national park
Rila National Park
Bulgaria's largest national park encompassing the highest peak in the Balkans (Musala, 2,925m) with alpine lakes, glacial valleys, and dense pine forests.
23 km · about 25 min drive
EuropeBulgariaSofia
Dolna Banya
Sofia, Bulgaria · Europe
About Dolna Banya
Dolna Banya is worth a stop: 30 minutes from Ihtiman, 23km from Rila National Park.
Dolna Banya is in Sofia, Bulgaria, with about 5,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Ihtiman, about 15 km away.
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 in the Kostenets–Dolna Banya Valley by the north-eastern slopes of the Rila Mountains, 18 and 30 km respectively from the ski resortsRead more
of Borovets and Samokov. Dolna Banya is a resort town, known for its hot mineral waters, with temperatures of 56.3 C. The area surrounding the town is largely agricultural, and there are skiing and hiking trails in the nearby mountains.
Dolna Banya is a small, lively town. The square has a vegetable market, bakery, and two bars. The inside of the town's Bulgarian Orthodox church is covered in murals, and 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 accessible by road, and a daily bus 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. It is expected to be the only golf course in Eastern Europe to meet PGA standards.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Dolna Banya?
Within an hour or so of Dolna Banya: Rila National Park (23 km), Seven Rila Lakes (38 km), Rila Monastery (40 km), Alexander Nevsky Cathedral (56 km).
Are there any good drives near Dolna Banya?
The nearest famous roads are Troyan Pass (Beklemeto), Iskar Gorge and Trigrad Gorge.
Where is Dolna Banya?
Dolna Banya is in Sofia, Bulgaria, about 15 km from Ihtiman.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 4,990
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- Bulgaria
- Region
- Sofia
- Timezone
- Europe/Sofia
- Coordinates
- 42.3109, 23.7646
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Bulgaria
Vignette required for all roads outside towns.
Full driving guide for BulgariaTags
Worth the detour from Dolna Banya
5 notable places within an hour's drive.
natural wonder
Seven Rila Lakes
A chain of seven stunning glacial lakes stacked at different elevations in the Rila Mountains, each named for its distinctive shape.
38 km · about 45 min drive
landmark
Rila Monastery
Bulgaria's most important UNESCO-listed monastery, a stunning 10th-century complex adorned with vivid frescoes nestled in the Rila Mountains.
40 km · about 45 min drive
cathedral
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
A neo-Byzantine cathedral in Sofia and one of the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedrals in the world.
56 km · about 65 min drive
landmark
Koprivshtitsa
Bulgaria's only town-museum: a Sredna Gora valley of cobbled lanes and brightly painted National Revival mansions where the 1876 April Uprising began. Six house-museums preserve the interiors of merchants and revolutionaries.
60 km · about 70 min drive
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