Tips for a Skiing Holiday in Bulgaria

The holiday I have just taken in Bansko was my second trip to Bulgaria. Two years ago I skied in Borovets. Now that I am able to ski reasonably well I don’t think I would ever go back to Bulgaria. I went to the country because I thought it would be cheap alternative to more popular destinations in Southern and Western Europe. Two years ago in Borovets this may have been true but today in Bansko it most certainly isn’t.

Don’t get me wrong, some food and drink is cheap in Bansko. I found an enormous bottle of beer in one of the many convenience stores for only 2.20 Lev (£1.10). Unfortunately some places for instance at the bottom of the slopes or in prime locations on the main road sell poor quality food at highly inflated prices. The taxi drivers will also try and fleece you on every journey.

Getting to Bansko and back from Sofia Airport is not straight-forward. I tried to do so using public transport and taxis but both were problematic. For anyone visiting Bansko I highly recommend pre-booking a private transfer and taking with you a map of your accommodation for the driver. If you are going to take a taxi in the country then make sure the tariff is displayed in the window, the meter is on and you ask for a receipt at your destination. This forces the driver to declare the journey and makes it more difficult to vastly over charge you. You could also hire a car but I wouldn’t recommend doing so unless you have Sat Nav and are experienced at driving in snow.

If you really do want to catch the bus, save money and the environment then you need to get the number 84 or 284 from the airport to Hotel Pliska. From there you change and catch the 213, 214, 305 or 313 to Sofia Central Station. The buses from Central Station to Bansko run only until around 2pm so if you arriving later then you will need to travel from the airport to Ochva Kupel bus station. This is on the other side of the city and you will need to get a taxi. Beware this can be costly, especially if you use one of the illegal touts who will approach you in the airport. Returning from Bansko the latest bus to travel to Central Station in the morning is at 7:20am an it will be busy. If you want to head back later then you will need to travel to Ochva Kupel. The tourist information centre on the main road from the Gondola to the town can give you an up to date list of bus times. The journey will cost around 12-14 Lev each way.

The actual ski conditions in Bansko are great as long as there has been a good amount of snow recently. There are some fantastic runs to enjoy if you are not an advanced skier. If you are just starting out or improving from beginner level then it is a good location to progress. Anyone remotely competent on skis would be advised to seek out a destination with a larger selection of slopes to explore otherwise you may end up bored.

There are not many people who speak good English in the town so finding information or understanding restaurant menus can be difficult. If possible try and learn a few phrases before you travel to the country… not an easy task for the English native as the alphabet is completely different!

When walking through Bansko in the evening you will be approached by countless people on the street trying to entice you into their bars and restaurants. These establishments employ staff for this purpose because their food and reputation alone is not enough to fill the empty seats. It becomes very tiresome trying to avoid these people. The best places to eat are those full of locals away from the busy main streets.

If you are looking to hire your equipment then don’t pre-book on the Internet. I did so thinking I would get the best equipment at the best prices. In fact when you get to the resort there are ski hire shops all over the place and many do better deals than you can find on the Internet. You will not be left stuck without any equipment and when you get there you can walk around and take your pick.

You can collect your skis in the evening before your first day on the slopes. You can also buy your lift pass at this time and I recommend doing so. In the morning the queue to buy lift passes can be huge. You then have to queue for an equal amount of time for the gondola. It is best to get to the gondola before it opens at 8:30am especially at the weekend when it is very busy. When I was there it was less busy Monday to Friday and I could hop on at midday without queuing. You wont be able to do this at the weekend.

You might consider buying half-day lift passes unless you are a morning person and keen to get on the slopes before midday. I found that after a couple of days I was happy to stay in bed a bit longer and hit the slopes at midday. This still gives you four to five hours of skiing for less than half the price.

I don’t want to discourage anyone from visiting Bansko or indeed Bulgaria. The mountains in Bansko are beautiful and if you are going in a group I’m sure you will have a great time. For couples there isn’t a great deal to do other than ski, eat and drink. I personally found many of the people in the town to be rude and unwelcoming. I was also a little bored after a few days when I had been on all of the ski runs.

Bulgaria may have once been a good option for cheap winter sports holidays but right now I think more popular destinations such as Austria, Switzerland and France are worth considering instead.