# Sandanski

Sandanski (Bulgarian: Сандански; Greek: Σαντάνσκι, formerly known as Sveti Vrach, Bulgarian: Свети Врач, until 1947) is a town and a recreation center in southwestern Bulgaria, part of Blagoevgrad Province. Named after the Macedonian Bulgarian revolutionary Yane Sandanski, it is situated in Sandanski–Petrich Valley at the foot of Pirin Mountains, along the banks of Sandanska Bistritsa River. Sandanski is about 20 km away from the Bulgaria-Greece border and 100 km away from the Aegean Sea.
The town has a convenient location, a mild to warm climate (with the highest average annual temperature in the country, +16°C) and relatively high concentration of thermal water springs, which all make it a popular destination for relaxation and recreation.

## Geography

Sandanski is located in the Sandanski–Petrich Valley, surrounded by the Pirin, Belasitsa and Ograzhden mountain ranges. The town is about 160 km south from Bulgaria's capital Sofia along the major European Route E79. Following the same route at almost the same distance is Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city.
Sandanski has developed in an amphitheatrical fashion on the outer south-west flanks of Pirin Mountains along the lower reaches of Sandanska Bistritsa River. The town's altitude varies between 240 and 300 meters. Its geographical location between Kresna and Rupel Gorges determines the town's mild winter and unpleasant summer temperatures. Statistically Sandanski has the warmest temperatures in Bulgaria with a total of around 2700 annual sunshine hours.
Within a short drive from Sandanski is Melnik, the smallest town in Bulgaria in terms of population, but an attractive tourist destination for its authentic architecture and wine production. In a close proximity are the village of Rozhen and Rozhen Monastery. The Ancient Roman city of Parthicopolis was located nearby.

### Climate

Sandanski has a temperate climate (Köppen Climate Classification: Cfa). Summers are very hot and dry with occasional thunderstorms and during heat waves the temperature may exceed 40 °C reaching to 45 °C, the highest recorded temperature in the city. Winters are damp and relatively mild, lasting for about three months from December through February. Springs and falls are generally about two months each. The summer is the longest season in Sandanski, lasting 4 months – from early June to late September. Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year except for July and August when droughts often occur.
Climate table:
Climate data for Sandanski (1991–2020), Extremes 1961-2020 :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 18.7 (65.7) | 22.8 (73.0) | 27.8 (82.0) | 32.2 (90.0) | 36.0 (96.8) | 42.0 (107.6) | 44.6 (112.3) | 42.4 (108.3) | 38.9 (102.0) | 33.4 (92.1) | 27.0 (80.6) | 22.9 (73.2) | 44.6 (112.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.7 (45.9) | 11.1 (52.0) | 15.5 (59.9) | 20.3 (68.5) | 25.6 (78.1) | 30.4 (86.7) | 33.3 (91.9) | 33.6 (92.5) | 28.1 (82.6) | 21.4 (70.5) | 14.6 (58.3) | 8.6 (47.5) | 20.8 (69.5) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.1 (37.6) | 5.5 (41.9) | 9.4 (48.9) | 13.9 (57.0) | 18.9 (66.0) | 23.4 (74.1) | 25.9 (78.6) | 25.9 (78.6) | 20.9 (69.6) | 14.9 (58.8) | 9.2 (48.6) | 4.2 (39.6) | 14.6 (58.3) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −0.7 (30.7) | 1.0 (33.8) | 4.2 (39.6) | 8.1 (46.6) | 12.7 (54.9) | 16.7 (62.1) | 18.9 (66.0) | 19.0 (66.2) | 14.7 (58.5) | 10.0 (50.0) | 5.1 (41.2) | 0.7 (33.3) | 9.2 (48.6) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −21.0 (−5.8) | −13.9 (7.0) | −10.4 (13.3) | −6.5 (20.3) | 1.8 (35.2) | 5.9 (42.6) | 10.0 (50.0) | 8.2 (46.8) | 3.0 (37.4) | −2.7 (27.1) | −12.0 (10.4) | −16.2 (2.8) | −21.0 (−5.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 39 (1.5) | 34 (1.3) | 44 (1.7) | 43 (1.7) | 45 (1.8) | 47 (1.9) | 34 (1.3) | 30 (1.2) | 37 (1.5) | 51 (2.0) | 46 (1.8) | 55 (2.2) | 505 (19.9) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 68 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 75 | 71 | 66 | 62 | 62 | 59 | 54 | 55 | 59 | 67 | 77 | 78 | 65 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 126 | 146 | 195 | 217 | 268 | 310 | 350 | 334 | 254 | 197 | 134 | 110 | 2,641 |
| Mean daily daylight hours | 9.6 | 10.6 | 12.0 | 13.4 | 14.5 | 15.1 | 14.8 | 13.8 | 12.5 | 11.1 | 9.9 | 9.2 | 12.2 |
| Source: NOAA NCEI(Humidity 1961-1990)Weather atlas(Daylight hours) ||||||||||||||
Climate data for Sandanski (1981–2010), Precipitation (2010-2020) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 18.0 (64.4) | 21.9 (71.4) | 30.0 (86.0) | 31.5 (88.7) | 36.8 (98.2) | 42.0 (107.6) | 44.6 (112.3) | 42.5 (108.5) | 38.7 (101.7) | 34.6 (94.3) | 26.0 (78.8) | 22.9 (73.2) | 44.6 (112.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.0 (44.6) | 10.2 (50.4) | 14.9 (58.8) | 20.5 (68.9) | 26.5 (79.7) | 30.1 (86.2) | 32.9 (91.2) | 32.8 (91.0) | 28.9 (84.0) | 22.3 (72.1) | 15.5 (59.9) | 9.7 (49.5) | 20.9 (69.6) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.5 (38.3) | 5.6 (42.1) | 9.5 (49.1) | 14.5 (58.1) | 19.5 (67.1) | 24.2 (75.6) | 27.6 (81.7) | 27.3 (81.1) | 21.7 (71.1) | 15.6 (60.1) | 10.5 (50.9) | 4.9 (40.8) | 15.4 (59.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −0.1 (31.8) | 1.0 (33.8) | 4.5 (40.1) | 9.1 (48.4) | 13.5 (56.3) | 17.1 (62.8) | 19.5 (67.1) | 19.3 (66.7) | 15.3 (59.5) | 10.7 (51.3) | 5.2 (41.4) | 1.7 (35.1) | 9.7 (49.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −21.0 (−5.8) | −15.3 (4.5) | −9.4 (15.1) | −4.3 (24.3) | 1.5 (34.7) | 6.7 (44.1) | 8.8 (47.8) | 6.5 (43.7) | 1.0 (33.8) | −2.1 (28.2) | −7.5 (18.5) | −16.9 (1.6) | −21.0 (−5.8) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 43.1 (1.70) | 38.4 (1.51) | 53.7 (2.11) | 40.9 (1.61) | 43.4 (1.71) | 54.9 (2.16) | 29.7 (1.17) | 30.3 (1.19) | 40.4 (1.59) | 54.8 (2.16) | 47.5 (1.87) | 50.3 (1.98) | 527.3 (20.76) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 6.2 | 6.9 | 5.6 | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 5.3 | 6.3 | 7.8 | 66.1 |
| Average snowy days | 5.1 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 3.2 | 11.9 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 123 | 144 | 211 | 232 | 286 | 311 | 369 | 348 | 256 | 212 | 131 | 100 | 2,723 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 43 | 49 | 52 | 54 | 60 | 69 | 77 | 78 | 70 | 58 | 45 | 36 | 60 |
| Source: stringmeteo.com ||||||||||||||

## Municipality

Sandanski is the seat of Sandanski Municipality, which includes the following 54 places:
| Belevehchevo Belyovo Bozhdovo Chereshnitsa Damyanitsa Debrene Doleni Dzhigurovo Golem Tsalim Goleshovo Gorna Sushitsa Gorno Spanchevo Harsovo Hotovo Hrasna Kalimantsi Karlanovo Katuntsi | Kashina Kovachevo Krastiltsi Ladarevo Laskarevo Lebnitsa Lehovo Levunovo Leshnitsa Lilyanovo Lozenitsa Lyubovishte Lyubovka Malki Tsalim Melnik Novo Delchevo Novo Hodzhovo Petrovo | Piperitsa Pirin Ploski Polenitsa Rozhen Sandanski Sklave Spatovo Stozha Struma Sugarevo Valkovo Vinogradi Vihren Vranya Yanovo Zlatolist Zornitsa |

## Honour

Sandanski Point on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named after the town of Sandanski.