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Place in Plovdiv Province, Bulgaria
Photo: Rkold (instagram: rk.aerial), CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Hisarya (Хисаря, pronounced hi-SAH-ryah) is a health resort in Central Bulgaria, famous for its hot mineral springs and the Roman ruins in its heart. It's one of the oldest and largest balneotherapy resorts in Bulgaria, and probably the most famous one; it produces one of the most well-known brands of bottled mineral water in the country, dating back to the Communist era (1958). It's a small town (population of 6.5 thousand) nested in a mountain valley in the Sredna Gora range, 170 km east of the capital Sofia, 45 km north of Plovdiv and 26 km south-west of Karlovo.
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A modern fountain with a statue of a nude woman, in the middle of a park. Immediately south of it there's a decorated colonnade (built 1960) with a mineral water drinking fountain hooked to the Momina Salza spring. Further along the alleys to the south there's another, smaller fountain with a boy with a ewer, and then the ruins of the Thermae.
The Camels
The southern gate of the fortress is the most imposing one and a symbol of Hisarya. The two "humps" at its top are the source of the nickname. Only the topmost part of the arch (between the "humps") is a restoration.
The location of the mineral spring itself, with a drinking fountain on top. The name means literally "tear of a maiden", but it's also the Bulgarian name of the flower lily of the valley.
An underground Roman family tomb outside of the walls, open for visitors.
At the corner of the building it shares with the "Ivan Vazov" community center (chitalishte). There are a couple of amusing exhibits inside, including several kinds of hisarche ewers (хисарче, "little thing from Hisar(ya)"). These were decorative ceramic vessels for mineral water, made for the visitors of the resort - people would fill them from the springs to drink the water throughout their day, and then keep them as souvenirs. Unsurprisingly, the increased availability of plastic bottles ended that tradition. In front of the Center there's a small garden with benches, a fountain and a "giant" chess board; right across the street there's a selfie-friendly "HISARYA" sign at the corner of the Momina Banya Park.
Another ornate mineral water drinking fountain with a small statue of a woman. Supplied from Borehole #3, contains radon.
The drinking fountain is in the middle of the park with the same name ("maiden's bath"), which should not be confused with the neighborhood to the north-east. In the park, there's a playground, an open-air gym, and a bust of Vasil Levski.
A large white cross on the small height overlooking the Verigovo Quarter (the part of Hisarya north of the railway station). There's also a chapel and a roofed picnic bench with a view of Verigovo and the rest of the town.
A large white cross on the small height overlooking the Momina Banya Quarter (north-east of the central part of town, along Road 642/Hristo Botev Blvd). There's a small observation deck and picnic shelter with a fireplace.
Excavated in 2002. Thracian burial mound with a colonnade in front of the tomb dating to 4th century BCE. Don't expect too much.
Chetinyova Mogila
A group of several tombs and temples centered around the large tumulus tomb (Chetinyova Mogila) of a ruler, dating back to 4-5th centuries BCE. One of the 100 National Tourism Sites of Bulgaria.
Ресторант "Чинар"
Restaurant with additional seating area in a garden/yard across the street and some amusing decorations (early 20th century/pseudo Ancient Rome). "Chinar" means "plane tree" (Platanus orientalis).
A four-star hotel with many amenities (and prices to match), one of the largest in Hisarya. There's a "normal" and a "deluxe" wing, with difference in free services included. Indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, etc. Two restaurants (one with panoramic views) and two bars. Room prices depend on the day of the week and other factors, various package deals are available.
Two-star apartment hotel. In an apartment: max 4 people, double bed, living room with a sofa bed, kitchenette, and a balcony with a view of the mountain (and the new town stadium). Breakfast not included, but it can be ordered separately. Free parking, free WiFi, etc.
By bus
By car
Road 642 splits off from and then merges back into Road 64, which runs north-south and connects Karlovo and Plovdiv. In both cases, the exit is to the west side of Road 64.
Hisarya is a small, mostly flat town, and most of the points of interest are concentrated in a relatively small area.
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