Mountain Ski Resorts

Bansko is the newest Bulgarian winter resort, only recently discovered by foreign tourists. In the winter of both 2001 and 2002 the number of foreign holidaymakers was 14,000. By early November 2003 all hotel rooms were booked for the entire winter, and the eventual number of tourists for the winter season was 250,000! During the winter of 2004 this figure almost doubled to 400,000.

Bansko is only 160km (100 miles) from Sofia, and the same distance from the Mediterranean Sea. Once the new highway is finished (2005), access to either will be about 2 hours' drive.

The skiing conditions and amenities are excellent. The surrounding mountains have a predominantly Alpine character, with three peaks towering almost 3,000 metres (10,000 feet). It was the venue for the International Free Skiers Association Big Mountain Competition 12-15 February 2004, and the International snowboard extreme competition 13-16 February 2005.

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The slopes offer runs and tracks for all grades of skiers, from novice to expert, and are maintained in excellent condition. A new 8-passenger gondola was opened on 13 December 2003, to complement the chair lifts and ski drags, along with new snow guns. Indeed, the First Investment Bank has already pumped $14 million into the amenities here. Total investment so far is about €40 million.

The Bansko ski school offers skiing classes at five levels of difficulty: from A to E - in groups or individually. Tuition is available in cross-country skiing at two levels of difficulty. All graduates receive skiing certificates.

The average temperature during January, the coldest month, is -1.9°C. Snow falls are abundant, providing a constant winter snow cover up to 2 metres thick. The skiing season lasts from mid-December to mid-April.