You are warmly invited to the Municipal Celebrations of Sapareva Banya from September 5 to 8, 2025!

Come and enjoy the charm of the town with its healing mineral waters, beautiful nature, amazing folklore, and the sunny hospitality of its people

"The work of a mayor is measured by how useful it is to the people in the municipality and how satisfied they are with what has been done."

Kalin Gelev has been the mayor of Sapareva Banya Municipality for three consecutive terms. He was born on March 20, 1964, in the town of Sapareva Banya. For many years, he successfully managed his own business in the transportation sector. He served as a municipal councilor in the Municipal Council of Sapareva Banya from 2011 to 2015. He took the oath of office and assumed his role as mayor of Sapareva Banya Municipality on November 6, 2015.

We met him a month ago to discuss the organization of a hike for diplomats to the Seven Rila Lakes. The municipality of Sapareva Banya, under his leadership, strongly supported the initiative and became a co-organizer of the event, for which we are sincerely grateful.

All the participants in the hike, held on July 5 under the honorary patronage of H. E. Mrs. Zakia El Midaoui, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Morocco to the Republic of Bulgaria and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, were delighted by the hospitality of the people, the excellent organization, and the divine beauty of the Rila Mountains. All of them promised to respond to the mayor’s invitation and return for the upcoming Sapareva Banya Municipal Celebrations in 2025.

We met with Mayor Kalin Gelev again - this time, to hear more about the municipality and the program that will delight the residents and guests of Sapareva Banya in September.

- Mr. Mayor, Sapareva Banya is known for having the hottest geyser-fountain in continental Europe, located right in the center of town, with a temperature of 103°C. It’s no coincidence that it is also the symbol of the town. What do the abundant hot mineral springs bring to the municipality?

- First, I’d like to greet you, your readers, the visitors to our municipality, and most importantly - our residents.

The hot mineral springs that are currently being utilized within our territory are two: the "Gallery" hydrothermal energy facility (KEI "Galeriata") and the "Geyser-Fountain 103°C" spring, which, as you mentioned, is the hottest geyser-fountain in continental Europe, with a water temperature of 103°C.

They provide an excellent opportunity, on the one hand, for the development of balneological, spa, and wellness tourism, and on the other, for the use of thermal energy, which the municipal administration has harnessed through many projects over the years to heat all public buildings in town - resulting in significant energy savings.

However, it must be said that operating the "Geyser-Fountain 103°C" source is extremely difficult, time-consuming, and at times - frankly - dangerous. I’ve seen firsthand how the water erupts and the challenges in controlling and channeling it into reservoirs.
Yes, it creates a paradise for Sapareva Banya, but delivering the water to consumers can sometimes feel like hell for us - the municipal administration managing it. Harnessing the power of nature is difficult, and many people are unaware of this.

To optimize its use, we are working on a new project for a supply pipeline and a pressure relief reservoir for the geyser-fountain. This will allow the full natural flow of the spring - about 17 to 18 liters per second - to erupt freely. Through a large funnel and gravity-fed pipe, the water will be directed to the new reservoir, which will then feed into the existing ones.
Once the project is complete, residents and visitors alike will be able to see the geyser-fountain in its full natural beauty and splendor - an attraction that we believe will become a highlight. Right now, part of that magic is sometimes lost.

This new project is our biggest challenge and one we hope to complete by this time next year. It will be another reason for pride.

- What are the healing properties of the water, and how can people access them today?

- The balneological properties of the water allow treatment of musculoskeletal disorders, peripheral nervous system conditions, heavy metal poisoning, skin diseases, upper respiratory illnesses, and more.

Sapareva Banya has a specialized rehabilitation hospital with about 160 beds and several 3- and 4-star hotels. We’re currently building a new facility that we hope will offer 5-star service by the end of next year. We also have over 150 guesthouses, many of which offer mineral water procedures. One of our hotels recently won First Prize for Best Spa Hotel in Bulgaria for 2024.

Additionally, there are four public-access pools and a municipal bathhouse, currently under concession, which operates successfully year-round.

- The town also has a rich cultural and historical heritage. What do you recommend tourists - both locals and foreigners - should visit?

- I’ll start with something we’re actively working on - the ancient Roman town of Germania, the birthplace of Belisarius. We’re in the final stages of preparing a project for its conservation, restoration, and public presentation. Unfortunately, part of the site lies within the grounds of the rehabilitation hospital; a large portion is municipal property, and one section is privately owned, but we’ve gone through all the necessary procedures to obtain the rights and are hopeful for a resolution. We believe the project for conserving and showcasing the eastern gate of ancient Germania will be approved by the end of the year.

We’re also developing a "Crafts Street" project along the Valyavitsa River - from Otets Paisiy St. to Hristo Botev St. (about 380 meters) - featuring exhibition halls, craft workshops, and leisure spots, with the river’s cool atmosphere adding charm for the tourists.

No visit to Sapareva Banya is complete without seeing the medieval church "St. Nicholas" in the town center. The church and its courtyard were recently restored. It’s open year-round - even 24/7 - and visitors can enjoy peace, quiet, and the opportunity to light a candle for health and peace.

Also worth visiting is the church "St. Virgin Mary" in the village of Saparevo - a smaller replica of the one at Rila Monastery. It is beautifully maintained, thanks in part to Father Dimitar, and is open at all times.
And don’t miss the church of the "Forty Martyrs" in town, which was also renovated through the State Fund "Agriculture" and is in excellent condition.

We have many such religious and cultural sites, offering strong potential for pilgrimage and religious tourism.

- Despite the hot geyser, hotels and guesthouses are packed during the summer heat, especially at the weekends. Where do people go to find cool relief?

- Mainly in the foothills of the Rila Mountains. We’re located in the northwestern part of Rila, at an altitude of over 750 meters. The cool air comes from the nearby resort Panichishte, the Seven Rila Lakes, Ovcharche Waterfall, and sites like "Obesen Kamak" ("The Hanging Stone").
There are so many places to visit that we’d need more than ten minutes to list them all.

Visitors can go to the Saparevo Monastery "St. Archangel Michael", the Resilovo Monastery "Protection of the Holy Virgin", the "St. Stefan" Monastery, and the chapels of "St. Barbara", "St. Virgin Mary", and others.

There’s so much to see, and as I often say - you can’t truly experience the Seven Rila Lakes or the mineral springs of Sapareva Banya if you just pop in for a few hours just to post a selfie on Facebook. You need time. You need to give your soul peace and quiet to truly enjoy what our municipality has to offer.

- Sapareva Banya seems blessed by nature. Just 12 km away is the resort village of Panichishte, once a popular winter sports center. What is its current state?

- There are many obstacles to developing it again as a winter ski center, but we’ll overcome them. Together with the Ministry of Environment and Water, we’ve prepared plans for three ski slopes. There are some objections, which we will address according to the recommendations of the Regional Environmental Inspectorate and the Executive Forests Agency.

We expect guidance within a month on what is allowed and what must be removed from the ski slope development plans. I’m confident we’ll handle it.

Together with Minister Borshosh, we are committed to this challenging path. He visited Sapareva Banya in early May and was impressed by the natural beauty and potential for spa, wellness, winter, and religious tourism. We do have strong tourism potential in all areas, but ski tourism has stricter environmental regulations. Since we border Rila National Park, we strictly follow the laws. Neither I nor my team will violate them. We’ll comply with all Ministry requirements to carry out the ski zone project properly.

We need more ski slopes and infrastructure, but this type of tourism is expensive. The municipality cannot provide everything on its own.

Still, we’re doing what we can. Right now, we’re preparing a project to asphalt the longest street in Panichishte, along with installing new street lamps.

Our administration also works hard to maintain the road to Panichishte and the cable lift station for the Seven Rila Lakes, both in summer and winter. I can confidently say that not a single day has the road been impassable, nor will it be in the future.

We already have three newly built 4-star hotels in the Panichishte area, and there are over 20 holiday bases, some formerly state-owned, now private. Things are moving in the right direction.

Our goal is to make tourism in Panichishte year-round, just like in Sapareva Banya with its hot springs. Naturally, ski tourism will take the lead in the mountains, assuming we get favorable weather conditions and enough snowfall.

– What other projects are you currently working on?

– So far, we have implemented projects for street asphalting, improving adjacent spaces, and building sidewalks. We just completed a project for additional water supply to the village of Saparevo. We also held a groundbreaking ceremony for the completion of the village’s internal water supply network, and we are working on a supply pipeline from the Goritsa River to the village of Resilovo. Our efforts are extremely intensive and have yielded positive results. I hope that people feel the impact of these efforts. Because, in order to develop a sustainable business—in our case, tourism - adequate infrastructure is essential. All our efforts are directed entirely in that direction.

However, my dream is the implementation of the project for the central urban area – the construction of a pedestrian zone. It will connect with the project for the Street of Crafts along the Valyavitsa River and with the one for conservation, restoration, and presentation of the Eastern Gate of the ancient city of Germania. Along with the area around the natural phenomenon of the Geyser-Fountain, this will become a closed pedestrian loop where tourists and residents can stroll in complete tranquility. At the same time, we will provide alternative routes for vehicle traffic and introduce a general traffic organization plan for the town of Sapareva Banya and the entire municipality. From the very beginning of my mayoral term, I’ve believed that a large portion of the streets should become one-way to better regulate both parking and traffic flow, and to prevent critical points for road accidents.

– Besides tourism, what other livelihoods do people here have?

– In the past, people used to rely on agriculture and livestock breeding to some extent. And the proximity to the town of Dupnitsa allowed those involved in industry to make a living.

Now, I can confidently say that currently, in the municipality of Sapareva Banya, if people are disciplined, enterprising, and self-demanding, they can make a living solely from tourism and related activities.

The large number of tourists requires food services. They highly value eco-products. This has led to a revival in vegetable growing and fruit farming - we have 2–3 excellent apple orchards. We also have a company producing strawberries and raspberries, which exports its products to international markets. So, anything related to food production can be successful. If someone has enough enthusiasm and the desire to sustain themselves through their own business, the opportunities are many and unlimited - provided they don’t expect things to be handed to them.

– Tourism also requires a skilled workforce. There used to be a Tourism High School in town...

– Back in 2016, it was merged with the primary school. Currently, the "Hristo Botev" Primary School has two specialized classes in tourism. It is municipally funded - we support it and help it a lot.

However, our kindergartens are our pride and joy. All three of them were renovated through the State Fund "Agriculture" in 2019. Our children grow up enjoying some of the best conditions - not only in the buildings and rooms, but also in the sports halls, with wonderful views of the Rila Mountains.

– Do you have twin towns, and which are they? How do you cooperate?

– We are twinned with Polignano a Mare, Italy, and just recently, in November last year, we twinned with the city of Madaba in Jordan. On that occasion, we named a street in Sapareva Banya after Madaba, and reciprocally, a street in the central part of Madaba now bears the name of our town.

For our upcoming celebrations, we will certainly invite delegations from our twin cities. Whether they will attend is another matter. We will also invite representatives from cities in Serbia and North Macedonia, with whom we have implemented and continue to implement joint cross-border cooperation projects, such as the renovation of the Visitor Information Center with the municipalities of Rankovce and Kratovo, and the reconstruction of "Nikolay Haitov" Park with the municipality of Gevgelija, North Macedonia.

– You are actively preparing for the Municipal Celebrations of Sapareva Banya, which will be held from September 5 to 8, 2025. What program do you plan to delight the audience with? Many of the diplomats who participated in the hike to the Seven Rila Lakes will probably join as well.

– A rich cultural and informational program, full of emotions and joy for the guests and residents of the municipality is being planned. There will be a special surprise for the youth, and performances by popular artists. And, as always - lots of folklore. The performance groups in our community centers are really good.

– City holidays are also a time for reflection, which we seem to have just done with this interview. But if you had to sum everything up in one sentence, what would it be?

– The work of a mayor is measured by how useful it is to the people of the municipality and how satisfied they are with what’s been done.

I hope our residents have seen and appreciated our efforts.

Finally, I would like to extend an invitation to you and your readers: You are warmly welcome to the Municipal Celebrations of Sapareva Banya from September 5 to 8, 2025! Come and enjoy the charm of the town with its healing mineral water, stunning nature, amazing folklore, and the sunny hospitality of its people.

The photo was provided by the Municipality of Sapareva Banya. On it: Mr. Kalin Gelev, Mayor of the Municipality