The small picturesque town of Bankya is situated amid greenery and sunshine 17 km west from Sofia at the foot of Lulin Mountain. What best characterizes the town are the climate, the healing virtues of the mineral waters, the well-organized sanatorium and resort accommodation, the highly skilled medical specialists, as well as the numerous patients that have recovered after cardiovascular disorders or insult.
     The climate in Bankya is temperate continental. The average annual air temperature is 9.4 C (the average temperature for January being -2 C, and 19.6 C for July). The summer is fresh and cool; the autumn is mild and sunny, while the winter is temperately cold. One of the typical signs of Bankya are so called "local winds "- a combination of mountain breeze, valley wind, foen and forest wind.
     The mountain breeze is generated at night when the air on the hills cool and descends into the valley. At daytime the "valley" wind is generated to the opposite direction -from the town uphill the Ljulin Mountain. Additional "forest wind" is generated from the south hills where pine trees produce huge amount of phythoncids. It was found that up to 100 m aside the pine tree forest of Bankya the air is practically free of germs.
     Another special feature of Bankya is the ionization of the air. The atmosphere is a colloidal system with dissolved aerocoloids - neutral and electrically charged ions. It was established that when breeze is blowing, downhills negatively charged ions prevail and the electric field changes to negative. This air-electrical complex influences the organism through the light ions, stimulate vital processes and the general energy of the body. Ionization has a catalytic effect on biochemical processes and improves the pathological processes. The aerosol is almost free from allergenes and that gives additional therapeutic benefits to the resort.
     The transparency of the air is very high and vizability reaches tens of kilometers. Practically there is no fog in Bankya. The landscape is extremely beautiful, open and calming and acts as additional powerful therapeutic factor of the resort.
     The mineral waters are colourless and warm, slightly mineralized and hypothermal, with temperatures of 36.5 - 37 C and total flow of 24 l/sec. These climatic conditions are favourable both for a year-round treatment, and general prophylactics or strengthening of the human organism.
     Today, the town of Bankya is a prestige National Center for rehabilitation of people suffering from cardiovascular and nerve system disorders and disorders in the metabolism. Bankya is also an international resort and has at its disposal many highly skilled diagnosticians.
     The history of Bankya begins in ancient times. It was known and famous place for Trakian, Roman and Slavic people. This is proved by many of archeological discoveries such as fundaments of buildings, saveges, ceramic and coins. At the Medieval times many monasteries were built around, some still exist.
     During the 500 years long Turkish rule one of the owner of Bankya was an Army Mayor (Bimbashi) Muhamed Rashid . He has been well known to the mighty families in Sofia. He obtained the property as a gift from the Sultan for his faithful service. In the middle of the ranch (called "chiflick") there was a hot spring of mineral water running and a bath with special wooden swimming pool was built there.
     After the Liberation (1878) a Bulgarian, Rashko Neshev, built the first new public bath with two departments for each sex and a separate department for patients with skin diseases.
     At 1910 the "Big Bath" - located at the central beautiful King's park was finished. It was built according to the project of prof. Hocheder- an architect from Munich. With it's remarkable architecture it is still considered a symbol of Bankya.
     In the year of 1969, Bankya was proclaimed a town, and in 1979 it became part of the capital Sofia. Local population is around 30 000 citizens. The town of Bankya provides an excellent infrastructure for tourism, recreation and medical treatment, as well as numerous opportunities for entertainment. There are two medical spa centers, hydrothermal pools and modern sanatoriums, mineral beach, tennis-complex, National hippodrome etc., as well as numerous historical places of interest, churches, cozy hotels and restaurants able satisfy each guest of the town. Very interesting to visit are the church "St. St. Kiriak and Julita" and the "St. Petka" Monastery situated in the place of Klisura. The Divotinski Monastery is only 20 km away. In the region of Bankya there are also many eco tracks.The law forbids any industrial activity there. Good transportation set connects Bankya with Sofia.