Bansko

Bansko Ski Resort

Bansko rightly holds the title of Bulgaria’s top resort and it offers fantastic value for money, especially as the ski area and town have seen huge sums of recent investment.

Since the access gondola was installed in 2003, Bansko has gone from strength to strength. It now boasts the region’s best lift system and a nice 48km network of pistes. In recognition of this development, Bansko now hosts annual World Cup races and quite rightly has shifted a lot of its former reputation as a bargain basement resort. Yes prices are still cheap, but you get great value for money and the quality of every facet of the resort has improved – from the standards of accommodation to the quality of the food, big steps forward have been made.

This has not resulted in a complete loss of Bansko’s identity however, with the centre of town holding on to its cobbled streets, cosy bars and locally inspired restaurants. The town is lively and there is a good après ski scene, no doubt fuelled somewhat by the low prices, making this a really good all round resort for a great value ski holiday. .

Our Bansko Resort Ratings

• Beginner ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
• Intermediate ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Advanced ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
• Snow Reliability ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
• Fast Lifts ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Resort Activities ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
• Après ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
• Value ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Bansko Skiing and Snowboarding

The only way up the mountain is via the main access gondola, which quickly whisks you up to Bundarishka at 1635m. Here, the best beginner zone can be found on a gentle plateau – there is another small sector in the town, but the snow is more reliable further up. Longer blues are available via the Kolarski Express above Shiligarnika.

For more confident skiers and boarders, the recently revamped Todorka chair and the two Banderitza quads serve wide, open reds, which are a blast first thing in the morning with fresh corduroy. These finish steeply at the foot of the World Cup piste, but apart from that there is little to interest advanced skiers. Some off piste is available, especially if you hire a guide and go ski touring, but thick trees low down and cliffs high up limit the available terrain.

• Total Pistes: 48km
• Blue: 41%
• Red: 51%
• Black: 8%
• Additional Ski Routes: 8.1km
• Lifts: 14
• Altitude: 990m – 2560m

Bansko Piste Map

The local area map can be downloaded here.

Bansko Resort

Bansko is a big resort town with a historic, traditional centre. It is dominated by old stone buildings, capped with terracotta tiles, and the cobbled streets make it an attractive place. A lot of accommodation in small, locally run B&Bs or in self-catered apartments is on offer here. This part of town is also home to the cosiest and most traditional bars and restaurants in town, where a good meal will set you back a fraction of the cost of a meal in the Alps.

Newer hotel developments have sprung up around the base of the gondola, several of which are well appointed and home to pools and spas. This is where the après ski activity is focussed and it does get very lively, with the party often continuing on well into the night.

How to get to Bansko

Regular flights get you to Sofia and from here the drive to Bansko takes between two and three hours, traffic and road conditions dependent.

• Sofia airport: 2.5hours

Bansko Contact Details

• Website: www.banskoski.com
• Telephone: + +359 74 98 44 80
• Facebook: @funbansko