. There is a daily bus that runs from the Sofia bus depot through other villages in the area. However, buses run more frequently from Sofia to Kostenets (8 km from Dolna Banya. From Kostenets transportation is available every 30 minutes to Dolna Banya. Trains also run about every hour between Sofia and Kostenets.
In June 2005, Ibar Golf Club announced that a 20m Euro golf course would be constructed in Dolna Banya. Construction began in the fall of 2005 and is set for completion in 2007. The course will meet the standards of the Professional Golfers' Association of America and The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews. It is expected to be the only golf course in Eastern Europe to meet PGA standards.
Dolna Banya resort is located in the eastern part of Rila mountain, within the sub mountain part of the Ibar area, 820m. above the sea level. Spread over the both sides of Bistritza river, the resort consist of private and corporate villas, a chalet, a hotel, a wine cellar "Priroda", recreational center of the Ministry of the Interior, two swimming pools, restaurant "Gorski kat", chalet & snek- bar "Aronia" , chalet "Ibar", family room guest house for tourists "Ela", guest house with tavern and large summer garden "Veselata kuzta".
The unique microclimate, fresh air, crystal mountain water, close proximity to the international ski resort Borovetz, and the touristic routs of Rila National Park, make the resort Dolna Banya an ideal place for holidays and recreation, hunting, fishing, mushrooms picking and herbs picking.
The ambitious investment projects in the region for development of a golf coarse and villas, as well as the strong interest of foreign citizens in the real estate market have turned Dolna Banya resort into an interesting and attractive place for holidays, vacations and residence.
|
|||||