Bulgaria Ski resorts

Bansko

The town of Bansko is situated at the Glazne river at the northeastern bottom of the Pirin Mountains, 160 km south of Sofia, 60 km southeast of Blagoevgrad. Bansko is one of the biggest mountain resorts in Bulgaria with a long winter to take advantage of its modern, well developed skiing and sport facilities. The skiing conditions in Bansko are excellent. The Pirin mountain has a predominately Alpine character with three peaks towering above 2900 m. However the slopes offer runs and tracks for all types of skiers, from novice to the experts, while the ski runs are maintained in excellent condition. It is also the main starting point for hiking in the UNESCO protected Pirin National Park-the largest in Bulgaria where the most interesting tree species such as the black fir can be found. Having been a birth place to many national intellectuals and a witness of dramatic history during the centuries, Bansko is of special architectural and cultural value. There are several landmarks which are of great interest: Sveta Troitsa (The Holy Trinity) Church, the Monument of Paissii Hilendarski, the Neofit Rilski House Museum.

Pamporovo

Pamporovo, the second major Bulgarian mountain resort, is located 1650 m above sea level in the Western Rhodopes, 16km from Smolyan, among evergreen spruce forests, picturesque meadows, strange rock formations and beautiful mountain peaks. Due to the Mediterranean influence the climate is mild with bracing air and the good snow-cover provides excellent skiing conditions from mid-December to mid-April. The area is abundant in natural slopes with a range of alpine ski tracks of different difficulty and sophisticated ski facilities and equipment, suitable for beginners to experts. The TV tower on Mount Snezhanka, starting point of many of the ski runs, has a cafe and an observation gallery giving a marvelous view of the Rhodope mountains and makes an important landmark for hikers. The hotels and restaurants lure with the authentic for this region hospitality and superb traditional Rhodope dishes.

Borotets

The oldest Bulgarian resort, Borovets, is hidden among the aromatic pine woods covering the northern slopes of Mount Musala in Rila mountains, 12 km south of Samokov and 72 km of Sofia. Its 90-year long history, 1390 m altitude above sea level, and favourable climate with cool summer and mild, snowy winter, make Borovets the biggest mountain resort in Bulgaria. Mainly, the resort provides excellent opportunities for the whole range of winter sports: from the alpine sports to cross-country skiing, ski-jumps and biathlon on its first-class ski slopes, tracks and facilities. Borovets is a major point of departure for Mount Musala, the highest peak on the Balkans (2925m), a number of high-mountain chalets, as well as Bistritsa Palace, built as a hunting lodge for Tsar Ferdinand.

Vitosha

A wooded mass of granite 19km long by 17 km wide, Mount Vitosha, whose foothills begin some 7 km from the centre of the Bulgarian capital, is very much a part of the city and is the source of its pure water and fresh breezes. Vitosha is the cradle of hiking tourism in Bulgaria and every year thousands of hikers climb its highest peak, Cherni Vrah (2290m). It is a typical dome-like mountain, which northern slopes descend steeply into the Sofia plain and where the concentration of facilities is at its best - two cabin lift lines, numerous cable-ways, catering facilities, mountain shelters and developed transportation network. There are two main tourist centers - Aleko, one of Bulgaria's biggest ski resorts, and Zlatnite Mostove (The Golden Bridges), an impressive natural phenomenon in the form of piles of huge rounded granite stones in the river valleys