It is situated 101 km south of the capital city Sofia, 53 km north-west of Razlog, 65 km north of Sandanski. The town is the main centre of Bulgarian Macedonia. There are 30 mineral springs in catchment with temperature up to 55oC. This makes it a spa resort. It is a regional administrative centre as well.
History: The town originated at the place of the ancient Thracian settlement Skaptopara, evidence of which we find in the notorious Skaptoparski inscription from 238. As the town of Gorna Dzhoumaya it was mentioned for the first time in 1502, and with the name Banya - in 1576. In the past the town was an important roadside fortress. In 17th century monks from the Rila Monastery opened an monastery school. During the second half of 18th and the beginning of the 19th century the town developed as a big centre of craftsmanship and commerce. After the Berlin Treaty, Gorna Dzhoumaya (until 1950 the town had this name) remained within the borders of Turkey and for this reason it turned into the cradle of resistance and people's unity. The population actively took part in the uprisings that followed. The town was liberated on 5th October 1912 (the Balkan War) and then had only 7000 inhabitants.
Transport: Blagoevgrad is a major and important transport centre in this part of Bulgaria. It is the main stop on the international motorway and railway line Sofia-Koulata-Athens. It maintains regular bus connections with Sofia and many of the towns in Southwestern Bulgaria, as well as with the villages in the region. It has a regular bus line to the Bulgarian sanctuary - The Rila Monastery. The bus station and the railway station are situated close to each other at the southwestern end of the town. Blagoevgrad has a developed and well-organised bus transport within the town.
Surrounding areas: At 3.5 km to the north-east, in the valley of Blagoevgradska Bistritsa River is located the Bachinovo Park, where, annually, in June, a town festival is held. In the same valley, 30 km away from the town, in Northwestern Rila the Bodrost Resort is situated, with many recreation houses, bungalows, and villas. At 5 km distance from the resort is the oldest reserve park for coniferous species of trees in Bulgaria - Parangalitsa. There is the highest tree in our country - a 60-metre spruce. From Bodrost Resort, marked trails set out to various destinations in Rila - Macedonia Chalet (3-4 hours), Chakalitsa Chalet (2-3 hours), Tsarev Vruh (2 hours). In the summer a regular bus line is maintained between the town and the resort. Town bus line No. 4 can be taken opposite the railway station to the village of Hursovo, from where on foot, along a marked trail the Chakalitsa Chalet can be reached for about 5-6 nours. 16 km north of Blagoevgrad and several km before the town of Rila is situated the village of Stob with the famous nearby pyramids of Stob - exceptionally beautiful and elegant earthen pyramids, finished with rounded rocky blocks. They are moulded in up to 40 metres thick reddish drifts. They are called in different ways- Samodivski Komini (Nymphs' Chimneys), Kouklite (the Dolls), Zuberite (the Pinnacles), Choukite (Rocky Peaks), Bratyata (The Brothers), Svatovete (In-laws), etc. Several regular bus lines pass through the village of Stob on their way to the town of Rila and the Rila Monastery.
