Skiing in Bansko

The local kitchen is a must to taste. Try to find one of the small coasy restaurants, but you wont have trouble finding it. During winterime the skiing is fantastic there but also during the sumertime it is a great place for hiking.

Quick Tips:

Get your skiequipment at the piste (uphill) You just can leave your equipment there at night, which safes you alot of carrying around.

Best Way To Get Around:

In the town by walking. To the piste you need to go by some kind of transport. Most hotels organize their own transport for the guests. If you stay in a private house, try the main square, next to the postoffice (with cash machine!!) To get there from Sofia is another story. There are regular busses leaving from the bus station next to the central train station. You have to use your best bulgarian. Look for the sign with: Банско (bansko in bulgarian).

Mr Konstadin Michailov Kotirkov.
Speaks good English.
His adress: 2270 Bansko, G. Kovachev 6, Bulgaria (+359-7443-3544)

During winter time, he is usually found during the day around one of the ski pistes, but to call him before is the better option. If you want, he can arranges your ski equipment.

In the summer he also guides walks thrugh the pirin forest.

The park has a limestone Balkan landscape, with its lakes, waterfalls, caves and pine forests, and a rich flora containing many endemic plant species. The rugged mountains, with around seventy glacial lakes scattered throughout them, are a relic of the ancient glacial days of Europe.

The park is protected by the Unesco World Heritage program.

There are several hikes through the park, but for less experienced hikers look at my other entry about skiing teacher/ hiking guide. For More info: http://www.wcmc.org.uk/protected_areas/data/wh/pirin.html

When I stayed in Bansko, I had the advantage of not having to stay in a Hotel. I stayed in one of the smaller family run houses. There are several of them, just ask around or try to ask around for a "staya". Alternatives are of course the bigger "commercial" hotels. I have a list but it did not feel right to me to publish them here. But if you are interested, and don't want to risk not finding a place. I can give you some adresses of the Hotels there.