| Official Name: | Bistritsa |
| Native Name: | Бистрица |
| Settlement Type: | Village |
| Pushpin Map: | Bulgaria |
| Pushpin Label Position: | Location in Bulgaria |
| Subdivision Name: |  Bulgaria |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Blagoevgrad Province |
| Subdivision Type2: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name2: | Blagoevgrad |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Georgi Bochukov (GERB) |
| Area Total Km2: | 171.498 |
| Population As Of: | 31-12-2020 [1] |
| Population Total: | 76 |
| Timezone: | EET |
| Utc Offset: | +2 |
| Timezone Dst: | EEST |
| Utc Offset Dst: | +3 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal Code |
| Postal Code: | 2724 |
| Area Code: | 073 |
| Coordinates: | 42.05°N 34°W |
| Elevation M: | 893 |
Bistritsa is a sparsely inhabited mountainous dispersed village in Blagoevgrad Municipality, in Blagoevgrad Province, Bulgaria. The village consists of 42 neighborhoods. It is situated in Rila mountain 9 kilometers east of Blagoevgrad. The Bistritsa river flows through the village.
Оn the territory of today's Bistritsa lived Thracians, before the new era, Romans 1 - 4 century AD, Slavs and Proto-Bulgarians. This is supported by evidence. Some coins minted during the reign of the emperors (Tiberius, Claudius, Constans and Constantius II) were found in tnear the village. In addition, during excavations around the former summer camp "Septemvriyche" were found late ancient fortress, church, building bricks, stone balls, iron locks, nails, staples. They are dated to the Thracian-Roman era.
By 1900, according to Vasil Kanchov ("Macedonia. Ethnography and Statistics"), the population of the village numbered 1540 people, of whom 1300 were Bulgarian Christians and 240 Vlachs.[2]
Population according to the censuses over the years:[3]
Most of the population is not economically active. There aren't any major economical subjects in the village. There is a municipal asphalt road connecting the village with Blagoevgrad, but most of the neighborhoods are connected with unpaved roads.
The only institution in the village is the mayor's office. There aren't any educational or medical institutions. The school is not functioning and its building is ruined.
There are nine Christian Orthodox churches and chapels in Bistrica. St. George's Church dates back to 1861, and John the Baptist Church in the Dabovo area dates back to 1872. St. Demetrius's Church is in the central part of the village and was also built at the end of the 19th century.