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The Town of Bansko
Surrounded by the Pirin, Rila and Rhodopa mountains, Bansko is growing mountain resort with a current populations of around 10,000 permanent residents. The skiing season starts in mid December and lasts through until mid April when the town changes over to a summer resort offering hunting, walking, fishing and sightseeing.
The town is currently undergoing a huge construction programme creating dozens of new 4 and 5 star hotels to complement the existing 40 traditional family run hotels. Hundreds of new holiday apartments are also being built to satisfy the increasing demand for accomodation as the town turns into a major world ski destination.
The other two large ski resorts in Bulgaria - Borovets and Pamporovo, are also the subject of modernisation but its Bansko that is leading the way as a modern resort with world class facilities both on and off the slopes. Within the last 10 years the town has began turning from a peaceful mountain village into the fastest growing ski destination in Europe.
Millions of euros have been spent creating over 65 kilometers of ski runs and a lift network covering 26 kilometers. As the ski facilities are being improved so to is the infrastructure of the town and the local council have a vision of creating an all seasons resort.
Along with new hotels and apartments a number of shops, restaurants, taverns and cafes are also being introduced. The shops are starting to sell ski wear from all of the top suppliers and the cafes and restaurants offer both traditional and high quality modern facilities.
Places to go - There are over 120 cultural and historic monuments in and around Bansko including the world famous Rila monastery. Built in its present form between 1816 and 1846 the monastery was first created inthe 10th century as a refuge for hermits.
For more information on the monastery CLICK HERE.
Bansko also boasts one of the best museaum complexes in eastern Europe including Neophit Rilsky Museum (a former cell school), Hilendarsky/Rilsky Convent (Bansko School of icon-painting) and The House of Arts and Poetry.
Other Attractions - Extending over an area of 27,400ha and lying at an altitude of 1,008 - 2,914m in the Pirin mountains, the Pirin National Park has a limestone Balkan landscape, with lakes, waterfalls, caves and pine forests. The rugged mountains, with some 70 glacial lakes scattered throughout them, are home to hundreds of endemic and rare species, many of which are representative of the Balkan Pleistocene flora. The mountains also have diverse and unique landscapes of great aesthetic value.
The Pirin National park is a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Site.
Stories of Bansko -
Howdy people!
Well, survived my holiday (except for minor case of "Skiers Thumb"), and what a brilliant time it was too (except for the 6 hour flight delay outbound, courtesy of Thomas Cook Airlines!).
For those of you thinking of going out there for the first time, you are in for a treat - friendly locals, good food and cheap beer!!
We stayed at the Hotel Zornitza - a small, but friendly, family run hotel in the heart of the town. Our host, Emile, made our stay very comfortable and provided a good selection of food (we were on half-board basis) during the holiday.
Do not expect a modern, fancy resort (although there is a lot of modernisation underway). Bansko has been described as almost being "Third Worldy" and in a way, this is quite true. The buildings are of typical "Eastern Block" design and I will never complain about the English roads again! However, behind the drab, first-impressions exterior, lays a gentle population and lots of culture, which they are more than happy to share with you.
Most of the Taverns and Restaurants (most of which are concentrated down Pirin Street) have the same food on offer. However, there is quite a selection of traditional and English meals, which will give you a varied choice throughout your stay.
For all you "beer monsters" out there, beer is very cheap. Most Taverns average at about 2.00 levs (£0.76) for a beer. Nightclubs and Discos tend to be a little more at 3.00 - 4.00 levs (£1.15 - £1.54) for a beer. To give you a better idea of costs, eight of us went out to one of the local Taverns. We had a two course meal each, spent six hours drinking 1 Litre jugs of red wine (went through about 14 that night........) and buying beer for the local singers who come in especially to play for us. Came to about £15.20 (40.00 levs) each!! Where could you do that in England??
For those of you who want a little more action, there are a small number of Clubs and Discos in Bansko. These include the Playboy Bar (5.00 levs entrance and averaging 5.00 levs per drink), Buddha Bar (just off first main square as you come down Pirin Street from slopes - free entry and average of 4.00 levs per drink) and Amnesia (just down from Buddha Bar - 2.00 levs entry and average of 3.00 levs per drink). Out of all of them, Amnesia was a huge hit with great sounds and a great atmosphere (destroyed our holiday rep there.....!!).
All you Footie fans will be pleased to know that the Lions Pub at the top of Pirin Street (about 5 mins walk from bottom Gondula Station) is open 24/7 and plays most of the major matches showing on Sky during the day, with the occassional match in the evening, otherwise a good selection of music. Other places worth a visit are the Steak House, Pirin Tavern and the Tavern opposite Playboy Bar (who's name I forget!!!). Look out for our memorial inside the Tavern hanging on the main rafter support!!
Slope conditions were brilliant for the first few days. However, the sun really broke through on day 5 and started to turn the slopes to mush. Did not help with the high winds shutting down the higher slopes, forcing everyone into the same areas. Lesson we have learnt - visit early or mid season for the best slope conditions. The pistes are very well maintained and well groomed by the Patrols, but the weather was just against us.
All-in-all, a brilliant holiday location with friendly people, lots of food and silly beer prices (oh, yes......for all you smokers, ciggys are about £0.60 a pack of 20 and I highly recommend the Victory Blue brand!!).
Will I be going back to Bansko?
Try and stop me..............!!!!!!!!!
Titch 98
In August 2004 we flew to Varna in search of the property bargains of the millenium along the Black sea coast. After spending two nights in Albena and one day driving the length of the coast we decided it was not for us. Lets go to Borovets says me - its only about 6 hours away in the car and we can take in Veliko Turnovo and Sofia along the way.
10 hours later having decided VT was definately not for us and stopping off for a McDonalds in Sofia we found ourselves approaching the Greek border with the mountains behind us and no sign of Borovets or boboceh as our map said - or so we thought.
Using the logic that there might just be a Holiday Inn at the peak of the mountain range now behind us and with the light fading fast we turned around, gave up on Borovets and headed back north.
Half an hour later we came across a sign that will remain with me forever. It said 'Bansko - All Seasons Resort'
"I'm sure I've heard of that" says me - and we certainly had no other option As we settled into our beds at the Glazne hotel we decided that it was surely fate that had brought us here.
The next day we spent the morning driving up the mountain that most people throw themselves down on one or two planks and we all fell in love with the place.
We left Bansko later that afternoon and eventually found Borovets. Two days later and with the rally of Bulgaria over after a total round trip of 2500kms we arrived back in Albena (sorry about the state of the Seat Ibiza), jumped straight on the hotel internet and started our Bansko research.
We are currently waiting for our 3 apartments to be finished and can't wait for our return trip to sample the skiing and snowboarding.
Bansko really is that kind of place. You fall in love the minute you get there and it combines the best of what Bulgaria has to offer, stunning scenery, friendly people and very cheap prices - yet due to all of the new construction of modern facilities and hotels it avoids Bulgaria's main problem of derelict old buildings.
If you are thinking of visiting for a holiday or even buying there I can thoroughly recommend it - even after only one day
Tigger
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The Town of Bansko