About Bansko

Why ski in Bansko?

Beautiful as well as ancient, Bansko dates from the 9th century AD and is around 160km south of Sofia. Magnificently encircled by the Pirin, Rila, and Rhodopa Mountains, this most historic of ski resorts is listed as one of UNESCO's World Heritage sites. It’s long been popular with fans of cheap skiing and Bulgaria holidays in general.

The ski scene in Bansko offers more than 70 kilometres of family skiing, snowboarding and generally a fantastic ski experience covering 14 pistes and a season that lasts for five months. Combining cheap skiing with high quality, Bansko is the perfect destination for cheap holidays in Bulgaria either skiing or snowboarding.

Along with over 100 cultural and historic monuments, Bansko also boasts a rich natural landscape of forests, mountains, lakes, waterfalls and caves. This makes it ideal if you’re looking not just for ski resorts offering great family skiing or snowboarding experience but Bulgaria holidays at any time of year.

Ski in Bansko and discover the very best cheap skiing holidays in Bulgaria including:

• Snow cannons on more than 50% of the slopes plus more than 12 Kassbohrer slope maintenance vehicles
• Doppelmayer chair lifts and drag lifts plus 8-man gondolaopen from 09:30 to 16:30 each day
• Night skiing on 7km lighted run – open from 18:30 to 21:30
• Platoto extreme winter sports area featuring artificial bumps, jumps and half-pipe
• Uninterrupted 16-kilometre route starting from Todorka Peak and finishing at the gondola

Cheap skiing for every level

If you ski in Bansko you’ll find it is especially ideal for first-time skiers and snowboarders. The ULEN Ski-school has some of Bulgaria’s best instructors plus the latest ski and snowboard equipment through ULEN Rent-a-ski. Baby-drags and plenty of accessible blue runs have made it an especially popular choice amongst ski resorts for its cheap family skiing, group skiing and snowboarding.

Plenty of blue and red runs make skiing in Bansko a very popular option with those looking for cheap skiing holidays in Bulgaria at both fun and more expert level. You can reach most runs by chair lifts and there are a number of handy eateries to rest and re-charge. Hands-free lifts and generally little need to queue make Bansko a smart choice.

While most experts are kept busy with the tougher red runs and the Alberto Tomba black run, Bansko offers great possibilities when it comes to extreme and off-piste skiing. The resort regularly hosts extreme competitions and slalom, as well as offering powder skiing, heli-skiing and para-gliding. Skiing off-piste? Then do please make sure that your insurance policy covers you - and that you ski with an experienced guide.

Combining modern with rustic and a population of just 10,000, Bansko offers what’s probably the best après-ski of all Bulgarian ski resorts. Take your pick from almost 100 'mehana' dining places serving up local specialities accompanied by traditional songs and dances from local artists. The famous St. Trinity church is well worth a visit, as are many other historical, architectural and cultural monuments in Bansko including grand houses dating from the Bulgarian Revival. Winter and summer festivals include the Bansko Jazz Fest and the Festival of Local Traditions.

Wide choice in dining

In Bansko there’s always a wide range of cuisine to choose from. Alongside traditional Bulgarian dishes, you can sample everything from European to Russian to Indian. Local wines and beers are excellent - all available in the old town pubs, taverns and cafes that combine great charm with relatively cheap prices.

Nightlife in Bansko is unforgettable and varied. With at least 45 pubs, 3 night clubs and over 100 restaurants there’s something for every taste!