Bansko - a Bulgarian Bargain

Once famous just for being cheap, things are looking up in Bulgaria’s resorts.  They are still very cheap, more so since the price of property crashed in 2008, taking holiday rental prices down with it, but the locals have been working hard on the facilities too and in Bansko in particular, things are looking up.

The modern Bulgarian Ski resort of Bansko, 560 km away from Belgrade, has one of the longest ski seasons in the region, lasting until the early days of May. The neighbouring countries of Romania and Slovakia have failed to attract the millions in investment needed to transform their communist era infrastructure but Bansko boasts some of the world’s most modern ski infrastructure and some of the hotels would not look out of place in a resort in Swizerland or Austria.

That’s not to say that rampant and speculative development hasn’t had quite some ill effects. A recent WWF report noted that as much as two thirds of all developemnt in Bansko was ‘essentially illegal’ and the Ski Club of Great Britain rates it was one of the least ‘green’ resorts in the world. But, if you leave your ecological baggage behind there’s some great skiing to be had.

In the past two years Bansko has had a great skiing season with plenty of snow, impressing many former sceptics. The runs offer a wide variety of different levels of difficulty and can hence cater for the needs of everyone.

If you are going with your little ones, you can leave them with one of the many ski schools. Almost all of the slopes have nursery runs making them an ideal starting point for future ski pro’s. The slopes are easy to access thanks to the newly built ski lifts which ensure that you do not get bored to easily. Lift passes are around €25 a day for adults with a 50 per cent reduction for kids.

Advanced skiers will be happy with the range of pistes including the Alberto Tomba run, designed by the great man himself. From a high of  2560 metres there is enough off-piste and extreme skiing available to keep adrenaline junkies busy for a week or more. If you feel particularly daring, the heli-skiing can be a fantastic experience.

Snowboard fans will be happy with the big snowboard fun park located just to one side of the Plateau area where there are two runs specifically for snowboarders. Keen to show off your skills? Hang out near the half pipe, situated near the Banderishka slope and wait for your turn to impress.

There are a huge number of restaurants spread across the resort, most of them offering not only Bulgarian but also international cuisine at extremely affordable prices.

Bulgaria is also fond of rakija or rather rakiya, as they call it there, and it is consumed just as often – making it the most popular drink in the countless mahana’s –  similar to Serbia’s kafana’s.

The old-town of Bansko, is great for those who are easily enchanted by cobbled streets and tiny old houses. Go for a wander at night to discover the charms of the mehanas and hang out all night with the locals or go dancing in one of the two folk clubs – Bulgari or Planeta Payner – in order to experience the true Bulgaria and its love for Chalga (Bulgarian pop-folk).

Bansko also has an ice rink in the city centre, open until 10 p.m. which should keep you and your loved ones entertained – as long as your bones don’t hurt too much from endless hours on the slopes.

There is a huge range of hotels on offer and even the most expensive the Kempinski Hotel located directly on the slopes of the Pirin mountain, will not set you back more than €100 or so per person per night.  Too rich for your blood?  The housing boom has left many speculative buyers with flats and apartments to let, so good quality accomodation for a family of four, in a block close to the lifts can be yours for as little as €250 for a week.

If you are aching after a few days on the slopes, take the 6km trip to Dobrinishte. Dobrinishte is another ski resort, a lot smaller than Bansko, recommended for its hot springs. There’s nothing better than enjoying the hot water while you watch the snow fall outside!

One last piece of advice before you pack up your bags to go to Bulgaria: if someone asks you how you like Bansko, you should always shake your head. Nodding means ‘no’ here, so be careful not to insult the locals.

Altitude of the resort - 990m
Highest Peak - 2,914m
Total length of slopes - 70km
Total number of lifts - 14
Number of beginners’ runs (blue slopes) - 4
Intermediate (red slopes) - 9
Advanced (black slopes) - 2
Maximum difference in altitude - 1,924m
Longest run - 6km