Skiing Facilities

Though Bulgaria boasts two famous skiing resorts at Borovets and Pamporovo, it's Bansko which is fast becoming the tourists' favourite.

The skiing is fabulous, to say the least, with spectacular pistes set in the Pirin Mountain national park. 65 kms of ski runs and 26 kms of fully integrated lift network are being put in place to welcome skiing tourists.
Bansko eclipses better-known Borovets in every respect. It has the best snow record and the longest ski season (mid-December to mid-May) of all the Bulgarian resorts. The skiing is surprisingly good, with the lower runs through the trees and open bowl skiing at the top of the area, offering fresh tracks in deep powder. There is scope for enlarging the ski area further to something on a par with a medium-sized Austrian resort.

Accommodation in Bansko

There are certain old hotels slap-bang in the centre of the town which have been favoured by the tourists for a long time. Though the slopes are not nearby, the convenience of city centre and its associated supermarkets and connectivity often outweighs the inconvenience of bus rides to gondola stations.

But those who would like to be as near the slopes as possible, Tomba, the picturesque pine wood chalet behind the Samokov Hotel would combine both the elegance with the convenience and both just a few minutes walk away.

Gondola 4 & 5 Apartments in Tadora Towers are newly built and have fully furnished two/one bed roomed apartments. They are just at a 1 minute’s walking distance from the Gondola lift station. Very soon Royal Plaza Apartments and All seasons Club will start catering to the tourists too. If you want to buy a residence in Bansko, these would be ideal.

Cheap Rates

Back in the village, most of the après-ski is provided by 100 traditional taverns called mehanas. Competition is keen - the resort's population is only 10,000 - and "greeters" dressed in national costume loiter outside the larger ones beckoning tourists to enter. They are outrageously cheap. A gourmet Macedonian dinner for four with liberal servings of Bulgarian Cabernet Sauvignon would only cost just £15. Bansko thankfully neither has a Pizza Hut nor a McDonald's. The absence of these ubiquitous food peddlers lends a unique quaint charm to this area.

Major Local Attractions

Bansko is dotted with historical monuments but Rila monastery surely is the most well known. The present edifice was constructed in early 19th century but this monastery has remained a refuge of hermits since the 10th century and commands a very respectful place in the minds of Bulgarians.

Also worth visiting are Neophit Rilsky Museum, Hilendarsky Convent and The House of Arts and Poetry.

Conclusion

Even without the history and arts, wandering through the Pirin National Park, with some 70 glacial lakes scattered throughout and vast rolling expanses of rare flora would be enough to make this trip memorable.

Mark Strauss is an independent author with a focus on property, business and investment topics