30 October 2023, Banya, 47.75km
Rooms for Rent 50lev [R500]

Most people who overnight in Banya*, 48km due north of Plovdiv, do so because of the mineral waters and spas. We are here because Banya lies halfway between Plovdiv and our next destination, Kazanluk.
It was a relatively easy ride on a glorious day. Cool, but with sunshine and no wind. Ideal cycling weather.
There are no accommodation options advertised by Booking.com, but several guest houses marked on Google Maps. We managed to locate a cute cottage beside a Rooms for Rent sign (in Cyrillic only) and to negotiate down the slightly unrealistic price proposed.
Before departing Plovdiv, we breakfasted on ham and cheese banitsa bought at a popular bakery in an underpass and consumed on a bench under a tree on a pedestrian street. In the Kapana district, 80% of the streets have been pedestrianised.
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*"The remains of an ancient village proves that the town was used for hydrotherapy in ancient times. There are nine hydrothermal sources. There are plenty of mineral springs."