The Other Summer

In the months of July and August, Bulgaria’s archeological sites and cultural festivals are among alternatives to baking yourself on the beach. Or perhaps you have no problem with hot weather, and would like to opt for somewhere likely to be less crowded than the sizzling sands of the Black Sea coast. Sandanski, in the south-west of the country, is just such a place. Regular watchers of television weather forecasts will have noticed that the predicted maximums of often higher in the region than anywhere else. At venues like Sandanski’s Intercontinental Hotel, you can plunge into the mineral water for which the region is justly renowned. Sandanski, on the Banska Bistritsa River, which runs along the south-western slopes of the Pirin Mountains, has a history spanning more than 1000 years, having been through a series of occupations - and name changes - during the eras of the Thracians, the Romans, and the Slavs. Known popularly as the “den of ancient healers” the Sandanski area is a favourite spot for Bulgarians during April, when the change of seasons brings on allergies and other ailments for which the waters are regarded as having healing properties. It is similarly popular among people from the region’s close neighbours, Greece and Macedonia. Later in spring, Sandanski traditionally attracts people from Scandinavia. They visit to take the waters, whose temperatures vary between 33 and 83 degrees Celsius, believing that the balneological properties serve as good treatment for respiratory, kidney, gynaecological, dermatological and nerve problems. Other attractions of the south include expeditions in the Pirin Mountains. The Tourist Club Edelweiss leads groups of tourists in exploring the mountains, particularly the Roupite and Rozhen areas, and the town of Melnik, the latter also well-known for its wines. (Tel 0746 23198 or mobile phone 048 780 099). There are stopovers for mountain explorers at chalets are Begovitsa, Sinanitsa, Kamenitza, Pirin, Yane Sandanski, and at the Rozhen Monastery. After the peak summer months, Sandanski is home to the Pirin folk festival, held in September, a drawcard for holidaymakers, and lovers of arts and culture alike. In the weeks after this, the Balkan festival of films and television programmes for children and young people is held in the town, while in October the whole town gathers in an annual event to celebrate the country’s historical liberation from Ottoman rule. From Sandanski, it is a short trip to Bansko, for the annual jazz festival which is held in August. The week-long festival (www.banskojazz.com) attracts musicians and jazz fans from throughout Bulgaria and elsewhere in Europe. The centre of the town is transformed into a stage, and jam sessions serve as a platform for exchanging trends and styles of jazz. In terms of archeological and cultural tourism, an increasingly popular site to visit is the unique medieval monastery 22km north of Kurdjali in southern Bulgaria. The site was home to the ancient town of Hyperperakion, and has gained latter-day fame for the discovery of its temple to Dionysus. This year, a fourth annual Perperikon festival was held, featuring presentations on books by Bulgarian and Greek writers, and by artists, poets and musicians from the Black Sea town of Bourgas, as well as a conference on theatre and globalisation. Events held during each year’s festival vary in terms of country of origin and type. During this year’s festival, there were four Bulgarian and two foreign performances. “The bad-tempered lady” produced by Dimotiko Theatre (Greece) and “A Portrait of the planet” by Friedrich Durenmatt were, by all accounts, warmly received. Now quiet and awaiting next year’s festival, the remains of the basilica are a fascinating place to visit. The remains of the ancient palace are in the centre of the acropolis, situated at the top of Perperikon, clearly chosen in ancient times because the hilltop afforded a natural base for fortification, and now, for tourists, providing a good view of the surrounding countryside.