How To Visit the Hot Springs near Sofia, Bulgaria

Gracefully posited near the center of the Balkan peninsula is the beautiful country of Bulgaria. Famed for its rolling hills, giant mountains, flat plateaus, and more, Bulgaria has a considerable amount of natural diversity found within the country’s borders. For instance, the lovely city of Sofia, positioned as the Bulgaria capital, is known for its charming green spaces while it rests among the foothills of the stunning Vitosha Mountain. It’s close proximity to the giant river, Iskar River further adds to Sofia’s natural distinctiveness

Sofia is also known for its rich historic culture, beautiful mosques, churches, and piquant milieu for an appetizing Bulgarian food excursion. If you’re a foodie then enticing food tours are one of best things to do in the Sofia, Bulgaria because you get to sample a variety of traditional Bulgaria food. There’s sampling organic wine and enjoying the wide variety of famed Balkan yogurt.

Side note: I accidentally ate something that was cross-contaminated at a bakery. Yikes! Luckily everything was okay, and I used a cross-contamination kit to help ease the allergy symptoms. I won’t go into detail on this post, but if you’re interested in 6 practical tips to make traveling with food allergies easier, read here. 

Additionally there’s exploring Bulgaria’s fresh sweet produce and delving into traditional Bulgarian food such as the delicate sarmi. This traditional Bulgarian dish consists of tender cabbage leaves stuffed with a combination of aromatic spices, soft rice, and can be made with or without ground meat. The sarmi is an exceptional choice for gluten-free travelers and vegans alike, plus there’s an abundance of scrumptious restaurants in Sofia, Bulgaria for any allergies.

Bath Houses in Sofia, Bulgaria

Likewise, within Sofia you’ll also find an old bath house, where locals can bring their reusable water bottles to fill up on fresh mineral water springing up from the ground. Still warm as the water reaches the air, during the cold winter nights you can see the steam rising off the water as it crests into the air.

While the bath house is no longer in use, this isn’t the only spa in Sofia to get your soak on. After my husband and I experienced the enticing food scene, admired the outstanding architecture of the city, and enjoyed the delightful Christmas market in Sofia, a relaxing spa trip (spa travel a form of wellness travel) was on our bucket list. 

The closest hot spring to Sofia, Bulgaria

Similarly, if you’re visiting Sofia, I highly recommend checking out the natural hot springs of Thermae Kostenets. It has beautiful opulent baths, enchanting outdoor pool and relaxing indoor swimming pool. It’s one of the best things to do in Sofia, Bulgaria for wellness travel and it’s affordable too.

This spa is located in quant town of Kostenets, as one of the many Bulgaria cities that offer mineral hot springs.

It’s an excellent choice if you want to relax after days of exploring the lovely city of Sofia. We visited Thermae Kostenets during our last full day in the city for the ultimate wellness and health relaxation experience before we jetted off to Croatia. It was well worth it as we were able to profoundly unwind our physical and mental well-being in the soothing mineral waters.

Besides the hot springs, there are hydro massages, nicely kept changing rooms, and a dining commons. The spa itself is quietly situated near the edge of the mountains, for an authentic wilderness escape.

Then, after you check in, you’ll receive a tour of the facilities and a complimentary fresh-squeezed wellness shot loaded high with antioxidants. The flavors do vary!

How to get from Sofia, Bulgaria to Kostenets  

Situated about 50 miles outside of Sofia is the spa, Thermae Kostenets. To get here, there are three different route options. The first and easiest option is to rent a car in Sofia via Hertz, Europecar, addCar, or one of the other options at the airport. Car rentals can be as low as $5 a day during the off season, but double check the renter agreement to make sure. There may also be a credit card holding fee until the car is returned, so read carefully and plan ahead.

Another option is taking the train from Sofia to Kostenets. Travel in Sofia is fairly easy to navigate as the train station is the largest in Bulgaria.  The train station is called the Sofia Central Railway Station. It’s in close proximity to the city center and near the Central Bus station. 

Train tickets cost about $3 round trip, and the journey to Kostenets is about one hour and forty-five minutes. We booked our tickets beforehand using Virail, but tickets can also be purchased at the Central Railway Station.

Once you arrive in Kostenets, Bulgaria you have two options to get to the Thermae Kostenets: take a Taxi, or take the bus and walk up. When we visited, we tried sustainable travel by opting for public transportation, but we ended up missing the last bus of the day. I’ll spare the minutiae of this crazy venture, but you can read more details about this adventure in this post, how to train travel from Sofia to Kostenets. 

Tip: Keep in mind, Kostenets is a smaller town, and many of the locals do not speak English. Just do your best to pronounce Thermae Kostenets, and you’ll be well on your way to the nearest hot springs in Sofia, Bulgaria.

When is Therma Kostenets open

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Hours of operation: Wednesday to Sunday 11:00 am to 8:00 pm

The mineral hot springs is open year round and gets most of its visitors during the summer months. During the winter months, there’s typically less visitors so you’re more likely to have a romantic spa getaway (like we did!) or a relaxing solo spa visit. This can be awesome, since you don’t have to worry about sharing the powerful yet relaxing hydro massages.

We had the complete spa to ourselves! The manager said this isn’t typical and that we were lucky.

The location of the spa

Address:  Villas Kostenets Street, Kostenets 2042 Bulgaria

Nonetheless, Thermae Kostenets is beautifully tucked among a luscious hill filled with vibrant shrubbery that’s various shades of green. Nearby, there is a secluded waterfall called, Kostenets waterfall, hidden in the hills behead the spa. To reach the waterfall it’s a short 3 mile hike round trip from the spa. Additionally, the hiking trail is called the “Road of the Eagle”, and the trail head starts adjacent to the spa.

Lonely Planet mentions a tour that encompasses both the spa and hiking trail.  As well as it begins in Sofia and covers transportation to Kostenets for the lovely hike to the waterfall and half day trip to the spa, click here for information.

Cost of Thermae Kostenets

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Although Bulgaria is located within the borders of Europe, it does not have the same currency as countries within the European Union (EU).  Bulgaria has its own form of currency, called the Bulgarian Lev.

Currently, one Bulgarian Lev is equivalent to about 0.60 U.S dollars. This can fluctuate depending on the strength of the dollar or Lev. We always double check exchange rates at two or three different places to make sure we’re getting the best deal.

Similarly, the cost to enter the mineral hot spring is 30 Lev per person for the 2 hour package. This includes access to all the aqua-tonic swimming pools, a wellness energy shot, key, locker storage, and amenities in the changing room (blow dryer, shower, etc.).

Tips to get the most out of your spa trip

1. Go in the morning or early afternoon

If you’re planning a wellness trip to the spa, I’d recommend carving out at least 2-3 hours to relax at the spa.

In fact, we planned a late afternoon trip to the spa. But, looking back I wish we planned the trip for the morning. First off, the incredible location of the mineral baths, gorgeously surrounded by the lush greenery is mostly visible in the day time.

For instance, during the day time you can soak up the wilderness and earthy ambiance while simultaneously getting your soak on. However in the evening, you won’t be able to enjoy the scenery since it’s extremely dark with minimal light pollution.

2. Consider visiting in the off season

We visited during the winter months after visiting the Holiday market in Bulgaria, and the spa was empty. The manger told us most visitors come during the summer and spring. So, if you’re visiting during fall or winter you‘ll get a less crowded and more intimate experience, making it one of the best places to travel in December while visiting Bulgaria.

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However if summer is the only time you have available to travel, consider visiting in the early mornings. During this time you’re more likely to share the spa with very few people.

3. Pack flip-flops

Another tip for visiting the spa is bring your own flip-flops or sandals, as it’s not included in the price. I found out once we arrived that flip flops are required to be worn within the facilities. But, I accidentally forgot my sandals at the Airbnb. Whoops!

Consequently, if you forget your flip flops they do have some available on site for purchase!

4. Pack snacks

Lastly, don’t forget to pack some tasty healthy snacks! You’re not allowed to bring your own food inside the spa, but you can eat in the main lobby. Check out my list of healthy travel snack recommendations to keep you fueled during this long day of health and wellness rejuvenation.

After all, the travel alone is a journey in itself!  If you rent a car, it’s about an hour drive to Thermae Kostenets, but if you’re taking public transportation it takes a little longer. After the spa day, I was starving, so packing extra snacks really helped keep the hangry monsters at ease. 

Where to stay in Sofia, Bulgaria

While we were visiting Sofia, we stayed in an Airbnb. I personally love staying in Airbnbs, as it makes maintaining your wellness and health habits during travel easier and more affordable.

Moreover, Sofia also has a wide array of hotels and hostels to choose from. Although I personally haven’t stayed at these hotels and hostels, I’ve heard great things about each of these accommodations.

Here are some hotels in Sofia, Bulgaria to consider:

Here are some hostels to check out in Sofia, Bulgaria:

In essence, the capital of Bulgaria is a beautiful city filled with an abundance of natural diversity nearby. If you’re planning a trip, don’t forget to check out my “Sofia food guide” post to see a list of tasty restaurants to try, all of which are allergy friendly, too!

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