Bulgarian Twin Centre- Mountains & Beach - Part One
6 nights BANSKO - SKI RESORT & 6 nights SUNNY BEACH – BLACK SEA COAST
BANSKO
Built 925m above sea level in the Pirin Mountain region, this little ski resort has grown over the last few years to accommodate the masses that ascend during the winter ski season. Now they are realising the potential for the summer which is fantastic for hikers, mountain bikers and climbers.
There are many apartments and hotels to choose from at extremely reasonable prices and the town is very easily accessible from all accommodations. The best hotel is considered to be the Kempinski Hotel Grand Arena located close to the Gondola at the foothills of the mountain road and the top of Pirin Street.
We spent 6 nights in June 2012 here and enjoyed every minute. Although it is very quiet in the this early in the summer and many restaurants and bars close for this period to re-coop after the winter, carry out maintenance to establishments & roads which take a battering in the harsh winter.
The main street in Bansko is Pirin St containing an array of restaurants and bars. There are also a couple of night clubs for those hardy party goers (closed in June)
Cost of living in Bansko is amazingly cheap in comparison to other alpine resorts and a perfect alternative for those on a budget. A meal for two with several beers will set you back around £25 in a good restaurant and if you’re self catering you can buy most essentials for pennies.
If you’re a keen hiker or biker there are many trails to choose from in the Pirin region and a hiking holiday with guides can be arranged easily.
We hired a couple of scooters for 3 days for just £35 each, and had great fun up the mountain roads.
I would recommend Bansko in the summer for couples and only for families with active children who like walking, hiking etc. There’s not a whole lot more to see unless you take excursions i.e to the bear park in Razlog (rescue dancing bears), city visit to Sofia etc. Also there is a popular Jazz festival every year in August which attracts many visitors.
I would defiantly recommend Bansko for skiers of all abilities as they have many beginners runs as well as some scary looking black runs. Off Piste skiing is also very popular with regulars as it’s known to be very safe and the authorities are less policed than other popular alpine regions.
Transport to Bansko – Fly direct from Luton/Gatwick/Manchester and Heathrow into Sofia on and transfer time takes around 2.5 hours. The roads are good all the way and are currently being reconstructed to introduce a new dual carriageway which will cut the travel time by 1 hour.
TOP TIPS
• Bulgarians love their spa treatments and they are very reasonable. Most hotels have good spas. Or you could take an excursion to Dobrinishte and the natural mineral water spa pool just 6km from Bansko. • Have a meal at the Tavern Bunare on Pirin Street– fantastic local food at brilliant prices. • Service charges are expected at an average 10%. • Toilets in the mountain café’s and some public areas can be a primitive hole in the ground so be prepared! • Temperatures in the summer average at 28oC so take plenty of sunscreen.
SUNNY BEACH – BLACK SEA COAST
