Blagoevgrad

Blagoevgrad (Благоевград) is a town in southwestern Bulgaria, the region of Pirin Macedonia, with a population of about 76,000. It is named after the founder of the Bulgarian Communist Party, Dimitar Blagoev. The city is the administrative center of Blagoevgrad Province, and arguably the economic and cultural center of southwestern Bulgaria. It is located at the foot of the Rila and Pirin Mountains, about 100 km south of Sofia, close to the Greek and Macedonian borders.

The city features a pedestrian downtown with preserved 19th century architecture and numerous restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, and boutiques. Blagoevgrad is home to two universities, the Neofit Rilski Southwestern University and the American University in Bulgaria.