Skiing Facilities
Though Bulgaria boasts two famous skiing resorts at Borovets
and Pamporovo, it's Bansko which is fast becoming the tourists'
favourite. The skiing is fabulous, to say the least, with
spectacular pistes set in the Pirin Mountain national park.
Bansko eclipses Borovets in every respect. It has the best snow
record and the longest ski season of all Bulgarian resorts. The
skiing is good, with the lower runs through the trees and open
bowl skiing at the top of the area, offering fresh tracks in
deep powder.
Cheap Rates
In the village of Bansko, most of the après-ski is provided
by traditional taverns called mehanas. Competition is keen - the
resort's population is only 10,000 - and "greeters" dressed in
national costume loiter outside the larger taverns encouraging
tourists to enter - and they are outrageously cheap. A gourmet
Macedonian dinner for four with Bulgarian Cabernet Sauvignon
would cost just £25. Another plus is that at the time of writing
this Bansko neither has a Pizza Hut nor a McDonald's.
Major Local Attractions
Bansko has many historical monuments with Rila monastery the
most well known. The present building was constructed in the
19th century but the monastery is and has remained a refuge of
hermits since the 10th century. IT is held in high esteem in the
minds of most Bulgarians. Also worth visiting are Neophit Rilsky
Museum, Hilendarsky Convent and The House of Arts and Poetry.
Conclusion
Even without the history and arts, the Pirin National Park
alone with it's 70 glacial lakes and rolling expanses of rare
flora would be enough to make this trip memorable in it's own
right. |
