Bansko

Bansko Resort

Location: Bansko ski resort is located in the south-western Bulgaria just 160 km from its capital Sofia and 6 km from the town of Razlog. Bansko lies on the banks of the Glazne river at the foot of the Pirin mountain, right bellow the highest and the most beautiful part of it. The Pirin mountain has a predominantly Alpine character. Its highest peak is Vihren (2914 m). The town of Bansko is situated at an altitude of 925 m and its ski area is at 2000 - 2600 m.

Brief Information: The resort has developed into a favourite ski and snowboard destination, thanks to the excellent ski facilities combined with the unique architecture and history.

Equally attractive in all four seasons, Bansko provides an interesting combination of natural beauty mixed with the unique atmosphere of an ancient Bulgarian town.

Bansko is Bulgaria's # 1 ski resort, having the best and most modern ski centre of all Bulgarian ski resorts. During the recent years a multimillion Euros investment in a brand new skiing area has been made by Yulen, the company which has the license to run the skiing area of the resort.

Bansko has the best snow record and the longest ski season (15 December - 15 May) of all Bulgarian ski resorts. During the last couple of years this resort is under a massive investment process with new hotels and resort facilities being under construction. A brand new resort area with super luxury hotels and holiday apartments is being developed just opposite the Gondola lift, which also makes Bansko the resort with the best hotels.

Bansko mountain rescue service: (+359) 887 100 241, (+359) 88 1474, (+359) 749 8 8132;

Medical & dental service: The Emergency ski patrol service is available 24 hours a day. Ambulance and clinic (with doctor and nurse) are available, as well as first aid, on all ski slopes. Fully equipped and functioning hospitals is available in Bansko. Highly qualified dentists are available at the resort too. Pharmacies are also available at the resort.

Some medical and all dental services must be paid in cash to the doctors (clinics). They should provide the necessary bills, receipts and invoices describing the service and the cost, so that you can claim back the expense to your insurance company. It's recommended you call your insurance company and inform them in case of injury. Please follow their instructions.

How to reach Bansko

Bansko is located 160 km south of Sofia, 60 km southeast of Blagoevgrad, 6 km south of Razlog and about 50 km north of Gotse Delchev.

By plane
Currently 2 main airports serve Bansko, Sofia (around 160 km away) and Plovdiv (around 180 km away).

Book a ticket at the best rate for charter or regular flight to Bulgaria: http://bulgariaflights.com

By car/ private transfer
The most reliable, comfortable, and quickest way to get to Bansko is by car or private transfer. You will be met at the airport and will have a private vehicle with driver taking you to Bansko.

You can book a private transfer service at a reasonable price here: Private transfer to Bansko
or rent a car.

By bus
Bansko is well connected to the major cities of West Bulgaria by buses. Buses from Sofia to Bansko departing from either the Central Bus Station located on Maria Louisa Blvd. or from the Ovcha Kupel Bus Station located on Tsar Boris III Blvd.

Transfer time from Sofia to Bansko is about 3 hours by bus. The town's bus station is located on the Patriarh Evtimii road, about 5 minutes walk north of the centre. It is served by regular buses from Sofia and less regularly from Plovdiv about 3 times a day.

By train
Traveling from Sofia to Bansko by train is a very beautiful journey. But it takes twice the amount of time than by car/ bus (about 7 hours). The journey takes you through the highest train station in the Balkans. There are four trains a day in each direction. You have to change trains at Septemvri, so there's plenty of time to grab sandwiches and beer for the ride. Traveling from Plovdiv to Bansko takes about 5.5 hours.

Bansko ski slopes

The ski pistes are located in two main ski – centres: CHALIN VALOG (1100-1600 m) and SHILIGARNIKA (1700-2500 m). They are approximately 10 km above the town on the northern slopes of Pirin, and are easily accessible for approximately 25 minutes ride on the new Gondola lift which starts from Bansko. The total length of the marked pistes is 70 kilometers.

The resort has excellent snow conditions with great snow cover from December until May. About 44 Technoalpine snow cannons cover most of the slopes and make the ski season last longer. The maximum pleasure from the various ski pistes is guaranteed by 12 Kassbohrer slope maintenance vehicles. Thus the slopes offer runs and tracks for all types of skiers and will suit both beginners and experts.

The snowboard lovers can enjoy the first on the Balkans fun park where people from all over the world are lead by the passion of the extreme. They can build jumps suiting their taste and abilities. Every day skiers and snowboarders can take part in the competitions on the new piste on Shiligarnika.

The lift and pistes operator in Bansko takes care for the maximum comfort of the skiers and snowboarders with the exclusive 8-seats Gondola cabin lift by Dopplemayer, five high speed quads of the latest Doppelmayer models, one 3-seat lift by Poma, 7 drags and 10 baby drags. The total length of the lift equipment in the resort is 26 kilometers. All ski equipment can be used by one chip-card from SkiData.

Huge monitors showing pictures from the different pistes are based on the starting station of the Gondola. Thus people are informed for the wind and temperature conditions before climbing up on the slope.

Slalom and Giant slalom runs are available. Bansko offers a cross-country track with a total length of 5 km. A 3 km ski run Rollbahn track is situated 2 km far from the town.

For more information follow the links: Bansko ski runs and Bansko ski lifts.

Apres ski

Bansko mountain resort is remarkable regarding restaurants and nightlife. Several après ski bars offer refreshments and snacks on the ski zone, and in the resort. Wild parties and unforgettable moments are guaranteed in the local clubs and discos that work without time limit, and usually close early in the morning.

Numerous high class restaurants with perfect service and sophisticated menus can be found in most of the 5 and 4 star hotels.

More than 200 traditional Bansko taverns (called "Mehana"), with their exceptional charm and style offer local atmosphere by their cuisine and good selection of Bulgarian wines. They often provide live music and entertaining program with folklore music, which create unique atmosphere that can only be felt on spot.

The combination of a well developed mountain resort and a living historical town turns Bansko into an elegant place for entertainment. Virtually every house has its own story to tell, which indeed can turn your vacation into a journey to the Bulgarian traditions.

The following taverns are recommended by BulgariaSki team. More information about bars and restaurants in Bansko read here.

Banski Aiduti Tavern

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BulgariaSki team highly recommends the "Banski Aiduti" tavern in Bansko for the excellent service and delicious meals. All BulgariaSki fans can get - 5 % discount and a... read more

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Banski Han Tavern

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Location: At the entrance of the town, right across the street from Lukoil gas station. Capacity: 170; BulgariaSki team highly recommends the "Banski Han" tavern in Bansko... read more

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Bunare Restaurant

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Bunare Tavern Location: Bunare tavern is located in the most attractive part of "Pirin" str., just 200 m away from the church. BulgariaSki team highly recommends the... read more

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Chevermeto Mehana

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BulgariaSki.com team highly recommends Mehana Chevermeto if you want to try delicious food and wide range of drinks. We guarantee you a special attitude and many surprises if... read more

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Chobanov han

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Get great deals in Chobanov Han. BulgariaSki.com Team highly recommends Chobanov Han as a great restaurant where you will be able to feel the spirit of the local traditions and... read more

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Ethno restaurant

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Get great deals in Ethno restaurant. BulgariaSki.com team highly recommend Ethno restaurant in Redenka Lodge, as one of the best Bulgarian restaurants in Bansko! Just print the... read more

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Kasapinovata House

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Great Deals in Kasapinovata House. BulgariaSki.com fan can receive special attitude in Kasapinova House, by simply printing the voucher below. Present the special... read more

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La Scara

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BulgariaSki team highly recommends the "La Scara" in Bansko for the excellent service and delicious meals. All BulgariaSki fans can get - 5% discount and a special surprise.... read more

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Lovna Sreshta Tavern

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Special Surprise at Lovna Sreshta Tavern. BulgariaSki.com Team highly recommends Lovna Sreshta Tavern as a great restaurant where you will be able to feel the spirit of the... read more

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"Matsurev Inn" in Bansko

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BulgariaSki team highly recommends the "Matsurev Inn" tavern in Bansko for the excellent service and delicious meals. All BulgariaSki fans can get - 10 % discount and a... read more

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Mehana BULGARE

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Get great deals in "BULGARE" mehana. BulgariaSki.com team highly recommend "BULGARE" mehana in Vihren Palace Hotel, as one of the best Bulgarian restaurants in Bansko! Just... read more

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Mehana Chardaka

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BulgariaSki.com team highly recommends Mehana Chardaka if you want to try something new and typical for the locals. We guarantee you a special attitude and many surprises if... read more

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Valevitsata Mehana

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BulgariaSki.com team highly recommends Mehana Valevitsata if you want to try unique specialties from bansko and the region. We guarantee you a special attitude and many... read more

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Vodenitsata Mehana

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Location: Bansko centre; The restaurant is opened all year round. BulgariaSki team highly recommends the "Vodenitsata" tavern in Bansko for the excellent service and... read more

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“Zehtindjieva House” Tavern

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Open hours: 12.00 PM – 12.00 AM;BulgariaSki team highly recommends the "Zehtindjieva House" tavern in Bansko for the excellent service and delicious meals. All... read more

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Places to go near Bansko

There's a lot to see in the town of Bansko itself, with around 120 cultural and historical monuments and a lot to explore. Various souvenir shops offer the creations of the local artists and smiths.

South of Bansko is situated the National Park Pirin included in the UNESCO list for cultural and natural sightseeings. The park is rich with its lakes, waterfalls, caves and venerable trees. Part of the National Park Pirin are Popovi lakes and Nature Reserve Yulen.

Popovi lakes are the biggest group of lakes located in the northern Pirin Mountain approximately 2200 m above sea level. The group consists of 16 lakes that are situated in the circus of Popovi Lakes (the Papazgyolski circus) – the Popovo Lake, the Samodivski Lakes, the Polejanski Lakes, the Banski Lakes and these, which are located along the upper course of Retije river. The origin of the lakes is glacial. They drain into the Retije river. The temperature of the water during the summer is 11-14°C.

The Popovo Lake is the largest and the deepest in the Pirin Mountain - 480 m in length, 223 m in width, 29.5 m in depth and its volume is 1.27 million m3. It covers an area of 123.6 decares and is the second largest lake in Bulgaria and on the Balkan Peninsula. The lake is situated to the west of the Djengal peak (Samodivski peak) at an altitude of 2234 m above sea level. There is a small island in its northwestern part.

The two lakes called Banski Lakes are situated to the northeast of the Djengal peak at about 2210 m above sea level. The larger of the lakes is 125 m long and 120 m wide. The other lake is 50 m long, 25 m wide and it covers an area of 1.2 decares.

The lakes, which are situated along the upper course of the Retije river, are situated terrace-like one below another.

Nature Reserve Yulen is located at an altitude of 165 – 2851m. It includes the following lake groups: Vasilashkite, Tipitskite, Strazhishkite, Polezhanskite and Disilishkite. The Reserve Yulen is intended to preserve forests and endemic animals and plant species. There are pine forests and over 700 species of higher plants, 44 out of which are included in the Red Book of Bulgaria.

Dobrinishte is a popular summer and winter resort with its mineral springs, ski tracks and virgin nature. It is situated at the foot of the Pirin Mountain just 6 km south of Bansko ski resort. Dobrinishte is a spa and balneological resort with 17 mineral springs. The town provides open-air mineral water swimming pool as well as two lifts to “Bezbog” chalet situated on the northern part of Bezbog Lake in the Pirin mountain.

Comments Bansko

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From Tony
from Wales Sent on 13 February 2013

Great place, great people and fantastic skiing. Just wondering if Dimitry is still a ski instructor there... Looks like I am going back to find out..

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From serge
from Russia Sent on 01 August 2012

Wonderful world of Bansko. February 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYbKJvsbPHU

  Did you find this review helpful? 2 Yes 0 No

From jonathan ellul
from malta Sent on 09 July 2012

my friend and i went to bulgaria last april and we stayed there for two weeks. We stayed at family hotel bisser 16 el tepe street 2770 bansko. We would like to thank the staff and especially mamma and her daughter velina too for their help and excellent service i would recommand that hotel coz its cozy,clean,staff really cheerful and helpful and breakfast was wonderful. During the day we go eat at momini dvori restaurant. Food there was wonderful and service thanks to our waiter dimitri and his crew we enjoyed being there everyday and welcomed like kings. The rest bulgaria is a wonderful place which i recommend for a relaxing holiday.

  Did you find this review helpful? 4 Yes 1 No

From Erik Rooze
from Netherlands/Greece Sent on 28 January 2012

We have spend this winter (2011/2012) holidays in Bansko and where really delighted. It is so nice and friendly and clean. Normally we go to the Alpes, but for our young daughter (7 years) this is really nice. Because I'm 60 years and the wife 35 years we do not care that there is not much of after ski. The resort is really cheap, which I like as a Dutch man. I could not spend all my hard earned monies in Bansko. As we live in Greece now, on the island of Aegina near Athens, it it a nice drive by car. I can reccomment this area to you all!

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From Erik Rooze
from Netherlands/Greece Sent on 28 January 2012

We have spend this winter (2011/2012)hollidays in Bansko and where really delighted. Is is so nice and friendly and clean. Normally we go to the Alpes, but for our young doughter (7years) this is really nice. Because I'm 60 years and the wife 35 years we do not care that there is not much of after ski. The resort is really cheap, which I like as a Dutch man. I could not spend all my hard earned monies in Bansko. As we live in Greece now, on the island of Aegina near Athens, it it a nice drive by car. I can recomment this area to you all!

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From josh brown
from belfast Sent on 28 March 2011

skiing was good brailliant loved it!But fel a couple of times but it was amazing. loved to come back.

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From carl jones
from wales Sent on 16 March 2011

Just got back from a weeks skiing in Bansko the weather was hot but we had a dump of snow on the Monday grate skiing i wasn't sure about going there but glad I did, I have skied for 8 years some of the slopes were testing its not a vast area you could ski the lot in 2 days but the scenery made up that beautiful, I stayed in the Lion Hotel I would recommend staying there the rooms were big and the food was very good very friendly people. there was a mini bus from the hotel to the lifts and back every day no walking, the hotel is a 5 minute walk to the lifts if you wanted to walk, if you wanted to eat out i would go down to the old town very cheap 55p a pint and 35p for a glass of wine or £1.50 for a bottle of wine there was 4 of us we had 4 big meals wine and beer for 3 hours it cost us £34.00 total if you want to party stay top end prices £1.60 a pint up there I had no problem with the lifts passes i read that they stopped working after a few days the passes were fine I will be going back next year holiday 8 out of 10 only 1 thing you need to get to the lifts early or you will have a wait for 30 minuets other than that grate holiday PS Got 2 sets of skis fully serviced for £37.00 nice and cheap don't worry about going there you will have a good hoilday.

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From kezdevil
from UK Sent on 16 March 2011

Went to Bansko 7-14 March 2011 - had a fantastic time. Snowed on first day so had powder to play on though by the end of the week conditions were not quite as good. Had to work hard to avoid goggle tan as it was so sunny! We had read worrying comments about gondola queues but really didn't see any when we were there. Weekend was a bit busier on the lifts than the weeks but nothing major. We got up and out early. The gondola starts at 8.30am and we were on it by 8.40 most days. We stayed at Eagles Nest Apartments and would stay there again. Good facilities, well equipped kitchen (we did self cater a couple of nights).

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From Jacob
from Israel Sent on 10 March 2011

Don't go to the "Pirin" hotel, Bansko ski resort, Bulgaria My family and I stayed at the "Pirin" hotel in Bansko, Bulgaria from the 28th of February till the 6th of March. We enjoyed the mountain resort and had great time skiing and snowboarding. One of our rooms had only one bathrobe, but we didn't pay much attention to this, and used only one bathrobe when we went to the pool. As we were leaving the hotel, the receptionist told us that we are missing a bathrobe. We told her that we didn't have two bathrobes to begin with, and we absolutely don't need to take a bathrobe with us home. At this moment she told us that she wouldn't give my sisters' passport back unless we pay 70 lv( which is approximately 35 euros) We tried to explain that we didn't hide or burn or do anything with the bathrobe, and we didn't even use it because we didn't have it in our room. "You should have reported it as soon as you got the room", well, it's not my job to count various objects in the room, and report my findings to the receptionist, I told her. "It is impossible to have only one bathrobe" was the only answer I got, and after threatening us by calling the police, and showing off their security thugs, I had no choice but to pay for the bathrobe I never even used. It was a very embarrassing experience, and a very bad way to end a great vacation, needless to say 35 euros were stolen from me with nothing I could do about it. But the most amazing part was that I spoke to another couple, on the way to the airport, who stayed in this hotel, and they said that the hotel staff did the exact thing to them! I really enjoyed Bansko, the atmosphere there is amazing, the ski slopes are great and the people are very friendly, but if you ever go there DO NOT stay and the Pirin hotel! They lied and stole my money.

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From Tibi
from Romania Sent on 08 February 2011

Hey there guys, Just got back from Bansko ski resort.We were there for 7 nights and here are some facts: --the waiting line at the Gondola is at least 30 minutes...we stood there 1 hour and a half... --very big and boring waiting time to get your ski-pass.... --the apres-ski almost doesn`t have music at all and there`s no fun happening there.... --the slopes were pretty bad at 12 o`clock even though they had been prepared....(it did not snow at all one week, only snowguns) --too many injured people....a lot of idiots on the slopes --people there speak english just a little... --I RECOMMEND Friendly PUB!!!!! Great place --don`t go to Panorama hotel....they don`t speak english and it really ain`t a 4 star hotel.... Not what i expected from this ski resort...last year i was in Borovets and had lots of fun there!!!!!

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