SPA RESORTS IN BULGARIA, ITALY, LITHUANIA, POLAND, PORTUGAL AND TURKEY 1 COORDINATOR Letets Hristo Toprakchiev Secondary school http://soubozhurishte.com/news.php Bulgaria, Bozhurishte, 10 „Ivan Vazov“ street PARTNERS Liceo Statale „ E. Majorana“ https://www.majoranaliceo.gov.it/scuola/ Italy, San Giovanni La Punta,Via G. Motta, 87 Agrupamento de Escolas do Forte da Casa http://portal.aefc.edu.pt/ Portugal,Forte da Casa, rua Rua Da Republica 2625-503 Siauliai Ragaine progymnasium http://ragaine.su.lt/ Lithuania, Siauliai, Tilzes street 85 Publiczne Gimnazjum Nr 26 Im. M. Reja http://www.gim26.edu.pl/ Poland, Lodz, al. 1 MAJA 89 Ted Malatya http://www.tedmalatya.com/ Turkey, Inonu Universitesi Kampusu Elazig Yolu uzeri 10. Km 2 Water in Our World WOW SPA RESORTS IN BULGARIA, ITALY, LITHUANIA, POLAND, PORTUGAL AND TURKEY TRAVEL GUIDE Средно училище „Летец Христо Топракчиев“ Божурище, 2018 3 Water in Our World WOW SPA RESORTS in Bulgaria, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal and Turkey TRAVEL GUIDE Authors Bulgaria Tatyana Dimitrova, Teodora Taneva, Lyubomira Stoyanova Italy Giovanna Cantone, Andrea Cosentino Lithuania Lijana Jurgeliene, Klelija Rakstyte Poland Agnieszka Duda, Beata Oleksiewicz Portugal Helena Ramos, Maria João Valério, Maria da Luz Amado Turkey Eylem İÇER, Serkan Korkmaz 4 INTRODUCTION The Travel guide of the spa resorts is suitable and useful for schools, librar- ies, travel agencies and institutions working in the field of education and tourism. Schools could use the guide in their English and Geography lessons, in project based classes or extra curriculum activities. Libraries, as information centers, could pro- vide information to their readers and communities. Since there isn’t available infor- mation concerning some of the resorts in native languages on the Internet, this Guide would be a good instrument for Travel agencies to promote the spa resorts. Aims of the guide The Travel Guide of the spa resorts has been created due to the experience and through the researches of the teachers who took part in the activities of the project Water in Our World. It aims to promote the spa resorts and water-related topics to regional partners and organizations, to create positive attitude towards water issues among the schools` communities. The guide gives you relevant and up to date infor- mation on not so common travel destinations around Europe. Once a non-English- speaking visitor is well acquainted and ensured with information about the spa re- sorts in his native language and convinces himself to see the venues that the Guide advertises and promotes, it should be easy to him to plan and prepare his trip. Description of the guide The Travel Guide of the spa resorts is a post product and a result of Activity 4 – Water and Tourism – set in February 2017 in the project agenda. Students from the schools in Bulgaria, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Turkey and Poland searched for infor- mation about famous spa resorts in their own countries and prepared presentations or videos of spa resorts. Teachers in charge of the project from each partner schools completed information, shared presentations on the project web page with other part- ners and created a list with the spa resorts. The list of the spa resorts was translated into English, Lithuanian, Polish, Portuguese, Turkish, Italian and Bulgarian. The Guide guarantees the sustainability and results dissemination of the project WOW and promotes its activities. It also shows the achievements, posi- tive outcomes and products which were gained through the stages of the project. The guide also presents a list of tips and ways of travelling to the resorts as well as possible accommodation, which could be useful for European organi- zations which promote spa and Wellness tourism. The Travel Guide is divided into seven parts and contains: Part 1 – Spa resorts in English Part 2 – Translation of the spa resorts in Bulgarian Part 3 – Translation of the spa resorts in Italian Part 4 – Translation of the spa resorts in Lithuanian Part 5 – Translation of the spa resorts in Polish Part 6 – Translation of the spa resorts in Portuguese Part 7 – Translation of the spa resorts in Turkish 5 PART 1 – SPA RESORTS IN ENGLISH BULGARIA The healing power of mineral springs has been recognized since the time of the Thracians, who were renowned as healers. “The Holy Springs of Thrace” were famous throughout the Roman Empire. Few countries in Europe can rival Bulgaria’s spa, balneological and wellness tourism, with its abundance and diversity of thermal mineral waters and curative mud deposits. There are more than 550 known sources with 1,600 springs that have a total capacity of 4,900 per second. Bankya Basic information Bankya is a town in Western Bul- garia, near the capital Sofia. It’s situ- ated at the foot of Lyulin Mountain, on the banks of the Bankya River and is famous for its green areas, sunny days and healing mineral springs. Bankya is a national center for the rehabilitation and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The resort has modern spa centers, many private hotels and restaurants, and its proximity to the capital allows it to be visited for a one-day trip. The name of Bankya means “a small bath house”. There are several sanatoriums and spa hotels in the town, as well as a Specialized Rehabilitation Hospital. On the outskirts of the town there is a bottling plant for the Bankya mineral water. The town is preferred for recreation and balneotherapy because of its tranquility of the mountain, clean air and healing water. Water-related information Bankya is famous for its mineral water which is clear, odor-free and tasty. The temperature of the mineral water is 36–37 0C, it has stable physi- co-chemical balance and is low on mineral salts. It’s suitable for everyday usage. It is also used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and nerve system disorders. 6 Best things to see and do The building of the Mineral Bath; “Vazov oak” – the writer Ivan Vazov‘s favourite relaxing place; Church of the Holy Mysteries Kirik and Julita; Holy Trinity Divine Monastery; Klisura Monastery “St. Petka”; The Gorna Banya Monastery “St. Cyril and St. Methodius”; The St. George Church in Ivanyane district, built on ruins of Roman times; The Healthy Way, Bankya; Lyulin Mountain and Krivi Kamuk Peak; Esperanto Eco route; Aqualand Bankya; Tennis Complex, Bankya; The National Hippodrome; Mineral beach Bankya; Carting track; Besides all the sights in and around Bankya, its proximity with the Capital Sofia offers many other opportunities for entertainment and sight-seeing in the city and the nearby Vitosha mountain. Regular events in Bankya International Children‘s Song Festival “Million Wonders” – in June; Traditional feasts of mineral water and longevity of the “Gorizelytsi” – in the middle of July; Bankya International Jazz Festival – in the end of July; Accommodation suggestions For more information: https://www.booking.com/; https://www.trivago.bg/ Bankya Palace hotel – http://bankyapalace.com/ Hotel Jeravna – https://www.booking.com/hotel/bg/jeravna.html Sofia-Banya Bed & Coffey House – https://www.booking.com/hotel/bg/sofia- bankya-bed-amp-coffee-house.bg.html Snow Heaven Hotel – https://www.book- ing.com/hotel/bg/snow-heaven.html Darling Hotel – http://www.darling- bankya.com/ Hotel Megas Bankya – https://www. booking.com/hotel/bg/mieghas-palas.bg.html 7 Specialized Rehabilitation Hospital “ZDRAVE” EAD – http://www.sanatoriumzdrave.com/ Transport advice The proximity to Sofia makes Bankya extremely accessible by public and private transport. Maps with car travel routes: https:// www.google.com/maps/dir/@ 42.7075072,23.07 69269,12z Bus schedules: https://www.sofiatraffic.bg/en/transport/schedules Railway Timetables: http://razpisanie.bdz.bg/site/search.jsp Travel from Sofia: By Car: Option 1: Exit Sofia by “Slivnitsa” Boulevard in the direction of Kalotina, travel along route 802 to Bankya. Distance – 11 km. Option 2: Exit Sofia by “Tsaritsa Yoana” Blvd., travel along the Ring Road and then along route 189. Distance – 10 km. By bus: The town of Bankya is accessible by regular public transport from Sofia – bus No.42 from “Lyulin” Subway Station, and buses No.47, 48, 49, 44, 44B from “Slivnitsa” Subway Station. Duration of the trip – approx. 20 min By train: There is a direct line from Central Railway Station Sofia. Duration of the trip – approx. 30 min. Important contacts, sites Bankya Municipality: https://www.bankya.bg/ Tourist Information Center: http://www.bulgariatravel.org/en/article/details/271/Bankya Hissarya Basic information Hissarya is a town in southern Bulgaria. It is located in Plovdiv region, under the southern slopes of Sredna Gora mountain. The climate is transient continental, with mild winters, early springs, moderately hot summers and warm autumns. Strong and violent winds in the area are rare. The favorable climate and mineral waters have attracted people in these places from an- 8 cient times. In the city and the surrounding area can be seen remnants of a prehistoric settlement, Thracian tombs, Roman walls, thermal and amphitheater, early Christian basilicas. All cultural monuments in Hissarya are accessible by the guests of the city. The city has well-kept alleys, clean and fresh air and numerous mineral springs. Water-related information Hisarya is the town where the foundations of the Bulgarian spa is laid. It 22 springs with clear and colorless water, temperatures of 45 to 52 ° C have proven curative qualities. All of them fall into the category of slightly mineralized thermal waters. They are used both for the treatment of kidney-urological, biliary, gastrointestinal and liver diseases, as well as for bathing in the treatment of the locomotory system, gynecological diseases, metabolism and endocrine system. The waters of some springs favor the healing of skin diseases – refresh the skin, make it tender and beautiful.