skiing

Ski resorts in Bulgaria

There are three main ski resorts in Bulgaria. They are Pamporovo, Bansko and Borovets. These are all first class resorts and would rival any ski-resort in Italy or Austria.

Bansko is situated by Glazne river, in the south western region of Bulgaria, at the north-eastern foothills of Pirin beneath the highest and most beautiful karst part of the mountain, 170 km south of Sofia, and connected to the remaining parts of the country by bus and railway transport. Its name is related with the ancient Bulgarian word ban (from boean, boyan) which means master. Surrounded by the Pirin, Rila and the Rhodope mountains, Bansko is a climatic mountain resort with a short hot summer and long mild winter.

The average temperature during January, the coldest month, is -1.9°C. Snowfalls are abundant, providing a constant winter snow cover up to 2 m thick. The skiing season along the Pirin slopes starts in the middle of December and ends in mid-April. The skiing conditions in Bansko are excellent. The Pirin mountains have a predominantly Alpine character with three peaks around 2900 m. However, the slopes offer runs and tracks for all types of skiers, from novice to experts, while the ski runs are maintained in excellent condition. The range of skiing is 14 km of ski runs with 7 lifts with the longest ski run of 2.5 km. Experienced skiers will particularly enjoy the excellent opportunity to maximize skiing practices while beginners slopes will make first ski lessons easy and enjoyable.

Borovets is one of the older ski resorts in Bulgaria and easily accessible, being at a distance of only 70 km from Sofia. The resort has twice hosted cup competitions and it’s biathlon track is one of the best in Europe. Borovets is the oldest and the biggest mountain resort in Bulgaria, dating back to the year of 1896. It is located 1350 above sea level on the northern slopes of the Rila Mountains among age-old pine woods, at the foot of peak Mousala (2925 m) the highest on the Balkan peninsula. Because of its northern position it is one of the colder resorts. Borovets was developed into a modern ski-resort of high class. It is a resort of Alpine type and provides excellent conditions for snow sports.

Borovets is a resort of alpine type and provides excellent opportunities for a whole range of winter sports. The resort has twice hosted World Cup Alpine skiing rounds. Its biathlon track is one of the best in the world. The slopes of Borovets have a permanent snow cover from November to May, more than 1.5 m thick. The air in Borovets is crystal - clear and free of any pollutants. The average temperature during the coldest month, January, is -4.6 ° C. The nearest town is Samokov, which is 10 km from the resort.

Pamporovo is the most southern of the 3 resorts and enjoys a warmer climate than the other two. There are new apartments being built beside the ski-lifts in Melina. Pamporovo is a modern ski resort in the heart of the Rhodopi mountain, the mountain of the mythical singer Orpheus. It is the most southern skiing resort in Europe. It is the sunniest Bulgarian mountain resort with wonderful snow throughout the whole season. Pamporovo is situated on 1650 m above the sea level at the foot of peak Snejanka (1926 m). It is 240 km far from Sofia and 85 km from Plovdiv.

Pamporovo has an exclusive climate featuring a soft winter with about 120 sunny days during the skiing period. The significant influence of The Aegean Sea appears here and the skiing season starts from mid - December to mid - April. The average air temperature is - 3 ° C. The gentle profile of the mountain with its rounded slopes and summits makes Pamporovo particularly suitable for beginners. But there are also difficult ski runs like the Giant Slalom run which is an excellent exercise for every skiing expert. via ibp