KYUSTENDIL SPA RESORT

Kyustendil lies at the foot of Ossogovo Mountain at an altitude of 510-530 m, 90 km southwest of the capital Sofia, and 22 km northeast of the border with Macedonia.

The thermal waters of Kyustendil have been known and used since ancient times - in Roman times it was known as Pautalia (from the Thracian word "pote"- spring, "Town of Springs). In the Charter of the Byzantine Emperor Vassilii II, the town was mentioned by the name Velbuzhd and during the Roman Empire the town was a spa and cultural center, a place for the relaxation and treatment of the Roman army. One of the largest Asclaepions in the Roman Empire was built here. It was situated around the curative thermal springs at the foot of the sacred Acropolis hill. Kyustendil was a spa destination of the Ottoman Empire, some of the hammams may be seen here.

• The climate is traditionally continental with Mediterranean influence. The mild weather is largely due to the beneficial effect of the mountains which surround the plain from the north, east and west. The average annual temperature is 11C; and the average July temperature, 21.6C.
• The mineral waters of the numerous fountains (natural springs and wells) have an almost uniform chemical composition, temperature and sulphide content (71-73C; 9.4-11.3 mg oxidable sulphur compounds estimated in terms of hydrogen sulphide). The waters are clear , colourless, with a pleasant taste and a slight smell of hydrogen sulphide. They are mildly mineralized, hyperthermal and contain sulphides, silicon (83 to 104 mg of metasilicic acid), fluorine (7.6-8.9 mg per litre) and sulphates of sodium with a strong alkaline reaction (pH 9.13-9.80). The total flow is about 2,400 l/min.

The SPA resort Kyustendil is a place indicated especially for treatment of diseases of the peripheral nervous system, skin diseases, rheumatic diseases, and gynecological disorders.