Mineral waters in Dobrinishte

If you have chosen Bansko for your vacation, take at least a day to make a trip to Dobrinishte, you will not regret it for a second.

What is the location of the mountain town?

If we say that the town is located a “stone’s throw away” from our most visited winter resort Bansko we will not mislead you at all. That is because Dobrinishte is only 5 – 6 km away from Bansko and it will only take you 10 – 20 minutes to get there.

If we have to be more specific, then we will say the following…

Dobrinishte is located at an altitude of 850 m above sea level, comfortably nestled at the foot of three mountains – Pirin, Rhodope and Rila. Besides being in a very beautiful area, the town is very popular with its mineral springs, which have healing powers.

Until 1966, the settlement was called Dobrinishta, and since 2006 by decision of the Council of Ministers it has the status of a town. Today, the mountain town is home to about 2,700 residents, most of whom work in tourism.

History

The lands of today’s town have been inhabited since ancient times and this is not a statement we make just like that. Archaeological surveys in the town and in its land indicate that this place have been inhabited since the Neolithic period.

The remains of houses, tools, ceramics, and other artifacts discovered during excavations show that a Neolithic settlement flourished in the mountain town at the end of the sixth millennium BC.

These lands were later inhabited by Slavs, Thracians, Byzantines and Romans. Many artifacts such as coins, decorations, ceramics, etc., are testimonials to this.

The first written records of Dobrinishte were found in the Turkish registers of 1605, which stated that in the Thessaloniki Vilayet, the Neuroocopian Kaaza had a settlement consisting of several scattered neighborhoods. The settlement is mentioned under several names: Dobronishte, Dobrunishte, Dobrushtene and others.

According to stories and legends, the settlement got its name because of its incredibly beautiful nature and its mineral waters. When people came to Dobrinishte, they liked everything they saw, that they clicked their tongues and said, “Good things, good things.”

During the Ottoman invasion, most of the people of Dobrinishte abandoned it and there remained a handful of people who settled near the church. Almost depopulated, the settlement ceases to exist for nearly 100 years and there is no information about it.

During the Bulgarian Revival Period, however, Dobrinishte was slowly recovering, growing and flourishing. During this time, trade and animal breeding developed, allowing the settlement to rise again and welcome people again. The first school in the town was opened, temples and churches were being built, a real, not only economic, but spiritual and religious revival has began.

The settlement was freed from Turkish slavery in 1912, but unfortunately the following year (1913) was burned down almost completely during the Second Balkan War.

In the 1920s the people of Dobrinishte began to recover slowly.

What can you see and do in Dobrinishte?

You can immerse yourself in the mineral waters

It is no coincidence that Dobrinishte is one of the largest spa resorts in southwestern Bulgaria. The town has 17 mineral springs, the waters of which are used for the treatment of many diseases.

All mineral springs are located in the town or within a radius of 1 km from it. The average altitude at which they are located is 850 meters and their total flow rate is about 18 l/sec. The mineral waters of Dobrinishte are hypothermal and with a temperature of 38.4 to 40.3 degrees Celsius.

Although the waters contain sulphates, sodium, silicon, fluorine and others, they are slightly mineralized, with no specific odor and color, which makes them suitable for drinking.

According to Clough’s classification, the town’s mineral waters are classified as “very soft”.

One of the most popular (and healing) mineral springs is the Silver Spring. It is called this way because of the presence of silver ions, which are known to have a strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect on the human body. In addition, the Silver Spring has a beneficial effect on eye diseases.

What do the mineral waters of Dobrinishte treat?

The balneological treatments with the mineral waters of the mountain town can be applied externally, as inhalation and internally.

When mineral waters are applied externally (through mineral baths), the water has a beneficial effect on chronic diseases of the bones, muscles, joints, tendons, diseases of the nervous system such as lumbago, sciatica, plexitis, radiculitis, diseases of the female genital organs, skin diseases and others.

If the procedures are administered internally (by drinking), mineral waters are a good remedy for the treatment of chronic kidney and urinary tract diseases, diseasesof the biliary tract and liver, stomach and intestinal diseases and more.

Inhalation treatment with the mineral waters of Dobrinishte also helps in the treatment of lung and respiratory diseases.

On theterritory of Dobrinishte there is a public town‘s bath and an outdoor mineral pool for all who just want to enjoy the healing properties of the mineral springs.

If you, too, decide to spend a day to explore Dobrinishte and immerse in the mineral waters of the town, you can also take advantage of the indoor and outdoor swimming pools at the hotels and the mineral beach that functions in the town.

You can take the lift and go to Bezbog and Popovo Lake

Many tourist routes start from Dobrinishte and if you wish you can just take one of them.

However, we advise you, especially if you do not have a lot of experience with hiking in the mountains, just get up to Bezbog hut using the lift, the starting point of which is Gotse Delchev hut (11 km. From Dobrinishte). The rope-way will take you to Bezbog hut, where you can either take a rest in the beautiful nature of Pirin and return or continue to Popovo Lake.

You can explore the sights of the town and its surroundings

Dobrinishte is a small town and you will not need more than 1 – 2 hours to go around it, but although it is small, it has its impressive sights.

„St. Peter and Paul” Church

If your plan only involves a stroll around the town, then we advise you not to miss the St. Peter and Paul Church. The church was built in 1835. The church is a three-nave pseudo-basilica, built of hewn stones and until 1913 had a wooden bell tower.

During the Second Balkan War, the bell tower was burned, but in 1926 it was rebuilt. The church is one of the most popular and great sights of Dobrinishte, it was declared a cultural monument of special cultural value, and the most curious is that, according to experts, most of the icons that are in it are the work of Toma Vishanov – Molera.

The mineral beach

One of the most popular places that attract tourists from near and far is the mineral beach of Dobrinishte, which has two outdoor mineral pools, which offer wonderful views of the mountain.

Other sights of Dobrinishte you also should see:

• the unique edelweiss garden in Bulgaria;
• St. Nikola Chapel (located on the eponymous area, a few kilometers away from the town);
• „The nameless town” (also located in the St. Nikola area)
• St. Nikola Waterfall (located about 10 – 15 minutes on foot in the direction of Dobrinishte from the benches of the Nameless town);
• The Roman Bath (a bath from Roman times, the remains of which are located along the Dobrotishka River);
• St. Panteleymon Monastery (located about 3 km from Dobrinishte).