Well-huddled on the southern slopes of East Rila, the town of Belitsa is surrounded on all sides by mountain slopes each of which is believed to be under the patronage of a certain Christian saint – St. Atanas, St. Iliya, St. Mina, St.Spas and St. Peter. People of Belitsa believe that the saints are watching over Belitsa, protecting them and keeping the town’s sanctity. Yet Belitsa, in spite of this magic feeling of remoteness, is closely connected to the remaining part of the country. The town is just 4 km off the road Razlog-Velingrad that connects international roads Å-79 and Å-80. This provides a good access road to Sofia, Plovdiv, Blagoevgrad and Kulata (the latter being a major border crossing point between Bulgaria and Greece). The ski-resort Bansko, a famous tourist centre remarkable with its traditional architecture and well-developed tourist infrastructure, is only half an hour from Belitsa, and an hour drive by car will take you to Velingrad - the largest balneological resort in Bulgaria. Not far from Belitsa are also the Rila Monastery and the town-museum of Melnik (2 hours drive). The town is also accessible via the most picturesque railway in Bulgaria – the small gauge rail-road connecting Dobrinishte and the town of Septemvri. This slow old-fashioned train has been in operation over 80 years, crossing the Rhodopes, Rila and Pirin, and passing through mountain regions offering memorable nature sights.