Bulgaria & Slovenia

Bulgaria & Slovenia: the mountains

The ski resorts of Bulgaria and Slovenia have a similar, though slightly shorter season than the Alps, and slightly lower altitudes, yet they still offer good intermediate skiing at great prices. Neither country can boast the massive interlinked ski zones further west, but bigger doesn't always mean better, and even advanced skiers should be able to keep themselves entertained if they head off-piste or, in the case of Slovenia, visit a few different resorts. Slovenia's resorts aren't huge, but the country does offer about 20 small to medium sized ski areas, the highest of which is Kanin – perched on the border with Italy at around 2300 m. With plenty of powder and parks, the larger resorts will keep intermediate skiers content for a couple of days, and the country's small size makes it ideal for a road trip. The clientele that Bulgaria and Slovenia attract is very different. Slovenia is known as a fairly gentle, family-friendly country, with a strong traditional feel. It doesn't feature heavily in the major tour operators' brochures, attracting instead a more niche clientele. Bulgaria on the other hand has much more of a production line feel to it: it's popular with binge-drinking Brits who are there for the extensive après-ski drinking opportunities as much as the powder. The beauty of both countries can be found in their low prices, attractive landscape (Slovenia's spiky Julian Alps especially) and a culture that is sufficiently different from the usual western resort experiences to make things interesting for seasoned ski travellers. These two countries, which lie at opposite ends of the Balkan region, showcase the diversity of Eastern Europe, with distinctly different languages, people and cuisine. They offer distinctly different ski holidays: Bulgaria most definitely fits the cheap and cheerful tag, whereas Slovenia's ski resorts have more in common with an Austria of days gone by than any of the former Eastern Bloc countries.