Ski resort Bansko in Bulgaria

Bansko is a resort whose skiing season breaks all records in terms of duration among other winter resorts in Bulgaria. Snow cover lies here for a long 5-6 months. However, even after the winter season, the resort does not empty: the area is "occupied" by mountain bike enthusiasts. In the article we will describe why Bansko is the most visited ski resort in Bulgaria, we will talk about prices, entertainment in the resort and more.

History of Bansko

Bansko is an ancient resort town near the Pirin Mountains at an altitude of 927 m above the sea, 150 km from Sofia. The local population does not exceed 10 thousand people. The history of the city begins in the IX-X centuries. However, the economic and cultural dawn of Bansko overtook in the XVIII-XIX centuries. That time was the "Golden Age" for this region. Local residents transported valuable goods between White Sea and Central Europe: gold, tobacco, cotton, etc.

Bansko became famous as a winter resort only in the 1980s. This happened thanks to foreign skiers, who, apparently, were looking for a suitable place for skiing.

Today, the region is famous for its mirror lakes, dense forests and the resort of Bansko, one of the largest in the country. Its peculiarity lies in its location and equipment. The resort is located on the territory of the Pirin National Park from the UNESCO heritage list.

The complex is considered the best in terms of technical equipment. Modern snow guns maintain the desired level of snow throughout the season.

There are no problems with entertainment either. In addition to skiing, restaurants, bars and noisy discos are available to guests. For vacationers, there are spas with mineral springs, which makes the city a resort for balneological recreation.

Bansko in numbers:

Total length of runs

75 km

Number of tracks

17 pcs

The length of the longest run

16 km

Cross-country ski run length

9 km

highest point

2560 m

Lifts

24 pcs

snow guns Provide 80%

161 pcs

Resort Awards

year 2014

Winner of the "Most Budget Ski Resort in the World" award.

2016

"Top 10 best destinations in the world for the winter season 2016/2017"

2017

7th place in the ranking of "10 best ski resorts in the world."

2017

Winner of the "Best ski resort in Bulgaria" award

Description of ski slopes

Bansko resort includes 17 slopes of varying difficulty for skiers and snowboarders. Many people are mistaken when they say that there are trails for beginners in Bansko (marked in green on the maps). However, if you look at the map of Bansko, there are no green slopes on it. There are only blue (for an average level of training), red (for skilled skiers) and black (for pros). All tracks are located in 3 areas for skiing: Chalin-Valog, Shiligarnika and Banderishka Polyana.

Trails for intermediate level skiers

For absolute beginners, the easiest slope on the map is marked with the number "1" (located on the right). On its lower part, the smallest drops.

Trails for skilled skiers

Intermediate skiers have access to almost all ski slopes in Bansko.

Trails for professionals

Ski equipment rental prices

There are enough service and equipment rental points in Bansko. Here you can rent a complete set of equipment or separately the equipment you need.

Interesting facts about equipment rental:

• Renting a complete outfit is cheaper than renting individual items.
• The longer the rental period, the lower the price per set.
• When booking online, the price of equipment is at least 10% lower than when buying on the spot.
• If you purchase the package "equipment + ski passes + training" online, the final price will be approximately 60% lower than the one indicated at the entrance.
• The cost of equipment for this year's models is higher than the cost of the same equipment of previous seasons.
• Renting as part of ski school training is cheaper than without training.

The rental has highly specialized equipment for professionals. Its price is slightly higher.

Ski pass prices 2021-2022

Advice!

With a ski pass, you can climb the slope by bus (shuttle or free bass). This way you will avoid long queues for the lifts.

Rental of property

There are hundreds of places in Bansko where you can stay during your holiday. Hotels and guest houses are literally scattered throughout the city. The rental price starts from $20 per day and exceeds $120. However, there is a great way to save money on rent, and rent a full apartment at the lowest prices. In terms of comfort, they are in no way inferior to hotels. You can rent a house in Bansko for $10 per night on the Vput.ru portal. For this money you can rent a 2-room apartment for 4 people with all amenities. The apartment has:

• furniture (beds, sofas, tables, chairs, etc.);
• equipped kitchen with stove and refrigerator, microwave, kettle and toaster;
• bathroom with washing machine, shower or bath;
• fireplace, TV, Wi-Fi, ironing board, dryer, iron, etc.;

Plus, there are picturesque panoramas of the mountain slopes from the windows of the apartments.

Cafes, restaurants

The resort invites guests to enjoy the masterpieces of local cuisine in cafes and mehans - traditional Bulgarian restaurants, which are here on every corner.

Usually tourists prefer to dine in mehans. In these restaurants, the most delicious and inexpensive food, national music plays incessantly, and a friendly atmosphere is fragrant. From here you will definitely not leave hungry, as the portions in the mehan are always large.

How to get to Bansko

Getting here from the cities of Russia and Kiev is more comfortable in just two ways - by plane or car. The nearest airport to the resort is located in Sofia (155 km).

Flights regularly fly here from different cities of Russia, as well as from Kiev.

You can get from Sofia to Bansko (distance 160 km) by taxi or by bus along the E79 motorway, as well as by train. The most convenient way is to rent a car after arriving in Bulgaria.

From Moscow and Kiev to Bansko by car

By car, leave Moscow along the Kievskoe highway (E101 highway), then onto the E95 highway and continue until the intersection with the E584 highway. There you exit onto the E584 highway and move along it until the intersection with the E85 highway (between the villages of Maresheshti and Bizigeshti). Keep your course on Highway 85 all the way to Bulgaria.

After entering the country, between the villages of Polsko-Kosovo and Byala, turn onto the E83 motorway, which later goes to the A2 (Hemus) highway. Take the Hemus highway to the Severn High Speed ​​Tangent and from there take the E80 road and drive south to the A3 highway. Moving along it to Blagoevgrad, take the E79, and from there onto the road number 19, which after 40 km will lead you to Bansko.

From Kiev, the route also starts from the E95 motorway and continues along the same path.

What month is better to come to Bansko

Each time the official opening of the ski season in Bansko takes place in mid-December and lasts until mid-April. Every year the resort is visited by a different number of tourists. The difference is due to the economic situation of vacationers from some countries, the change of interests of travel companies, as well as the amount of snow on the mountain slopes.

Moreover, there are factors that always affect the load of the resort in the same way:

• important holidays,
• school break,
• weekend (from Sofia to the resort it takes 2.5 hours, so the resort is available on weekends for the Bulgarians themselves).

December. From the opening of the season until the end of the month, the flow of tourists is only growing.

January. The peak of tourists falls on the first 2 weeks. During this period, people come here to rest from Russia, England, Greece, Israel and other countries. The workload increases strongly at the end of the month due to the world event "Women's Alpine Skiing World Cup".

February. This month is the best chance to get a good snow cover. The workload of the resort has been observed in the last two weeks, when some countries have school holidays.

March, April. Most vacationers are only at the beginning of March due to the celebration of Independence Day (March 3). From the middle of the month until the end of the season, there are almost no loads. This is the most favorable period to visit. A well-established snow cover, warm weather in the urban area and light frost on the mountain slopes, as well as a minimum of tourists - all this will make your vacation the way you imagine it.

If you are unlimited in the choice of dates for your vacation, we recommend that you come to Bansko:

• in January - from the 10th to the 20th;
• in February - from 20 numbers;
• in March - after the 10th and until the end of the season.

Entertainment and attractions

In addition to the main thing, skiing or snowboarding, Bansko has entertainment and places that will brighten up the evening and will not let you get bored at night.

Old part of the city

Bansko is rich in historical buildings and quarters with an unchanged appearance in the style of the XVIII-XIX centuries. Stone houses with red tiled roofs crowd along narrow lanes, creating a unique image of a resort town. The walls of many buildings are decorated with paintings and frescoes, and the wooden parts are covered with artistic carvings.

Among the ancient buildings there are granite houses-fortresses that belonged to eminent residents. They were built up during the uprisings that took place in these parts in the 18th-19th centuries. The courtyards of such buildings are surrounded by massive stone walls and strong gates, the windows are protected by thick oak shutters, and the doors are upholstered with wrought iron. In nearby towns and villages, no one could afford this. The architecture of modern hotels also gracefully fits into the traditional surroundings of Bansko.

Ice rink

While other tourists plow the slopes of the Pirin Mountains, you can go ice skating. It is located just 4 minutes walk from the starting station of the lift and is open from 13:00 to 22:00. Near the skating rink there is a cozy cafe where you can take a break, watching the skaters through the window.

Advice for moms

Life hack for mothers with children: on weekdays there are few people on the rink. At this time, you can teach children to ride in a calm and safe environment.

Riding cost:

15 lev for adults and 9 for children under 12. If you rent skates, the price is twice as much.

City Park

In the center of the city there is a park with an area of ​​200 thousand m², planted with centuries-old trees. The territory of the park is ennobled with cafes, fountains, playgrounds, and even a lake with an island, where a wooden bridge leads. This is a favorite place for recreation and walks of local residents.

Pubs, clubs and discos

For active young people leading the nightlife, there are many noisy places in Bansko. Every evening in the city there is an extravaganza with theme parties. If you prefer quiet leisure, relax in one of the city's pubs.

Bansko or Bukovel

Many people are interested in where it is better to go: to Bansko or Bukovel. We have already talked about the first resort. Now consider Bukovel - the main ski resort in Ukraine. The ski season here lasts from late November to April, sometimes until May. As of 2021, there are 67 pistes of various difficulties in Bukovel, with a length of about 68 km:

• 17 lungs
• 42 medium
• 8 difficult

The resort has 17 lifts capable of carrying 34,700 people per hour.

Prices for ski passes and equipment in Bukovel in 2021

Prices depend on the season. There are three of them: low, high, festive. Ski passes in the low season are about one and a half times cheaper than in the high season, and twice as much as in the festive season. For example, in the low season, a ski pass for an adult costs 650 hryvnia (39 lev / 19 € / 1747 ₽) per day. In the high season, its price is 1050 hryvnia (63 lev / 32 € / 2823 ₽), and in the festive season - 1350 hryvnia (82 lev / 42 € / 3630 ₽).

The cost of renting equipment for 1 day in Bukovel according to the "All Days" tariff:

Equipment rental price according to the “Holiday” tariff:

There are many equipment rental points in Bukovel. Some can be found 15 km from the resort itself. You can save a lot on this by renting equipment at one of these “early” rental points. The price is about half the price. In general, the closer to the ski lifts, the higher the prices.

Prices for double rooms in Bukovel hotels start from $40. The infrastructure in Bukovel is at a high level. In addition to skiing from the slopes, the resort offers vacationers a lot of entertainment:

• Bike Zip - bike rides on a cable car over the lake.
• Walks on dog sleds, quad bikes and snowmobiles along the mountain peaks of the Carpathians.
• Trolley - downhill on a roller on a cable at a steep angle.
• Snowtubing - descents from the snowy slopes on an air cushion.
• Ice Land is the only ice and snow complex in Ukraine with incredible photo zones.
• Karting center, snow park, etc.

Most go to ski resorts for endless ski slopes. In this regard, Bansko is the best choice, since the length of the slopes of this resort reaches almost 5 kilometers. In Bukovel, the longest descent exceeds just over 2000 meters.

Unlike Bukovel, there are no ski passes in Bansko according to the number of lifts. Moreover, in the Bulgarian resort prices for ski passes do not change depending on normal days, weekends and holidays. Bansko is the most budget resort in the world for a reason.