“Discover Bulgaria” was a slogan of one of the many campaigns launched by the Government a few years ago. As a Bulgarian who has travelled quite a lot, I did not pay attention to this call because I thought that, at almost 25 years of age, I had been to almost every big city and resort in the country. Guess what? The city of Hissar (Hissarya as it is in Bulgarian) proved me wrong.
Hissar is situated almost in the centre of Bulgaria, on the southern slopes of the Sredna Gora mountains, just 170km away from Sofia and 30km from Plovdiv. Most of the journey you get to spend on the Sofia-Plovdiv highway, which makes it an easy and fast drive, so if you live in the capital it will take you no more than an hour and a half to get to Hissar, which by all means is a benefit.
What can Hissar offer, one might ask? Here is the quick answer: calmness. If the name sounds familiar, it is the place from where the mineral water comes. Yes, this also means that the city is full of spa centres and hotels. So, if you want to get out of the big city and spend a weekend in a place full of freshness and spa goodies, Hissar is your place. I spent a night in the Hissar four-star hotel, which will surprise you with the quality and the cleanness it provides. The building might seem a little bit communist style, but it is enormous. When you enter it, however, you will discover that it is almost brand new, has a beautiful lobby, and yes a big – and I mean really big – pool outside. For those keen on making world records in swimming, the indoor Olympic-size pool will appeal, especially because it is always empty, since everyone, including the person writing this piece, prefers to enjoy the sun outside. The pools are definitely one of the strong points of the hotel. The green grass, the sun loungers and the water bar make it perfect. Yes you have heard right – there is a bar in the pool, which is very practical I must say. The pool and all other things like towels, chaise-longues, etc. are included in the price of the room, so don’t worry if you’ve forgotten your bathing equipment.
The spa centre is well developed with all the treatments you could ever want. I personally recommend the “classic massage”, which, after, a busy week is very relaxing. 
Hissar is not the centre of the world, but it serves its purpose as a small, cosy country town. Walking the streets at night, surrounded by parks and gardens, free from industrial enterprises, you will enjoy beautiful moments. Besides the spa facilities, Hissar also offers a rich history. In various history books, you will read that the first settlers of the small valley where the town is situated were Thracians from the Besi tribe. Eventually, the area was reached by Macedonians, but it was not until Roman times when Hissar developed into a large town and resort, called Dioclecianopolis, after the Roman emperor Dioclecian (284 to 305 CE). Dioclecianopolis was the third largest town in the province of Thrace, after Philipopolis (Plovdiv) and Beroe (Stara Zagora).
The town was built according to the requirements of Roman town planning – with wide, straight streets, decorated with statues of gods and goddesses, with marble baths, beautiful palaces and villas for the Roman aristocracy. To protect the town from enemy invasions, it was surrounded with a wall raised by the skilful hands of Thracian master-builders. The wall is one of the best preserved of its kind, not only in Bulgaria, but on the entire Balkan Peninsula! Today, the Hissar people take great pride in the remains of the wall, especially in the symbol of the town – the southern gates of Diocletianopolis, called The Camels. At the beginning of the 20th century, the gate was broken off and the remaining arch was thought to resemble two camels. If you have a bottle of Hissar mineral water, you will see the camels on the label.
As for the food, you will be pleasantly surprised that the prices are quite reasonable. There are more than 15 places where you can eat outside of the hotel and the quality of the food is remarkably good. Traditional Bulgarian meals are highly recommended. Bon appetit!
How to get there
By car: From Sofia: take the Trakia motorway towards Plovdiv, turn off for Karlovo -170 km; or;
Along the Sub-Balkan motorway towards Varna, via Karlovo - 170 km; From Plovdiv - 42 km. By bus: from Plovdiv - every hour;direct from Sofia; direct from Rousse By train: from Plovdiv and Karlovo, changing at Dolna Mahala station. Nearest airport: Sofia - 170 km.
For more information and maps, go to: www.hotelhissar.com
