Water rises from the ground in Kyustendil at around seventy four degrees, and for nearly two thousand years people have come here to bathe in it. The Romans called the town Pautalia and built a large healing sanctuary, while the Ottomans added a mosque and baths that still shape the centre. Today Kyustendil is a calm spa town at the foot of Osogovo Mountain, known across Bulgaria for its cherries and mineral springs.
Hotel Paradise is a small three star hotel in the town, offering air conditioned rooms with private bathrooms, free wifi and a garden. Rates are low, often below thirty euros per night for two. With only a handful of reviews, guest ratings sit around 7.3 out of 10, describing a simple and practical stay. Sofia is about ninety kilometres away, and the borders with North Macedonia and Serbia are close.