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Province in southwestern Bulgaria
Photo: Ira Kyurpanova, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Pirin Macedonia is a cultural region in Bulgaria that takes up the south-western corner of the country. It contains some of the most rugged mountainous terrain in Bulgaria, as well as the large valley of the Struma river, where Bulgaria's usually temperate climate starts becoming Mediterranean in the southern parts. Unsurprisingly, there's a number of ski and spa resorts.
The main backbone of the road network in the region is Motorway A3 ("Struma"), which runs north-south along the valley of the Struma, west of Rila and Pirin.
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the largest city of Southwest Bulgaria known for the beautiful nature that surrounds it, the many local cultural sights and festivals
a mountain resort town on the eastern slopes of Pirin, and an international destination for winter tourists and "digital nomads". Bansko still retains some of its old houses, stone walls, and cobblestone streets, but the traditional architecture has been overtaken by the tourism construction boom of the 2000s-2010s. Not far from Bansko is the village of Banya with its hot water springs.
a small town not far from Bansko, and a minor mountain resort. The Belitsa Bear Sanctuary was established there in 2000 to rehabilitate "dancing bears" from Bulgaria and other Balkan countries.
officially the smallest town in Bulgaria, Melnik has been declared "town-museum" due to its traditional architecture and the picturesque area of weathered sandstone formations that surrounds it (the Melnik Earth Pyramids). Also known for its wines, and the nearby Rozhen Monastery.
a mountain resort 17 km to the north of the town of Belitsa, situated south of the main ridges of the Rila Mountains, nestling in a wide field among pine forests
a great hiking destination in summer with beautiful landscapes, lakes, and the second highest summit of the country
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