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Well served by half-hourly bus from Stara Zagora, the small spa resort of STAROZAGORSKI BANI , 14km to the northwest, boasts little in the way of specific "sights" or activities, but is a great place to just relax in the fresh mountain air. The natural thermal springs have been attracting settlers since the Neolithic era, though it was in the second century AD that the Romans first constructed the extensive thermae , which stood for a thousand years before falling in an earthquake. The restored remains of a small section of this once huge complex can be seen in the centre of the village, while nearby excavations have revealed a medieval necropolis, dug into the side of a Neolithic tumulus. During the Communist period, Starozagorski Bani was a popular rest and recuperation spot, and the place still bears a faintly clinical atmosphere, with its workers' rest homes, specialist health centres and public mineral baths. These days it's looking a bit tired, but it still draws large numbers of mainly Bulgarian visitors, who enjoy the simple pleasures of its attractive parks, lakeside walks and open-air swimming pools. In recent years there have been attempts to rejuvenate the place, and there are a number of small pensions and hotels to choose from: the Grodi (tel 04111/2338; US$9-18) has its own swimming pool and a range of on-site spa treatments, while for a touch more comfort, the recently refurbished Maritsa-Iztok (tel 04111/2313; US$18-36) offers large, modern apartments. You can get full-board accommodation at the Zagore (tel 04111/2319; US$9-18), though you may prefer to eat at one of the clutch of standard cafes and restaurants in the village centre. To get there , take bus #9, #92, #93 or #94 from Stara Zagora bus station, which drops you at the eastern end of the village.
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