7 Hot Springs Near Bansko You Need to Visit
Is there ever a bad time to visit hot springs? The short answer is no! Luckily there are quite a few hot springs near Bansko and in Bulgaria in general. If you ask us, there’s nothing better than a relaxing evening sitting in a hot spring after a full day skiing or hiking in the Pirin Mountains.
Bulgaria, in our opinion, is a very underrated country when thinking about natural thermal pools. Did you know that Bulgaria is one of the countries in the world with the most natural hot springs? Neither did we!
There are a few hot springs in Bansko in some of the hotels and resorts but some of the ones we share are a short drive away in some of the neighbouring towns.
Actually, Dobrinishte and Banya have some of the best hot springs in the area and that’s usually where we go. More on this below 🙂
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links which means if you decide to use the links and make a valid purchase, we will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!
7 hot springs worth visiting while you’re in Bansko
#1 Seven Springs Hot Springs in Banya
Banya is a small cozy town near Bansko and is famous in Bulgaria for its hot springs. People from all over Bulgaria come to this area just for weekend trips to enjoy the mountains and all the thermal pools in the area.
Seven Springs is actually a full resort. We have only ever been there for the thermal pools but the rooms and food look delicious.
One of the main reasons why we love Seven Springs is because every time we go the staff (owners) are super friendly and welcoming. The hygiene standards are really high and the fact that it’s a smaller place feels much cozier and romantic than some of the other places.
If you’re in a small group, a couple, or by yourself then Seven Springs is perfect. It’s not meant for big crowds and it’s a bit quieter than some of the other spas. Enjoy Seven Springs and if you want some more information about the hotel and spa you can get more information about Seven Springs here.
#2 Grand Hotel Therme
Grand Hotel Therme is one of the newer hotels and hot springs in Banya – and also one of the nicest ones, offering the ultimate spa experience!
If you’re staying in Bansko and want everything organized for you, you can book a tour from Bansko to Grand Hotel Therme where they pick you up in Bansko and drop you off again after the experience.
We don’t want to spoil it too much but we’ll tell you that this spa is absolutely stunning. It’s a part of a 5-star hotel so the standards are super high, but the price is still very reasonable!
If you book this tour, it’s €45 for a 2-hour spa experience and pick up & drop off. Or if you drive there on your own, you just pay for the spa access (around 80 lev / €40).
If you want to treat yourself, you can also go for a massage or a facial or enjoy the delicious dinner buffet while overlooking the beautiful landscape. We did this the first time we went, and the food was seriously delicious – especially after a full day of sauna and enjoying the hot springs.
You can easily spend the whole day at Grand Hotel Therme (if you drive there on your own or stay at the hotel). There are so many different pools and saunas and a massive outdoor area to hang out in!
#3 Regnum Thermal Hot Spring in Banya
Regnum is another hot spring in Banya near Bansko. It’s not as small and cozy as Seven Springs but Regnum is great for groups. It’s one of the reasons why Coworking Bansko goes there sometimes.
The nice thing about Regnum Thermal is that there are 4 different pools. One of the pools is actually for swimming which is a bit colder and the other ones are warmer with the smallest pool going up to 40 degrees.
We love to go to Regnum on the weekends during the day because they actually aren’t open in the evenings.If you’re looking for a thermal pool that also has a swimming pool and is accommodating to big groups then Regnum is perfect for that.
We do want to mention that they don’t have a restaurant so it’s better to go for a few hours in the afternoon and then head back to a restaurant in Bansko for dinner.
#4 Hot Mineral Pool Izgreva in Banya
The Mineral Pool Izgreva is the Thursday weekly hot springs hangout spot and one of our personal favourites! We went there almost every Thursday during our stay in Bansko and it was great. Especially in the fall when the evenings get shorter and colder, it’s a nice hangout spot.
Izgreva is perfect because it can handle big groups and they have a restaurant which is open for dinner service. They have three pools at Izgreva. The smaller the pool with the roof is the warmer one but all three of the pools are warm.
The nice thing is these hot springs are quite close to Bansko and easy to get to by car. It takes about 10 minutes to get to the Izgreva Hot Springs. Izgreva’s restaurant can accompany big groups as well and the food is quite good. If there’s one or two things we can recommend from the menu it’s the 3 cheese potatoes for a main meal and the Izgrava cake for dessert. It’ll make for the perfect evening at these thermal pools.
#5 Villa Victoria Thermal Pool
This is another awesome thermal pool located in Banya (15 minutes from Bansko). This is a smaller, quieter, more relaxing place to soak up some minerals in a hot pool after a full day on the slopes or on a beautiful hike in Pirin National Park!
Villa Victoria has two thermal pools to pick from and is usually less crowded than some of the bigger and more well-known thermal pools in the area. So if you’re looking for some more privacy and peace and quiet, Villa Victoria is a great option.
You can book the shuttle and the thermal pool online in advance. This is especially convenient if you’re staying in Bansko and don’t want to drive to Banya yourself and would rather just lean back and enjoy the experience!
#6 Alpha Thermal Pool and Spa in Dobrinishte
Alpha Thermal Pool and Spa is in the town of Dobrinishte. It’s another town close to Bansko just like Banya. A fun fact about Alpha Thermal is that it’s the largest hot springs complex in the area.
Most resorts don’t have pools big enough that you can actually swim in them but Alpha does. On top of their few hot pools, they have a larger pool that is good for casually swimming.
One thing we like about Alpha Thermal Pool and Spa is their prices (around 10 Lev). This is likely the cheapest hot spring near Bansko. If you’re coming with a family or a big group then this might be the best option because of the price and the size of these hot springs.
#7 Hot Springs Medical and Spa Hotel in Banya
Hot Springs Medical & Spa Hotel is another fancy hot spring near Bansko and you can only use the facility if you’re staying at the hotel. So if you’re looking for a full experience with spa and wellness then Hot Springs Medical & Spa Hotel is the place.
At the resort, they have indoor and outdoor mineral pools so you have a few options depending on the time of year you go and what you prefer.
If you’re looking for a relaxing weekend away from all the noise and distractions of your busy life then consider staying at Hot Springs Medical & Spa Hotel.
Bonus: Thermal Pool Escape
If you’re visiting Bansko during the winter months, you also have the option of going on a Thermal Pool Escape tour. This tour runs from December through mid-April and is perfect after a day on the slopes.
The tour includes transportation to the thermal spas as well as the entrance fee and you can select between 3 different thermal pools for only €19.
You may also like…
- 5 Beautiful Hikes to Do in the Pirin National Park
- The Best Ways to Get From Sofia to Bansko
- The Best Coworking Space in Bansko
- 9 Restaurants in Bansko to Try in 2024
Quick recap on the hot springs near Bansko
We love how many hot springs there are near Bansko and it was definitely one of our favourite things about this part of Bulgaria.
There are some absolutely incredible hot springs in the town of Banya and Dobrinishte and the ones listed in this post are just a fraction of them.
We hope you have a chance to check out some of these hot springs. If you end up living in Bansko for a while like we did then you definitely will. It’s such a nice activity to do by yourself or with a group of friends.
We hope you enjoy trying out these hot springs and let us know which one is your favourite. Ours would probably have to be Izgreva because we’ve been there the most but they are all wonderful. Enjoy all the hot springs near Bansko!
Love it? Share it!
Hello,
Thank you for the overview, that’s great! What can you say about prices just for going to swim for an hour (which I want to do 3x a week, minimum)? Also, do you know if they chlorinate the mineral water in these places? I”m looking for one that does not use chlorine.
Hey Christine,
Usually you can expect to pay about 10 lev for a swim depending what time of day you go. There are discounts if you just go in the afternoon. I’m not sure if you can buy some sort of package or memebership to make it cheaper.
About the chlorine, my guess is that most pools have it but it doesn’t hurt to ask the staff when you go for a swim.
-Dom
Hi, what about the Pulse Therme in Banya. Is that one not the biggest Therme around Bansko? Or is the Alpha Thermal Pool and Spa in Dobrinishte really bigger then the Pulse Therme? Thanks for this nice article – Cheers Daniel
Hey Daniel,
They are both really big and both worth checking out. We love the Pulse Therme in Banya but Alpha Thermal is also really great. Worth visiting both of them!
-Dom
Does any of these besides Grand Hotel Therme / Pulse have good saunas?
Hey!
So not many of them also have saunas but some of the hotels in town do have saunas as well.
-Josie