Welcome to the A to Z of Bansko. Here you will find lots of useful information related to Bansko along with weblinks to other pages containing greater detail. The A to Z is a 'work in progress' and we intend to update it continuously. If you have any information that you feel would be useful please drop us an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

If you can not find the information you are looking for here please try the Talk Bansko Forum - the original online forum dedicated to Bansko.

A

Airports

Sofia airport is 160km and Plovdiv airport is around 140km from Bansko. Visit the airports website at SOFIA  www.sofia-airport.bg/En/index1.htm

PLOVDIV  www.plovdivairport.com

The distance from Bansko to Thessalonika (Thessaloniki) airport in Greece is approximately 240km and the journey takes around 3.5 hours. http://www.airports-worldwide.com/greece/thessaloniki_greece.html

The airport at Kavala in Greece can be reached in around 2.5 hours from Bansko and the distance is around 160km. www.airports-worldwide.com/greece/kavala_greece.html

ATM - Cash machines
 
There are several ATM cash machines in Bansko including at :-

DSK BANK BRANCH OFFICE
67, TSAR SIMEONI STR.

CBA BANSKO
23 GEORGI GOLEV STREET

PIRIN HOTEL, FIRST INVESTMENT BANK OFFICE
68 TSAR SIMEON STREET
ARENA KEMPINSKI GRANDHOTEL
96 PIRIN STREET

STRAZHITE HOTEL
7 GLAZNE STREET

LIFT STATION 1

B

Banderishka Poliana

Smallest of the 3 ski areas (See also Chalin Valog and Shiligarnika.) Also a place where a small greyish brown owl known as Tengmalm's owl (Aegolius funereus) can be spotted.

Banks

There are several located in Bansko itself including:

FIRST INVESTMENT BANK

Website - www.fibank.bg/index.php?language=38

Offers - Full range of services including online banking.

Addresses

Bansko Service Centre
Business hours
Monday - Friday:
9.00 a.m. - 4.30 p.m.
2770 Bansko,
68, Tzar Simeon St.
phones: (+359 7443) 81 10, (+359 7443) 81 11
fax: (+359 7443) 81 12

"Strazhite" Service Centre
Business hours
Monday - Friday:
9.00 a.m. - 4.30 p.m.
2770 Bansko,
7, Glazne St.
phones: (+359 7443) 69 80, (+359 7443) 69 81
fax: (+359 7443) 64 00

HEBROS BANK

Website - www.hebros.bg/cgi-bin/index_en.cgi

Branch Email - This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Branch Address - 7 Pirin Street
Phones - 07443 8125 (8127)

Offers - Full range of services including online banking

POSTBANK

Website - www.postbank.bg/web/home.aspx?lang=en-US
Branch Address - 13 N. Vaptsrov Square
Phones - 07443 8124

Offers - Full range of services including online banking


Bars & Restaurants

Known locally as Mehanas. There are reportedly over 350 in and around Bansko and many produce their own wine. When you order the house red that really is what you are getting!! Beware - some establishments in Bansko sell many 'house wines' and the price can vary enormously. We would recommend that you always check the price of the 'house wine' before ordering.

Check out the forum for recommendations on the best places to go.


Bansko Express

Bansko Express is a simple and secure online booking service for return transfers between Sofia Airport and the Bansko Resort. CLICK HERE for more details.

Bus Service

There is a regular bus service from Bansko to Blagoevgrad, Gotse Delchev, Razlog and Sofia. The bus station is situated at the north of the town along with the railway station near to Makedonia Square and can be contacted on +359 7443 2441 or +359 7443 8420

The bus from Sofia to Bansko can be caught at the Ovcha Kupel avtogara bus station in Sofia (8 times per day). The bus station in Sofia is located on Tsar Boris III Boulevard (the E79 out of Sofia)

C

Car Hire

Companies that offer car hire from Sofia airport include:-

Holiday Autos   

Ebookers   

Expedia   

Cash Machines

See ATM's

Coast

The distance by road from Bansko to the coast at Thessalonika in Greece is approximately 240km and the journey takes around 3.5 hours. The Greek coast at Kavala can be reached in around 2.5 hours from Bansko and the distance by road is around 160km. Check out the forum for border crossing information.


Chalin Valog

Lowest of the three 3 ski areas situated at 1100 - 1600 m

Church   

The main church in Bansko that features on many pictures, especially the clock tower, is the Sveta Troitsa (Saint Trinity / Holy Trinity) church which was built in 1835 as a long standing symbol of Bansko's importance. The clock was mounted in 1866 and is still recognised today as an unprecedented achievement of its day. In 1912 came the end of the Ottoman rule with a declaration from the poet Peyo Yavorov in the Sveta Troitsa church yard.

Creche Facilities

There are creche facilities at the Kandahar apartments in Bansko. Full details of the Kangaroo creche can be found at  http://www.bluekangaroo-creche.com

D

Driving

For a comprehensive guide to driving in Bulgaria please visit Travel Islands excellent website  more....

E

E79

The North-South intermediate road  that links Romania in the north and Greece in the south. The E79 runs from Sofia to Greece crossing the border at Kulata and from Sofia to Romania crossing the border at Vidin-Kalafat. When travelling to Bansko by car from Sofia or from Thessalonika you will travel along the E79.

F

Flights

Follow the links below to book flights to Sofia or Plovdiv airports.

AIRLINES

www.wizzair.com - Airline that now offers direct flights from Luton airport

www.britishairways.com - National airline that offers flights to Sofia direct from Gatwick and Heathrow

www.air.bg/en - Bulgarian national airline that offers flights from Sofia direct to London and Manchester

www.malev.hu - Hungarian airline that flies from Heathrow to Sofia via Budapest

ONLINE TRAVEL AGENTS OFFERING FLIGHTS TO SOFIA/PLOVDIV

www.cheapflights.co.uk

www.ebookers.com

www.lastminute.com

www.travelocity.com

www.airlinenetwork.co.uk

www.ski-flights.com/skiflights.html - Booking agent that offers flights to Plovdiv and Sofia from Gatwick, Birmingham, East Midlands, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Humberside, Newcastle and Edinburgh

www.balkanholidays.com  - Online travel agent that offers flights to Plovdiv and Sofia from Gatwick, Birmingham, East Midlands, Bristol, Cardiff, Manchester, Humberside, Newcastle and Edinburgh

Furniture

CREATIVE INTERIORS - Furniture suppliers based in Bansko

Budget to bespoke ranges - Showroom or Online Service.

Creative Interiors is wholly focused on supplying furniture for the residential holiday home market in Bulgaria. We are based in Bansko and have the FIRST British owned furniture showroom in the town. There you can see furniture from the different ranges or alternatively you can use our service by the internet  http://creativeinteriors.effecta.co.uk

Please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for further information

CROWN Interiors & Finishing 

Your Inspiration In Bansko. Due to the success of the apartment fit-out and furnishing side of the business and for continuity of the Crown brand, Design 7 has been amalgamate under one common name, Crown Interiors & Furnishing Offering the same Fantastic Value, Unparalleled Service & Quality standards, Stunning Designs and Unique Space Management Solutions and covering every requirement be it standard or bespoke. As we Design and Manufacture the lion’s share of everything we provide in our new facility in Bansko all our works and furniture are exclusively backed by the Crown 3-year warranty on lettings and 5 years on personal use Apartments. Our tailored solutions are driven to make the most of your Investments and designed to accommodate any design taste, space restraints or special requirements you or your apartment may have. We are the only business in Bansko with over 28 years of relevant UK and European experience in furnishing and fit-out. Take advantage of our Expert FREE Design and consultation service. For a complete guide to all our services and request a proposal, contact \n This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or follow these links:
http://crowndevelopments.com/en/services/interiorDesign
See our projects on Face Book Crown Interiors

G

Gondola   

The Gondola generally runs from mid December until the 'end' of the season in April. There is no fixed date for the end of the season but season long lift passes run out on the 30th of April. There are plans for a second gondola in Bansko and the latest information on this subject can be found on our forum.

Greek Border

The Greek border is approximately 70km (1hr 15mins) from Bansko along the E79 just south of Goce Delcev.

P

Pirin Mountains

The second highest mountain range in Bulgaria. 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 so-called Baikousheva mura (a Rumelian pine - Pinus heldreichii), whose age is estimated to be more than 1,300 years grows near to the Banderitsa chalet. 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.

Platoto

Bulgaria's highest ski run. Plato 1 is a beginner level run and Plato 2 is an intermediate run. Both runs start at around 2,560m.

Property Management

V

Vihren

The highest peak (2,914) in the Pirin mountains.



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