Bulgaria has invested in winter tourism, and several of its mountain resorts are increasingly attractive to Westerners. The most famous is Bansko, where the slopes descend from over 2,500 meters. The locals describe it quite differently from the expectations of its visitors.
Ski in Bansko. Source: Wikipedia. Amorphism
In the summer, hundreds of thousands of Romanians spend their vacations in the resorts of Bulgaria, located on the shore of the Black Sea. According to the studies, along with Italy and Greece, the country south of the Danube is, as destinations, in the top preferences of Romanian tourists who like to stay outside the country.
Ski at over 2,500 meters
Mountain resorts in Bulgaria are less popular for Romanian tourists, due to the longer distances that tourists have to travel to get to them. The most attractive ones (Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo) are located in southern Bulgaria, at least seven hours’ drive from the Romanian capital. Some Western tourists look at them with admiration, however.
“Bulgaria’s popularity as a ski holiday destination has grown strongly in recent years as Brits look for more affordable resorts without sacrificing snow conditions or atmosphere. Bulgaria has plenty of both, plus generally less crowded slopes and very good prices on ski passes, equipment hire and lessons. This makes it a great choice for beginners, but intermediates will also find plenty of challenging slopes to keep them going.” busy”, informs the Iglu Ski website, dedicated to mountain resorts in Europe.
Bansko. Source: Wikipedia. Amorphism.
As the popularity of mountain resorts in Bulgaria has grown, the quality of the slopes and infrastructure in the neighboring country have advanced, thanks to substantial financial investment.
“Bansko and Borovets are the country’s largest resorts, with 70 kilometers and 60 kilometers respectively of pistes and plenty of variety suitable for skiers of all levels. The third, and probably least known, resort, Pamporovo, high in the Rhodope Mountains, offers plenty of sun and reliable snow all season long.” show Iglu Ski.
In terms of snow, Bansko is the safest resort in Bulgaria because its ski lifts reach 2,560 meters and the slopes are generally north-facing, so they can retain quality snow. And in Borovets, ski facilities reach up to 2,500 meters, while Pamporovo has an altitude of 1,650–1,926 meters.
More affordable prices for skiing in Bulgaria
Mountain resorts in Bulgaria are appreciated for their smooth and less crowded slopes, for the snow that lasts from December to March, but above all for the affordable prices of ski facilities and stays. Most accommodation is offered in large hotels and less in mountain lodges.
Bansko. Source: bmundo.com
“While there are plenty of cheap options for those on a budget, you can also find luxury spa hotels that are much more affordable than in the Alps. Prices for a four-star hotel start from as little as £350 per person for seven nights. For an equivalent hotel in France or Switzerland you’d pay at least £1,000 a week”informs Iglu Ski.
When it comes to ski passes, Bulgarian resorts are among the cheapest in Europe.
“Prices for a 6-day ski pass in Borovets are £170 compared to over £300 in many alpine areas. Both food and apres-ski are very affordable”the site shows.
Along with Bansko, Borovets and Pamporovo, in Bulgaria ski enthusiasts find almost 20 other smaller and lesser-known resorts that compete in winter offers.
What Bulgarians say about their resorts
On media platforms, Bulgarian locals warn tourists that, despite the altitude at which the popular resorts are located and the fact that the slopes are equipped with artificial snow-making facilities, at the beginning of the season the quality of the snow cannot be guaranteed in the increasingly warmer climate.
Also, car traffic to the resorts is difficult due to congestion, parking lots fill up quickly, and gondola queues can also create dissatisfaction.
A programmer who moved to Bansko offers a sour description of the resort developed above the small town at the foot of the Pirin Mountains on his blog.
“Bansko is not a ski resort. Bansko is a town, over-extended by venture capitalists, full of hasty construction, served by a single overworked gondola that takes three hours to the slopes, with some of the most bland and lifeless Après Ski I’ve seen in all my years, and all for a high price“, writes Leo Gillick, on his travel blog.
He adds that the “old city” looks like mutilated remains, cheaply renovated, and the new constructions sit on top like fragile and temporary crowns.
“It’s easy to see the huge influx of money that has flowed into Bansko over the past 20 years. Walk just a kilometer from the two centers, one in the old town and one under the gondola, and you’ll see the scars of unfinished projects. Hundreds of apartment buildings lie derelict in Bansko. They’re in various stages of construction: some with windows but no floors; others brick monsters, bare inside. One thing is true for all: they are for sale”says the resident of Bansko.
The gondola, the only way up the mountain, is extremely crowded, and during holiday periods queues exceed two hours by lunchtime. In addition, the prices in recent years have been continuously increasing, a one-day ski pass reaching 56 euros, higher than in the mountain resorts in Romania. The slopes are popular, accommodation is cheap and equipment hire is cheap.
“But compared to the big European resorts that charge the same ski pass price, Bansko is a beginner’s slope”he says.
Unlike the mountain resort, the town at its foot is much more welcoming, even if its charm has been marred by speculative investment.
“The people of Bansko are friendly and open. They make me feel welcome and I rarely feel like a foreigner. The service in the restaurants is amusingly ‘mean’, but at least it’s not fake. I imagine they are collectively sick of the onslaught of foreigners in a place that, as far as I can still guess, was once peaceful and beautiful.” concludes the programmer.
